Can Mushroom Farming Help Achieve Singapore's Food Security Goals? Ryan Ong of Fogo Fungi

"Entering the farming industry as a very young farmer, in a time where the industry's not doing so well, I think that's one of the bravest things I've done recently. It’s not an easy journey, but if you’re going to do something brave, there’s going to be fear there for sure. You just have to surround yourself with the right people who are willing to help you and groom you." - Ryan Ong, the founder of Fogo Fungi

"Gourmet mushrooms are more perishable; oftentimes their shelf life averages out at about one week. The only way we can solve this issue is to produce it locally, directly to the supermarkets and restaurants, cutting out the whole logistic issue and giving consumers as close to day zero shelf life as possible." Ryan Ong, the founder of Fogo Fungi

"Singapore imports over 90% of its food. With parameters such as land scarcity, high labor costs, and high energy costs, farming is incredibly difficult to do in Singapore. However, if you can consistently grow high-quality produce like mushrooms or eggs at good prices, demand will naturally follow, as we've seen with the local egg industry." Ryan Ong, the founder of Fogo Fungi

In this episode, Jeremy Au sits down with Ryan Ong, the founder of Fogo Fungi, to explore the "unorthodox" world of indoor mushroom farming in Singapore. Ryan shares how a random YouTube rabbit hole led him from a career in his family’s hospitality business to building a bootstrap startup in the agritech space. They discuss the misconceptions about fungi—including why mushrooms actually need light—and the harsh unit economics of vertical farming versus traditional methods. Ryan also dives into the "30 by 30" food security goal, the medicinal potential of Lion's Mane, and why he believes local gourmet mushrooms can compete with imports from China and Malaysia by prioritizing "day zero" freshness.

00:00 The "weirdo" appeal of the mushroom industry.

02:03 Introducing Ryan Ong and Fogo Fungi.

03:55 Beyond button mushrooms: Pink Oysters that taste like bacon.

07:03 Pivoting from hospitality to farming during the pandemic.

11:48 Common misconceptions: Do mushrooms really grow in the dark?

13:16 Inside an indoor farm: From sterile labs to fruiting rooms.

15:50 The Portobello secret: One species, many life stages.

18:23 Why cold chain logistics fail gourmet mushrooms.

21:10 The reality of Singapore’s land scarcity and food security.

24:10 Vertical vs. Horizontal: Why growing "up" is so expensive.

Keywords: Singapore Agritech, Food Security, Fogo Fungi, Ryan Ong, Vertical Farming, Gourmet Mushrooms, Sustainable Agriculture, Singapore Startups, Lion's Mane, Urban Farming, Entrepreneurship.

Can Mushroom Farming Help Achieve Singapore's Food Security Goals? Ryan Ong of Fogo Fungi - EP680

Introduction

Jeremy Au: I'm so excited to have you on the show. You are building Fogo Fungi—you are a "fun guy," sorry for the pun—but you are a founder building in the mushroom space. It’s a great intersection of agriculture, entrepreneurship, and leadership in Singapore. Could you introduce yourself?

Ryan Ong: Very nice to meet you, Jeremy. I'm Ryan Ong, founder of Fogo Fungi. We are a Singapore indoor mushroom farm growing a wide variety of gourmet mushrooms for chefs, hotels, restaurants, and general consumers.

Mushroom Varieties and Growing

Jeremy Au: What kind of mushrooms do you grow?

Ryan Ong: We do over eight varieties right now. We rotate between different varieties depending on the season and market demand. Quick favorites of mine include Lion's Mane, Pioppino, and a bunch of different oyster mushrooms in colors you probably didn't know existed: Blue Oyster, Pink Oyster, and Golden Oyster.

Jeremy Au: I didn't even know you could have those. The ones in the supermarket are usually cream-colored. Is there a taste difference, or is it just color?

Ryan Ong: They do taste different and have different textures and medicinal benefits. For example, the Pink Oyster mushroom actually tastes like bacon and turkey ham. Usually, you only see cream, gray, or brown mushrooms in supermarkets because of shipping and logistic problems. With the short shelf life of mushrooms, it’s quite difficult to make exotic varieties accessible. Local farms like ours give consumers greater access to more interesting colors and flavors.

