Avondale-based company Caputo and Guest profiting from the germination of exotic mushroom-lovers across the U.S., writes Tim Linden for The Produce News.  

Owner and operator Lou Caputo has mushroom expertise back in the seventies, when his father and uncle started the company in 1977, under many different auspices, including Kenneth Mushrooms.  

The farm mostly grew white button mushrooms but branched out to shiitakes due to canned mushrooms causing a tight profit margin.  

The transition proved successful, and Kenneth Mushrooms soon became the largest producer of shiitakes in the United States by the late nineties. In 2010, Lou launched KSS Sales along with his cousin, Jeff Guest, to sell specialty items. The pair also sell grow-blocks, which can produce four pounds of mushrooms. 

The brand, by the name of Caputo & Guest, is selling its own exotic mushrooms which will sell to several major retailers. They will include six individual packs and five specialty mixes, including King Trumpet, Maitake, and Lion’s Mane.  

Read more about the journey of Caputo & Guest’s mushroom empire and discover the secrets behind their success on The Produce News. 

More about mushrooms in Chester County.