June 27, 2023 NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Smallhold, pioneers in sustainably grown specialty mushrooms, proudly announced its official designation as a Certified B Corporation, marking a significant milestone in the company’s dedication addressing our planet’s greatest challenges.
Smallhold has joined the community of more than 6,000 Certified B Corporations hailing from 150 industries across 80 countries, including beloved brands such as Patagonia, Tony’s Chocolonely, and Ben & Jerry’s.
“I am incredibly proud of our team for working tirelessly since Smallhold began in 2017 to develop our values and actually hold ourselves accountable in increasingly rigorous ways,” said Smallhold CEO and Co-founder Andrew Carter.
“I also couldn’t be more proud that we scored a 91.6 on our first-ever B Lab assessment. We will be doing everything in our power to continue to increase our score in the realms of Environment, Governance, Community, Workers, and Customers.”
As a B Corp, Smallhold voluntarily upholds rigorous social and environmental performance standards, fostering accountability and transparency. The company will measure and manage its impact on its workforce, local communities, and the environment with the same level of dedication and scrutiny that it applies to its financial performance.
At the core of Smallhold’s efforts lies the incredible power of mushrooms. Mushrooms are one of the most sustainable foods you can eat; making them more accessible and better understood has the potential to have a huge positive ripple effect on our broken food system.
“Smallhold brings a unique set of skills and values to the B Corp movement,” said Travis Breihan, Impact Manager at Smallhold. “We’ve been collaborating with hundreds of chefs, grocers and home cooks to bring the joy of mushrooms to homes and kitchens across the country since the beginning. We’ve been building networks with local composters and farmers to build soil health. At Smallhold, we’ve created nearly 100 full-time jobs in sustainable agriculture. All powered by the mushroom kingdom!”
Smallhold values are baked in the company’s DNA and day to day operations:
Spent Mushroom Substrate Circularity: Smallhold composts or donates 100% of spent mushroom substrate (SMS). By repurposing this waste product, Smallhold contributes to a circular economy, reduces landfill waste and provides a resource for local community members to build soil and grow mushrooms of their own. To date, 50,000 mushroom blocks have been diverted to home mycologists, local gardeners, and farmers from Smallhold’s farms in Austin, TX.
Compostable Packaging: Smallhold’s fresh mushrooms have been packed in home compostable materials since day one. As compared to conventional mushroom packaging, this has avoided over 50,000 lbs of plastic and the equivalent of more than 300 miles of plastic wrap in just the last 2.5 years. Smallhold’s packaging has also helped upcycle 48,000 lbs of paper.
Distributed Farming Network: Smallhold operates highly sophisticated indoor farms powered by proprietary technology in Brooklyn, Austin, and Los Angeles. Not only does their technology produce higher yields and quality as compared to conventional practices, it is a key element in mitigating crop loss and overproduction, cutting off the potential for waste from the get-go.
Renewable Energy: Smallhold’s commitment to powering farms with renewable energy sources has led to a significant reduction of 30% in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to conventional-grade practices.
Living Wage: Smallhold compensates all team members with a living wage, ensuring that they can thrive both personally and professionally.
Community Engagement: Smallhold engages with their communities through public block pickup events at their farms and educational events. Smallhold’s community extends to other small, partner farms, too, such as Brother’s Worm Farm, Farm Share in East Austin, and Harlem Grown, all in the name of promoting sustainable farming practices and supporting local food initiatives.
Education: Smallhold partners with mycology groups to organize educational events to raise awareness about the incredible world of fungi. For example, Smallhold partnered with Central Texas Mycological society on DIY grow bucket workshops that were free and open to the public.
Public Benefit Corporation: To demonstrate Smallhold’s unwavering commitment to their mission and values, Smallhold has gone beyond being B Corp certified by reincorporating as a Public Benefit Corporation and including a public benefit statement into their legal structure.
“We are thrilled to welcome Smallhold into our community of Certified B Corporations. Their commitment to transparency and sustainability is a significant milestone in the food and farming landscape. Smallhold’s dedication to social and environmental impact is an exciting indication of a new era in food production. Their innovation is reimagining a more responsible future for food and farming, and we look forward to their continued leadership and impact as part of the B Corp movement,” said Lindsey Wilson, Associate Director of Growth at B Lab U.S. & Canada.
B Corp Certification encompasses a comprehensive approach that addresses various social and environmental issues, underscoring Smallhold’s commitment to holistic sustainability. Achieving and maintaining this certification involves rigorous processes that engage teams and departments across the entire organization. To discover more about B Corp certification, visit bcorporation.net.
About Smallhold
Smallhold is a growing network of organic mushroom farms with operations in Brooklyn, Austin, Los Angeles, and beyond. Named one of Fast Company’s 2023 Most Innovative Companies, Smallhold is upending the traditional farming model. By operating urban farms in strategic regions, growing mushrooms on byproducts from other industries, and exclusively using compostable cardboard packaging, Smallhold reduces overall food miles traveled, improves product quality, and extends shelf life, all while drastically reducing carbon footprint, food waste, and plastic usage.
Smallhold products can be found in top retailers across the country including Whole Foods Market, Central Market, Safeway-Albertsons, FreshDirect, Imperfect Foods, and Misfits Market as well as some of the nation’s most exciting restaurant kitchens. Full list of stockists and restaurants can be found here. You can also watch mushrooms grow onsite in Smallhold Minifarms found inside restaurants, grocery stores, and nonprofits.
Smallhold prioritizes understanding the unique needs of each community they operate within. This has resulted in soil remediation programs, educational tours, food donation programs, artistic collaborations, and more. Local organizations interested in utilizing spent mushroom substrate for community gardens, mycology education programs, permaculture projects or other partnership opportunities are encouraged to reach out to hello@smallhold.com.
About B Lab
B Lab is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, and tools for business, and we certify companies — known as B Corps — who are leading the way. To date, our community includes 500,000 workers in over 6,500 B Corps across 89 countries and 161 industries, and more than 200,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager.
B Lab U.S. & Canada is one of six global partners of the global network. We foster and mobilize a growing community of people and businesses working towards a more fair and inclusive economy in the United States and Canada. More than 2,150 B Corps make up the U.S. & Canada community, supported by the nonprofit, B Lab U.S. & Canada. Learn more about the U.S. & Canada network at usca.bcorporation.net.
Contacts
Abigail Knoff
press@smallhold.com
