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See Timeline below | Mushroom Growing Process |
Golden Gourmet Mushroom's fresh mushroom
Hokto Kinoko fresh mushroom production facilities currently under construction at San Marcos location to be completed As of May 1, 2008, The Kinoko Company is the distributor of the Golden Gourmet Mushrooms and the Hokto Kinoko brands of fresh, organic "cultivated wild" mushrooms. Kinoko is the Japanese word for mushrooms, literally "Children of the Woods". Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. has been an innovator in cultivating and introducing new species of mushrooms to North American consumers since 1988, and is currently one the United State's largest distributors of certified organic mushrooms. The original production facility consisted of 60,000 square feet of building. From 1987 to 1994, the company utilized a bulk-pasteurization methodology to grow oyster mushrooms on suspended columns of wheatstraw. In 1993 an additional 20,000 square feet of production facilities was added to utilize a polypropylene bottle production technology, producing mushrooms on steam-sterilized substrates. The new facilities were used to produce high-quality Enoki (Flammulina velutipes) mushrooms on a consistant, year round basis in significant amounts. Previously, only Enoki imported from Japan and a very small amount of domestic Enoki produced at two small farms was available in the U.S.A. The bottle production technology and computer-controlled growing environments at Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. have proved to be very efficient at producing a very consistent, high quality product year-round. The bottle technology is also very versatile and has allowed for the production of several additional species of mushrooms. Over time, the complete facility has been adapted to utilize the bottle technoloy and methodology. In 1999, King Trumpet (Eryngii) and Beech (Buna Shimeji) mushroom production was initiated and then expanded several times. In 2004, Maitake (Hen-of-the-woods) production was initiated and the production of Beech Mushrooms was expanded to include the White Beech (Bunapi™) mushroom variety. In 2004, Golden Gourmet Mushrooms and their 15 year business partners Hokuto Corporation of Nagano, Japan started discussions regarding the of construction of a new state-of-the-art fresh mushroom production facility at the San Marcos, CA location. Agreements between the two companies were forged and the engineering & strategic planning was initiated in 2005. Demolition of the old fresh mushroom faciity was completed in 2006 and Hokto Kinoko Company started construction of the new 250,000 square foot facility. The targeted completion date is year-end 2008. During the transition period between the demolition of the old fresh mushroom production facility and the completion of the new production facility at the same location, Golden Gourmet Mushrooms implemented an importation program in order to continue to support our customers with high-quality, fresh mushrooms. The imported mushrooms are produced by Hokuto Corporation in Japan utilizing the same production and packaging technologies that will be used in the new San Marcos, CA facility when completed. In January 2007, five Hokuto Corporation production facilities in Japan were certified to produce Certified Organic fresh Maitake, King Trumpet and Brown & White Beech mushrooms for export to the USA. These mushrooms are Certified Organic under USDA-NOP standards. Quality Assurance International is the third-party certification agency. THE KINOKO COMPANY was established in 2008 to serve as the exclusive distributor of the Golden Gourmet Mushrooms and the Hokto Kinoko brands of fresh, organic "cultivated wild" mushrooms. Medicinal and Nutraceutical Products: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. has diversified its operation with the production of medicinal and nutraceutical mushroom products. Utilizing proprietary SSF (Solid State Fermentation) technologies, we are now culturing Reishi, Agaricus blazei, Antrodia, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Shiitake, Lion's Mane, and other medicinally active species for the production of a variety of health and nutraceutical products. Organically Grown: The Maitake, King Trumpet, Brown Beech and White Beech mushrooms distributed by THE KINOKO COMPANY are Certified Organic under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) by Quality Assurance International (QAI), a third party certification agency. No insecticides, fungicides or bacteriocides are used on the mushrooms or mushroom substrate (the material the mushrooms are grown on). The substrates for mushroom cultivation are proprietary mixtures of hardwood sawdusts, softwood sawdusts, corncob, wheat bran, rice bran soybean meal and other organic plant materials. No synthetic fertilizers are added. All substrates are "sterilized" with steam and pressure (autoclaved) prior to planting or inoculation with proprietary tissue-cultured strains of gourmet mushrooms. The production methodolgy in plastic bottles allows for maintenance of hygenic conditions within the growing rooms and processing areas. The "spent" substrate left in the bottles after harvest of the mushrooms is removed and the bottles are re-used time after time. Equipment Broker: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. represents Hokuto Sangyo, Ltd., the largest mushroom company in Japan, as the sole agent of their proprietary technology, equipment and products in North America. See Timeline | Mushroom Growing Process |
