Editor’s note: The following profile is from the 2025 Packer 25, our annual tribute to 25 leaders, innovators and agents of change across the fresh produce supply chain. (You can view all honorees here.) This feature has been edited for length and clarity.
Amy Wood — President, Mushroom Council
After an exhaustive national search in 2024, Amy Wood assumed the role of president of the Mushroom Council. Wood brings more than two decades of food marketing and communications expertise to the role, where she is responsible for developing and overseeing strategic marketing, communication, research and promotion programs to increase awareness and consumption of fresh mushrooms.
What motivates you most about representing mushrooms on a national scale?
I love this industry and see so much opportunity for growth. Mushrooms are already beloved for their flavor, versatility and sustainability, but what motivates me most is helping unlock the full category potential.
Representing mushrooms means I get to champion not only a food that people love, but also the growers working every day to bring this incredible product to market. Per capita mushroom consumption in the U.S. is about 3 pounds per year. I believe we can significantly grow that by reaching emerging consumers: Gen Z and millennials who already enjoy mushrooms and have a lifetime of potential to become much heavier mushroom consumers.
What was the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?
Realistically, I’m in the middle of the biggest challenge (and opportunity) I’ve ever experienced. We’re making sweeping changes in the mushroom industry and at the Council — growing our marketing investment, pivoting our target audience and setting bold new goals for the future. Change on this scale and pace is made possible by bringing more industry voices to the table than ever before. We’re building a collective vision for growth and reshaping the future of the mushroom category together.
Who has been a mentor or inspiration in your professional life, and what impact did they have on you?
I’ve been inspired by leaders of other successful commodity boards, like California Avocados and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. They’ve shown how a commodity board can think and act like a consumer brand, delivering marketing campaigns that grow demand and elevate the entire category. Watching their success has shaped how I approach mushrooms: with the desire to move beyond traditional commodity promotion and create a level of relevance that inspires consumers, builds value and drives long-term growth for our industry.
If you weren’t working with mushrooms, what quirky career path might you have pursued?
I’m not sure what else I’d wind up doing, but it would absolutely be in food. I love the quip, “If I’m not eating, I’m thinking about it,” and that perfectly captures my personality and interests. I’ve always been drawn to learning about ingredients, trying new recipes and discovering new restaurants. So, whatever field of work I’m in, it has to be something delicious.
