ORLANDO, Fla. — While traditional button mushroom sales have experienced a downward trend across the produce category, specialty varieties continue to grow. However, because specialty mushrooms still account for only a small single-digit percentage of overall category sales, growers are actively seeking new ways to drive volume and adoption.
Industry data reveals a clear demographic divide: Gen X and Boomers purchase the majority of mushrooms out of established habits and familiarity with basic recipes. In contrast, younger demographic groups — specifically Gen Z and millennials — frequently struggle to visualize what to do with a raw box of ingredient mushrooms and have not yet built routine purchasing habits around them.
“They’re a younger millennial,” says Amy Wood, president of the Mushroom Council. “They have a child in the house. They like mushrooms, but they just haven’t made mushrooms a routine purchasing habit. And they’re looking for meal solutions more than ingredients.”
Sabrina Pokomandy, Highline Mushrooms’ director business development and marketing, says of this behavioral shift: “We consider them a meal assembler generation … They’re not doing it from scratch. They need help visualizing the end product.”
To bridge this gap, the mushroom industry is shifting away from selling raw ingredients and toward providing complete meal solutions. Gen Z and millennials operate as a “meal assembler” generation, and they average around 10 to 14 minutes to prepare dinner and prioritize convenience, speed and clear ideation. By repositioning fresh mushrooms around quick-prep options, usage occasions and trendy culinary inspirations, growers aim to convert casual interest into repeatable weekly grocery habits.
During the International Fresh Produce Association’s 2026 Global Produce and Floral Show, The Packer sat down with mushroom growers, shippers and industry leaders to discuss how they are executing this marketing shift on the show floor.
Caputo & Guest
Caputo & Guest is bridging the barrier to specialty mushroom consumption by addressing a key friction point identified in their research: Consumers want plant-forward meal options but often do not know how to prepare specialty varieties or find them easily. By combining fresh, organic specialty mushrooms with chef-inspired flavors and a precooked sous vide preparation, they are shifting the produce aisle from an ingredient destination into a quick, convenient meal-solution destination designed to attract flexitarians, plant-based shoppers and convenience-focused consumers alike.
“Consumers are looking for meals that deliver great taste, convenience and more plant-forward choices without sacrificing satisfaction,” says Jim Garsow, chief marketing officer for Caputo & Guest. “Our Sous Vide Entrées deliver on all three. From King Oyster Scallops to Lion’s Mane Steak and Chick’n Breast, we’re bringing exciting new flavors and textures to the refrigerated case. For retailers, it’s an opportunity to differentiate their assortment with a premium, U.S.-grown product that makes specialty mushrooms more accessible to everyday consumers.”
More details:
- Sous Vide Entrées Line — A refrigerated, certified organic, non-GMO and gluten-free sear-and-serve line crafted to eliminate prep work by delivering hearty textures and rich umami character in minutes.
- Specialty formats — Utilizes dense king oyster mushrooms for scallop-style recipes (Spanish Style and Lemon Garlic) and tender, fibrous lion’s mane for meat-inspired preparations (Yellow Curry Chick’n Breast and Savory Umami Steak) intended for quick entrées, tacos, bowls or salads.
- Chef’s Cuts Collection — Introduces specialty fresh varieties including Baby Shiitake, Velvet Pioppino and Woodland Velvet Mix alongside their specialty portfolio.
Giorgio Foods
Giorgio Foods is closing the consumption gap with Gen Z and millennials by focusing on lifestyle alignment, consumer education and branded marketing investments.
Recognizing that many younger consumers lack familiarity with how to prepare mushrooms, Giorgio has expanded its social media presence, added an in-house videographer to produce constant digital recipe content and led industry efforts to fund influencer marketing. Additionally, as the company nears its 100th anniversary, Giorgio is unveiling a major brand overhaul — incorporating a longer, flatter packaging format that provides more billboard space to highlight instructions, usage ideas and sustainable materials.
“With Gen Z and millennials, we have a big gap ... We’re really trying to drive that kind of optionality for all and especially those demographics,” says Mark Currie, CEO of the food division for Giorgio Foods.
More details:
- Sauté, kitchen and grill packs — Ready-to-cook mushroom packs designed to double as an eco-friendly cooking vessel, offering infinitely recyclable aluminum packaging that goes directly into the pan or onto the grill.
