Startups create products that tap into the mushroom’s healthy attributes amid consumer demand for plant-based food options

1. unClassic Foods –

Founded in 2022 by food scientist Luiza Villela, unClassic Foods’ goal is to replace beef cattle with oyster mushrooms. Based in San Francisco, California, the company is reinventing the wheel with oyster mushroom  and even  fried ‘nuggets’ that resemble chicken. These products are pre-seasoned and pre-cooked, making it easy for consumers to reheat and eat. The startup showcased its products at The Good Food Institute’s GFC2023 conference in a Steak Biryani dish too

Ultimately, Villela says she wants her oyster mushrooms to take centerstage, outstripping animal protein. “Mushrooms will be at the centre of the plate as the protagonist of the dish

2. Shroomeats

Founded by three women, Pamas, Dissaya, and Mary, the startup hopes to displace meat consumption and its associated negative health impacts.Using upcycled shiitake mushrooms along with a handful of other vegan-friendly ingredients, Shroomeats has created a range of alternatives including mushroom balls, patties and ‘shred-it’ shredded “meat”.

Their shiitake mushrooms are sourced from an organic community farm in Thailand and is free of all 8 major allergens too. At the moment, Shroomeats’ range is sold online within the US

3. Fable

Fable is reimagining mushrooms. The Aussie company founded by food industry veterans Jim Fuller, Chris McLoghlin and Michael Fox is all about shiitake mushrooms, turning the uniquely umami-tasting fungi into a meat alternative

At the moment, the brand, which was one of the first to focus on  mushroom alternatives, is available in restaurants and grocery stores in Australia, Canada, the UK and Singapore also includes British health chains Planet Organic and Holland & Barrett, as well as burger joint Honest Burgers, Singapore’s SaladStop and Australian chain P’Nut Asian Kitchen.

As for the future, the startup, backed with a $8.5 million Series A in March, 2023 , plans to boost its R&D, accelerate its international growth and double down on its goal to make “minimally processed plant-based ingredients” popular

4. The Mushroom Meat Co

Founded by Kesha Stickland and Dan Gardner a husband-and-wife duo, The Mushroom Meat Co is turning gourmet mushrooms into everything from porkless shreds to beefy burgers and beefy bites. Yet to be launched in the market, the company is focused on B2B sales and is even working on a mushroom-based ‘fat’ to mimic the fatty mouthfeel consumers love about conventional beef

5. Adapt AgTech

Indoor farming startup Adapt AgTech is producing mushroom alt-protein products, the Canadian vertical farming firm has created mushroom-growing shipping containers. These will be the powerhouses having parking lots to logistical hubs into mushroom-growing locations, which allows restaurants and grocery shops to deliver mushrooms just steps away

The containers will offer speciality mushrooms, such as pink oyster, chestnut, pearl oyster, blue oyster, lion’s mane and king trumpet oyster mushrooms. All of these have different textural and mouthfeel qualities, making it a versatile ingredient to sustainably swap out meat without compromising on taste

Last year, Adapt, also known as Heartee Foods, opened its very first shipping container in Austin, Texas in the US, and plans to continue expanding across locations in the country

6. Big Mountain Foods

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Big Mountain Foods is a women-owned and family-led brand offers vegan and allergen-free range with mushrooms, and you’ll find veggie links, crumbles, burger patties, bites

The brand has presence in major retailers, including Albertsons, Safeway, Walmart and Sprouts Farmers Market

7. Tupu

Tupu, a Berlin-based agtech company, is solving the mushroom production-and-transportation dilemma by enabling organic gourmet mushrooms to be grown in the cities. Using modular farming technology, bioscience, IoT and AI, the startup helps make indoor gourmet mushroom farming economically viable

Currently, Tupu’s portfolio of mushroom species includes king oysters, grey oysters, shiitakes, lion’s manes and yellow oysters, and they are keen to continue expanding their line-up in the years ahead with coral tooth, nameko. Armed with $3.2 million in seed funding which closed in October 2023, the urban farming company plans to get its mushrooms onto more plates across Europe via its B2B channel by partnering with restaurants

At the moment, Tupu’s mushrooms can be found at the Berlin restaurants