Champignons de Paris
AgTech • Cambodia

Cambodia's First
Button Mushroom Farm

Solving the import dependency in growing HORECA and retail sectors with premium, locally-grown Agaricus bisporus — fresh within 24 hours of harvest.

300t
Market (TAM/year)
$1.27M
Total Investment
30–42mo
ROI Range
$379K
Net Profit (Base)
The Problem
100% of Button Mushrooms
Are Currently Imported
Cambodia's HORECA, catering, and retail sectors depend entirely on expensive, refrigerated air imports that lack freshness and come at a premium cost.

✈️ Expensive Air Freight

All Agaricus bisporus sold in Cambodia is flown in refrigerated, driving up costs for businesses and consumers alike.

📉 Poor Quality & Short Shelf Life

Imported mushrooms take 7–14 days to arrive, resulting in diminished freshness, reduced shelf life, and significant waste.

🛒 Growing Unmet Demand

Strong consumer demand fueled by rebounding tourism, expanding modern retail chains, and rising health consciousness among locals.

Current Import Dependency

100%
of button mushrooms in Cambodia are imported
TMC achieved an exceptionally positive market penetration rate in 2025, reflecting strong consumer demand.
The Solution
Controlled Environment Agriculture
for Year-Round Premium Production
A CEA facility near Phnom Penh producing premium, fresh, white button mushrooms — delivered to distributors in less than 24 hours after harvest.
🌱

Extra Fresh

Less than 24h from harvest to distributor. Imports take 7–14 days.

💰

Price Advantage

Ability to undercut imported premium products while maintaining healthy margins.

♻️

Circular Economy

Compost from local rice straw, bagasse, and corn stalks. Spent substrate upcycled into construction materials.

✅

Fully Organic

Pursuing JAC, USDA, and EU organic certifications — expected within 12–18 months.

Market Opportunity
300 Tons/Year Total Available Market
With zero local competition in button mushroom production, TMC targets 60–75% market penetration in Year 1, ramping to full market coverage by Year 3.
Serviceable Available Market (SAM)
300 t/yr
Across three primary segments
Retail200 t/yr
HORECA75 t/yr
Food Industries & Manufacturing25 t/yr
Serviceable Obtainable Market
60–75%
Market penetration target — Year 1

🛒 Modern Retail Expansion

Rapid expansion of grocery retail chains creates new distribution channels and consistent demand.

💚 Health Consciousness

Rising health awareness among the local population is driving consumption of nutritious, fresh produce.

🌏 Zero Local Competition

No other button mushroom farms operate in Cambodia, giving TMC a first-mover monopoly position.

Product & Operations
Multi-Tier Product Strategy
From fresh mushrooms to value-added products and upcycled construction materials.
Primary — Core Revenue

Fresh Mushrooms

  • Fresh white button mushrooms (standard & sliced)
  • Fresh crimini / brown button mushrooms
  • Year-round production via CEA
  • Harvesting starts within 15 days, cycle lasts 28 days
Secondary — Value Added

Processed Products

  • Frozen ready-to-use sautéed packs
  • Soup, pickles, jarred mushrooms
  • Mushroom powder supplements
  • Manufacturing R&D begins in Phase 2
Tertiary — Circular Economy

Upcycled Materials

  • Spent mushroom substrate into construction material
  • Bricks, panels, blocks from organic waste
  • Additional revenue from waste product
  • Supports sustainability mission
Technology Edge
Robotic Harvesting Development
Automated picking is a critical accelerator — reducing contamination, maximizing yields, and slashing labor costs.
01

Reduced Contamination

Minimizes human presence in grow rooms, dramatically lowering contamination risks and boosting crop yield stability.

02

Perfect Picking Window

Ensures peak weight/size harvesting for every mushroom, maximizing marketable yields.

03

24-Hour Harvesting

Autonomous operation enables continuous harvest cycles, increasing total throughput from each flush.

