The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Iryna Karpenko to create the brand of dried and sun-dried mushrooms Gribni Jerky. The name jerky means dried meat, and mushroom jerky is an excellent alternative to meat products, because it contains a large number of proteins and useful elements
Iryna became interested in mushrooms back in the 90s, and at the same time she was engaged in cultivation experiments. She grew champignons, velvet shanks, and various exotic mushrooms. But most of all, a woman appreciates oyster mushrooms — for their taste, useful properties, and simple cultivation technology.
The woman obtained information about mushrooming from books and consultations with specialists. To inform people about the possibility of artificial cultivation of mushrooms, Iryna founded a public organization and the School of mushroom cultivation, for which leading experts conducted educational training. Community members began to create small mushroom farms and join together to wholesale products.
The closure of markets during the pandemic created obstacles to the quick sale of fresh mushrooms and, as a result, the mushrooms began to spoil. This is how the idea for the production of sun-dried mushrooms appeared. Iryna developed a unique technology for long-term storage of mushroom jerky without the use of preservatives.
Iryna's business suffered from Russian aggression.
«The Russian army damaged and looted our workplace. But we are recovering and are ready to continue creating a tasty and useful product for Ukrainians. Gribni Jerky will definitely come in handy when travelling and during training, or in shelter during an air raid alert — these are the realities of our time»
