From deli dreams to mushroom masters, brothers bring fungi to Naples

Since 2020, two brothers have been growing varieties of fungi and selling them at their Naples storefront.

The owners focus on making mushroom substitutes for meat products from pulled pork to crab.

The Schustrin brothers aren’t vegan. Born and raised in New Jersey.

“Our culture, us being Italian Americans, a lot of meat in our diet,” said Seth Schustrin, co-owner of Stropharia Mushroom Farm.

When their stepfather Jor’el was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013, they wanted to find a way to help him.

“Just the way that that disease, just, hit him, it’s pretty heartbreaking,” said Seth.

That’s when Jor’el read an article about how Lion’s Mane can regenerate brain growth.

“Started growing Lion’s Mane in his back bedroom, in his spare bedroom in his condo, drying out the Lion’s Mane and making pill capsules and giving it to him as a supplement,” said Seth.

The brothers said with the help of those supplements Joe went from taking 10 to 13 pills a day to about three.

When their plans to open an Italian deli fell through due to the pandemic, they started a mushroom farm instead and called it Stropharia Mushroom Farm.

They sell fresh and dried mushrooms, drinks, powders, coffee replacements, tinctures, and more, each with a different health benefit.

“You don’t have to eat mushrooms to get their benefits,” said Jor’el Schustrin.

For a family in the food business, they’re creating recipes too.

Everything from Lion’s Mane crab cakes to a Trumpet pulled pork sandwich.

“Still kind of get food that tastes good, that it’s, it’s plant-based,” said Seth.

If you’re a die-hard meat lover they don’t discriminate.

“I’m never going to be a vegan or vegetarian,” said Seth.

“You don’t have to be vegan to eat our products. That’s for sure,” said Jor’el.