Based in Saint-Gobain (Aisne) with her husband, Danielle Basta-Carrara represents the third generation of a family business growing cultivated mushrooms, including the excellent meadow mushroom.

"I was born in Camelin, a small village in the Aisne, and have been around mushrooms all my life… during my schooldays I sold them at markets in Paris. I then took a break from mushrooms to run a mobile food store and didn't come back until my marriage with Jean-Baptiste in 1978. We both joined my parent's company, which covered 1.5 hectares and contained several kilometres of galleries". Native to the south of Italy, Jean- Baptiste Basta (50 years old) arrived in France with his family at the age of 3. With a diploma in general mechanics, he worked as a mechanic for a while before marrying Danielle and learning the mushroom grower's trade. "As my brothers already had their own business, Jean-Baptiste and I took over the running of the family company from my father Daniel when he retired. Originally called Champi-culture, the company changed its name to Champiblonds in 1998 with the arrival of our associate, Olivier Ringot, himself a son and grandson of mushroom growers. Together with our seven employees, we produce an average of six tonnes of mushrooms per week. Meadow mushrooms represent 80% of our sales volumes, the champignon de Paris (white) 15%, and oyster mushrooms (grey and yellow) 5%. My parents had a trading area at the Halles de Paris, before selling their goods at Rungis through collectors. I have been coming to Rungis with my husband about three days a week for the last fifteen years.

In the past, the work was a lot more painstaking as we had to prepare the compost ourselves; today, the compost is ready-prepared with the mushroom spawn included (3%). The first harvest is made when the width of the cap is equal to two thirds of the foot; the harvest is then made daily. This involves a ten-week production cycle (re-laying compost). We sell all our mushrooms (with foot) at Rungis, to retailers (70%) and wholesalers (30%). We no longer work with major retail outlets due to the severe constraints. The mushroom growing business is becoming more difficult due to high production costs and strong competition from Eastern Europe. Ten years ago, there were some 600 mushroom growers in France against about 50 today. Rungis is essential to our business and we would not survive without it. As far as we are concerned, cultivated mushrooms are being brought into the spotlight thanks to Rungis..."