CNC Substrates

CNC Holding BV Announces Strategic Integration
Under New Global Brand: CNC Substrates

MILSBEEK, The Netherlands – April 15, 2026 – CNC Holding BV, a global leader in mushroom substrate production, today announced a major strategic integration of its business units. Launching just ahead of the international Mushroom Days (April 22-24, 2026), the company will now operate under a single, unified identity: CNC Substrates.

This integration marks a significant evolution in the company’s structure, bringing together the expertise of its Agaricus Division—specializing in white and brown mushroom substrates—and its Exotic Mushroom Division. By consolidating these branches under the new CNC Substrates brand and logo, the company aims to offer a streamlined, comprehensive “one-stop shop” experience for professional growers worldwide.

One Face to the Customer

The transition to CNC Substrates is designed to simplify the customer journey. By presenting “one face” to the market, CNC Holding BV ensures that mushroom growers can access a complete portfolio of high-quality substrates through a single, professional interface.

“Our goal is to improve our customer offering by providing a full range of substrates through an integrated marketing and sales team,” says Hildo Brilleman, CEO. “Whether a grower requires substrate for the Agaricus family or specialty exotic varieties, they can now rely on a unified standard of excellence and a simplified procurement process.“

Global Logistics and Production Excellence

To support this integrated offering, CNC Substrates leverages its modern production facilities in both the Netherlands and Poland. This dual-hub strategy facilitates:

Bulk Service across Europe: Efficient, large-scale delivery to European growers.
Global Reach: First-class logistical support, including specialized refrigerated transport, allowing the company to serve professional growers on every continent.

Digital Transformation: The New CNCSubstrates.com website

As part of its commitment to service through technology, CNC Substrates is officially launching its new digital platform this week. The website, www.cncsubstrates.com, serves as a central hub for the company’s entire product range and service offerings.

In a move to consolidate its digital presence, the previous domain names—cncgrondstoffen.nl, dto-bv.com, cncexoticmushrooms.nl, and vemespecials.nl—will now be redirected to the new central site. This digital evolution ensures that customers have immediate access to technical specifications, product innovations, and grower support.

A Future as a “Centre of Excellence”

The launch of CNC Substrates is more than a rebranding; it is a commitment to becoming the “Centre of Excellence” for the global mushroom substrate industry. By focusing on rigorous quality control, technological innovation, and superior logistical services, the company continues to work toward setting the industry standard for substrate performance.

Attendees of the Mushroom Days on April 22-24 are invited to learn more about the integration and explore the new product offerings.
Come and visit us at stand 6.11 in Hall 1.

About CNC Substrates

Based in Milsbeek, The Netherlands, CNC Substrates (a brand of CNC Holding BV) is a premier provider of high-quality substrates for the professional mushroom cultivation industry. With production sites in the Netherlands and Poland, the company delivers specialized Agaricus and exotic mushroom substrates to growers globally, supported by world-class logistics and a commitment to innovation.

Media Contact:

Alex Vos

Commercial Director

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+31 6 18 62 79 43

www.cncsubstrates.com

A few years ago, we visited the spawn facility in Venlo - back then still operating under the name Lambert Spawn. Much has changed since. Time for a renewed introduction. We spoke with Ies Hooglugt, site manager of the Venlo location, about technology, collaboration and Ecovative’s ambitions.

The moment you walk into Ecovative’s production site in Venlo, it’s clear: serious work is being done here to produce top-quality spawn. Since the American company Ecovative took over around 2.5 years ago, a lot has changed and improved.
“We’ve truly matured as an organization,” says Ies Hooglugt. “The technology, the processes, and the people have all grown significantly.”

Spawn as core business
The Venlo factory is a well-known name in the spawn industry, formerly operating under the Lambert Spawn brand. Today, about 90% of production is focused on mushroom spawn and 10% on so-called “non-mushroom” applications, such as leather alternatives and mycelium-based packaging.
“That market is still in development. Promising, but young,” says Hooglugt. “Our core business remains the production of mushroom spawn.”
Within that 90%, the split is approximately 80% Agaricus and 20% exotics. “A valuable addition. We see great potential there, and the results are promising.”

