The Company & Mission

Be the global leader of USA grown, certified organic mushroom nutraceutical
powders and custom mushroom powder blends.

Key factors to support this endeavor:

  • Indoor, Controlled Growing & Processing Operation Within a 4,000 Acre Certified Organic Farm
  • Multi-Patented Fermentation & Cultivation Functions
  • Rigorous Quality Control Systems
  • Vertically Integrated Operation
  • Over 20 Years of Experience Growing & Processing Whole Foods Mushroom Powders

About Functional Fungi

Functional Fungi™ is a multi-patented, certified organic, vertically integrated line of functional mushroom powders grown in the USA. We produce a wide variety of mushroom powders and custom mushroom blends to supply to brands and manufacturers in the nutrition, food, and beverage industries. In 2014 Functional Fungi was merged into BYO Operations, LLC (BYO), a leading natural products contract manufacturer, based on a 4,000-acre certified organic farm in southern Missouri near the town of Koshkonong.

One of the key differences with the Functional Fungi™ growing process is that we use a higher quality, nutritional rich growth substrate than any of our competitors. Traditionally, mushroom growers use inert substrates like brown rice or a cereal grain or even SAWDUST! Functional Fungi mushrooms are grown on higher value substrates like Purple Corn, and other high anthocyanin content materials that result in a nutrient-dense functional mushroom and greater benefits for the end consumer.

Functional Fungi operates a highly controlled, vertically integrated process using regenerative cultures. This allows the ability to replicate and create continuity and consistency in the growing process. This directly results in a more reliable, and consistent, finished mushroom powder on every batch. Typical growth time for our mushrooms from start to finish is 90-100 days.

Our foundational cultivation technology was originally developed in Japan and has been used extensively over the last 20 years. The ability to maintain a low moisture level throughout the drying process is critical to insure stability in the polysaccharide content of the mushrooms. This is essential for scaling large volume output and critical for repeatability and scaling on a batch to batch basis. Functional Fungi has extensive operational experience in this area and guarantees a three (3) year shelf life on its finished functional mushroom powders.
Finally, our functional mushroom powders are Certified Organic and Gluten-Free.

CERTIFICATIONS

CCOF Certified Organic

This is one of the most internationally recognized agricultural organic certifying agencies in the country. By choosing CCOF for organic certification, 2 percent of our certification fees go to the CCOF Foundation. That 2 percent enables the CCOF Foundation to give grants to teachers and students studying organic, provide financial assistance to organic farmers in need, develop education programs for organic professionals, and promote consumer education about organic.

Gluten-Free

Functional Fungi created a proprietary process to remove ALL gluten containing grains, both pre and post fermentation and cultivation, to assure the entire process is free from all gluten. Other companies start with gluten-based substrates like barley, malt or barley extract and are unable to remove all gluten but can still identify the product as “gluten-free” by meeting the <20 ppm requirement.

Finally, all Functional Fungi Mushrooms are produced without additives or fillers and its clean process is both toxin-free and contaminant-free and ensures heavy metals, pesticides or herbicides are not present in the materials.

Food and Drug Administration Disclaimer

*The statements made have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. *