During our recent Button Mushroom Growing Course in the UAE, we had the pleasure of speaking with our trusted partner Champfood, a global leader in mushroom supplementation. Their team shared valuable insights into the role of nutritional supplements in modern mushroom farming — and how their innovations continue to shape the industry.
A Look Back Champfood entered the market in 1990 with a game-changing slow-release supplement, designed to activate only during the pinning stage. This helped growers improve yield and consistency while avoiding overfeeding and microbial issues — setting a new industry standard.
Tailored Formulations With over 45 different formulations, Champfood offers solutions for both phase 2 and phase 3 composts, customized to meet diverse compost compositions and country regulations. Their slow-release technology ensures nutrients are delivered precisely when needed — during pinning and flushes.
Choosing the Right Supplement Key factors farms should consider:
Common Misconceptions More supplement doesn’t mean more yield. Overdosing can harm the crop. Not all supplements are the same — timing, composition, and integration matter.
Global Reach Champfood maintains direct relationships with 95% of compost producers worldwide, giving them a clear view of global supplement usage. According to their insights, one out of every two mushrooms grown globally is supplemented with Champfood — a remarkable market presence.
How to Buy Champfood works with distributors in select countries (20–25% of sales) and supplies the rest (75–80%) directly. Even when working through distributors, they stay closely involved with customers, offering guidance and support.
Founding Story Champfood was founded in 1990 by Toon Donkers and Jan Baltussen. Toon, from a large mushroom-growing family, combined his expertise in animal nutrition with practical experience to develop a pioneering slow-release supplement. Jan Baltussen, his son-in-law, helped scale the company globally with a strong business and strategic vision.
Key Markets & Growth Potential Champfood’s strongest markets today are Europe and China. However, they see great potential in India and parts of Africa, where compost producers are beginning to scale up and improve compost quality — a key requirement for effective supplementation.
Challenges in Emerging Markets In countries where compost production is still small-scale, achieving the necessary homogeneity and selectivity is difficult. Under such conditions, supplements may unintentionally feed unwanted fungi. While interest exists, Champfood is cautious about entering these markets until conditions are right.
We’re proud to partner with Champfood and share their story with our global network of growers and innovators.
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