Story by Deni Archer

A spontaneous idea mushrooms into a business

For Carla and Quentin, mushroom farming happened “by mistake”. After Quentin fell in love with mushroom foraging on a trip to Sweden, he returned home to Johannesburg with the idea of growing the fungi. “And the next thing I knew, we had mushrooms growing all over our bathroom floor!” says Carla.

Rather suddenly, Carla found herself transformed from an interior designer to a mushroom farmer. Their product is an innovative mushroom growing kit. A lot of effort has gone into the design of these kits, making them attractive and “idiot proof” because, Carla says, growing mushrooms should be fun! So the packaging, designed by Quentin, is funky and fresh which makes the idea of growing mushrooms feel a lot more doable.

Let mushrooms be thy medicine

Their main product is the exotic oyster mushroom, quite new to the South African public, but quickly growing in popularity. They also have the more conventional white button, the much-loved portabella and and the smoky flavoured shiitake. Mushrooms aren’t only delicious, they’re also... nutritious! They’re packed with more amino acids per serving than corn, peanuts or kidney and soy beans. And surprisingly, the vitamin content is not dissimilar from that of meat. Shitake is also well known in the East for its medicinal properties.

You can find The Mushroom Factory kits at many of Joburg’s markets, as well as some nurseries and food stores - see the ‘Where to buy’ tab. Or you can order them directly from their website.

JOHANNESBURG

Markets, Nurseries and Food Stores:

Thursdays:

Bryanston Organic Market (9am-3pm)
Michael Mount Waldorf School
Bryanston

Saturdays:

Jozi Market (8.30am-1.30pm)
Pirates Sports Club
4th Avenue Ext
Parkhurst

Bryanston Organic Market (9am-3pm)
Michael Mount Waldorf School
Bryanston

Hazelwood Food Market (8am-2pm)
Greenlyn Village Centre
Menlo Park
25°46”08.41”S 28°15”21.87”E

Nurseries and Food Stores:

The Monkey Fountain Nursery
Tel 011 782 4103
2 Bram Fischer Drive
Pinepark

Colourful Splendor Nursery
Tel 011 447 5817
Cnr Marlborough & Richmond Rds
Craighall Park

Flowershed
Tel 011 646 6510
Killarney Mall

Impala Fruit and Flowers
Tel 011 788 5613
101 Lancaster Ave
Craighall Park

Colourful Corner
Tel 011 794 5733
Cnr Christian De Wet and Dolfyn St
Randpark Ridge

The GardenShop Broadacres
Tel 011 465 4216
Cnr Cedar and Valley Roads
Fourways

Oaklands Farm Supply
Cnr Kruger and Pretoria St
Oaklands Shopping Centre
Oaklands
Tel:011 728 3214

Lady Lime
Tel 011 562 4215
8 West Road South
Morningside
Sandton

Blue Haven Garden Centre
Tel 083 442 3086
Cnr William Nicol and Monte Casino Blvd
Fourways

The Loquat Tree
Tel 011 467 2854
Broadacres Shopping Centre
Broadacres

The GardenShop Bryanston
Tel 011 463 5773
Cnr Main & Halifax Road
Bryanston

Down to Earth Lifestyle Cafe
Tel 011 706 6550
Naturally Yours Centre
Cnr Main and Culross Roads
Bryanston

The GardenShop Parktown North
Tel 011 447 2368
Cnr Jan Smuts & Chester Road
Parktown North

Possums
Crn 7 and 4th Street (Next door to Jolly Cool)
Parkhurst

Fresh Earth Food Store
Tel 011 646 4404
103 Komatie Road
Emmarentia

Lifestyle Garden Centre
Tel 011 792 5616
Cnr. Beyers Naudé Drive & Ysterhout Avenue,
Randpark Ridge

Schafflers’ Garden Nursery
Tel 011 786 0323
28 Johannesburg Rd
Lyndhurst

Colour Country
Tel 011 954 2590
Cnr R28 and Anthony
Krugersdorp

Garden World
Tel 011 957 2046
Beyers Naude Drive
Muldersdrift

Leafy Greens Cafe
Tel 082 882 7300
Plot 328 Rocky Ridge Rd
Muldersdrift

R5 Nursery - Glen Marais
Tel 084 444 2929
Plot 6, Dann Road
Glen Marias
Kempton Park

Flora Farm
Tel 011 894 2377/8
Cnr North Rand and Trichardt Rd
Bartlett
Boksburg

Kemiri Kwekery
Tel 082 420 9118
180 Hodgsons Road
Benoni North

Eckards Garden Pavilion
Tel 011 453 8573
101 Boeing Road East
Bedfordview

GardenShop - Menlo
Tel 012 460 5137
Cnr Mackenzie & 13th Street
Menlo Park
Pretoria

Pure
137 Thomson Str West
Colbyn
Pretoria
Tel:012 342 1443

R3 and R5 Nursery
012 807 6721
Plot 79 Lynwood Rd,
Lynwood
Pretoria

Indigo Garden Centre
011 468 2628
Crn New Rd and 7th Rd
Carlswald
Midrand

Chameleon Village
Shop 18 Hartebeespoort dam
Tel: 084 397 5596

The Potted Herb
R512 Grootplaas Farm Stall
Broederstroom
Tel: 084 397 5596

Milly's Trout Stall
N4 Machadodorp
Tel: 0132560718

Montana Garden Pavilion
013 741 4612
Nelspruit

Vaal Area
Contact us for Agent details
info@mushroomfactory.co.za



CAPE TOWN

STODELS - Bellville
Tel 021 919 1106
Eversdal Road
Bellville

STODELS - Kenilworth
Tel 021 671 9050
Doncaster Road
Kenilworth

STODELS- Milnerton
Tel 012 528 4000
Racecourse Road
Milnerton