Market Trends of Global Functional Mushrooms Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Functional Mushrooms Market according to our research experts:
Surge in Demand for Superfoods and Clean Products Triggering the Growth of Functional Mushroom
The superfood market is gaining attention among consumers across the globe as interest in healthy living increases in tandem with rising levels of health-related problems such as cardiovascular diseases, prostate cancer, obesity, and diabetes remain major diseases. This is owing to the high consumption of processed foods in this region. As a result, there is a paradigm shift in people's preferences toward healthy/nutritional and natural foodstuffs coined as 'superfoods ' in the countries studied. Thus, an increasing number of food and beverage manufacturers are incorporating superfood ingredients, including functional mushrooms, to capture the ongoing interest of consumers across the globe. For instance: the manufacturers, such as Om Mushroom Superfood, are incorporating functional mushrooms such as reishi, Maitake, turkey tail, Lion's Mane, and others into smoothies, coffee, cooking, and others. The products adhere to clean label claims such as USDA organic, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher certified. Thus, wide health-related functionality and its adherence to clean label/natural claims are accelerating the growth of functional mushrooms across the globe.
Asia-Pacific holds Largest Share
Asia-Pacific is the largest producer of mushrooms, globally. Countries like China engages in the production of mushroom and truffles to meet the large external and internal market demands. It was estimated that more than 25 million farmers in China are currently engaged in the collection, cultivation processing, and marketing of mushrooms. Functional mushrooms have been an integral part of Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years, and they were named for longevity and spirituality. Functional mushroom has been used in China for thousands of years by royal and elite families as a tonic for energy, vitality, endurance, and to support a healthy immune system. Mushroom supplements have been used in China for about 3,000 years. Recently, milky mushroom is gaining popularity in India, as it is forth most largely growing mushroom in the country due to being tropical in nature and an excellent source of vitamin B2, E and A, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. The mushroom is grown commercially in many parts of the country particularly in southern parts of India. This mushroom is most popular in Tamil Nadu. The country also produces a special mushroom called gucchi, which is grown in the valley of Kashmir. The country produces about 25,000 kilos of this variety, of which about 90% is exported, particularly to Japan and Thailand, where they are eaten for their medicinal and aphrodisiacal properties.
