Our story starts with mushrooms—and more specifically, how they found Eleana when she was struggling to find her purpose in the corporate world. One morning, while out for a run in the hills of Silicon Valley, she stumbled upon a patch of yellow chanterelles. That moment completely shifted her perspective. Inspired by that encounter, she dove deep into foraging, discovering more edible mushrooms than she could ever eat. That’s when she first read about koji fermentation—a way to preserve everything she was finding—and that’s where Shared Cultures began.

In the early days, both of us were still working desk jobs, but we’d escape to the woods whenever we could, fueled by our passion for discovery and foraging. Soon, we started learning and practicing fermentation together as a way to preserve all the treasures we found.

As we delved deeper into koji fermentation, we learned it’s one of the oldest fungi in existence. Used for centuries to ferment essential foods like miso, soy sauce, and sake—foods we both grew up eating—koji instantly clicked with us. Our love for mushrooms, fermentation, and the abundance of our local farmers’ markets blended perfectly with the idea of preserving and reimagining the traditional foods we cherished. It’s been a journey of discovery, and now, we’re excited to share our modern take on those traditions with you.