Local grower among five recipients of state award
A local mushroom producer was celebrated as a Small Business Rock Star during Georgia Small Business Week, May 1-6.
Ellijay Mushrooms is one of five Small Business Rock Stars named this year by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA). The award salutes “the risks, innovations, outreach and impact of the state’s small businesses,” according to GDEcD.
“Small businesses form the foundations of Georgia’s economy, representing 99 percent of all businesses in Georgia. These five companies demonstrate the diverse industries that call the Peach State home, and we are honored to recognize their contributions to their communities and this state,” said Gov. Brian Kemp.
“We are very honored to be chosen out of so many small businesses in Georgia,” said Howard Berk, who co-owns Ellijay Mushrooms with Amanda Liu, Megan Cai and Li Cai. “Only five businesses in the whole state are chosen each year, and it was a great surprise to us. It’s really cool that people notice the changes we’re trying to do at the farm.”
In recognition of the Rock Star award, Ellijay Mushrooms was visited by a panel that included GDEcD representatives, District 7 Rep. Johnny Chastain and Gilmer Chamber personnel. Each of the five award recipients were also spotlighted on the GDEcD Facebook and Twitter platforms.
“We’re excited to have Ellijay Mushrooms as part of our local community,” said Ron Cheslock, Gilmer Chamber tourism manager. “We’re looking forward to seeing them continue to grow their business with a new farm store opening in a few weeks and also an education partnership with our local school system.”
The 36-acre mushroom farm in the Flat Branch area is located on more than 150 acres where the American Dhamma Society is centered and hosts meditation retreats. Oyster and shiitake mushrooms are grown in 120-foot indoor greenhouses where thousands of moistened logs bear the nutrient-rich fungi.
Ellijay Mushrooms distributes its organically grown produce to a variety of commercial clients, including natural grocers like Whole Foods and several restaurants in Ellijay and the Atlanta area. Some of the local eateries that have used the mushrooms include River Street Tavern, The Shack, Ellijay Woodfired Pizza and The Roof. Atlanta restaurants include Haven, The Alden and Valenza Italian. Ellijay Mushrooms also sells directly to the public.
One of the biggest challenges has been finding new sales outlets so the company can continue to grow, Berk noted.
“Getting in where the big players have been and getting somebody to switch and use local, (has been challenging),” he added. “We take pride in our high-quality mushroom production, and we’re really trying to (get) these grocery stores to buy from a local farm, which supports the local economy and reduces the impact of long-distance shipping. But it’s really hard to get in (the big stores).”
Berk said upcoming projects include getting the Ellijay Mushrooms farm store open and participating in a smart container program done by Kennesaw State University. In that program, a 40-foot smart container will be received, providing a new method for growing the mushrooms. The company uses recycled logs made from discarded farm material and is also looking to expand that growing method in the future.
“We’re successfully growing oyster mushrooms (on those logs) right now, and we have some lion’s mane (mushrooms) in the lab,” Berk said.
Each of this year’s Small Business Rock Stars were founded in Georgia and have 300 employees or less. Berk said Ellijay Mushrooms has a staff of less than 10.
“This is a recognition of our men and women in Ellijay who are at the farm working every day. If we didn’t have our team, we wouldn’t even have a chance to win this award,” he added.
Other 2023 Rock Stars are Benedetto Guitars, of Savannah; Crescent Kayaks, of Carrollton; Shear Structural, of Chamblee and White Oak Pastures, of Bluffton.
“This year’s winners represent a variety of industries and regions across the state, and we look forward to continuing to support these businesses and others like them,” said GEDA president and CEO Grant Cagle.
Out of 4,000 total nominations, only 50 businesses have been recognized as Georgia Small Business Rock Stars since the program started 10 years ago, noted GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson.