Shiyan Changxin Xianggu Mushroom Industry Development Co., Ltd.
Industrial Standardization, Brand Upgrading — Forging a New Benchmark in China's Edible Mushroom Industry

In the early morning of November 19, at the Edible Mushroom Circular Economy Industrial Park in Yunyang District, Shiyan City, five vans fully loaded with organic thick-flesh Huagu mushrooms sounded their horns in succession and set off for the five national distribution centers of Sam's Club in Guizhou, Chengdu, Tianjin, and other locations. The 50,000 bags of organic Huagu mushrooms in the vans, valued at 4.5 million yuan, not only represent Yunyang mushrooms' "debut lineup" in the high-end market but also serve as the "passport" to a cooperation deal worth 120 million yuan in annual sales.

Since last November, Sam's Club has stationed personnel locally to trace the product's origins and sent samples to third-party agencies for year-round tracking and testing. Ultimately, Yunyang mushrooms passed all inspection criteria and successfully secured this annual bulk order in early November this year.

As a premium membership-based retail brand under Walmart, Sam's Club boasts annual sales exceeding 120 billion yuan and maintains extremely stringent supplier screening standards. Yunyang mushrooms not only became the only mushroom supplier from Hubei Province to qualify but also ranked first among similar suppliers, marking the official entry of "Yunyang Mushrooms" into the domestic high-end market.

This mutually beneficial collaboration stems from Yunyang's decade-long dedication to its mushroom industry. Leveraging the ecological advantages of its mountainous terrain, Yunyang District has carved out a distinctive path of "technology empowerment + full-chain development." Currently, the district has nurtured 16 mushroom processing enterprises, established 23 automated deep-processing production lines, and developed over 30 products, including mushroom snacks, functional beverages, and health products. This has formed an industrial cluster capable of producing 60 million mushroom sticks annually, with an entire industry chain valued at 3.5 billion yuan. The industry has driven more than 10,000 households and over 30,000 individuals to achieve an average annual income increase of over 20,000 yuan per household.

Technology empowerment solidifies the foundation of quality. Shiyan Changxin Xianggu Mushroom Company has built a factory-based stick production workshop with leading automation levels in China, dynamically and precisely regulating "temperature, light, humidity, and oxygen." It has become the first local enterprise in Shiyan to obtain primary strain production certification. The postdoctoral workstation established in collaboration with Hubei University of Chinese Medicine has secured 56 invention patents, driving the transformation of mushrooms from ordinary agricultural products to functional foods like glucan-based products and health supplements, significantly enhancing product added value.

"In the past, mushroom cultivation relied on experience. Now, by learning techniques from experts, the Huagu mushrooms we grow are thick-fleshed and fresh-tasting, and they sell effortlessly," shared Li Xiwen, a mushroom farmer from Yangxigou Village, Bailang Town, Yunyang District. His sentiment reflects the transformation among local growers. Through the "local experts + technical teams" mentorship model, Yunyang has cultivated over 200 technical experts, enabling ordinary farmers to transition into new-era industrial workers and ensuring every mushroom meets high-end market standards.

"This collaboration not only brings orders but also drives the standardization and brand upgrading of the industry," said Li Huamin, Deputy Director of the Yunyang District Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau. Taking this supply opportunity as a catalyst, the district will accelerate local strain research and development, deepen fine processing, and establish regional trading markets to propel the "Yunyang Mushrooms" geographical indication brand onto a broader stage.