From the Ground Up: The Story Behind Monroe Mushroom Co.

Hey there — I’m Alexander, co-founder of Monroe Mushroom Co. along with my partner, Danielle. If you’ve stumbled onto our page, welcome. You’re officially part of our little experiment in doing things the natural way — like humans have done forever.

I’ve always been a bit of a health and wellness nerd. My mom raised me to look for answers in nature — not the pharmacy aisle — and that mindset stuck with me. Before mushrooms took over my life (in a good way), I spent years working in the cannabis industry. I saw firsthand how an industry built on healing got twisted into one focused on cheap highs and profit margins. People looking for real relief were treated like every other stoner, and the product showed it. It sucked to watch, and honestly, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

Then life threw me a curveball — I lost my job as a cannabis lab supervisor. But that push turned out to be exactly what I needed. Danielle and I had been tossing around the idea of starting something new for a while. She’s been running her own business for five years, and I’ve always wanted to follow in my family’s footsteps — they own Bozza Pasta in Greece, NY — so small business is kind of in my blood.

That’s when Monroe Mushroom Co. was born, right here in Rochester (because, yeah, Monroe County — we keep it local). We wanted to create something that blended my knack for growing weird, fascinating things with Danielle’s love for all things mushroom — especially the cute ones.

Our mission boils down to three words: Fresh. Flavorful. Functional.
We’re here to bring mushrooms into everyday life — from your morning coffee to your dinner table. We want people to feel a sense of curiosity and excitement when they try our products. Maybe even a little disbelief at first. “Mushroom coffee? What the heck is that?” And then, hopefully, a moment of realization that nature’s been holding out on us.

We’re not here to make wild claims or sell you magic potions. We’re here to make real food and real products that support a better way of living — from the inside out.

So that’s us — two people from Rochester trying to grow something fresh, flavorful, and functional. Thanks for being here at the start. We’ve got some exciting stuff coming — from free shipping deals to deep dives on the incredible world of functional mushrooms — so stick around.

Stay weird, stay curious,
Alexander & Danielle
Monroe Mushroom Co.