Mushrooms

The private label market has expanded towards mushroom products. Mushrooms are one of the most consumed food category in the world and it is mostly attributed to changing lifestyles of consumers. The growing demand for low fat and low cholesterol foods with high nutritional values has had a large impact on the overall global mushroom market. The increased interest in vegan diet and the usage of mushrooms as a meat substitute is another large driver of the industry on the market. Countries with the largest mushroom consumption per capita worldwide are; China, United States of America, Italy, Netherlands and Poland. The biggest growth of the mushroom market is expected on the Asian continent due to higher increase in demand of western foods. Germany and the US are big import countries for tinned mushrooms, followed by Russia and France. One of the main importers of fresh mushrooms and dry mushrooms is the UK. Dried mushrooms are a growing market in Europe.

Mushrooms are nutrient-rich and delicious additions in culinary uses, and are important parts of cultural and traditional dishes. They are one of the biggest staples in culinary use. As a staple in culinary use, mushrooms can be added to stews, soups, salads, and stir fries, and transform any dish. Mushrooms can be categorized differently depending on their growth or usage/edibility. Mushroom cultivation and growth require good care and testing because some mushrooms can be poisonous and inedible. Otherwise, mushrooms are generally full of nutrients and health benefits. Some types include a lot of vitamins and minerals, as well as protein and energy. When exposed to sunlight, they can also have a large content of vitamin D. Popular types of mushrooms are: button mushrooms (baby or white), cremini, portobello, oyster, morels, shiitake, lion’s mane, maitake and plenty more. Mushrooms are widely used for medicinal purposes because of their health benefits.