MUSHROOM MARKET ANALYSIS

Mushroom Market Size and Trends

The mushroom market is estimated to be valued at USD 66.58 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 128.11 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8% from 2024 to 2031.

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The mushroom market is expected to witness positive growth over the next decade. Factors, such as increasing health consciousness among consumers and rising awareness about the nutritional benefits of mushrooms, are expected to boost the demand. Moreover, mushroom is gaining popularity as a meat substitutes due to its rich protein content. The growing vegan and vegetarian population worldwide is also contributing to the increased demand for mushrooms. In addition, mushroom produces high yields using minimal resources, which makes it an attractive option for commercial farming. With innovations surrounding mushroom farming and cultivation, the market is expected to grow steadily in the coming years.

Drivers of the Market:

Growing health benefits of mushrooms

Mushrooms are highly nutritious and provide several health benefits that are driving more consumers to incorporate them into their diets. Mushrooms are low in calories and fat but high in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They contain antioxidants and compounds that may help fight cancer, boost immunity and heart health. The antioxidant properties of mushrooms may help reduce inflammation throughout the body as well.

Recent clinical studies have shown that mushrooms may help lower the risk of various cancers. Shiitake and maitake mushrooms contain a compound called beta-glucans that support immune function and potentially fight cancer growth and spread. White button mushrooms are also rich in selenium, a powerful antioxidant that acts as a cancer protective agent. Culinary mushrooms have also shown promise in managing heart disease risks factors like high cholesterol and blood pressure. Their meaty texture and savory flavor profile makes them a tasty addition to any diet.

More consumers are becoming health conscious and looking to make smart diet choices. As awareness spreads about mushrooms' diverse nutritional profile and disease fighting abilities, their popularity and demand is sure to increase. People are seeking convenient and tasty ways to increase their veggie intake for optimal wellness. Mushrooms offer an easy and delicious way for health-focused consumers to do just that. Their versatility allows for integration into a wide variety of dishes from salads to pastas to meat substitutes. As prevention and treatment using natural, whole foods gains more traction, mushrooms' medicinal properties will continue to drive greater market growth.

Market Concentration and Competitive Landscape

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The rise of plant-based and vegan diets

Increasing consideration for personal health, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability is fueling strong consumer demand for plant-based foods. More shoppers are adopting vegan or flexitarian diets and looking to substitute animal proteins with nutritious plant alternatives. Mushrooms are uniquely positioned as a "meaty" veggie option beloved by vegans, vegetarians as well as meat-eaters seeking to incorporate more plant proteins.

Their substantial texture and savory flavor profile allows mushrooms to seamlessly stand in for meats in recipes from burgers to sausages to stir fries. Food companies are responding with a growing selection of meatless products featuring mushrooms as a key ingredient. General Mills recently released its branded fungi pizzas and pastas under the Epic Provisions brand. Startups like Applewood, Omami and Monty's Mushrooms offer real mushroom burgers and grounds that perfectly mimic meat without the environmental footprint.

As awareness about factory farming's effect on climate change increases, more consumers will opt for flexitarian or fully plant-based diets. Mushrooms satisfy cravings while supporting individual values and commitments to the planet. Their storied history in vegetarian cuisine and unparalleled versatility as a meat alternative ensures ongoing demand growth within this vital market segment. Food companies will continue innovating exciting new mushroom-based options to meet the needs of diverse, value-driven buyers.

Key Takeaways from Analyst:

The global mushroom market presents opportunities for growth fueled by rising health consciousness. Mushrooms are low in calories and fat but high in protein and various vitamins and minerals. This positions them favorably versus other meat alternatives for health-conscious consumers. The market has benefitted from increasing adoption of plant-based diets as consumers look to reduce their environmental footprint. Mushrooms have minimal land and water requirements for cultivation.

Unpredictable weather patterns can impact mushroom cultivation and availability, acting as a restraint. Timely availability throughout the year remains challenging. This presents opportunities for producers to focus on indoor cultivation techniques using technologies like hydroponics and vertical farming to minimize weather dependencies. North America dominates current demand led by the U.S., but Asia Pacific is poised to increasingly contribute to market expansion. Countries like China, India, and Japan boast favorable agroclimatic conditions for large-scale production.