1987: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms founded by Craig Anderson and Nicolas D. Connor for the purpose of producing specialty mushrooms and introducing them into the USA marketplace. Analysis of the USA market for specialty mushrooms indicated that a large untapped market existed which had up until then been serviced only by small, seasonal growers with a commensurate inconsistent supply in terms of both quantity and quality 1990: Negotiations are initiated with Hokuto Sangyo Corporation, the largest producer of mushrooms in Japan. Golden Gourmet Mushroom technicians undergo extensive training at mushroom farms in Japan. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms becomes the first North American mushroom producer to import Japanese mushroom production technology utilizing steam-sterilized substrates in re-usable polypropylene bottles. 1991: Construction of 20,000 square foot production facility expansion is completed and Golden Gourmet Mushrooms becomes the largest producer of Enoki mushrooms in North America. 1993: Recognizing the efficiency and versatility of bottle production technology, Golden Gourmet Mushrooms begins conversion of Oyster mushroom production into bottles. 1994: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms becomes exclusive, authorized distributor of Hokuto Sangyo mushroom technology and equipment for outside-of-Asia sales. 1996: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms featured in article “Enoki has the Taste of Success”, San Diego Union Tribune, May 29, 1996. 1998: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms introduces King Trumpet mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) into USA market. Known simply as “Eryngii” in Japan, this mushroom has superior texture, flavor and shelf-life when compared with common Oyster mushrooms. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms becomes the largest producer of King Trumpet mushrooms in North America 2000: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms introduces Brown Beech mushroom (Hypsizygus marmoreus) into USA market. Known in Japan as Buna Shimeji, this mushroom has become very popular in Asia. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms becomes largest producer on Brown Beech mushrooms in North America. 2000: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms featured in article “Mushrooming Trend: San Marcos Grower Pioneering New Varieties”, North County Times, August 17, 2000. 2003: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms begins production of Maitake (Grifola frondosa) and adds this delicious mushroom with strong nutraceutical properities to its product line. 2004, January: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms introduces White Beech mushroom (a white strain of the brown beech mushroom) into USA market and adds this mushroom to its product line. 2004, April: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms initiates negotiations with Hokuto Sangyo Corporation to significantly expand and upgrade the San Marcos, CA mushroom production facilities. 2005, May: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms featured in article “Right on the Button”, San Diego Tribune, May 18, 2005. 2005, May: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms featured in television news spot “Having Fun Farming Fungi”, KFMB, Channel 8, May 4, 2005. 2005, October: Steve Farrar attends 3rd International Medicinal Mushroom Conference in Port Townsend, WA, USA 2005, November: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms completes construction of expansion facility for the production and processing of medicinal mushroom species for nutraceutical and functional food markets. Mushroom mycelial biomass is produced utilizing proprietary Solid State Fermentation (SSF) technologies. 2006, May: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms hosts two field trips of professional chefs and student chefs from the Culinary Institute of America, New York. The tour groups visit production facilities and attend lecture on biology, cultivation, and uses of mushrooms. 2006, July: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms participates in “Bounty of the County” sponsored by California Restaurant Association at San Diego Wine and Culinary Center. The annual event features farmers, breweries, wineries, producers and professional chefs from throughout San Diego County.. 2006, December: Demolition of old Golden Gourmet Mushrooms fresh mushroom production faciity is completed and construction is started on new HoktoUSA 250,000 square foot facility. Targeted completion date for new expanded state-of-the-art production facility is the end of 2008. 2007, February: The 19th North American Mushroom Conference is held in San Diego, CA. