A UK plant-based business’s factory has expanded merely months after opening, amid “sensational” demand from consumers.
Myco has added another 3,000 sqft to its production site in North Yorkshire, which will allow for a 600 per cent increase in production of the firm’s Hooba range of burgers and sausages.
The extension means Myco can vertically farm far more oyster mushrooms, which are converted into Hooba under that same roof.
Having recently brought the range to market, the company said it has proven so popular it had to expand to meet growing demand.
“Sales of our Hooba range have exceeded even our highest hopes, and the feedback we’ve had from customers has been superb,” said Myco CEO, David Wood.
“We had always planned on scaling up production over the next few years, but to be able to expand as quickly as this is incredibly exciting – and it is a testament to the quality of our product.”
The company’s Leeming Bar HQ site is one of the most unique food production sites in Britain, with every stage of the process carried out under one roof.
It has led to the company’s quarter pounder being crowned ‘Britain’s greenest burger’.
And Myco’s growth isn’t just limited to the number of mushrooms it can produce – with the team swelling thanks to two new vital appointments.
Business development consultant Will Marshall and Catherine Priestly, food service business development consultant, have joined the team.
With 18 years in the food industry, Priestly has worked for several notable names including Fable, Meatless Farm and Genius, while Will’s sales and marketing background has seen him commercial director level positions for the likes of Xerox.
And there are further hires on the horizon, with the company expected to fill several other key roles by the end of summer – including a mushroom farmer.
With hopes to employ around 70 staff in the coming year, co-founder John Shepherd said the future for Myco looks “brighter by the day”.
“The first half of 2024 has exceeded all of our expectations, and we are thrilled with how well our Hooba range has been received,” he added.
“We are over-the-moon to have attracted both Catherine and Will to the business, and we believe they will both play enormous roles in our growth going forward.”
Source: foodanddrinktechnology.com