Functional Fungi: The performance-enhancing and health benefits of Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps sinensis mushrooms resonate with Gen Z.
Health is a top priority for consumers, and Americans are reaching for vitamins and supplements more than ever, resulting in the largest year-over-year sales increases in the performance and recovery, and mood and digestion categories. I did. Want to help boost your growth in 2024 and beyond? Mushrooms packed with adaptogenic properties to support health.
Spacegoods is a DTC wellness brand of powder blends packaged in out-of-this-world packaging aimed at Gen Z, and has launched into the market with social media-friendly product names like “Rainbow Dust” and “Astro Dust.” , providing energy and relaxation when you need it. Both are meant to be mixed into your favorite drink. Like other functional mushroom startups, Spacegoods infuses its products with cordyceps sinensis and lion’s mane.
TikTok’s hit, the London-based next-gen wellness brand, just announced a $3.1 million seed round, and founder Matthew Kelly told TechCrunch that Spacegoods’ revenue will be a significant part of its 2023 results. He said he expected the number to triple. The brand also plans to release additional powder flavors and gummies.
Mushrooms are also expanding into functional drinks with capsules and powders, as seen in Odyssey, a functional drink brand infused with lion’s mane and cordyceps sinensis. Odyssey promotes its unique functional mushroom-based formula and attracts investors for its ready-to-drink products that support wellness, and just closed a $6 million funding round.
FreshCap, another functional mushroom brand, sells non-GMO, organic products formulated to boost immunity, energy, cognitive function, and reduce stress with Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, and Ultimate Mushroom Capsules In order to do so, we have just entered into a national retail partnership with GNC.
Founded in Canada in 2015 as a gourmet mushroom farm, FreshCap first appeared on GNC stores as customers inquired about the benefits of functional mushrooms and sought out products packed with the magic of mushrooms, especially the Lion’s Mane variety. Because you are requesting it. The brand was acquired by consumer goods company Heyday last year, and sales have increased 70% year over year.
Shrooms as a ticket to longevity
Incorporating mushrooms into your diet may promote health and well-being, research suggests. Although the practice of doing so (and the new products that follow) may seem trendy, mushrooms have been used for medicinal and nutritional purposes for centuries.
Fungi have also been found to be an important component of the diet in blue zone regions, such as Okinawa, Japan, where residents tend to live longer than average. A “longevity hotspot” Japan’s fifth largest island is highly praised for its mushroom benefits.