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms is a sponsor of the conference and hosts a well-attended wine and hor d'ouevers tasting party featuring Maitake, King Trumpet, Beech and Enoki mushrooms. 2007, September: Steve Farrar, COO, attends 4th International Conference on Medicinal Mushrooms in Ljubljana, Slovenia. 2007, November: Golden Gourmet Mushrooms and Mountain Meadow Mushrooms participate in annual San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival. Informational display and handouts attract the interest of many mushroom enthusiasts. 2008, May: The Kinoko Company becomes the exclusive distributor of the Golden Gourmet Mushrooms and the Hokto Kinoko brands of fresh, organic cultivated mushrooms. Kinoko is the Japanese word for mushrooms; literally "Children of the Woods" See Timeline | Mushroom Growing Process | Golden Gourmet Mushrooms - PRESS RELEASE - January 2007 Dynamic alliance creates western hemisphere's largest San Diego, California based specialty mushroom innovator Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. ( www.goldengourmetmushrooms.com ) has announced the creation of a new specialty mushroom alliance which is expected to dominate the growth of exotic mushroom sales in North America. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. has formalized agreements with Hokuto Corporation of Japan to create the largest specialty mushroom production facility outside of Asia. Hokuto, (Tokyo Stock Exchange - 1379) the world's largest producer of specialty mushrooms, has long dominated the technologically advanced production methodology of a variety of exotic fresh mushrooms known in Japan as "kinoko" or "children of the trees". The partnership will initially grow and market "King Trumpet (Eryngii)", "Brown Beech (Buna Shimeji)", White Beech (Bunapi™)" and "Maitake (Hen-of-the-Woods). These mushrooms are the most widely consumed mushrooms in Asia and Europe. It is expected they will grow in popularity as North American consumers become more aware of their nutritional, health and culinary benefits. At Golden Gourmet Mushrooms' location in San Marcos, CA, Hokuto is building a new 250,000 square foot facility that will increase the production capacity to approximately 6 million pounds annually. The new facility is scheduled for completion in the Spring of 2008. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms and Hokuto received organic certification for their mushrooms in January 2007. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, an innovator in introducing new mushrooms to the North American market since 1987, and Hokuto have been partners since 1990. Golden Gouret Mushrooms' long time presence and marketing expertise coupled with Hokuto's superior production technology and product quality will work together in establishing specialty mushrooms as mainstream products in the North American market. For further information contact: Craig Anderson: Office: 760-471-7300, Steve Farrar: Office: 760-471-7300, See Timeline | Mushroom Growing Process | Mushroom Matrix Press Releases -April 2007 OXIS INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES L-ERGOTHIONINE AS DIETARY ANTIOXIDANT SUPPLEMENT REPRESENTING SIGNIFICANT REVENUE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPANY INITIAL PRODUCT LAUNCH TO BE USED AS IMMUNE POTENTIATOR TO SHIELD AGAINST EQUINE VIRAL INFECTIONS Foster City, CA -- Oxis International Inc (OTCBB: OXIS), a biopharmaceutical company focused on commercializing predictive biomarkers, clinical assays and neutraceutical and therapeutic products, announced today that it has signed a supply agreement for L-Ergothioneine (ERGO) with Golden Gourmet Mushrooms of San Marcos, CA, a leading marketer to the equine industry of natural organic dietary supplements. The parties plan to market ERGO as a potential solution for the equine herpes virus, which has affected horses in at least 11 states, including leading horse racing and breeding states such as Florida, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and California. Recently, a mutation of the equine herpes virus (EHV-1) has appeared and gives the virus increased ability to multiply (more virus circulates in the horse's body), infects cells of the nervous system and results in death of the horse. OXIS has issued worldwide patents on the manufacturing of ERGO and will allow Golden Gourmet Mushrooms to market the product under the OXIS owned trademark, ERGOLD(TM). "With the outbreak of equine herpes continuing to rapidly spread, and no effective treatment or vaccination available, we believe that ERGO has the potential to boost a horse's immune system against a viral challenge" said Marvin S. Hausman MD, OXIS International's President and CEO. "There are currently more than 9.2 million horses in the United States, and with the racing, breeding and show jumping industries all looking for solutions to this potentially pandemic problem, ERGO could generate significant sales." Golden Gourmet Mushrooms currently markets Mushroom Matrix (M 2) to the United States equine market and small animal pet market as a natural organic dietary supplement. Golden Gourmet Mushroom's marketing plan is to add ERGO (ERGOLD(TM)) to the M 2 product to confer viral shield capacity and sell the product through veterinary practices. The research data underscoring this