NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smallhold, a Certified B Corporation and leaders in organic specialty mushrooms, today announced their fresh mushrooms are launching nationally at Whole Foods Market stores across the United States. This expansion builds off of Smallhold’s success in East coast, West coast, and Southeast stores where the brand became the fastest growing specialty mushroom supplier at Whole Foods Market.
The evolution into Whole Foods Market’s planogram marks the first time Smallhold mushrooms are available nationwide. Smallhold’s Blue Oyster Mushrooms, Lion’s Mane Mushrooms, and Umami Mushroom Packs can now be found in nearly every major metropolitan area in the United States, bringing organic mushrooms to more people than ever before. Smallhold mushrooms can now be found in 1,000+ retailers and restaurants.
“Whole Foods Market was one of the first retailers to ever support Smallhold and has been incredible to collaborate with ever since," said Andrew Carter, Smallhold CEO and Co-founder. "I am beyond proud of our team for building our farms and operations to get to this point. We’ve come a long way since installing our first Smallhold Minifarm at the Bridgewater, New Jersey Whole Foods Market back in 2018.”
Smallhold operates technologically-advanced mushroom farms in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Austin. Smallhold is carving a new category opportunity for specialty mushroom production and making an impact on how Americans eat.
“We are so proud to introduce Smallhold and their specialty mushrooms to Whole Foods Market customers nationwide. Smallhold’s diverse range of varietals and commitment to quality, freshness and environmental efforts are just a few reasons why we are thrilled to work with them to help transform the produce aisle and food industry,” said Eric Cusimano, Global Produce Buyer at Whole Foods Market.
The average American grocer is dominated by button, crimini and portobellos, missing out on an entire kingdom of texture, flavor, and nutrition. Smallhold has been a forerunner in the specialty mushroom space since 2017, popularizing harder-to-find varietals through a unique mix of branding prowess, distribution expertise and the application of key technologies to enable more efficient farming. Its multiple farms are embedded in communities and provide access to both new flavors and soil amendments through its unique “substrate to soil” programs, helping to remediate our nation’s nutrient-depleted farm- and ranchland.
Smallhold Key Benefits:
- High-quality freshness, flavor, and nutrition (good sources of fiber and potassium)
- “Farmers market” quality mushrooms in the grocery store aisle
- USDA Certified Organic
- Packed in beautiful, compostable packaging
- 100% of spent mushroom substrate is composted or donated
- Mushrooms grown off of agricultural byproducts from other industries (like sawdust!)
- The best restaurants in the world love Smallhold mushrooms, including Eleven Madison Park
Smallhold uses patented technology and innovation for optimal growing. The mushrooms grow on substrate in growing chambers designed to optimize yield, taste, and color without any additional chemicals or pesticides. Smallhold’s centralized sensor system captures over 1 million data points per day and can adjust the chambers’ atmospheric parameters, controlling all of the inputs while accounting for changes in climate. Taking it even further, Smallhold mushrooms are grown off of waste byproducts (primarily sawdust from the timber industry) and packed into compostable cardboard.
About Smallhold
Smallhold, a Certified B Corporation, is a growing network of organic mushroom farms with operations in Brooklyn, Austin, Los Angeles, and beyond. Named one of Fast Company’s 2023 Most Innovative Companies, Smallhold is upending the traditional model for mushroom cultivation and distribution. By operating urban farms in strategic regions, growing mushrooms on byproducts from other industries, and using compostable cardboard packaging, Smallhold improves product quality and extends shelf life, all while reducing overall footprint, food waste, and plastic usage.
Smallhold mushrooms and products can be found in over 1,000 grocery retailers across the country including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Central Market, Pavilions, United Grocer, Erewhon, Ralphs, Lassens, Misfits Market, FreshDirect, Safeway-Albertsons, as well as some of the nation’s most exciting restaurant kitchens. Full list of stockists and restaurants can be found here. You can also watch mushrooms grow onsite in Smallhold Minifarms found inside restaurants, grocery stores, and nonprofits.
Smallhold prioritizes understanding the unique needs of each community they operate within. This has resulted in soil remediation programs, educational tours, food donation programs, artistic collaborations, and more. Local organizations interested in utilizing spent mushroom substrate for community gardens, mycology education programs, permaculture projects or other partnership opportunities are encouraged to reach out to hello@smallhold.com.
