Press Releases
Forecasters Agree: Mushrooms Trending in 2024
Jan. 31, 2024 – In recent years, annual food trend forecasts have consistently highlighted fresh mushrooms. And, each year, the Mushroom Council® wonders, “How many more years will this trend continue?” For 2024, the answer is definitively, “It’s not slowing down.”
As the latest food trend forecast season winds down, the Mushroom Council has tracked nearly 50 articles calling mushrooms an “it” ingredient for the year ahead with predictions ranging from top retailers, food editors, top-tier media outlets and world-renowned restaurant reviewers.
Among its favorite 2024 trend forecasts:
“More of us will embrace fungi, and mushrooms will shine as a meat replacement.”
- Whole Foods Market, “Top 10 Food Trends for 2024”
“The OGs of plant-based cuisine are making a comeback. We’re seeing new and emerging protein-forward products with mushrooms, walnuts, tempeh and legumes in place of complex meat alternatives.”
- The Guardian, “A Mushrooming Trend; How Fungi Became an It Food”
“The mushroom moment of the past few years shows no sign of ending. A few years ago, we were saying ‘mushrooms are definitely having a moment right now, let’s enjoy it.’ Here we are three or four years later, and it’s still happening.”
- Instacart, “2024 Consumer Trend Forecast”
“More people will catch on to the health benefits of mushrooms. From their possible link to immune-boosting properties and cognitive enhancement, mushrooms are emerging as a powerful ally in people’s well-being.”
- VegNews, “Why Mushrooms Are Set to Dominate in 2024”
“We said it last year, and we’ll say it again this year: mushrooms are having a moment.”
- Food Navigator, “Star Ingredients Take the Spotlight of Leading 2024 Trend”
“Mushrooms have…become a prominent ingredient, with main meals featuring mushrooms or specific mushroom types as an ingredient increasing 12% year-on-year between 2018 and 2023.”
- Michelin, “13 Ingredients Chefs are Prioritizing in 2024”
“They are delicious, bringing a rich, meaty taste and texture to my dishes while being a great fit for various dietary preferences.”
- Real Simple, “Mushrooms Are 2024’s Latest Food Craze”
“If you cook more with one ingredient this year, let it be this one.”
- Eat This, Not That!, “6 Grocery Trends You'll See Everywhere In 2024”
“Mushrooms will be front and center in the new year.”
- Fresh Thyme Markets, “Inaugural Top Ten Food Trends for 2024”
“Mushroom mania.”
- Plant-Based World Pulse, “Foodservice Trends to Watch”
“Mushrooms are taking center stage as a versatile, nutritious, and delicious alternative to meat. Their ability to mimic the texture and flavor of meat makes them a favorite among chefs and consumers alike. Varieties like lion’s mane, shiitake, and king oyster are being used in innovative ways to create dishes that satisfy the meaty cravings of diners without using any animal products. Restaurants in 2024 are capitalizing on this trend, offering mushroom-based steaks, burgers, and even ‘pulled pork’ sandwiches.”
About the Mushroom Council:
The Mushroom Council is composed of fresh market producers and importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and is administered by the Mushroom Council under the supervision of the Agricultural Marketing Service. Research and promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for individual agricultural commodities in the United States and abroad. These industry self-help programs are requested and funded by the industry groups that they serve. For more information, visit mushroomcouncil.com.
