Tori Armbrust has been talking about the health benefits of psilocybin for a while. Now, the newly-licensed owner of Satori Farms PDX will be able to actually make it.
A psilocybin mushroom is ready for testing at Rose City Laboratories, March 17, 2023. Rose City is the first lab in the state to apply for a license and meet Oregon Health Authority requirements for testing the purity and potency of psilocybin mushrooms.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
“The business will slightly transition out of education and consulting, which is what I’ve spent a lot of my time doing,” Armbrust says. “The business will change into a manufacturing business, pretty much entirely.”
Armbrust is the first psilocybin manufacturer licensed by the state of Oregon. She will only make whole dried fungi, although she anticipates the industry will eventually move into other methods of psilocybin delivery. As the sole employee of her company, Armbrust looks forward to a time when she can expand.
“It’s a fairly male-dominated industry,” she says. “I would love to eventually hire more women and to hire employees.”
Armbrust spoke with OPB “Morning Edition” host Geoff Norcross:
Geoff Norcross: When facilitators start doing these therapy sessions, what will they actually get from you?
Tori Armbrust: “I think in the beginning, and being the first manufacturer for now, I will be producing whole dried fungi. I’m sure as we see the industry grow, we will see all sorts of new edibles and some cool things coming out. But for now, my manufacturing license is only for whole dried fungi and that is the medicine that will be given to the patients.”
Norcross: Do you anticipate heavy demand for your product? I know you’re not going to be the only licensed manufacturer in the state, but do you think people are going to be lining up for what you grow?
Armbrust: “Well, I’m sure hoping so. The model looks a lot different than we’ve seen for cannabis and for a lot of other medicines. It’s all a gray area right now and we’re all kind of waiting to see. But I’m hoping the demand is there and I think it will be. And the people I really want to work with are really trying to offer really accessible sessions for people. So much lower range than these $6,000-$10,000 high-end retreats that we’ve been hearing about. And so my goal is to offer accessible pricing so that everybody can get access to this incredible medicine.”
Norcross: I’m glad you brought up cost because that’s been something that a lot of people are concerned about with this program rolling out. Can you talk about how much it actually costs you to make these products?
Armbrust: “The main expenses for the business are obviously the government expenses. So that’s the licensing fee, the security system, basically getting the space ready and up with all of the regulations in order to be approved by the state. As far as the growing, that process is a little less expensive but very time-consuming and very labor intensive.”
Norcross: I know that you’ve been growing mushrooms for a while. Will your work change in any way now that you have a license and the state is involved?
Armbrust: “Yes, the business will slightly transition out of education and consulting, which is what I’ve spent a lot of my time doing, working with the Portland Psychedelic Society and Decriminalize Nature of Portland. I spent a lot of my time investing in information and education because I knew this measure was going to pass and I knew we would be here. So the business will change into mostly a manufacturing business, pretty much entirely. However, I will still keep consulting as people are going through their licenses. I want to be an available resource to people to better understand how to get themselves through the process.”
Norcross: I know that Satori Farms PDX is all you. You’re the founder. You’re the sole employee. Do you anticipate having to expand as more people might need these mushrooms?
Armbrust: “I would love to expand. It’s a fairly male-dominated industry. I would love to eventually hire more women and to hire employees and to expand. And I see it going that way. I think the desire to get this is there and I think we’re gonna see a high demand.”
Norcross: Why did you want to go into this business?
Armbrust: “I just absolutely love growing medicine, and I absolutely love what this does for people. I’ve seen so many people be helped through addiction and through anxiety and depression. And it’s just such a beautiful helpful thing that I’ve felt impact my life. I’ve seen so many people be impacted by it, and I’m just nothing but hopeful for this whole process.”
Click on audio player above to hear the whole conversation.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated Tori Armbrust’s future plans around psilocybin production. OPB regrets the error.