Erin Patterson alleged mushroom murders blamed for sending SA gourmet mushroom grower into administration

The alleged mushroom murders by Victoria’s Erin Patterson have been blamed in part for the potential end of a multimillion-dollar gourmet growing dream.

The alleged mushroom murders of Victoria’s Erin Patterson have been blamed in part for the downturn of a major gourmet mushroom growing business, that was wound up last month.

Ms Patterson has been charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder, relating to a beef wellington lunch she prepared at her South Gippsland home on July 29, that resulted in four people becoming sick and being taken to hospital the next day.

Beef Wellington is traditionally made with mushrooms.

Ms Patterson’s mother-in-law Gail Patterson and father-in-law Don Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died after eating the meal.

Ian Wilkinson, a pastor and Heather’s husband, spent time in ICU and two months in hospital but miraculously survived.

Erin Patterson outside her home after the deaths. Picture: Brooke Grebert-Craig.

Epicurean Food Group’s (EFG) sales arm went into administration last month, less than a year after the group unveiled plans to make the former Holden site in South Australia’s Elizabeth the exotic mushroom capital of Australia, promising hundreds of new jobs in a new multimillion-dollar production facility.

A last ditch plan to save the operation has been pitched to creditors ahead of a crucial vote next month on the company’s future, with the company continuing to trade in the meantime.

A report by administrator Stuart Otway states EFG only started producing mushrooms from its current location in February 2023 and “were impacted by the mushroom poisoning and have yet to obtain full SQF (Safe Quality Food) accreditation”.

“Accordingly, the company’s revenue is still in its growth phase and is not yet indicative of expected future revenue,” he said

Mr Otway said preliminary investigations suggested the company could have been trading while insolvent since the end of June.

Epicurean Food Group opened the first stages of its production facility earlier this year after transforming a former vehicle painting plant into growing rooms for varieties including oyster, shiitake, enoki, king oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms.

Exotic Shiitake mushrooms were just one variety to be grown at the old Holden factory. Picture: Richard Jupe

Mr Otway’s report states Epicurean was wound up by the Supreme Court on November 2, with his company appointed administrator.

Ms Patterson’s murder charges relate to those who died after the mushroom lunch, while two of the attempted murder charges are believed to relate to Mr Wilkinson and Ms Patterson’s estranged husband Simon, who was meant to be at the lunch but pulled out at the last minute.

The further three attempted murder charges are believed to relate to three separate poisonings of her husband in Victoria between 2021 and 2022.

“It’s alleged a 48-year-old Korumburra man became ill following meals on these dates,” police said in a November statement.