Consumption in developing countries is also set to accelerate as incomes rise and lifestyles transition to becoming more urbanized. Producers would benefit from exposures in these high-growth regional markets. Nonetheless, the market also faces restraints around consistent production yields and supply chain complexities that market participants will need to address to fully leverage existing opportunities. Overall, factors like health and environmental benefits position mushrooms promisingly for future market potential globally.

Challenges: Market fragmentation

One of the key challenges facing the mushroom market is market fragmentation. The mushroom market across the world is highly fragmented with no clear market leader. There are thousands of mushroom growers scattered across different geographies growing different varieties of mushrooms. Most of these growers operate on a small-scale without achieving economies of scale. This fragmentation results in an inefficient supply chain where small producers find it difficult to get access to larger formal markets and retailers. As customers increasingly look for standardized grades and quality, this fragmentation poses challenges. The lack of coordination among various stakeholders including growers, suppliers, distributors, and retailers is a big hindrance for the overall growth and development of the global mushroom market.

Opportunities: Growing demand for organic and specialty mushrooms

The mushroom market has a significant opportunity in the growing demand for organic and specialty mushrooms. With increasing health consciousness, consumers are seeking mushrooms that are grown without the use of pesticides and chemicals. The market for organic mushrooms has been witnessing double digit growth rates in many countries. Similarly, the market for specialty and exotic varieties of mushrooms is expanding at a rapid pace. Varieties like shiitake, oyster, and portabella mushrooms grown organically are highly sought after by health conscious consumers. Most retail stores are also allocating more shelf space for these specialty varieties. Mushroom producers now have an opportunity to leverage this growing demand by producing more varieties of organic mushrooms as well as mushrooms like Lion's Mane, King Trumpet that have additional nutritional benefits. They can also brand and market their mushrooms accordingly to fetch higher margins in the market.

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Insights by product type: Consumer Preference Shapes the Button Mushroom segment

In terms of product type, button mushrooms is expected to contribute 39.3% share of the market in 2024, owing to strong consumer preference. Button mushrooms are versatile and widely used in cuisines across regions. Their mild flavor and meaty texture allows them to be substituted for meat in many vegetarian dishes. Additionally, button mushrooms are commonly used as a pizza or burger topping. Due to their universal appeal, button mushrooms occupy significant shelf space in supermarkets and are prominently featured on restaurant menus. The consistent white color and uniform size of button mushrooms also make them appealing from a visual perspective. Their appearance signals mildness and neutrality to consumers compared to more exotic mushroom varieties. Furthermore, button mushrooms are typically the most affordable mushroom type due to economies of scale in production. This price accessibility helps expand their customer base. The ubiquitous consumption of button mushrooms has made them a safe default choice for home cooks and mainstream consumers.

Insights by form: Fresh Mushrooms Dominate due to Perceptions of Quality and Freshness

In terms of form, fresh is expected to contribute 59.3% share of the market in 2024, owing to strong perceptions of quality and freshness. Consumers often prefer buying fresh produce to enjoy peak flavors and nutrients. Fresh mushrooms are also viewed as a more natural ingredient. This preference is reinforced by marketing by supermarkets and producers that emphasize the freshness of mushrooms. Additionally, advancements in cold chain logistics have improved the shelf life of fresh mushrooms, making them conveniently available year-round. While processed mushrooms offer longer shelf life and cost savings, consumers still associate the fresh form with higher quality. Some also enjoy preparing mushrooms in original recipes that require cleaning and slicing the fresh vegetable. The fresh mushroom segment consequently commands a significant premium over processed mushrooms.

Insight Distribution Channel: Supermarkets Provide One-stop Shopping Convenience

In terms of distribution channel, supermarkets/hypermarkets is expected to contribute 45.5% of the market share in 2024 owing to the one-stop shopping convenience they offer to time-pressed consumers. Supermarkets stock a wide variety of mushrooms including premium exotic varieties alongside basic buttons. The aggregation of products and standardized packaging saves consumers multiple trips to different stores. Customers can complete their weekly mushroom purchase alongside other grocery items in one place. Supermarkets also invest in attractive produce displays and unique mushroom packaging to entice impulse buys. Their scale allows for competitive pricing and frequent promotions. The well-lit, air conditioned environment keeps mushrooms fresher for longer than traditional wet markets. As lifestyles become increasingly fast-paced, consumers prefer the hassle-free one-stop experience that supermarkets provide. This drives the market share leadership of the supermarkets segment.

