Tender Advertisement #1564179

Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation) is a not-for-profit, grower-owned Research and Development Corporation (RDC) for Australia’s $17 billion horticulture industry. Hort Innovation invests around $170 million in research and development (R&D) and marketing programs annually to provide benefit to industry and the wider community.
Hort Innovation is seeking a suitably qualified, experienced and capable delivery partner for the project: Mushroom consumer sentiment 2025 (MU25001).
The objectives of the services being sought are to understand the factors contributing to the declining demand for mushrooms and, inform mushroom marketing SIAP (Strategic Investment Advisory Panel) decisions on Marketing activities and investments to drive mushroom demand growth.
The project should provide a comprehensive overview of usage and attitudes toward mushrooms (including regular and exotic varieties), covering both in-home and out-of-home consumption. It should also evaluate factors influencing usage, purchase and demand decline, such as:
- The Erin Patterson murder case and related safety concerns
- Cost of living and mushroom prices, and assess the role of value (price, pack size, promotions) in driving purchase decisions
- Lack of knowledge/confidence in preparation and storage
- How seasonality and attitudes toward cooking in summer vs. winter influence mushroom purchase and consumption
- Mushrooms not being a regular meal component, especially among younger adults
- Poor retail experience (quality, freshness, packaging), and if possible, investigate the effect of display location (dedicated bay vs. secondary display) on impulse purchases and overall demand
- Changes in eating out frequency or selection of mushroom-based dishes out of the home
The mushroom industry is particularly interested in light buyers and truly understanding the underlying behavioural and attitudinal reasons for reduced consumption. The research should deliver detailed insights into the specific factors preventing purchase among light buyers and young adults, including but not limited to convenience, relevance, competing products, and category entry barriers.
Hort Innovation has prepared a Request for Proposal (RFP) document that provides background information, outlines the scope of services, the procurement process and the information required from interested parties.
The RFP may be downloaded from www.tenders.net (you will need to be a member of tenders.net to access this information).
The closing date for responses is October 31, 2025, 3pm (AEDT).