The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

It’s easy to get caught up in the news and activities of the industry’s global giants, but what about the smaller firms pushing boundaries with bold ideas? In this instalment of Start-up of the Month – which celebrates lesser-known companies and their innovations – we speak to Elliot Webb, founder of Urban Farm-It, a business offering a range of mushroom cultivation supplies. The company recently brought lion’s mane mushrooms into the mainstream with a launch into Sainsbury’s superstores nationwide, marking a notable step forward in the availability of functional mushrooms in major supermarkets.

Could you tell us about Urban Farm-It and the reason for its inception?

I founded Urban Farm-It in 2019 after my early career in the food industry showed me the urgent need for a shift in mindset and application to strengthen our food sovereignty. Ensuring access to locally grown food that is ethically and sustainably sourced is paramount.

With a background in aquaculture and alternative agriculture, and an early experience in fish farming, I recognised the necessity for more sustainable food production methods. This led me to explore alternative growing systems, including mushrooms.

Originally, Urban Farm-It focused on mushroom growing kits during the Covid lockdown, with the aim of making it easy for people to grow their own gourmet mushrooms at home. These kits proved extremely popular, and as interest in mushrooms grew, we expanded into supplying fresh, UK-grown varieties including lion’s mane.

What inspired you to focus on lion’s mane mushrooms, and how significant is this launch for Urban Farm-It?

The UK market has long lacked access to locally grown gourmet mushrooms, with a high percentage being imported. We saw an opportunity to change that by growing premium-quality lion’s mane mushrooms right here in the UK. The demand for fresh, locally grown produce is rising, and lion’s mane has been one of the most exciting gourmet mushrooms to gain traction.

Since launching our fresh lion’s mane online last year, we’ve seen an incredible response from consumers, confirming its popularity. Now, with our branded product available in Sainsbury’s, we’re reaching even more people, making this versatile mushroom more accessible than ever. This milestone is a huge achievement for Urban Farm-It, it validates our mission to bring sustainable, fresh and locally grown gourmet mushrooms to mainstream retail.

For those following a plant-based lifestyle, lion’s mane is a fantastic alternative to processed meat-free products. It has a delicate, seafood-like texture and a rich umami flavour, making it an excellent substitute for meat or seafood. Whether grilled, pan-fried or added to soups, stir-fries and pasta dishes, it’s a versatile ingredient that absorbs flavours beautifully and delivers a satisfying bite. This launch marks an exciting step forward for both plant-based eating and the UK mushroom industry.

Many shoppers may be unfamiliar with lion’s mane. How are you helping to introduce them to its culinary potential?

Many shoppers may not be familiar with lion’s mane mushrooms, so we’ve designed our packaging to be both informative and engaging. Our mushrooms come in a fully recyclable, sleek black cardboard punnet featuring a unique QR code.

When scanned, this code connects Sainsbury’s customers to a specially curated digital recipe book filled with innovative dishes created by plant-based chefs. This guide empowers home cooks to experiment with lion’s mane and discover its incredible versatility in the kitchen.

Beyond recipes, the digital content offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Urban Farm-It, showcasing the heart and purpose of our business. Customers can watch video content from our farm, learning about how we cultivate lion’s mane and why local, sustainable production matters.

Transparency is a core value for Urban Farm-It, and we believe consumers should have easy access to information about where their food comes from. By providing this direct connection at the point of sale, we’re not just introducing people to lion’s mane, we’re inviting them to be part of its journey from farm to plate.

Could you walk us through your growing process and what sets Urban Farm-It’s mushrooms apart from others on the market?

The fact that we grow lion’s mane here in the UK is a game-changer. Until now, most lion’s mane available to UK consumers has been imported, often traveling thousands of miles before reaching shelves. Our approach disrupts this model by offering a fresher, more sustainable alternative, organically grown, fresh, and dried lion’s mane cultivated right here at our farm in Kent.

Our growing process is rooted in sustainability and quality. We carefully cultivate our mushrooms using natural, controlled environments that mimic their ideal growing conditions. This results in consistently high-quality lion’s mane with superior freshness and flavour. Unlike imported mushrooms, which may spend days in transit, ours go from farm to store in a fraction of the time, ensuring peak freshness and reducing carbon footprint.

By producing locally, we’re not only supporting the environment but also giving UK consumers access to a premium gourmet ingredient that was previously hard to find. Our commitment to transparency, innovation, and sustainability truly sets Urban Farm-It apart in the market.

Sustainability is a big part of Urban Farm-It’s ethos. How do your growing and packaging practices align with this mission?