Regional Insights

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North America has been the dominant region in the global mushroom market for many years. The region alone accounts for over 30.6% of the total market size worldwide in 2024. Strong industry presence with many large producers and growers operating across the key states has made North America a hub for mushroom production. Leading companies like Monaghan Mushrooms and Giorgio Fresh have well-established supply chains and distribution networks, enabling efficient supply across North America and overseas exports. The industry is quite consolidated in North America with the top five producers controlling around 50% of the overall market. This scale of operations allows these players to benefit from economies of scale and invest heavily in R&D for new mushroom varieties and cultivation techniques. Process automation is high in mushroom farms compared to other regions, helping increase productivity while managing costs. With the rising popularity of plant-based diets, mushrooms have emerged as a great substitute for meat protein. This has further supported market growth in the region over the past decade.

Emerging markets in Asia Pacific are expected to increasingly contribute to the global demand. China is projected to become the fastest growing regional market for mushrooms in the coming years. Lower production costs coupled with the large domestic market size provide advantages to Chinese producers. Mushroom cultivation requires less land and inputs compared to other crops, making it an attractive choice for farms. Rising affluence has fueled greater consumption of protein-rich foods including mushrooms. Both imports and exports of Chinese mushrooms have seen double-digit growth rates frequently over the past five years. Asia Pacific is another focus area, led by key exporters like Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Their mushroom industries are still developing compared to mature markets, but growing quickly to cater to China plus other Asian countries. A combination of suitable climatic conditions and availability of labor at lower wages gives the region scale as well as cost competitiveness. Mushroom production in Southeast Asia is shifting towards packaged and processed products to boost realizations in overseas markets. This shows how the largest developing region is strategizing to carve a bigger share of the mushroom sector worldwide.

Market Report Scope

Key Developments

• In 2023, Sempera Organics expanded its product lineup by launching six new mushroom ingredients. This innovative move highlights the growing trend of incorporating functional mushrooms into various culinary applications, catering to health-conscious consumers and food enthusiasts alike.
• In 2022, Ethical Naturals Inc. and Nammex, two leading companies in the mushroom industry, collaborated to launch a new line of Mushroom-Plus ingredients. This innovative product line combines the benefits of functional mushrooms with other natural ingredients, offering a unique and potent solution for manufacturers looking to enhance their products.
• In 2021, Big Mountain Foods, a Vancouver-based food manufacturer, announced its partnership with Sprouts Farmers Market, a leader in gut-healthy foods, to launch the first Lion’s Mane mushroom product line across North America
• In 2021, Beatnic, a North America-based acclaimed vegan restaurant, announced its partnership with Fable Food Co, a Europe-based brand, to launch its first meat mushroom product in the U.S. Meat alternative is made from real and natural shiitake variety and will be offered at all Beatnic’s locations.

*Definition: The mushroom market refers to the global industry encompassing the cultivation, trade, and consumption of various edible and medicinal mushroom species. This dynamic market encompasses a diverse range of mushroom varieties, each with unique growing requirements, flavor profiles, and end-use applications.

Market Segmentation

• Product Type Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Button Mushrooms
  • Shiitake Mushrooms
  • Oyster Mushrooms
  • Crimini/Portobello Mushrooms
  • Enoki Mushrooms
  • Others
•  Form Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Fresh
  • Processed
•  Distribution Channel Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
  • Specialty Stores/Wet Markets
  • Online Retailers
  • Food Service Distributors
  • Direct Sales/Farmer's Markets
• Regional Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • North America
    • U.S.
    • Canada
  • Latin America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Mexico
    • Rest of Latin America
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • U.K.
    • Spain
    • France
    • Italy
    • Russia
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • Australia
    • South Korea
    • ASEAN
    • Rest of Asia Pacific
  • Middle East & Africa
    • GCC Countries
    • Israel
    • Rest of Middle East & Africa
• Key Players Insights
  • Holyland Group
  • The Mushroom Company
  • Bonduelle Group
  • Kiril Mischeff Group
  • Costa Group
  • Okechamp SA.
  • Monterey Mushrooms Inc.
  • Greenyard
  • Prochamp
  • Monaghan Mushrooms
  • Muniraj Mushroom Farm
  • Dhruv Agro
  • Shanghai Finc Food Co. Ltd.
  • B&G Foods Inc.
  • Prochamp B.V
  • Shanghai Finc Foods Co. Ltd
  • Dev Bhoomi Frozen Food Products
  • Hariom Mushroom Farms
  • Fruitin Agro Pvt Ltd