04

Hyper-Localized Data

Continuously collects temperature, humidity, CO2, and yield data per square meter.

$150K
Annual Labor Cost Reduction
A 50% reduction in the single largest operating expense, with simultaneous improvements in yield quality and consistency.
Development cost estimated at $45,000
Financial Projections
Key Numbers by Phase
Three-phase growth model: imported substrate → local production → automated harvesting. Phase 2 is the base-case operating model; Phase 3 represents upside potential via robotics.
Phase 1 — Imported Substrate
Phase 2 — Local Substrate (Base Case)
Phase 3 — Automated Harvesting (Upside)
Phase 1 — Imported Substrate
Cost of compost per kg$0.505
Total cost of compost$826,535
Total cost of peat moss$49,101
Energy cost per year$89,275
Yearly labour$290,000
Total production409 tons
Total costs$1,254,911
Sales price (per kg)$5.00
Total potential sales$2,045,879
Gross profits$790,968
SG&A11.60%
Taxes$110,729
Net Profits$442,917

Cost Breakdown — Phase 1

Compost$826,535
66%
Labour$290,000
23%
Energy$89,275
7%
Peat Moss$49,101
4%
Total Costs$1,254,911
Net Profit$442,917
Year 1 Ramp-Up Adjustment
Figures above reflect full-year capacity. In Year 1, expect 3–4 months of construction followed by gradual ramp-up. Realistic Year 1 estimate: ~204 tons produced, ~$1.02M sales, ~$109K net profit (at ~50% effective capacity).
Phase 2 — Locally Produced Substrate (Base Case)
Cost of compost per kg$0.14
Total cost of compost$155,814
Total cost of peat moss$33,389
Energy cost per year$60,707
Yearly labour$290,000
Total production222 tons
Total costs$539,910
Sales price (per kg)$5.00
Total potential sales$1,112,958
Gross profits$573,048
SG&A8.90%
Taxes$94,799
Net Profits$379,196

Cost Breakdown — Phase 2

Labour$290,000
54%
Compost$155,814
29%
Energy$60,707
11%
Peat Moss$33,389
6%
Total Costs$539,910
Net Profit$379,196
Why switch to local substrate?
While production volume drops from 409t to 222t and net profit dips 14%, the transition to locally produced compost eliminates import dependency risk (supply disruption, shipping delays, price volatility). Compost cost drops 72% from $0.505/kg to $0.14/kg, building a durable cost advantage that compounds in Phase 3. This is the sustainable base-case operating model.
Phase 3 — Automated Harvesting (Upside Scenario)
Cost of compost per kg$0.14
Total cost of compost$155,814
Total cost of peat moss$33,389
Energy cost per year$60,707
Yearly labour$150,000
Total production311 tons
Total costs$399,910
Sales price (per kg)$5.00
Total potential sales$1,558,141
Gross profits$1,158,232
SG&A7.90%
Taxes$207,028
Net Profits$828,111

Cost Breakdown — Phase 3

Compost$155,814
39%
Labour$150,000
38%
Energy$60,707
15%
Peat Moss$33,389
8%
Total Costs$399,910
Net Profit$828,111
Upside Scenario — Contingent on Robotic Harvesting
Phase 3 assumes successful deployment of automated picking ($45K R&D). This boosts yield 40% and cuts labour 48%. If robotics are delayed or unfeasible, the business continues profitably at Phase 2 steady-state ($379K/yr net). The plan does not depend on Phase 3 for viability.