- Flavored stuffed mushroom lines — On-trend stuffed mushroom variations and upcoming flavor additions (such as spicy and Asian-inspired profiles) designed for immediate cooking.
- Redesigned packaging and billboard architecture — Moving to a longer, flatter package footprint that provides explicit usage directions directly on the label to eliminate prep guesswork.
Highline Mushrooms
Highline Mushrooms is leaning into the younger demographic by treating them as a “meal assembler generation” that cooks using quick-addition steps rather than preparing meals strictly from scratch. Recognizing that these consumers need help visualizing the finished dish within a 10-minute dinner window, Highline is focusing on convenient solution-in-a-pack kits.
“I think we’re seeing a shift in focus to a younger generation demographic. That’s who we have to lean in on and convert them into mushroom lovers,” Pokomandy says.
More details:
- Dry soup kits — A new Cream of Mushroom dry soup pack designed to let consumers quickly assemble a classic soup using any mushroom variety.
- Solution packs / value-added kits — Curated meal assembly concepts that combine mushrooms, specialized sauces and instructions to make popular home recipes easy to execute.
Monterey Mushrooms
Monterey Mushrooms is targeting younger millennials and Gen Z by addressing supply chain efficiency to extend product shelf life while leveraging social media trends — such as TikTok and YouTube culinary content — and functional food awareness. They aim to transition younger consumers who already buy functional mushroom products — such as mushroom coffees or supplements — over to the fresh produce aisle.
“Our heaviest consumers are, you know, 40-, 50-year-old-plus,” says Tom Thompson, chief commercial officer for Monterey Mushrooms. “As they become more established, it’s the younger millennials and Gen Z, not as heavy mushroom consumers yet. And that’s where the Mushroom Council and Monterey have been focusing our marketing efforts: How do we give them a better experience?”
- Stuffer line — Preportioned stuffer mushroom packs sold at retailers like Kroger and Walmart to provide an instant, quick-prep meal or appetizer solution.
- Exotic and organic lines — Expanding regional distribution of organic items and specialty/exotic lines to capture younger shoppers who are willing to spend a higher portion of their food budget on quality and health-conscious options.
- Nutraceutical ingredients — Producing functional mushroom ingredients for CPG products, such as mushroom coffee, through their sister companies to build early brand awareness.
Mushroom Council
Based on recent consumer research, the Mushroom Council has narrowed its core target to younger millennials with children in the home — a persuadable group that likes mushrooms but lacks a regular purchasing routine. Their strategy focuses on meeting these consumers where they shop and search by providing fast meal ideation, utilizing content creators/influencers and contextualizing mushrooms within meals young families already prepare, such as pasta or ramen.
“You don’t have to convince consumers to like mushrooms,” Wood says. “The medium consumer who already likes mushrooms just needs to be reminded, so we need to contextualize mushrooms in the food that they’re already eating.”
More details:
- Digital and retail media investments — These include search engine optimization for quick meal solutions, AI search optimization and direct, one-click add-to-cart recipe integrations on e-commerce platforms like Instacart and Walmart.com.
- Influencer content campaigns — This includes partnering with digital content creators to demonstrate how adding fresh mushrooms improves everyday, trending dishes (e.g., hot pots, ramen and quick stir-fries).
- Usage-oriented packaging guidance — This involves encouraging industrywide packaging innovations that highlight functional meal titles — such as “Sauté Kit,” “Pasta Blend” or “Steakhouse Blend” — to eliminate guesswork at the shelf set.
Phillips Mushroom Farms
Phillips Mushroom Farms is focusing on the intersection of value-added convenience and specialty mushroom growth. Recognizing that younger consumers favor quick-prep hybrid meals, Phillips leverages foodservice/chef menu trends to introduce consumers to novel varieties, followed by accessible retail formats that require minimal preparation thought.
“Value-add is key, especially today,” says Larissa Rice, national sales manager for Phillips Mushroom Farms. “We know with the younger generation it’s all about a quick eat. Value-added items are doing well in that respect just because they’re something you can quickly grab and heat up.”
More details:
- Novel specialty varieties — Cultivating and distributing niche specialty mushrooms nationwide, including pioppini (known for its crunchy texture in Italian dishes) and chestnut mushrooms.
- Value-added and specialty packs — Offering quick-grab specialty formats and private-label convenience lines that streamline prep time for home cooks.
