Despite the growing demand for mushrooms nationwide, Kennett Square remains unchallenged as the top mushroom producer nationwide, writes Timothy Taylor for TalkMarkets.com.

The Mushroom Capital of the World and its surrounding area are responsible for around half of the country’s entire mushroom production.

The area’s mushroom roots go back to 1885 when florist William Swayne began growing mushrooms under the raised beds he used for carnations. As demand increased, he built a dedicated mushroom house, and thus began Kennett Square’s domination of the industry.

It has continued since then for many reasons. Among them is the detailed skills and knowledge among the workers and producers of the area.

Over the decades, local producers have also developed a chain of processors, wholesalers, retailers, and distribution networks that is not easily duplicated.

Kennett Square producers have also shown they are capable of drastically increasing production with the rise in demand. In 1967, mushroom production in the country was 157 million pounds. That number has since risen to 900 million pounds, with more than half still coming from Pennsylvania.

Read more about Kennett Square’s mushroom dominance at TalkMarkets.com here.

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