At Leep Foods, we aim to serve something amazing.

We venture beyond run-of-the-mill, mainstream mushrooms. We focus on unique varieties, like Lion’s Mane, Blue Oyster, and Shiitake, with tastes that are anything but ordinary.

about us

It started with an experiment. Now, we’re a farm.

When George Zheng was a student at Rochester Institute of Technology, he was curious. Running an experiment, he found a better way to grow mushrooms on American Hardwoods instead of on the typical mushroom-growing substrates - manure.

This yielded mushrooms that packed flavor and nutrients into each beautiful stem and cap.

The innovation turned into Leep Foods. Now we’re an eclectic group of farmers, engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs who are uncompromising in our commitment to integrity, transparency, accountability, and quality.

Our USDA organic farm is based in Rochester, New York, where we cultivate premium mushrooms for anyone who seeks a versatile superfood that is organic, nutrient-rich, and delicious. We are strongly committed to sustainable production, and our strict food safety and quality standards enable us to grow the cleanest, most pristine mushrooms possible.

Since blended food products are the next generation of food innovation, Leep Foods is developing blended chicken sausages and beef burgers that include a mushroom boost. These products debuted in 2020 on QVC and Thrive Market, and we’re hoping to be found at a retailer near you in the future.

We aspire to bring the mushroom industry into the 21st century by creating a more diverse selection of varieties and blended products as we strive to be friendly stewards of the Earth.

HISTORY

The origin of our company name is the maitake mushroom itself, which has a fascinating history in Japan. Known by the scientific name Grifola frondosa, “maitake” (舞茸) means “dancing mushroom.” Some say its name arose from the jubilant reaction of Japanese monks upon finding a maitake in the wild—the discovery would inspire them to leap for joy and dance. During Japan’s feudal era, the maitake was even used as currency, traded for its weight in silver.

Our goal is to make our customers “Leep” for joy by providing you high-quality, organic, sustainably grown mushrooms that offer major health benefits and superior taste.

Board of Directors