PennWest Clarion SBDC Client Success Story
Mushrooms, are they Food or Medicine?

In 2021 Esperanzo Wilcox (Espo) decided to take his love for mushrooms and turn it into a business. Espo has always been an entrepreneur with small businesses like importing produce internationally and being a DJ. Originally from Florida, Espo is a descendant of Jamaican immigrants. Having grown up on a nursery, Espo learned agricultural practices through first hand experience at an early age. Captivated by the process of grafting and cultivation of subtropical species, growing edible and ornamental crops was an inherited passion.

“PennWest SBDC has become a dream partner to work with. Their approach to turning ideas into real time actions speaks volumes. Working with the SBDC has not only helped us evaluate and reconceptualize our business. They have also assisted us in creating a plan and course of action that has in turn enabled us to reach milestones that we didn’t know existed.”

In pursuit of new opportunity, Espo migrated to Telluride Colorado, leaning into the hemp industry as it rapidly grew. In 2017 he moved to Clarion, his wife’s hometown, to work with her family’s radio station. Once again finding himself in a place of unfamiliar flora and fauna. The urge to reconnect led Espo into the forest of the PA Wilds. While hiking he would often encounter various species of fungi, which ignited his initial fascination with mycological taxonomy. Through further research he would discover organizations, like the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club that played a monumental role in deepening his understanding of the field in its entirety.

With his history, Mr.Wilcox saw the mushroom industry growing in popularity due to their nutritional and medicinal benefits and in true entrepreneur fashion in search of ways to grow and expand on his passion he founded PA Mushroom Company in January 2021. Soon after he learned of the AgChoice Credit’s JumpStart grant opportunity. He worked with the PennWest Clarion SBDC to develop his business plan that was used to apply for this grant. In June 2021, PA Mushroom was awarded its first grant of $10,000 that was used to scale its operations conduct more research, and market the business. Mr. Wilcox plugged into the industry acquiring licensing, safety certification and registration with the PA Dept of Ag for the harvest and sale of wild and cultivated mushrooms in PA. With this certification, Mr.Wilcox began leading mushroom exploration in the region’s forest and hosting educational events throughout Western PA, in collaboration with organizations such as; Seneca Rocks Audubon, Allegheny Land Trust, Cook Forest Conservancy, and the Clarion Conservation District.

Due to his promotional outreach, the business started to grow selling both direct to consumers and to businesses such as restaurants, meat markets, and grocery stores. However, due to operating out of his small home, growing space became a challenge. So in 2022, the growing operations were moved to a small 300 SF cave providing space to grow up to 200 lbs of mushrooms. It was at this time the SBDC encouraged him to participate in the Ben Franklin/PA Wilds Big Idea Contest. The business was chosen as one of the seven finalists and after pitching to a live audience, the business shared the prize money and received $25,000. With business growth continuing, a second growing location was secured where the business also was able to package mushrooms for distribution as it was then licensed to sell retail.

The SBDC worked with Mr. Wilcox to prepare for both grant programs that helped kick start the business’ growth. Rather than taking on debt, the business chose to secure a business partner, which provided the needed capital as operations ramped up. In 2023, the SBDC worked with the client to greatly enhance its website to increase its traffic and build organic interest in the business. With increasing demand, the business also hired two part time employees to help in its growing operations and in late 2023, the business purchased a facility to scale once again and gain space for cultivation, but also space for production of valued added shelf-stable products, retail sales, and educational events. Located on a regional highway and adjacent to a well utilized bike trail, the business is positioning itself to become a destination location for the region and its visitors. The needed funding of $140,000 for property, equipment, renovations and working capital was provided by Horizon Farm Credit. While the business finished the year with sales of $40,000 the business anticipates at least doubling sales in 2024.

PA Mushroom Company has built a well respected reputation in the western Pennsylvania region and within the PA Wilds network. More specifically, the business, its owners and its quality products and services have laid the solid foundation to make this new business location a destination for more than just mushrooms.