CoHort Services/Kiwi Truffle Ltd
Rotorua, NZ

Dave Whalley

Email: davidwhalley805@gmail.com
Ph:      027 277 9466

Thinking about growing truffles?

Planting trees is the easy part — knowing whether you should is where the real work begins.

The truffle world is full of conflicting advice, outdated assumptions, and glossy promises. The result? Too many New Zealand orchards that never performed as hoped.

Dave brings five decades of horticultural experience, including twenty years immersed in the NZ truffle industry and hands‑on management of a producing 10‑hectare truffière in Rotorua. He’s seen what works, what fails, and — most importantly — why.

Today, we understand far more about how to establish and manage a productive truffle orchard. But like all horticulture, the learning never stops, and success depends on matching your vision to your land, your resources, and your long‑term goals.

Dave’s approach is pragmatic, commercially grounded, and focused on protecting your investment. He helps you determine whether truffles genuinely suit your property and circumstances before you commit significant time and money. If you want clarity, realism, and a pathway that fits your situation, Dave's the person to talk to.

Mycotree, Christchurch NZ

Alexis Guerin

Email: guerin.myco@gmail.com
Mobile: 027 4340387

After 25 years as an academic on the biology and cultivation of edible mycorrhizal fungi (EMF), Dr. Alexis Guerin-Laguette established Mycotree in November 2020 to continue his work on EMF as a freelancer. Alexis has an impressive track record of publications in peer-reviewed international journals pertaining to the biology and cultivation of several truffle and mushroom species. His work on saffron milk cap yields in New Zealand is ground-breaking with yields over 1 ton/ha under Scots pines 10 years after plantation. His knowledge encompasses all aspects of EMF cultivation from controlled mycorrhizal synthesis to fruiting and plantation management. He has a sound experience in microscopy and DNA analyses of mycorrhizae of many EMF species.

Alexis latest publication, a review of the research challenges behind the cultivation of EMF, will be published in January 2021 in Mycoscience, the leading mycology journal in Japan. Alexis leads a strong international network of EMF scientists through his role as Secretary of the International Workshop on Edible Mycorrhizal Mushrooms (see IWEMM10 abstract book https://iwemm10-nagano.com/).

Alexis would be delighted to help you with your truffle or other EMF enterprise. Please visit our website or contact us through our email or mobile.