“Fungi Farm” is a large family farm in the west of Ukraine. Yaroslav Salovsky – Yevhen`s father started the mushroom business. Now the whole family works in this business – the founder, his spouse and their two sons. “Our father is the main startuper, and my mother is the main technologist,” says the eldest son, Yevhen. And Yevhen`s brother works with local markets and deals with farm technical issues.In the Ternopil region “Fungi Farm” is TOP-1 mushroom farm according to the volumes, and in Western Ukraine – in TOP-3. The farm has been operating for almost two decades. Now Salovsky family has 26 growing rooms of 280 m2 each. In total, it is 7000m2. White and brown mushrooms are grown. “Why brown? Because I love them,” Yevhen simply answers.

Yevhen Salovsky recently received the “Farmer of the Year” award at the “Pride of Ternopil” television show, which has been held by local TV channels “INTB” and “Ternopil1”.

The UMDIS agency spoke with Yevhen about the award and mushroom growing.– Dear Yevgen, how is your day?

– At work. Today is the holiday, so we want to let people go early to celebrate with family.

– I know that your farm is an example of a family business. Is it true that your father started it?

– My dad saw this business in his night dream. He brought fruits and vegetables from Poland and sold in Ukraine – so started buying mushrooms. The first time we saw mushrooms, we didn’t know what to do with them. I remember that we took they to the car as other vegetables: white were taken from Poland, and blacks arrived. We understood that we are doing something wrong. Ans started to learn. The Pole, from whom my father bought mushrooms, invited him to visit the farm. Father saw growing rooms, and he began to dream about them. One night, the next… Became a friend with that mushroom grower. Once a Pole said: “Sooner or later the borders will be closed and you won’t be able to travel anymore. Let me teach you how to build your own mushroom greenhouse.”

– Did the Polish experience help?

– Yes, it helped. We also have a relative who knew engineering and construction. He joined building – so we built the first 4 rooms. It was in 2007, before the crisis. Those times we had a shop. This niche was being taken over by supermarkets, so a decision had to be made as to what to do next. Father said: we are selling the store, taking a loan – investing in mushroom growing. You know, when you look to the future, there are two paths before every decision. And when you look at the past, there is only one path – the one you chose. Now I believe that the decision to go into mushroom growing was the right one.

Promotion

– You know, I was once asked what I dream about according our mushroom business. I replied that I wanted 100 rooms. And later I realized that it’s not about quantity. You need to have a strong brand and benefit consumers, says Yevhen.

– Regarding the brand, we are watching how you started to provide your social networks.

– At the beginning of the war, a friend of mine came to me from Kyiv. And explained me that I had to advertise mushrooms for the customers. So, we do it during the last year. At the same time, we promote and highlight the Fungi Farm brand – brand of our farm. We do it locally, in our region. We started with social networks. I would like to note that after the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the enemy in Ukraine, our local bloggers, TV channels and famous people rallied and began to support local businesses. We were noticed by food bloggers from the “Food of a Cool City” project, who came to us to make a film. Later, other media initiative us. Currently, we constantly agree to stories on television, participate in cooking shows, maintain company accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram. Here we did what the association should do throughout Ukraine. Minimal resources and smart investment.

– Is it expensive? Do you see the investment in promotion is paying off?

– As I have already said, in Ternopil the media and blogging spheres are trying to support the local producer during the war. Even advertising prices have become loyal. Thanks to such cooperation, the media market has become much more accessible. For example, together with the local TV channels “Ternopil 1” and “INTB” we launched a new project “Carefully, deliciously!”. They have already filmed 12 programs about what dishes you can cook with mushrooms. We have now become the largest producer in the region, so the demand for mushrooms will, of course, affect us.

– How did you decide to participate in the “Pride of Ternopil” competition?

– One of the television staff, whom we met while filming the programs, nominated us for the “Farmer of the Year” award of the “Pride of Ternopil” TV competition. At first I was skeptical, but then I found out that we won! The audience and the jury liked us, because before us in this nomination, everyone was engaged in grain and wheat, and this year mushroom producers won! It was something new. This is great for us and for all mushroom growers. Every time we were on the screen, consumers were additionally reminded about mushrooms.

Sales

– You are in the west of Ukraine. Have you thought about starting to export mushrooms?

– We are interested in export. We even have potential customers from Moldova and Bulgaria. But I believe that first we need to solve our main problem, which is the lack of pickers. A very large emigration is now observed, especially among women. We cannot provide the required stable production volumes, having a shortage of workers.

– At what percentage are you working now?

– By 70%. This is the golden mean. There are not enough pickers anymore. On the other hand, if we grow more, it will be difficult to sell everything in Ukraine. In this case, it is really necessary to enter foreign markets. We now sell many mushrooms to those customers that were closed by several large manufacturers from the East of Ukraine that are now out of business. Our mushrooms are now traveling far across Ukraine.

Recently, an 85-year-old pensioner Valentina from Nikopol (war zone) called the Fungi Farm. She thanked them for delivering mushrooms to their “ATB” market so that she can buy and cook her favorite dishes: soup, fried mushrooms and cabbage rolls with mushrooms.

At that moment, the door opens. Someone looks in and asks Yevhen when he will be free.

– Let them wait a little, I’ll give everyone a drive, – Yevhen smiles.

It turns out that he drives home pickers, because the farm is outside the city, in the countryside. The farms compensates for the cost of the trip, but they can also give the workers a ride if go home the same time. Fungi Farm plans to organize a comfortable bus transfer from Ternopil city, so that more people from there can be attracted to work.

Success

– Yevhen, your farm is very successful. In your opinion, what is the most important thing for success in mushroom growing?

– Two things are important. The first is to constantly learn. Every six months we go to Poland to study mushroom growing and picking. And this year I graduated with a master’s degree in the specialty “Analytics of system processes. Philosophy”. I was 34 years old when I went to study again. We still have a group of acquaintances, we get together, read and analyze Plato or something modern. It helps me in business to see the development strategy for the future.

– And the second thing that is important?

– To love what you do. For example, father cannot be taken out of the growing room, he sits there from morning to night. At nine o’clock in the evening, he can drive to go and see the rooms.

– Are you the same?

– I love work, but I divide my time like work and non-work. I learned how to do this. Although sometimes I go to mushroom farm if I don’t have to, but for other reasons. You know, here I have my own place and comfort zone, and at home… I have three children at home.

– Yes, I totally understand. Do you see the prospect of children entering the business when they grow up?

– Of course! The middle daughter, Karina, is waiting for the weekend to go with me to the farm to pick mushrooms. Can enthusiastically pick for three hours. Or goes to do packing with the girls – works and speaks with them. She is seven years old. She looks like a small monster after working, I always keep a change of clothes for her in the office.

UMDIS Agency, on behalf of our entire mushroom industry, congratulates Yevhen Salovsky and Fungi Farm on receiving an honorary award! Thank you for investing in the promotion of mushrooms!

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