Breaking the Mold

By incubating and growing several strains of mushrooms, Mossy Creek is pushing biodiversity forward

- JENNIFER KORNEGAY

From top: Yeti's Breath mushroom; Mossy Creek Mushrooms cofounder Andrew Reed.

Mushrooms are having a moment. In addition to the oomph their earthy flavors and meaty textures bring to a range of dishes, recent wellness buzz praises their powerful and varied nutritional benefits, too.

None of this is news to Andrew Reed, founder and co-owner of Mossy Creek Mushrooms in Jefferson City, Tennessee; he's recognized and appreciated mushrooms' positive attributes for more than 15 years.

“Mushrooms are so important, not just as food but also in health care,” he says.

Andrew's fascination with fungi began at the cellular level. After losing a factory job when the facility shut down in 2008, he went back to school, where a class genetic experiment grabbed his attention. “I was looking through a microscope at mold,” he says, “and its activity was amazing.” The moment moved him to change his major to mycology, and then a mushroom-growing hobby sprouted. He sold some of his harvest, and soon, his side hustle became a fulltime business. In 2013, with his wife, Samantha, and two friends, Andrew opened Mossy Creek Mushrooms.