About Emperor Foods

Emperor Specialty Foods was founded in 1986 as a producer of fresh shiitake mushrooms. In 1993 Emperor began importing fresh product by air from China to supplement its continuing in-house production. Early on, fresh product was destined to local Safeway's and other Western Canadian retailers.

In 1995, a fundamental change took place when Emperor shut down its own production facility of fresh shiitake and focused exclusively on importing various fresh and dry mushrooms sourced locally and also imported from China.

1998 brought further change to the growing mushroom company by being the first Canadian company to routinely import containers of fresh mushrooms from China by ocean shipment. With larger inventories, distribution has expanded to cover regions all over Canada and some major retailers in the Northwest US.

In 2019, Emperor joined the Fresh Direct Produce Group, a move that sparked new growth and diversification. This strategic partnership has fuelled rapid expansion, allowing Emperor to broaden its product lineup to include a diverse range of conventional, organic, and ethnic fruits and vegetables from around the globe. The company also introduced a retail pack of 14 g dried mushrooms and mushroom mixes, further enhancing its offerings. With this expanded range, Emperor now proudly serves BC, the Prairies, Ontario, and Quebec, solidifying its position in the industry.