NBJ recently released our first-ever report on the functional mushroom markets, including data and commentary on an expanded list of functional mushrooms in food and beverages and supplements. Like many supplement brands and manufacturers within the dietary supplement industry, NBJ wanted to know more about what fuels consumer purchase behaviors and decisions behind this trending category. Is it sought after by average consumers or is it mostly health nuts and biohackers? How widespread is consumer knowledge on functional mushrooms? Where do they get the information that leads them to purchase? With so many different types of mushrooms that provide various benefits, which conditions or health concerns are driving consumer interest?

In an NBJ consumer survey fielded in April 2024, we asked over 8,000 people if they consume functional mushrooms. What we found was that 37% say they consume food and beverages boosted with mushrooms and 27% consume mushroom supplements. Broken out by generations, Gen Z over indexes by 10 or more percentage points; showing that younger generations are driving the mushroom markets.

What about those psychedelics? We asked that, too. In a separate survey of over 1,000 people, about 13% said they currently consume psychedelic mushrooms, increasing slightly from the same survey fielded a year prior. We see a similar theme here that 19% of Gen Z and 17% of millennials consume psychedelics, dropping to 12% of Gen X and only 5% of baby boomers.

In 2023, NBJ estimates the functional mushroom supplement market to hit $179 million in sales, which is up about 11.5% in growth from the year prior. But the progression doesn’t stop there, we’re forecasting double-digit growth through 2027. What conditions are driving most of the market growth and consumer interest? Immunity has long been a main growth driver for this ingredient, but NBJ estimates that other top growing conditions like brain health, growing at 13.4% and sports performance at 27.7%, will both be key drivers into 2025.

Nine mushroom ingredients, two markets, three channels and ten conditions. There’s a lot in this report and a lot more to come in the mushrooms market.