Unlocking the marketing power of the mighty mushroom

(Editor's note: This story is the first in a series on mushroom marketing.)

Mushrooms are reshaping the produce section with consumer demand for organics, larger packaging and marketing strategies that highlight their versatility, health benefits and consumer appeal.

Mushrooms are in the spotlight these days — and not just the button variety, but also specialty options touting nutrition and umami flavor as a meat replacement, such as lion's mane, shiitake, oyster and more. These versatile fungi are also celebrated for their culinary potential and integral role in the plant-based movement, giving retailers opportunities for marketing — and fueling — consumer trends driving mushroom consumption.

Trends drive mushroom demand

Mushrooms are trending in plant-based eating, wellness-focused diets and innovative culinary uses, with increased interest in varieties like lion's mane and maitake.

Even so, 70% of mushroom volume sits with about 30% of mushroom consumers, according to Anne-Marie Roerink of 210 Analytics LLC, on behalf of the Mushroom Council.

“These mid-to-heavy mushroom consumers have grown increasingly sophisticated, and we're seeing this reflected in three key areas: rising interest in specialty varieties, the growth of organic mushrooms and an expanding demand for larger pack sizes,” Roerink said. “These trends highlight how consumers are seeking out mushrooms for different occasions, whether they're exploring new culinary experiences, prioritizing organic options or finding convenient formats for meal prep.”

And there's notable movement for specialty varieties.

“We continue to see growing engagement. While specialty is still a small percentage of total mushroom sales, unit and volume sales are growing for a variety of specialty mushrooms from shiitake to lion's mane,” Roerink said.

She adds that there are three drivers to this trend:

• Heavy mushroom consumers who are foodies and love to experiment are increasing specialty purchases.
• Chefs are adding specialty mushrooms to menus, which goes a long way toward inspiring home-prepared meals.
• Consumers seeking additional functional benefits from their food.

“Mushroom supplements have jumped on that and easily make up 5-10 linear feet in the [health and beauty care] section, if not more,” Roerink says. “These supplements do a great job explaining the nutritional content and related health benefits. In turn, consumers start cooking with the same mushrooms in fresh.”

Shiitake mushrooms are by far the more prominent of the specialty mushrooms.

“They were among the first to make an appearance in the traditional grocery set. Others, such as oyster, maitake, lion's mane and trumpet, are all still growing in distribution, which is part of the reason why we're seeing such high growth numbers,” Roerink said. “Aside from the individual varieties, specialty mushrooms are also used in mixed packages, often referred to as ‘Chef's Samplers' or ‘Exotic Mushroom Mixes' to further appeal to the foodie consumers.”

Organic is another growth area for mushrooms.

“Organic mushrooms represent 22% of sales, which is far higher than the share for total produce, at 12.4%,” Roerink said. “Additionally, organic mushrooms are growing in dollars, units and volume.”

Roerink says there also is growing interest in larger pack sizes, reflecting heavy mushroom users making them a weekly staple they simply add to multiple meals.

“For many years, fresh mushroom sales were dominated by 8- and 16-ounce packages. While 8-ounce continues to be the No. 1 in dollar sales, 24-ounce packages have overtaken 16-ounce packages for the No. 2 slot in the past year. The sales of 24-ounce packages increased in dollars, units and volume,” said Roerink, who provided the following figures for the past year:

• 8-ounce: $739 million.
• 24-ounce: $241 million.
• 16-ounce: $235 million.

“Savvy retailers are continually fine-tuning their mushroom sets to address the evolving needs of the mid- and heavy-mushroom consumers, from larger packs to organic, and stuffed to sliced,” Roerink said. “Mushrooms continue to rank in the top 10 vegetable items, even if we've seen some interruptions in the long-term sales trendlines. Retailers who spotlight mushrooms' versatility and nutritional benefits while telling compelling stories about the producers behind them are driving engagement and sales.”

Consumers are increasingly seeking value-added mushroom products, such as pre-stuffed or ready-to-cook options, said Giorgio Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bryan Shelton, who adds that they “are drawn to bold, spicy flavors like our new line of Hot N' Spicy Stuffed Mushrooms available in Sriracha, Nashville Hot or Jalapeño. Retailers are capitalizing on these trends by offering convenient, flavorful products that cater to time-strapped shoppers and spice-loving foodies, featuring them in eye-catching displays and cross-promotions with complementary items.”

Sean Steller, director of business development for Phillips Mushroom Farms, agrees that there are many trends across the mushroom channel.

“Consumers are increasingly looking for value as well as value-added options. That translates into larger pack sizes such as 16-ounce and 24-ounce — as well as easy-to-cook options like stuffed mushrooms,” Steller said. “Mushrooms will continue to be a big player as ingredients in items such as soup mix and even coffee. Don't forget about the increasing demand for specialty mushrooms and organic mushrooms, too. Retailers should support these trends by carrying organic options and specialty mushrooms in ample supply.”