nutritional approach was shown in a paper entitled, "Activity of the dietary antioxidant ergothioneine in a virus gene-based assay for inhibitors of HIV transcription." Potential future markets include making this product available to domestic animals such as dogs and cats. The authors, including Dr. Okezie I. Aruoma, whom Oxis recently retained as a consultant, specifically state in the abstract: "Thus antioxidant strategy involving ergothioneine derived from food plants might be of benefit in chronic immunodeficiency diseases." OXIS and Golden Gourmet Mushrooms believe that this unique antioxidant nutritional immuno-protective ability of ERGO would also apply to other devastating viral diseases horses suffer from, such as Strangles and Equine Herpes. "Mushroom Matrix represents a significant new avenue for natural health support. In these special mushrooms are found many of nature's most powerful health promoting ingredients in the pure form that nature intended for optimum absorption and utilization," said Craig Anderson, President and CEO of Golden Gourmet Mushrooms . "Special unique transporters and powerful antioxidants make M2 the best way to restore and maintain the horse's health and naturally promote peak performance. M2 complements all nutritional and medical programs safely and cost effectively." American Horse Council Industry Statistics show the equine market to be an economically significant industry. There are currently more than 4.6 million Americans who own or work with horses. Sources estimate that the equine industry has a $102 billion impact annually on the U.S. economy. About Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc has been cultivating fresh mushrooms since 1988, and is currently one of the largest marketers in the United States of organically grown specialty mushrooms. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms has diversified and expanded its operations to the production of medicinal and neutraceutical mushroom products incorporating its proprietary SSF (Solid State Fermentation) technologies. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms represents Hokuto Sangyo, Ltd, of Nagano, Japan, the largest mushroom company in the world, as the sole agent of their proprietary technology, equipment and products in North America. About OXIS and BioCheck: OXIS International, Inc. develops technologies and products to research, diagnose, treat and prevent diseases of oxidative stress associated with damage from free radical and reactive oxygen species and the related increased inflammation that accompanies oxidative stress. OXIS presently holds the rights to three therapeutic classes of compounds in the treatment of oxidative stress, and has focused commercialization programs in clinical cardiovascular markers, including MPO (myeloperoxidase) and GPx (glutathione peroxidase), as well as the super potent antioxidant, Ergothioneine, that is planned to be introduced as an over-the-counter nutraceutical supplement. OXIS's customers include leading pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Glaxo SmithKline and Genzyme and universities such as Baylor College of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Virginia School of Technology, distributors and government laboratories. OXIS has acquired a 51% interest in BioCheck, with the option to purchase the remaining 49%. BioCheck is a provider of high quality enzyme immunoassay research services and products, and a leading provider of immunoassay kits for cardiac and tumor biomarkers, infectious diseases, thyroid function, steroids, and fertility hormones. BioCheck operates a 15,000 square-foot, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certified cGMP, and ISO device-manufacturing facility in Foster City, California. More information about OXIS, BioCheck and their products, services as well as current SEC filings may be obtained by visiting http://www.oxisresearch.com and http://www.biocheckinc.com . The statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, statements regarding our expectations, objectives, anticipations, plans, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties indicated in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is important to note that actual outcomes could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Contact: CEOcast, Inc. for OXIS International Andrew Hellman, 212-732-4300 See Timeline | Mushroom Growing Process | Click here to learn about and order our
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Check out some of
these articles about our company in the newsSan Diego Union Tribune -
North Coast
Wednesday, May 18th, 2005
"Right on the button "San Diego Union Tribune - Business,
Wednesday, May 29th, 1996
"Enoki has the Taste
of Success"Reader - San Diego's Weekly,
Volume 20, No. 27,
July 11, 1991
"Fungi for Your
Dining Pleasure"
To Contact GOLDEN GOURMET MUSHROOMS, INC. OR MUSHROOM MATRIX:
Please call or e-mail
E-mails:
Craig Anderson,
Steve Farrar,
Telephone: 866-740-MUSH
or 866-740-6874
The Kinoko Company is the exclusive distributor of the Golden Gourmet Mushrooms brand of fresh organic mushrooms.
Please contact Dylan or Tara at THE KINOKO COMPANY:
E-mails:
Dylan,
TaraTelephone:
760-471-7300
FAX: 760-471-7373
