[Mushhh]

My partner and I created a very successful business in the UK out of selling mushroom grow kits and microscopy spores.

We didn’t think there would be any market here because there weren’t any UK shops doing it. Then a couple of years later it took off and growing mushrooms became cool.

In this time we learned how to run a webshop and navigate an industry where every payment processor dropped us - to the point where we only accept cash, bank transfer and crypto.

Our Woocommerce shop was built on pure passion for mushrooms and a crazy late night idea. The kinds you usually just leave as an idea. Now it has consumed our lives and we have multiple employees.

Our business continues to grow with recent months bringing in around £60K/month in revenue.

I had never known what it was like going to a supermarket and not having to add the cost of everything in my head. But with the money, I learned the most valuable lesson - it could all go tomorrow and I would be totally fine with it.

[Aromasin]

This is one of those business ideas that I must have had around the same time, but never pursued because I was studying; figured engineering would make me more more than selling mushroom growing kits and spores ever would.

I had a large setup in my shed for a few years. Lots of labor getting the substrate boiled and bagged, but once that was done it was easy. Figured that surely there was legs to selling the means of production directly to consumers instead. Who could have guessed it would take off like it has. Now you can even find the grow kits in TK Max and the like as Christmas presents. The market seems pretty saturated now so I'm sure the boat has long sail for me. I'm glad it's worked out for you, if not a little envious.

[Mushhh]

I dare you to try it and see. You might be surprised! Competition is healthy and we don’t personally feel like we have enough of it yet :)

[10000truths]

I’m curious, why did every payment processor drop you? Did they see “mushroom” and assume you were selling psilocybin mushrooms or something?

[Mushhh]

Maybe. When Shopify blocked us, the representative kept insinuating that the microscopy spore syringes we sell could be injected into the arm. This was in 2019. It’s absolutely absurd but that was what we were up against.

It’s a high risk industry, no doubt there have been plenty of scammers out there but the fact we sell magic mushroom spores for the microscope is enough to be alienated by every card processor and their insurers.

It’s fine though, we make it work - it hasn’t stopped our growth and we’ve amassed enough trust from customers to pay via the other methods!

*Edid: Shopify, not PayPal said that about spores into the arm, not Stripe!

[OJFord]

They make £60k pcm in cash, bank transfer, and crypto from it - they must be?

[sph]

Ah, for a second there I thought psilocybin mushrooms were legal in UK (as they are/were in NL) and I would have really wanted to buy one of your kits. Maybe if the laws change feel free to let us know ;)

[Mushhh]

If the laws change, feel free to let us know too - we would love making ten-fold the sales by producing and selling magic mushroom grow kits! ;)

But in all seriousness, psilocybin was banned in 2005 in the UK. We have only sold products which were to be used to help cultivate psilocybin mushrooms to one single customer - an organisation with a special license to do so provided by the Home Office in the UK.

[NoboruWataya]

I'm sure this is a very naive question but... are we talking hallucinogenic mushrooms or the "normal", tasty kind?

I'm guessing the former since payment processors kept dropping you?

[Mushhh]

Gourmet tasty ones. If you are into looking at magic spores under a microscope, we also do those too. The microscopy scene in the UK is huge.

[dvko]

Are you GroCycle by any chance? Huge fan of our YT channel here. Mushrooms are amazing.

[Mushhh]

No, that’s not us. We teach customers from the ground up how to cultivate using sterile spawn, whereas they sell pre-colonised substrate where much of the process has already been done :)

[nly]

That's absolutely mad

[mikeodds]

what’s the site?