Mushrooms go mainstream, from coffee to meat
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Mushrooms are sprouting up all over the place: in coffee, soda, chocolate and meat blends.
Why it matters: Centuries after they were considered medicinal, mushrooms are today's go-to "functional" food — with a brain-boosting, sustainable aura.
State of play: "Mushrooms have such a health halo," says Chicago-based registered dietitian Janet Helm. Plus, they're versatile.
- "Particularly with Gen Z, if you put it in a beverage, they love it." That's largely because of sustainability and brain-boosting reasons.
- And mushrooms are a key ingredient for the emerging category of part-veggie, part-meat foods.
Zoom in: BeShroomed Farms sells mushroom coffee and other functional mushroom products from its east side storefront, 16555 Harper Ave., and online.
- Owner Osotrari Washington opened the shop nearly two years ago and tells Axios he's noticed a growing interest.
- "The mushroom wave is just now starting to take off, and I foresee that it's only gonna get bigger and bigger."
The big picture: "It's not just your white buttons anymore," Helm says. Specialty mushroom varieties have doubled in sales in the past decade, according to Mushroom Council president Amy Wood.
Between the lines: We're not talking about "magic" mushrooms.
- "Functional" mushrooms include lion's mane, chaga, reishi and cordyceps (something "The Last of Us" fans might be familiar with).
Context: Mushrooms are a good source of the antioxidant ergothioneine and B vitamins, which could all support the brain, Helm says, referencing a growing body of research on mushrooms' cognitive health benefits.
- Yes, but: Mushroom products — particularly those with mushroom powders and mushrooms low on the ingredient list — can oversell their mood-lifting effects, which haven't been widely studied.
By the numbers: Sales of food and beverages with functional mushrooms are up over 450% in the U.S. since 2021, according to NielsenIQ.
- Mushroom coffee is one driver of that growth. Dollar sales are up about 55%, and with volume sales up 74% so far this year (through July 13) compared to the same time last year, that's a clear sign it's gaining momentum, according to Circana industry adviser Darren Seifer.
Reality check: Mushroom coffee is still a "very, very tiny" slice of the coffee market, making up less than 1% of sales, he says.