Fungi Perfecti, LLC Earns Living Wage Certification, Ensuring All Employees Receive a Full Family Living Wage

Host Defense^® parent company recognized as a Leading Living Wage Employer

OLYMPIA, Wash., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fungi Perfecti, LLC, makers of Host Defense^® Mushrooms™, is proud to announce its official certification as a Leading Living Wage Employer by Living Wage For US. This prestigious designation affirms that every member of the company's staff earns at or above the full family living wage for their location.

Last year, Fungi Perfecti partnered with Living Wage For US to undergo a comprehensive evaluation of its total compensation package—including base pay, company-sponsored medical benefits, 401(k) retirement plans and matching contributions, discretionary bonuses, and commission structures. The analysis confirmed that Fungi Perfecti's compensation model meets and exceeds the living wage thresholds across all its positions.

"Paying a living wage is about dignity, equity, and integrity," said Shanna Brown, VP of People at Fungi Perfecti. "We're proud of this commitment."

This recognition aligns with Fungi Perfecti's longstanding ethos of supporting people, planet, and community through responsible business practices. In addition to offsetting 110% of its carbon footprint, operating as a Certified B Corporation, and reinvesting over $1 million annually into scientific research, Fungi Perfecti ensures its success is shared with the people who make it possible.

What Is a Living Wage?
According to the Global Living Wage Coalition, a living wage is qualified as "the remuneration received for a standard workweek by a worker in a particular place sufficient to afford a decent standard of living for the worker and their family." This standard, which Living Wage For US adheres to in its certification process, requires a living wage to afford earners the means to meet the essential needs of themselves and their families.

By this criterion, Leading Living Wage Employers must provide compensation that ensures their employees have the ability to obtain adequate food, water, housing, healthcare, transportation, education, and clothing—among other essentials—while also providing a cushion for unexpected expenses. Unlike the legal minimum wage, which often falls short of real-world living costs, the living wage is independently calculated each year to reflect the actual cost of living required for a given community. Current rates are published at www.livingwageforus.org.

About Fungi Perfecti, LLC—Makers of Host Defense^® Mushrooms™
Fungi Perfecti, LLC is a family-owned company founded by internationally renowned mycologist Paul Stamets, who launched Host Defense^® under Fungi Perfecti with the goal of building a bridge between people and fungi. Host Defense is now the leading mushroom supplement brand in the U.S., specializing in mushroom mycelium-based supplements designed to support human health. Its product line reflects the company's commitment to sustainability, scientific integrity, research, and education.*

Fungi Perfecti has become synonymous with cutting-edge mycological research and solutions—from water filtration (mycofiltration) and ecological rehabilitation (mycoremediation) to combating Colony Collapse Disorder in bees.  A Certified B Corporation, Fungi Perfecti is third-party designated as Climate Positive, offsetting 110% of its carbon emissions. Follow Host Defense and Fungi Perfecti on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 

SOURCE Fungi Perfecti, LLC