Net Profit Progression Across Phases

Phase 1
Imported Substrate
Costs
$1.25M
Sales
$2.05M
Net Profit
$443K
Phase 2
Local Substrate
Costs
$540K
Sales
$1.11M
Net Profit
$379K
Phase 3
Automated Harvesting
Costs
$400K
Sales
$1.56M
Net Profit
$828K
Total Costs
Total Sales
Net Profit

Sensitivity Analysis — Net Profit by Sell-Through Rate

Accounting for spoilage, unsold inventory, and demand variability.
Phase 60% sell-through 75% sell-through 100% sell-through
Phase 1 (Full Year) −$28K $207K $443K
Phase 2 (Base Case) $92K $253K $379K
Phase 3 (Upside) $393K $610K $828K
At 75% sell-through, the business remains profitable across all phases. Phase 1 at 60% sell-through is near break-even, underscoring the importance of establishing distribution channels early.
Roadmap
From Setup to Scale

3–4 Months

Setup: Land, engineering, infrastructure, assets, systems. Robotic harvesting R&D.

15 Days

First production cycles, first sales. Local substrate R&D begins.

3 Months

Reaching break even. Transformed mushroom R&D begins.

2 Months

First profits. Robotic harvesting deployment.

3 Months

Optimizing operations. Local substrate 1st growth. Transformed mushroom first sales.

2027

Fully reliable local substrate. 28% yield. Export market reach out.

Investment
$1,269,000 Total Investment
Comprehensive project cost including equipment, logistics, working capital, and contingency — with a projected return within 30–42 months depending on sell-through rates.

🏗️ Land & Infrastructure

Site8,000 sqm near RN1
RequirementsFlood-free, container access
Infrastructure cost$75/sqm

⚙️ Equipment — DMP Quotation (QT001753-0 • Dutch Mushroom Projects • 1 EUR = 1.1542 USD)

Airhandling Units × 6 sets$103,304
Computer Controls × 6 sets$59,559
Start-up & Commissioning × 1 set$6,348
Picking Lorries × 32 pcs$28,279
Manual Watering × 2 pcs$6,925
Aluminium Shelving 2,412 m²$97,418
Growing Nets × 60 pcs$7,041
Harvesting Accessories × 4 pcs$3,347
DMP Equipment Subtotal (excl. engineering & transport) $312,222
Robotic harvesting R&D$45,000
Total Equipment $357,222

📦 Project & Logistics Costs

DMP Engineering$45,000
Transport (NL → Cambodia)$75,000
Import duties & customs$22,000
Cold chain vehicles$30,000
Installation labour$22,000
Regulatory & licensing$7,500
Insurance (Year 1)$10,000
Subtotal $211,500

💵 Working Capital

Operating cash for 3–4 months of construction (zero revenue period)$100,000
Champignons
30–42 Months
Projected Return on Investment (range accounts for sell-through variability)
Future Growth
Regional Export Potential
Beyond the domestic market, Southeast Asian neighbors present significant export opportunities.
🇸🇬

Singapore

2,605 tons/yr avg.
$3.47/kg
🇲🇾

Malaysia

15,420 tons/yr avg.
$1.52/kg
🇹🇭

Thailand

12,613 tons/yr avg.
$1.75/kg
🇻🇳

Vietnam

Primary target market
TBD
What's Already Done
5 Years of Experience & Proven Market Traction
3 years of R&D, 2 years of commercial activity, established branding with viral social media campaigns, and a complete management team in place.
5 yrs
Total Experience
23K+
Organic Followers
6 mo
Sales Growth History
4
Social Platforms
Make Champignons the Go-To
Mushroom for Cambodians
We're not just building a farm — we're creating a movement. Through viral marketing, community engagement, and unmatched freshness, Champignons is becoming the household name for premium button mushrooms across Cambodia.

Eat The Mushroom

Building consumer appetite for locally-grown button mushrooms

Mushroom Point of View

From farm to table — the journey of a Champignon

Certifications
Fully Organic — Triple Certified
Pursuing internationally recognized organic certifications. Expected within 12–18 months.

JAC

Cambodia Organic

USDA

US Organic Certification

EU Organic

European Union Certification

Champignons

Ready to Invest in
Cambodia's Food Future?

Join The Mushroom Company in building Southeast Asia's most advanced button mushroom operation.

Contact Denis Gildas Salmon