The UK’s first mushroom farm converted from an old chicken farm has started growing operations.
The collaboration between Smithy Mushrooms and The Little Mushroom Co took a former chicken farm in Norfolk and transformed it into a mushroom-growing operation.
The companies said the project “exemplifies how existing farm structures can be repurposed to deliver sustainable, flavourful food solutions”.
Chef Derek Sarno, former director of plant-based innovation at Tesco and founder of Wicked Kitchen, provided the “culinary vision” for the initiative.
“This project is about what we can accomplish when farmers, chefs, and the community come together with a shared goal of sustainability and nutritious food,” said Sarno.
Harry Irwin and Claire Bullen from The Little Mushroom Co and John Dorrian at Smithy Mushrooms used the project to reimagine farming, by using existing spaces and fewer resources to provide “nutrient-rich, high-quality, whole food mushrooms”.
“I’ve worked with these mushrooms for years and know how they can replace meaty textures in almost every sense, surprising both chefs and home cooks alike,” said Sarno. “We’re not just swapping chickens for mushrooms; we’re redefining how we farm and cook. And this transformation wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible teamwork behind it.”
The project has been documented in a short film produced by Oh Brother Creative.
The film captures the farm’s evolution into a sustainable mushroom-growing operation and highlights the teamwork and innovation that made this possible.
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