Big changes are happening at Maya Mushrooms! We’re excited to announce that we are officially transitioning into a non-profit Community Interest Company (CIC).
What This Means
Our new company name is Maya Mushrooms UK CIC, and we are now registered as a Private Limited Company by Guarantee (Company Number: 16287602). This means:
- We have no shareholders and no dividend payouts for directors – a true non-profit.
- An asset lock ensures that all company assets will remain within the business and be reinvested into our mission.
- Our profits will never be taken out – they will always go towards supporting mushroom growers and strengthening the industry.
This is a major step forward in our vision of making high-quality mushroom cultivation more accessible, sustainable, and community-driven.
Why We’re Making the Change
For years, Maya Mushrooms has been built with a singular focus – helping people grow mushrooms successfully by providing premium-quality growing materials. But the UK mushroom industry faces serious barriers:
- High costs make it difficult for small-scale growers to thrive.
- Technical challenges prevent many from scaling their businesses.
- A lack of local suppliers forces reliance on expensive, imported growing blocks.
By transitioning into a non-profit, we can lower costs, improve accessibility, and reinvest in education, sustainability, and community-driven initiatives.
Paul’s Commitment – A Full Donation of Assets
To make this transition a reality, our founder, Paul Thomson, is donating all of Maya Mushrooms’ existing assets, stock, and infrastructure to the new non-profit – giving up his retirement pot!
This is a huge undertaking, and it will take a few weeks to complete the process. But this donation ensures that Maya Mushrooms UK CIC starts with everything it needs to operate as a fully functional non-profit organisation.
Here are a few photos of our space, more can be found here: https://www.mayamushrooms.co.uk/our-facilities/
The Next Step: Crowdfunding Our Future
We’re reaching out to the mushroom community, ethical investors, and businesses who share our vision to help raise the capital needed to bring this project to life.
To do this, we will be launching a series of crowdfunding campaigns (see our dedicated page here) to raise funds for:
- A large industrial autoclave & steam boiler for high-volume sterilisation.
- Automated bagging and spawning machines to streamline production.
- Facility upgrades to transform our operations into a scalable, high-efficiency production hub.
This is more than just an upgrade – it’s about building a sustainable future for mushroom growers in the UK. With the right support, we can make high-quality growing materials more affordable, remove labour-intensive barriers, and empower more people to cultivate fungi on a larger scale.
This campaign will be a game-changer for the UK mushroom industry, and we’ll need your help to make it a success!
We Need You – Join the Movement
As we embark on this ambitious journey, we’re looking for directors, staff, volunteers, and industry collaborators to help us bring this vision to life.
You can help by supporting our cause, sharing our Crowdfunder campaign with anyone you may know, including existing mushroom businesses, community farms, and possible backers.
Our dedicated Crowdfunding Page: https://www.mayamushrooms.co.uk/giving-back/
If you’re passionate about mushroom cultivation, sustainability, and community-driven food production, now is the time to get involved.
What’s Next?
- Finalising the asset transfer to complete the transition to a non-profit.
- Launching our crowdfunding campaign to fund the equipment needed for expansion.
- Recruiting directors, volunteers, and industry partners to build a strong team for the future.
This is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Maya Mushrooms. We’re building something bigger than just a business – we’re creating a movement that will make mushroom cultivation more accessible, sustainable, and affordable for all.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Stay tuned for our crowdfunding campaign announcement soon!
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