"Recycling, science and efficiency."

Attending the 37th annual mushroom festival in Kennett Square, PA, the Mushroom Capital of the World, was a thrill! I am a big fan of mushrooms, and despite the dreary weather today, it was great to be there alongside a bustling and captivated crowd. The festival offered education, product sampling, good sips, and eats! Mushrooms are powerful medicinally, functionally, and nutritionally. From an innovation and ACV standpoint, mushroom-based natural products' growth potential is infinite, and the positive impact on the environment is noteworthy and pleasing! 

Let's enjoy the show together as I briefly recap the experience and highlight some of the top brands in the industry, providing general commentary about Mushrooms as a powerful ingredient in CPG. Our first stop was the Mushroom Exhibit, where we learned firsthand about Mushroom growing. There is a festival app that enriches the learning experience with detailed info about Mushrooms from a growing, nutritional, and environmental standpoint. Farmers offered live demonstrations, and I captured some of the teachings on video. Most notably, a dynamic depiction of composting!

Consider the widely known white button, brown button, and shitake mushrooms. These are all grown in a lab. The harvest takes about three weeks, and it involves three critical steps:

Step 1: Spores inoculate into mushroom seeds (mycelium/spawns is the proper terminology).

Step 2: Mushroom seeds are mixed with a Mushroom friendly compost (made from ingredients such as hay, straw, corn fodder, corn cobs, and gypsum).

Step 3: Farmers wait and adjust ecological factors during the harvest period. The length of harvest is variable depending on weather and environmental conditions.

Specialty mushrooms such as Shitake, Oyster (pictured below), and Maitake are grown on logs and have different environmental conditions that allow them to thrive. Farmers were providing information about log germination and other species, which was fascinating!

The festival app calls attention to the power of mushroom sustainability, noting that "growing mushrooms is a unique blend of recycling, science, and efficacy. The powerful combination makes them one of the most sustainably produced foods in the U.S. Mushroom growers are known as the ultimate recyclers; for their ability to convert byproducts and waste from other agriculture sectors into the compost to grow mushrooms."

Mushrooms offer up a diverse range of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients depending on the species, and they confer health benefits which include: immune system support, healthy blood pressure, support for healthy kidney and liver function, and healthy inflammation response.

After leaving the Mushroom exhibit, we visited the booths filled with food, beverage, and craft vendors. Mushrooms were available for sale in raw form and were the primary ingredient in most food and beverage concoctions!

I am keen on new and notable natural and specialty brands, continuously evaluating food and beverage innovations! I enjoyed learning about SHROOMS, a delicious mushroom coffee blend, and recognized several mainstream plant-based jerky brands such as Eat the Change and Savory Wild!

The festival does a superb job of celebrating mushrooms which are the ultimate ingredient due to their versatile texture, taste, nutritional benefits, and sustainability! Suppose you ever have the opportunity to attend the festival. In that case, I recommend that you do, and I encourage you to explore mushrooms in various forms as they continue to emerge as a leading ingredient in the natural and organic food and beverage space. Hopefully, this festival inspires continued ingenuity!

Below are examples of innovative brands that use mushrooms as a primary ingredient. They have quickly made their way into mainstream distribution. Enjoy these brands, and keep your eyes out for more!

Favorite Mushroom Coffee Alternatives 

Favorite Mushroom Jerky Brands 

Newly Discovered Mushroom Alternative Meat Brands