In the late seventies, the mushroom industry was largely dependent on the processing market. Mushroom growers nationwide were being severely injured by the influx of very inexpensive imported canned mushrooms. As a result, family-owned and operated mushroom farms that had been in existence for several generations were forced out of business. It was then, after 25 years as a compost supplier to most of these same mushroom farmers, our family decided to boldly diversify our operations by purchasing one of Pennsylvania’s largest mushroom farms from the Clorox Corporation.

In 1983, with no previously arranged marketing contracts, South Mill was faced with the challenge of selling its crop of fresh mushrooms, which by the end of the first year totaled approximately 9,000,000 pounds. Initially, South Mill sold its mushrooms through local Kennett Square mushroom brokers. The need for regional growth and independence necessitated a strategy change and it was then our focus shifted from brokers to selling directly to retail, wholesale, foodservice and commercial processors. Under the newly created South Mill label, the company embarked upon the challenge of selling the production of its farms. Decades later, South Mill via its 24-hour, 7-days-a-week customer service, seamlessly supplies over 55 million pounds of mushrooms to expanded territories with a team driven tractor-trailer fleet equipped with the latest communication technology.

In 1989, the southwest markets were targeted for expansion. It was then that South Mill changed the way non-regionally produced mushrooms were sold. By creating the first of many company-owned and operated distribution facilities in strategically located major metropolitan areas, operations in those cities were able to deliver unparalleled service to regional retail and foodservice customers. Linking these cities to our existing distribution system, South Mill successfully “brought the farm to the market” in major city areas whose locations and demographics supported an ever-expanding customer base. Our distribution facilities have a centralized sales office located in Dallas, Texas and each facility is fully staffed with experienced distribution associates to better serve the retail, wholesale, foodservice and processing industries in those specific regions.

South Mill is a vertically integrated company. We insure consistent quality and supply through continuous innovations in production, transportation, marketing and distribution and today service loyal customers in over 35 states. As a pacesetter in a fiercely competitive industry, South Mill has completed what is the first indoor mushroom composting operation in the United States. Environmentally friendly and operationally efficient, this tunnel system composts mushroom substrate indoors under the controlled atmosphere of an entirely "closed loop" system. As a result of this cutting edge technology South Mill maintains an even greater production capacity with a more consistent quality product providing a critical supply advantage unprecedented in the industry.

Through the years, South Mill has become much more than a mushroom company as it has expanded its portfolio of food products. We maintain partnerships with import growers and suppliers throughout the world and have confidently built and sustained relationships bringing to market such exciting items as Hot-house Vegetables from Holland and Spain, Italian and Greek Kiwi, Spanish Clementines, Argentine Apples and Pears, just to name a few. Through our extensive market experience, we encourage creative promotions with our customers and pledge to continuously introduce innovative trends and the best practices we observe in markets throughout the world. From the beginning, South Mill’s employees have grown the business into much more than just a mushroom company and we are extremely grateful and proud of our staff members, many of whom have dedicated much of their adult life to the success of our company. Our corporate philosophy is deeply rooted in our privately held history of dedication and remains today the driving force in our company; we think of ourselves as the customer!