Two River Gourmet Mushrooms has grown from a home hobby to a 25-acre Millstone farm supplying restaurants, markets, and more than 2,000 retail locations nationwide.
The first time I visited KC Sullivan, founder of Two River Gourmet Mushrooms, his entire operation fit inside a retrofitted shipping container tucked behind White Chapel Project in Long Branch.
At the time, it was an impressive feat of engineering—a climate-controlled mushroom farm built inside a steel container—and a fascinating look at growing gourmet mushrooms locally year-round.
Fast forward five years, and that tiny shipping container has grown into something much bigger.
Today, Two River Gourmet Mushrooms operates from a 25-acre farm in historic Millstone Township, producing USDA Certified Organic gourmet mushrooms for restaurants, grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and consumers nationwide. What began as a passion project has grown into one of New Jersey’s premier specialty mushroom farms, while staying committed to sustainability, education, and exceptional quality.
This story is something of a full-circle moment. If you haven’t read our original interview with KC from his shipping-container days, it’s worth a look to see how far the company has come. Spoiler alert: it all started with a hobby starter kit.
During my recent visit, Sullivan walked me through every step of the growing process—from mixing the substrate and inoculating mushroom blocks to harvesting gourmet varieties and producing the company’s nationally distributed, award-winning functional mushroom broths.
Meet the Team Behind the Farm
Founded by KC Sullivan, Two River Gourmet Mushroom has grown from a one-man operation into one of the region’s leading producers of USDA Certified Organic specialty mushrooms and functional mushroom products.
While Sullivan continues to lead the company as founder and oversee mushroom cultivation and production, he’s joined by two partners who have helped fuel the company’s remarkable growth.
Kurt Cavano, owner of Mighty Dare Farm, oversees strategic growth, finance, and long-term business development. Scott Szegeski manages fresh mushroom distribution, coordinating deliveries to restaurants, grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and retail partners throughout the region.
Together, the three partners combine expertise in farming, logistics, operations, and business strategy to continue expanding Two River Gourmet Mushroom’s reach while remaining deeply rooted in New Jersey’s local food community.
It Starts With the Perfect Growing Medium
Every mushroom begins with what growers call the Master’s Mix.
Farm manager Dave fills large filter bags with a carefully measured blend of:
- 50% non-GMO organic soy hulls
- 50% red oak sawdust sourced from Maine
The bags are automatically filled and hydrated to approximately 60 percent moisture before being folded and loaded onto rolling carts.
This nutrient-rich mixture becomes the food source that will eventually support mushroom growth.
Eliminating Anything That Doesn’t Belong
Before growing mushrooms, the substrate must be completely sanitized.
The filled bags are rolled into a 20-foot insulated shipping container that serves as a giant pasteurization chamber.
Steam raises the internal temperature to roughly 210 degrees Fahrenheit, where it remains for several hours.
The goal is simple: eliminate bacteria, competing fungi, and any other unwanted microorganisms so the desired mushroom culture has the best possible environment to thrive.
“It’s all about giving the mycelium every advantage,” Sullivan explained.
Inside the Farm’s Sterile Laboratory
Once the bags cool, they move into one of the cleanest rooms on the farm.
The HEPA-filtered laboratory operates under positive air pressure, continuously pushing clean air outward so contaminants cannot enter.
Working beneath laminar flow hoods, staff members introduce mushroom spawn—the living mycelium that will colonize the growing medium.
Think of mycelium as the mushroom’s underground root system.
Over the coming weeks, it spreads throughout the bag, consuming nutrients from the soy hulls and hardwood substrate until the entire block turns white with healthy growth.
Waiting for Nature to Do Its Work
The inoculated blocks are transferred into an incubation room where patience becomes part of the process.
Every block is barcoded, dated, and tracked as it develops.
Some show only the first signs of mycelium spreading, while others are completely colonized and ready for the next stage.
As a USDA Certified Organic farm for nearly a decade, Two River Gourmet Mushroom carefully controls every input—from ingredients to approved cleaning products—to maintain its organic certification.
Climate-Controlled Fruiting Rooms
Once fully colonized, the blocks move into specialized fruiting rooms where mushrooms finally begin to emerge.
These rooms are carefully monitored for:
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Carbon dioxide levels
- Fresh air exchange
Unlike plants, mushrooms release carbon dioxide as they grow. Ventilation systems constantly replace stale air with fresh oxygen-rich air, while ultra-fine misting systems maintain humidity without leaving standing water that could encourage contamination.
The result is an ideal growing environment for multiple gourmet mushroom varieties.
Meet the Mushrooms
While lion’s mane may be the mushroom most people recognize today, it’s only one of many specialty varieties grown at Two River Gourmet Mushroom. Year-round, the farm cultivates an impressive selection of USDA Certified Organic gourmet mushrooms, each with its own unique flavor, texture, and culinary uses.
Lion’s Mane
Perhaps the farm’s most sought-after mushroom, lion’s mane has gained national attention for research exploring its potential role in supporting cognitive function and the nervous system. With its meaty texture and mild, slightly sweet flavor, it’s often used as a plant-based substitute for crab or lobster and is equally delicious simply sautéed with butter and herbs.