From Hospitality to Mushrooms

Jeremy Au: I understand you were a student at Singapore Management University (SMU) studying business. Did you think you were going to become a banker?

Ryan Ong: The finance industry never really appealed to me. Back in university, I was living in the moment, but I was always interested in entrepreneurship. I knew I would get involved with building my own business one way or another. I eventually decided to settle with helping my family’s hospitality business because it offered exposure to running a business.

Jeremy Au: Hospitality to mushrooms is a shocking transition for most people. How did that happen?

Ryan Ong: When the pandemic hit in 2020, the hospitality and aviation industries took the biggest hit. We pivoted into helping with quarantine facilities. Sometime in 2022, I stumbled upon a YouTube video about mushrooms by accident. I became incredibly fascinated. Singapore was talking a lot about the importance of local food security, so I connected the dots and decided it was my time to start my own business.

Scaling from Hobby to Business

Jeremy Au: There's a big difference between liking a video and actually doing it. What were the first experiments like?

Ryan Ong: My fascination was deep. I shared the idea with my girlfriend, and she bought me a mushroom grow kit on Shopee. When the first harvest grew, my passion for fungi fell deeper. I started researching everything from biology to the business aspect.

Scaling up isn't so different from any other business. You need a larger farm for economies of scale to bring down your cost per unit. You have to start thinking about business insurance, rental, utilities, and CapEx equipment.

Indoor Farming Operations

Jeremy Au: What does a mushroom farm look like in the context of Singapore?

Ryan Ong: We grow our mushrooms indoors and do everything from start to end. We have a sterile lab where we culture the roots of the mushroom—the mycelium. From there, we transfer it onto a substrate (a food source). This is the incubation phase where the mushrooms sit on racks. Once ready, we move them to a fruiting area with lower temperatures, higher humidity, and light. It’s very clean and cool—totally unlike traditional farming.

Gourmet vs. Button Mushrooms

Ryan Ong: Broadly, there are two categories. One is the button mushroom—Portobellos, white button, and cremini are actually all the same species, just at different life stages. Everything else falls under gourmet: Enoki, Shimeji, Shiitake, and Lion's Mane.

We sell a lot to five-star hotels and Michelin restaurants because they have a high appreciation for quality produce and can afford the wholesale price of $30 to $50 per kilogram. As we scale and build a larger farm, we aim to bring the price down to around $15 per kilogram to make it accessible for mainstream consumers.

Food Security in Singapore

Jeremy Au: Singapore is focused on "30 by 30" food security. How do you navigate the high costs here?

Ryan Ong: Real estate is expensive, and only 1% of land is set aside for farming. We are heavily reliant on imports, but Singaporeans are price-sensitive. I believe if you can consistently grow high-quality produce at good prices, demand will follow. The egg industry in Singapore is a great role model; they've proven that people will pay a small premium for guaranteed freshness.

Vertical vs. Horizontal Farming

Jeremy Au: Why not just build a 100-story vertical farm?

Ryan Ong: The infrastructure cost to build a very tall building is still way higher than farming on large plots of land in Malaysia or China. When you go vertical, you lose access to sunlight and have to pump water and control temperatures at high costs. My "magic wand" solution for Singapore is utilizing unused basement or car park spaces. You don't have to invest in brand-new infrastructure, but rather repurpose what exists to produce food.

Building the Team

Jeremy Au: How do you find people interested in mushrooms?

Ryan Ong: We see a lot of "unorthodox" people. We even see bankers and corporate professionals who find farming therapeutic. I always warn them that Singapore farming is very intense and laborious. Since there isn't a large pool of experienced mushroom farmers, we hire for attitude and willingness to learn. We teach them everything they need to know about mushrooms.

Wrap Up

Jeremy Au: We've covered your discovery of mushrooms, the difference between gourmet and button varieties, and the unit economics of farming in Singapore. Thanks for sharing.

Ryan Ong: Thank you, Jeremy.

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