A Plymouth man is hoping his new business will mushroom - literally - because he is selling home-grow fungi kits so people can propagate their own restaurant calibre fancy mushrooms and even turn them into burgers.
Ross Kerswell, from Plympton, has started Beyond Roots to supply mushroom growing kits for restaurants and domestic kitchens. The former mechanic and electrician said that with many households looking at ways to become more sustainable, his kits are proving popular.
Mushrooms are low in calories and packed full of “good stuff”, he said. Aside from fancy recipes, mushrooms are a valuable part of vegan and vegetarian diets. Packed full of antioxidants and vitamins, a mushroom crop can add vital nourishment to meatless recipes, Mr Kerswell said.
The antioxidants in mushrooms help to maintain a balanced diet and promote a healthy heart. In addition, the fleshy nature of mushrooms means that they make “outstanding” burgers.
“A home growing kit could be the answer if you fancy growing your own gourmet mushrooms,” Mr Kerswell said. And it is not just about healthy eating but also about recycling and sustainability, he said, adding: “I became conscious of the plastic and packaging waste we created as a family. So I wanted to find a business that would support that lifestyle.
“Growing mushrooms means nutritious food and less supermarket waste. Many people assume growing mushrooms is tricky, but that doesn’t have to be the case”.
Beyond Roots has put together an easy-to-use growing kit, being marketed as a gift for budding chefs, and promising they can produce restaurant-quality mushrooms.
Mr Kerswell said the kits do not require a specialist setup or any horticultural knowledge. He said: “All you need to do is open the kit and add water. Then, sit back and watch your mushroom colony flourish.”
He explained that Beyond Roots grow kits are constructed with high-quality ingredients and pre-loaded with nutrients in sterile conditions and allow users to grow varieties such as golden oyster, blue oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms. This attention to detail means seeing multiple crops from one kit.
As well as delivering fresh mushrooms straight to the table, customers can also buy components to design their own mushroom kits and the basic laboratory supplies needed to develop strains of mushrooms.
Beyond Roots even has a blog and newsletter that will get new mushroom growers up to speed on successfully growing the plants at home.
“With sustainable food and the protection of the environment being such a hot topic right now, perhaps we should all start thinking of ways to grow food at home and have some fun at the same time,” said Mr Kerswell.
Customers such as Sean Holland, from Plymouth, have praised the Beyond Roots kits. Mr Holland said: “I was surprised at how easy it was to grow these mushrooms in my kitchen. Within days I was enjoying fresh oyster mushrooms with my breakfast.”
Another customer, Stuart Lovick, said: “Really good quality kits, a great yield of mushrooms and they even grew multiple times from each kit.” The kits can be ordered from beyondroots.co.uk
