MycoPro boom: How Warren Mkhize turned fungi into fortune

With 24% of young university graduates unemployed in South Africa, Warren Mkhize found himself struggling to secure work in 2020. Then, during a thunderstorm, he spotted mushrooms growing from the ground, which spark an idea. Researching South Africa’s mushroom industry, he discovered its high success rate and lack of barriers to entry. Seizing the opportunity, he founded MycoPro, cultivating organic oyster mushrooms in upcycled agricultural waste. From an initial 10kg yield, his team now supplies 300–400kg monthly to the SuperSpar Group and Asian markets. Mkhize is also promoting mushrooms as a nutritious meat alternative, educating people via social media. He aims to expand MycoPro into other provinces and is researching African psychedelic mushrooms for therapeutic use. “If regulations evolve like they did for cannabis,” he says, “we will explore it fully.”

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Edited transcript of the interview

Linda van Tilburg (00:00.366)

I'm joined by Warren Mkhize, a mycologist and CEO of MycoPro, a company cultivating mushrooms using upcycled agricultural waste. Warren was also nominated for South Africa's Top 35 Under 35, a recognition of young professionals' driving impact. So, congratulations on that recognition. What did it mean to you?

Warren Mkhize (00:45)

It meant a great deal, especially for young and upcoming entrepreneurs. Getting that recognition gives you more energy to drive social change and impact because I’d been going for so long without recognition. So, being part of the Top 35 actually boosted my confidence and gave me more drive to look for better opportunities.

Linda van Tilburg (00:55)

So, what is MycoPro? Are you farming mushrooms in KwaZulu-Natal?

Warren Mkhize (01:07.692)

Yes, we grow organic oyster mushrooms. We're mainly based in KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, and we grow them organically with no chemicals. We take agricultural waste and recycle it as a growth medium for the mushrooms - and they love it. We produce great-quality mushrooms and sell them in commercial shops. Our spent growth medium is turned into compost, so we're a zero-waste, carbon-neutral business.

Linda van Tilburg (01:50)

Well, that sounds amazing. So, who do you supply to?

Warren Mkhize (01:55)

One of our biggest commercial retailers is the SuperSpar Group. We supply a few Spars in Pietermaritzburg and the Durban area. We also sell to a growing number of Asian markets in KZN and high-end restaurants that appreciate the exotic mushrooms we're cultivating.

Linda van Tilburg (02:25)

KwaZulu-Natal is hot and humid - so is that the ideal environment to grow mushrooms, or do you cultivate them indoors in tunnels?

Warren Mkhize (02:29.178)

We're a mix of low-tech and high-tech. For the growing process, we constructed our own DIY tunnels using shade cloth. But where we're high-tech is in producing our own spawn instead of sourcing it from other producers - that’s done in-house. As you said, it does get quite hot in KZN, especially in summer, which is when our sprinklers run more frequently to maintain humidity and cool the temperatures.

Linda van Tilburg (03:05)

So, what sparked your interest in mushrooms?

Warren Mkhize (03:09)

Back in 2020, I was finishing university and wondering what I should do next. I remember sitting there - it was lucky, actually, because there was a thunderstorm - and just as I was pondering the years ahead, I spotted a mushroom growing out of the ground. I started researching mushrooms in South Africa. It might not be the most profitable business, but it ranked in the top three most successful businesses in the country. After a bit of research, I realised there were no gatekeepers - it was an open industry for anyone interested. It's literally a rabbit hole; once I started reading, I never stopped. But my main driving force was the challenge of what to do after varsity, especially in a country with high youth unemployment. You can have a university degree and still not know what to do with it. So, I had to start a business.

Linda van Tilburg (04:15)

How did you start the business, and what is your monthly production now?

Warren Mkhize (04:21)

When I started, it's quite embarrassing - I was producing even less than 10kg. Now, we run a five-ton facility, meaning we produce fruiting blocks that weigh 5,000kg per month. When it comes to harvesting for the market, we currently produce 300–400kg per month, but our goal is to scale up to one ton of mushrooms monthly.

Linda van Tilburg (04:45)

What makes your mushrooms unique - is it because they serve the high-end market?

Warren Mkhize (05:02.104)

The uniqueness, especially in South Africa, comes from the fact that the market is flooded with common button mushrooms. Our mushrooms are considered gourmet or exotic because they are harder to grow and highly nutritious. For instance, the grey oyster mushroom we cultivate is rich in selenium - a vital nutrient that strengthens immunity, especially in fighting infections such as HIV/AIDS. Given South Africa’s history with the HIV epidemic, this makes it more than just a high-end product; it's also a highly nutritious option in a country facing food security challenges. We believe mushrooms can drive social change beyond being a gourmet crop.

Linda van Tilburg (06:10)

Do you find resistance in African communities towards mushrooms?

Warren Mkhize (06:14)

It's largely a misconception. Many people perceive mushrooms as an expensive commodity. Yet, in rural areas, it's common for people to harvest wild mushrooms in the mountains or forests. The odd part is that when mushrooms reach store shelves, people suddenly view them as a high-end product. If you compare mushrooms with a kilo of meat, most people would buy the meat. But the reality is that mushrooms are not expensive, and people are already accustomed to them - it’s just that when marketed commercially, they appear exclusive.

Linda van Tilburg (07:18)

How do you think mushrooms could be promoted to African consumers as a nutritious alternative to meat?

Warren Mkhize (07:27)

Absolutely, they can be promoted. Africa faces major food scarcity issues, and global meat production will never fully address those shortages. We use social media to educate people about the health benefits of mushrooms as an alternative to meat. We run social media campaigns, interact with audiences, and join global groups that share knowledge about dietary alternatives. The yellow and white oyster mushrooms we grow are excellent substitutes. Mushrooms can not only help nutritionally but also be cost-effective.

Linda van Tilburg (08:35) Where would you like to take this company? What is your dream?

Warren Mkhize (08:38)

We want to expand beyond KZN into the South African and broader SADC markets. Mushrooms are overlooked as a crop, and there are no formal growing standards in South Africa. On the commercial side, we’re scaling nationally and regionally. But academically, we also want to develop content that educates aspiring mushroom farmers since there are no established cultivation guidelines.

Linda van Tilburg (09:36.846)

There’s growing curiosity about African psychedelic mushrooms, especially their spiritual and therapeutic applications. I believe the Basotho people have traditionally used them in healing practices. Is this an area that interests you for research or business?

Warren Mkhize (09:59)

Yes, I think you're referring to Psilocybe maluti from Lesotho, a psychedelic mushroom recently documented but used for generations. We’re interested, particularly in its mental health applications. Legislation is a hurdle. We can research in liquid form, but cultivating spores for trials requires proper licensing. At the moment, we're on the periphery, exploring scientific trials to study how different strains could influence mental health conditions. If regulations improve, as they did in the cannabis industry, we’ll definitely pursue it further.