From grain to custom solutions
One of Ecovative Venlo’s distinguishing features lies in the substrate used for growing spawn. While many suppliers use standard grain and straw, Venlo decided to look further.
“We used to work exclusively with millet, but that’s not suitable for every mushroom species,” explains Hooglugt. In collaboration with Belgian partner Mycelia - known for its extensive knowledge of exotics - new carriers were developed: Blend and Speed Spawn.
“We tailor the substrate to the mushroom, not the other way around. This results in faster and more efficient colonization of the substrate.”

Strategic partnership with Mycelia
The collaboration with Mycelia is strategic and goes far beyond just substrate or inoculum.
“For exotics, we work together at the highest level,” Hooglugt explains. “Mycelia brings decades of experience and deep knowledge of exotic species, and we contribute our production expertise. It’s a close collaboration - from strain selection to final spawn production.
For Agaricus, we now produce our own inoculum in-house, but for exotics we consciously build on Mycelia’s strength.”
According to Hooglugt, the triangle is solid: the American parent company provides scientific power, Mycelia brings practical expertise, and Venlo contributes production knowledge.
“All of these elements complement each other perfectly.”

Quality first
The acquisition by Ecovative has raised the bar. Internal processes have been tightened, and quality systems optimized.
“The advanced and unique system we use to make spawn is fairly complex. It requires well-trained people,” says Hooglugt. “Fortunately, we have a strong and stable team here, with hardly any turnover. That’s quite exceptional in this sector.”
He likes to compare it to Formula 1: “You can have the best car, but without a skilled driver, you won’t win the race. And vice versa. Here, everything lines up — people, technology and processes.”

Testing and research
Ecovative leaves nothing to chance, as shown by its close cooperation with research institutes. Spawn is tested at Inagro in Belgium, and the company works with Wageningen University & Research (WUR).
“WUR recently developed 16 sporeless oyster mushroom strains,” says Hooglugt. “These are freely available to the market, with the exception of the Purati, which is an exclusive release by Mycelia. And we’re producing the spawn.”

Growth ambitions
Although exports are going well, there’s still room to grow in the Dutch market.
“We’d like to expand domestically,” says Hooglugt. At the same time, he sees the market evolving. “There’s consolidation happening, growers are scaling up, and so are suppliers. That’s exactly why having alternatives is becoming more important.
We notice growers are making more conscious decisions.”
A great example is an Italian Pholiota grower who felt too dependent on his regular supplier.
“He actively sought a solid alternative, and we succeeded together,” Hooglugt shares. “We developed a new solution collaboratively. That’s what we stand for: flexibility, customisation and quality. It gives growers more control over their own process.”

After our visit to Venlo, one thing is clear. Ecovative stands strong, both literally and figuratively. The team knows what it stands for, operations are tightly managed, and the vision is clear. Most of all, the door is open for growers who want to move forward.

Team Mushroom Matter

EuroMycel are experts in industrial microbiology applied to selecting and propagating mushroom mycelium cultures.
The French biotechnology laboratory, EuroMycel, is part of Bonduelle Group and benefits from its international reputation.

EuroMycel’s laboratory is also part of an 100% integrated industry with expertise throughout the mushroom production process, from start to finish. EuroMycel laboratory’s main focus is the selection and propagation of Agaricus mushroom strains and the creation of unique products.

In a rapidly changing mushroom world, EuroMycel are strong players and are holding their own, all thanks to their know-how. From the way they have managed to differentiate their breeding strategy, to the quality of their varieties through to their organisational flexibility.

The company has several different strains, but two of them are first class showpieces.
• First, the strain E21, developed for mechanised harvesting. It is the undisputed leader in sales, in France, and has rapidly gained popularity in The Netherlands and Belgium over the last 3 years.
• Second, and most promising, the strain E58 Premium, developed for the fresh market. It is the sales leader in Poland, and it has been very quickly adopted and mastered by Russian mushroom producers. Devoted to and customised for the fresh food market, its qualities include its ability to move towards larger, slower-growing mushrooms, and its keen water holding capacity. It is an accomplished and leading strain, ahead of the game.

Spawn connected with your success.