Sustainability is also at the heart of Urban Farm-It. We are dedicated and passionate about fostering a better future for food security and sovereignty through innovative solutions such as mushroom cultivation, hydroponics and biophilic design and sharing this knowledge with other businesses through our consultancy offering. The more we can integrate urban agriculture into food production, the more we turn cities into climate-friendly, food-producing hubs that provide local access to produce that doesn’t come with a long supply chain – or an environmental cost.

By growing food closer to where people live, we can reduce the reliance on mass food distribution systems, making communities more resilient to supply chain disruptions.

We consider sustainability at every stage, from growing the mushrooms, to the customer selecting it at Sainsbury’s – where they are also invited to discover the journey of produce they are buying by scanning the QR code on the packaging. We are organically certified by the Soil Association and once the substrate has been used to grow our mushrooms, we break it up to use on our fields, recycling it back into the soil. In terms of B2B distribution, our partners are BRC approved and use a sustainable delivery system to transport the lion’s mane mushrooms to Sainsbury’s.

When we hand harvest our lion’s mane nothing is wasted. Any of the harvested fruit that doesn't meet the product specifications in terms of size and weight we dry and supply to businesses looking for dried or powdered organic lion’s mane for use in food production, supplements and increasingly for lion’s mane coffee. The mushrooms available at Sainsbury’s are packed in a fully recyclable, beautifully designed black cardboard punnet.

In addition to fresh lion’s mane, you offer DIY kits and powdered mushrooms. How do these products fit into your vision for making fungi more accessible?

Our goal is to empower more people to embrace sustainable food production. With our Mushroom Growing Kits, we're making it possible for anyone to grow their own fresh, delicious, gourmet mushrooms from the comfort of their own home.

Our kits are perfect for both enthusiasts and those who are just starting out. They provide everything needed to cultivate high-quality mushrooms, with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Whether you're a seasoned grower or a complete beginner, you can start harvesting fresh mushrooms in just a few weeks.

What was the process like getting your mushrooms into Sainsbury’s, and what advice would you give other start-ups hoping to secure supermarket listings?

Our approach was to get the fresh lion’s mane mushrooms we were growing, more visible to consumers. We took our fresh produce to New Spitalfields and New Covent Garden Markets where lion’s mane got a lot of interest. Alongside this, education has remained a key pillar of the business, we were creating lots of content and videos about mushrooms from recipes to how to grow, and the intricacies of running the farm.

Our content caught the eye of Sainsbury’s, and following an initial meeting and a visit to the farm where the team enjoyed a delicious meal featuring our Lion’s mane mushrooms, the journey to supermarket shelves began. From then on, it’s been quite the scale up! We’re so excited to now bring this unique ingredient to Sainsbury’s customers across the country, marking the first time that fresh lion’s mane is available in a UK supermarket.

What have been some of the biggest hurdles you’ve faced in growing Urban Farm-It, and how have you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced in growing Urban Farm-It has been financial, specifically, the significant investment required to scale up. Each phase of growth has demanded new premises, expanded operations, and enhanced distribution and packing capabilities. We’ve had to move multiple times to accommodate our expansion, which comes with logistical and financial hurdles.

Overcoming these challenges has always come down to having a clear business and operational strategy. By demonstrating the long-term potential of what we’re building, we’ve been able to secure the right partnerships and investments. Our focus has been on proving that sustainability and commercial success can go hand in hand, giving partners confidence that their support will generate real returns.

What key advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to enter the sustainable food space?

Have a genuine belief in the impact you want to make, because this journey isn’t easy. It’s not a quick path to profit, but if you build a strong culture and create products that truly deliver on sustainability, consumer support will follow. Today’s shoppers are more informed and motivated than ever to seek environmentally friendly solutions, and retailers are increasingly prioritising partnerships with reputable, sustainable businesses.

It’s essential to share your vision with your team and cultivate a culture rooted in doing the right thing. While the financials must work, true commitment and transparency are what set businesses apart because today’s consumers can see through shortcuts.

Do you see mushrooms playing a bigger role in the future of plant-based eating? Are there any exciting developments on the horizon for Urban Farm-It?

Sustainable agriculture is the future of food. As farming resources become increasingly strained, we must transition to regenerative, resource-efficient systems, and mushrooms are at the heart of this shift. They require minimal space, water, and energy to grow, and fit seamlessly into circular economy models by utilising agricultural byproducts as a growing medium.

As consumers become more conscious of environmental impact, mushrooms will play an even bigger role in plant-based eating.

At Urban Farm-It, we’re constantly exploring ways to innovate within this space. From expanding our fresh mushroom range to developing new products, we’re excited about what’s ahead. This is just the beginning of mushrooms shaping the future of food.