Truffle Market: North America

[Ruth Bunbury]

Hello,

I hope this message finds all members well. I am a new NATGA member, located in Eastern Ontario, my family and I will be planting 5 acres of Burgundy Truffles in the late fall. But with the planting comes the paperwork and the budgeting, which is what I was hoping the members of the association might be able to assist me with.

I am currently writing a Market Research Report to go with my Business plan. I have done the majority of the research already but am finding numbers for North American (if possible broken down into the USA, Canada – provincially) annual yields, sales and exports of truffles (any major species) difficult to come by. How much is the market for truffles worth in North America, Canada, USA, and Ontario) currently? Does anyone have those numbers and would they be willing to share them with me? I have been able to find export data for mushrooms and truffles but the numbers are of no value because they provide no clarity for truffles specifically. If you have any insight or could direct me to a resource I would greatly appreciate it.

Kind Regards,

Ruth

[Fabrice Caporal]

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Hello Ruth,

These are very important questions however you will find that answers are very hard to come by. Part of NATGA’s mission is to come up with the data, but it has been a challenging endeavor for multiple reasons.

Secrecy. Traditional truffle production is associated with black market and hidden harvest spots. This is still ingrained in the practice. It will be very hard to get accurate numbers from the traditional channels.  Australian and to a certain extend Spaniards are changing that practice and recognize the value of an open market.

Lack of production. In the North American continent production is only a very small proportion of the demand. So we don’t significant data on the supply side, beside import. Most volume imports is done by a handful of importers that are still very much intrenched in the old world “business” practices. Further, restaurants would gladly serve truffles if they could rely on a consistent supply of quality truffles. So current market size is grossly under estimated.

Global import does not accurately distinguish truffles. As you know truffles are many different products and often they are amalgamated with mushrooms.  So I found using border control reports and such to be useless,  not even to get an idea of scales.

Please share any information you would find this would be a grate service to the community.

[Ruth Bunbury]

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Fabrice,
Thank you so much for the information! I will definitely share every thing I bring together for the analysis and subsequent business plan with you and members. With your permission I would like to address some of the points you made above in my analysis, and expand on them, perhaps with some of Ian R. Hall’s (et al.) work from “Taming the Truffle”? Let me know, and thank you again!
Ruth

[Michael Zablocki]

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Hey Ruth, I am in Hamilton, ON and created a business plan last year for FCC, our agricultural bank. Ultimately, I decided to not pursue truffles at this moment for various reasons, mainly the cost of land is too high right now for me. Please send me an email and maybe we could talk on the phone and share info. My email is zablockimichael@gmail.com.

[Ruth Bunbury]

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Hi Michael! Thank you for connecting with me, I would love to talk truffles! I am in Acton, so not far at all. I absolutely understand the cost factor, the investment start an orchard properly is quite intimidating, add land on to that…I am blessed with a family farm that is not being used currently. It is out near out near Kingston; I have had enough of the GTA and need the country life I was so desperate to escape from after university! My parents said I would be back… I will send you an email from my personal email as I tend to check it more. Thank you again!

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