We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Robin Moore a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Robin, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The story behind our mission at MyCo Planet is rooted in a personal experience and my passion for growing food. A few years ago, I was searching for fresh gourmet mushrooms, particularly Lion’s Mane, for my own use but couldn’t find them in the local grocery stores. It became clear to me that there was a gap in the market for these high-quality, fresh mushrooms. Instead of waiting for someone else to fill that void, I decided to take matters into my own hands and started growing them myself.

What began as a simple desire to access a unique mushroom for personal use quickly blossomed into a full-fledged business. We went from growing small batches to supplying large grocery store chains with fresh, organic, and locally grown gourmet mushrooms, including Lion’s Mane, which is now a popular product in our lineup. My background in science, paired with a love of growing food, has been an essential part of the journey and the foundation of the work we do at MyCo Planet.

Our mission has always been to make these nutritious and delicious mushrooms accessible to everyone, transforming the way people think about mushrooms and ensuring they have access to fresh, high-quality options. It’s been an incredible journey of growth, learning, and adapting, and our ultimate goal is to continue expanding our reach while supporting the local food system and home growers.

Robin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My journey into the world of mushroom farming began with a deep love of growing food and a science background, which helped me understand the biological and ecological processes behind cultivation. The idea for MyCo Planet started when I couldn’t find fresh gourmet mushrooms like Lion’s Mane in local grocery stores, so I decided to grow them myself. What started as a personal solution quickly blossomed into a business, and now we supply high-quality, organic gourmet mushrooms to large grocery store chains.

At MyCo Planet, we specialize in cultivating a variety of fresh gourmet mushrooms, including Lion’s Mane, known for its health benefits and unique taste. Our goal is to provide organic mushrooms that are not only delicious but also nutritious, making them more accessible to a broader market. We focus on sustainable growing methods, ensuring our mushrooms are fresh, locally sourced, and support the local food system.

What sets us apart is our commitment to quality, sustainability, and community. We don’t just grow mushrooms; we’re passionate about educating people on their health benefits and encouraging others to try home cultivation. Our aim is to inspire a deeper connection to food production and sustainability.

I’m most proud of how MyCo Planet has grown from a personal project into a successful business. Seeing our mushrooms positively impact local communities and grocery stores has been incredibly rewarding. Creating something that did not exist before and creating jobs in my community has been amazing.

MyCo Planet is about more than just mushrooms. We are passionate about fresh, high-quality, and sustainable food, and we want to make gourmet mushrooms accessible to everyone. Our mission is to create healthier food options, support local agriculture, and inspire others to grow their own food. We are committed to being part of the solution for a better food system—one mushroom at a time.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My journey into mushroom farming started with a personal need and a love for cultivation. I had been searching for fresh, gourmet mushrooms, particularly Lion’s Mane, but couldn’t find them locally. With my science background and a love for growing food, I decided to take matters into my own hands and start growing them for myself. What started as a small project in my spare time quickly turned into a passion. As I grew more and more mushrooms, I fell in love with the entire process—from the planning and preparation to the harvesting and seeing the fruits of my labor.

At first, I was just growing for personal use, but as I had more mushrooms than I could use, I started sharing the extras with friends and family. The response was overwhelmingly positive, which encouraged me to expand further. I decided to take my mushrooms to a local farmers market, and that’s when things started to shift from a hobby into a real business. The demand at the market was great, and I realized that there was a genuine interest in fresh, locally grown gourmet mushrooms.

From that point on, I began to treat MyCo Planet more seriously. As I scaled up production, I began to explore the possibility of turning my side hustle into a full-time venture. The more I grew, the more I fell in love with the process and the impact I was having on my community through fresh, sustainable food. However, my day job wasn’t fulfilling me, and I knew I wanted to dedicate myself fully to the farm. So, I made a bold decision—I quit my full-time job and committed to building MyCo Planet into a sustainable farm that could support not just myself, but also the local food system.

It wasn’t an easy leap, but it was the right one. I put everything I had into building the farm and expanding our operations. Today, MyCo Planet is a thriving business that supplies fresh, organic gourmet mushrooms to grocery stores, local markets, and more. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come. I’m excited to continue growing and providing healthy, fresh food to even more people.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

uilding MyCo Planet’s reputation in the market has been a combination of factors, but I think the biggest contributors have been our commitment to quality, our focus on sustainability, and the personal connections we’ve made with customers and the community.

From the beginning, I focused on growing quality, fresh mushrooms. Freshness has always been a priority, and ensuring that our mushrooms are of the highest quality by getting organic certified and GAP certified has helped us stand out. People trust MyCo Planet because they know they’re getting the best, and that word of mouth has been invaluable.

As we expanded, I stayed true to our values of sustainability and local sourcing. We prioritize growing mushrooms using eco-friendly methods, like vertical farming and strive to support the local food system. More and more people are becoming conscious of where their food comes from and how it’s grown, and we’ve built a reputation for offering environmentally responsible products.

A big part of building our reputation came from engaging directly with the community. I started by selling at local farmers’ markets, where I had the chance to talk to customers, share knowledge about the health benefits of mushrooms, and answer any questions they had. That personal connection has helped us build a loyal customer base and has made us a trusted brand within our community.

We’re not just about selling mushrooms—we’re also passionate about educating others on how they can grow their own. Whether through workshops or providing information on the benefits of medicinal mushrooms, people appreciate that we’re helping them learn and grow. This educational aspect has allowed us to build a reputation as a resource for anyone interested in mushrooms.

People connect with authenticity, and I think they’ve trusted MyCo Planet because we’ve always been open about our process, we give tours almost every week. From how we grow our mushrooms to our commitment to supporting local agriculture, we’ve maintained transparency every step of the way. That openness has helped foster trust and loyalty with our customers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mycoplanetkc.com
• Instagram: myco.planet https://www.instagram.com/myco.planet/
• Facebook: MyCo Planet https://www.facebook.com/MyCoPlanet
• Youtube: MyCo Planet https://www.youtube.com/@mycoplanet

Image Credits

Bobbie Moore
Andrea Guzman