Jose Cambon appreciates a good pop-culture reference almost as much as a good P.O. The new Chief Executive Officer of Highline Mushrooms has the experience and intellect to lead, with the charisma that inspires others to follow. But Jose himself will distill all of these attributes down to a fundamental desire, grounding each in a singular purpose.
Pragmatism is the root system from which everything else fires for Jose, and if he has his way, the days of calling mushrooms humble are numbered.
“As an industry, we know we have a great product, but we’ve failed to explain to the consumer why they should eat fresh mushrooms,” Jose boils down for me. Simple and to the point, a mushroom is the answer to so many societal needs, from bettering gut health to sustainable practices and whole-food eating. But, North Americans eat up to five times fewer mushrooms than other parts of the world.
Rather than looking at this as a challenge, Jose sees a script for success and plenty of growth to be gained for Highline and other growers.
The enigmatic mushroom is poised for its time in the hero’s role. Polarizing, mysterious, magical, and healthy—these are the makings of the protagonists that drive media today on the page and the screen, and they can all be found in the round-capped characters in your fresh departments.
“Previous to coming to North America, I worked for a large agricultural group called the Costa Group. We had a range of segments, including berries. Blueberries tracked pretty well for a little while, but then something happened, and they spiked,” Jose explained.
That “something” was antioxidants—a word that was said and spelled out to consumers so often it became blueberries’ superpower without further explanation.
“It’s not about a whole bunch of different messages, it’s that same message resonating all the way through,” Jose drew on this when looking across categories. “In the mushroom industry, we’ve said, ‘They’re really good for you. Just trust us.’ So, what we are working to accomplish now is to get that clear message across to consumers. ____ is the reason why.”
While that blank might seem a realistic conundrum, brought on by having so many reasons to entrust our health to mushrooms, Highline hears chance knocking. Vitamin D, gut and brain health, a stronger immune system, take your pick! But choose the industry must, as has been shown not just by blueberries, but avocados, celery, kale, and more fresh items that have surged to star status.
If the new leader of Highline Mushrooms is the Director bringing this show to light, Devon Kennedy is the Producer who knows it will take more than a unified message to bring them to the world stage.
“I’ve worked in all areas of the produce industry, so when I walked into grocery stores and started really looking at the mushroom shelf…it’s just brown and white,” Devon, National Marketing Manager, observed. Like Jose, this screamed potential to her. “I see a huge opportunity to engage with consumers and get them to put more mushrooms in their cart at every visit. There is also the chance to tell the benefits of mushrooms, whether they’re nutritional benefits or new ways to eat mushrooms. Mushrooms go with almost everything at any time. They complement meat or they can replace meat, and they are on the menu with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
Also drawing on existing scripts by other categories, Devon navigated me from mushrooms to lettuce.
“When you look at the lettuce five deck and how much fun they’ve had, mushrooms have the same versatility that retailers could be maximizing. They are very approachable, and they’re, jokingly, the fun-gi (read: fun-guy). We can have a great time with mushrooms and get them on everybody’s plate at every meal,” she commented.
In echoing Devon’s sentiments with respect to the parallels between lettuce and mushrooms, Jose had some definite thoughts on the presentation of mushrooms.
“We are not reinventing the wheel, but following how mushrooms and most fresh packaged produce are presented in other markets,” Jose said.
Highline tackled this with the recent launch of its clear till, which showcases the product, and gives room for branding and education, plus the convenience of shelving options for retailers.
“Clear tills are important from a sustainability and an environmental perspective and crucial from a sales perspective, but it’s also going to make some of our team’s jobs harder,” Jose acknowledged, adding that good people who care about the mission—especially those handling product every day—are the most valuable assets a business can have. “Part of the reason I came to North America is I speak a little Spanish, the primary language of most of our workforce now. I think there’s a huge opportunity in being able to connect with your workforce and explain to them in their language why whatever you’re trying to calculate is important, asking them whether they are packing mushrooms they would like their family to eat. That’s the barometer by which we should all measure what we do, and the almost 2,000 people that we have across our farms harvesting are the most crucial part of that.”
With this recent launch of Highline’s clear tills, which showcase the product, enhance branding opportunities, and offer the convenience of shelving options for retailers, continuous innovation and sustainability align with a goal of increasing mushroom consumption.
“We want to help our retail partners delight their customers. Clear packaging achieves this by giving them more space for branding and an opportunity for story-telling,” Jose pointed out. “This is exactly what the lettuce guys have done: The bag is fully branded, it’s telling lots of stories on the front, and if someone actually wants to look at the product, it’s fully visible. You look at berries, grapes, and salad kits; none of it is covered up. Customers pick it up and look at what they are buying—they can see the product clearly, and that’s an opportunity.”
“It’s not about a whole bunch of different messages, it’s that same message resonating all the way through. In the mushroom industry, we’ve said, ‘They’re really good for you. Just trust us.’ So, what we are working to accomplish now is to get that clear message across to consumers.”
Jose Cambon, Chief Executive Officer, Highline Mushrooms
Clear tills, he and Devon explained, are going to raise the bar for the entire industry, and the team anticipates it will attract customers to the display, resulting in increased sales at check-out.
“So it’s pretty logical,” Jose summed up. “Fundamentally, the customer needs to be at the center of your decision-making process. When you are answering their needs, they will return the favor and make what you are doing a success.”
Highline has big plans in the works, and a new pack presentation is just the beginning of the mushroom movement. The logical foundation that drives Jose’s process has laid out a number of steps to an overarching vision of true change and continued expansion across the North American landscape.
“I genuinely believe in climate-smart agriculture. Mushroom farming is just that: smart and a key contributor to the climate change solution,” he said. While the goal is a grand one, Jose is quick to point out he is a parent, not an environmental warrior. He wants to see his children breathe clean air, drink water, play outside, and sees the wonderful potential our industry has to help ensure this.
“The idea that the current generation of people are going to live for less than previous generations just because they’re not eating properly and because of the way the climate is changing is incomprehensible. I am a proud parent. I am a proud farmer. We as an industry can make a real difference,” said Jose.
This brings us to the most critical point of the master plan Highline is executing: The team will not, can not, do this alone.
“We want to share our strategy for change across the industry,” Jose told me. “This should not be a Highline initiative; we genuinely believe in mushrooms, and everyone who grows them needs to communicate this as a whole. One message, one voice. Want to be healthy? Want to be sustainable? Want to be regenerative? Just eat a mushroom.”
Simple and logical. With consumers today seeking a way to make a difference inside-out, from their physical health to the health of the world around them, give them the answer in this unsung superhero. 
