The CEO of Chaga OÜ Silver Laus: ,,Today's scientific world's interest in mushrooms is enormous, and related research has grown at a significant pace.``
Chaga opened Estonia’s first research and competence center for mushrooms
Chaga OÜ opened Estonia’s first research and competence center Shroomwell Biotech, focused on the study of mushrooms which is situated in the immediate vicinity of the Technopol Science Park. This is a significant step in positioning Estonia in discovering the potential of mushrooms.
“Today’s scientific world’s interest in mushrooms is enormous, and related research has grown at a significant pace,” said Silver Laus, the CEO of Chaga OÜ. “Estonia has great potential of becoming a global leader and trendsetter in the field of mushrooms. Our research and competence center creates all the prerequisites for starting and implementing large-scale research and pilot projects in a top-level laboratory,” added Laus.
According to Laus, the company has already started a revolution in Estonian forestry and introduced the possibility of sustainable forest management by establishing chaga plantations. “The opening of the new research and competence center is the next stage of Chaga OÜ’s strategic plan to increase the science-based approach to the world of mushrooms,” said Laus.
According to Siim Raadik, the head of Shroomwell Biotech’s research and competence center, the first major goal is to broaden the current understanding of mushrooms and raise awareness of the field.
“We are used to knowing that mushrooms are for eating. But this traditional approach and way of thinking is changing. For example, medicinal mushrooms were a part of indigenous life. Today we see the growing trend of clinical studies of mushrooms in traditional medicine. Shroomwell Biotech’s interest is to find new ways to extend a person’s healthy life. Several well-known mushroom species can provide side income in the field of forestry and solve ecological problems related to the environment. Estonia’s first research and competence center focused on gourmet and medicinal mushrooms increases the already good level of mushroom research capacity in Estonia in bringing outstanding Estonian researchers and development work to the world. Mushrooms could make Estonia a new Skype for health and forestry,” said Raadik at the opening of the research center.
“We have already launched pilot projects on hundreds of hectares of the medicinal mushroom Chaga, which makes us the largest outdoor grower of mushrooms,” Raadik introduced and added: “today we grow mushrooms for development on an area of 150m2. By the end of this year, Shroomwell’s 1,200 m2 indoor cultivation will also be completed in South-Estonia, as a result of which we will consolidate our position as the largest grower of medicinal mushrooms in the region.”
“As a company, we are witnessing a significant increase in global interest in mushrooms as a quality raw material. Due to its image of a clean environment, Estonia has a strong competitive advantage over other countries. By combining science, technological capabilities and world-class competence, Estonia has great potential to lead the development and success story of the field of mushrooms,” said Laus.
Chaga OÜ, which is primarily known for the products of the Chaga Health brand, will additionally launch Shroomwell, a gourmet and medicinal mushroom brand aimed at the end consumer, during the first half of the next year.
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