Chestnut Mushrooms
A favorite among chefs, chestnut mushrooms offer an earthy, nutty flavor and firm stems with a texture reminiscent of young asparagus. They’re excellent in egg dishes, risottos, pasta, grain bowls, and anywhere you’d typically use mushrooms—but with considerably more depth of flavor.
Oyster Mushrooms
Two River grows several colorful oyster varieties, including gray, blue, yellow, and pink oysters. Their delicate flavor allows them to absorb the ingredients they’re cooked with, making them incredibly versatile for stir-fries, soups, tacos, pasta dishes, and risottos.
Shiitake
Known for their rich, savory umami flavor, shiitake mushrooms are a staple in Asian cuisine but also work well in pastas, soups, sauces, and roasted vegetable dishes.
Pioppino (Black Poplar)
These elegant mushrooms have long stems and small brown caps, with a mild, nutty flavor and a pleasantly firm texture. They’re especially popular in Italian cooking and pair beautifully with garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs.
Maitake
Often called “Hen of the Woods,” maitake grows in beautiful clustered formations and has a rich, woodsy flavor that becomes wonderfully crisp around the edges when roasted or sautéed.
Nameko
Recognizable by their amber-colored caps and naturally silky texture, nameko mushrooms are widely used in Japanese cuisine, adding richness to soups, noodle dishes, and hot pots.
King Trumpet
With thick stems and small caps, king trumpet mushrooms have a dense, almost scallop-like texture when sliced and seared, making them a favorite among chefs and home cooks alike.
Seasonal Specialty Varieties
Depending on the season and production schedule, Two River Gourmet Mushrooms also experiments with additional specialty varieties, giving local chefs and home cooks the chance to discover mushrooms rarely found in traditional grocery stores.
Beyond Fresh Mushrooms
Two River Gourmet Mushrooms has expanded well beyond fresh produce.
The farm dehydrates organic lion’s mane mushrooms, producing a versatile powder that can be stirred into tea, coffee, smoothies, soups, or encapsulated as a supplement. Customers can purchase the dehydrated lion’s mane powder directly at the farm, which is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The product will also be available through the company’s redesigned website, scheduled to launch soon.
Recognizing the growing interest in functional foods, Sullivan also developed an innovative line of functional mushroom broths.
Award-Winning Functional Broths
The company’s first broth, featuring lion’s mane mushroom, earned a prestigious SOFI Gold Award in New York City in 2023.
Today, the lineup includes:
- Lion’s Mane Broth – crafted to showcase the farm’s signature mushroom.
- Chaga Broth – made with sustainably wild-harvested Canadian chaga sourced through True North Naturals.
- Maitake Thai Broth – inspired by Thai flavors with coconut milk and lemongrass.
The broths can be enjoyed on their own, used as soup bases, added to stir-fries, or substituted anywhere traditional broth is called for. They also make an excellent vegan alternative to bone broth.
To inspire home cooks, Two River Gourmet Mushrooms collaborates with renowned chef Derek Sarno, former Global Executive Chef for Whole Foods Market, who develops creative mushroom-forward recipes using the company’s products, including an incredible lion’s mane ramen.
Growing Beyond New Jersey
What began as a local organic mushroom farm has grown into a nationally recognized food brand.
Today, Two River Gourmet Mushrooms supplies fresh USDA Certified Organic mushrooms to local retailers including ShopRite, Green Life Market, Delicious Orchards, and numerous independent markets throughout New Jersey. The farm is also a familiar face at several local farmers’ markets, where shoppers can purchase mushrooms directly from the growers and learn more about cooking with specialty varieties.
The company’s award-winning functional broth line has expanded rapidly and is now available in more than 2,000 retail locations nationwide, including Whole Foods Market stores throughout the Northeast region and The Fresh Market, along with many independent specialty grocers across the country. The broths are also available through Amazon and directly from the company’s website.
Whether you’re picking up fresh mushrooms at the farm in Millstone, visiting them at a local farmers market, or discovering their broths on grocery shelves across the country, Two River Gourmet Mushroom continues to make specialty mushrooms more accessible than ever before.
From One Shipping Container to a National Brand
Walking through Two River Gourmet Mushrooms today, it’s remarkable to think back to that first shipping container behind the Whitechapel Projects.
The company has grown tremendously, but the philosophy hasn’t changed.
Every mushroom still passes through weeks of carefully monitored growing conditions before reaching a restaurant kitchen, grocery store, or home cook. Every ingredient still meets organic standards. Every growing room is carefully controlled. And every decision is still driven by a commitment to producing exceptional mushrooms.
It’s a reminder that some of New Jersey’s most innovative food businesses don’t always start in sprawling facilities. Sometimes they begin inside a single shipping container—with a good idea, plenty of hard work, and the vision to keep growing.
Where to Find Two River Gourmet Mushrooms
- Farm Store: Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Millstone Township.
- Fresh Mushrooms: Available at the farm, local farmers’ markets, ShopRite, Green Life Market, Delicious Orchards, and other specialty retailers.
- Functional Mushroom Broths: Available through the Two River Gourmet Mushroom website, Amazon, Whole Foods Market (Northeast region), The Fresh Market, and more than 2,000 retail locations nationwide.
Two River Gourmet Mushrooms Farm
145 Stillhouse Rd, Millstone Township, NJ 08510
