Avondale, PA — In the second quarter of 2022, inflation dominated the performance headlines for the produce department for total fresh vegetables and fresh mushrooms.
Inflation provided a boost to dollar sales, but units and volume were down across the board. Retail sales of fresh mushrooms reached $311 million, down 4.2% from the second quarter of 2021, according to IRI/210 Analytics data, the American Mushroom Institute BB #:162412 reported today.
While mushrooms are not immune to the undercurrent of inflation, prices increased at a below-average rate during the first half of 2022. The retail price per pound for total fresh vegetables increased 8.1% versus 5.1% for fresh mushrooms.
According to data insights provider IRI Worldwide, 93% of Americans are concerned about inflation and 81% are applying money-saving measures when buying groceries. To cope with inflation, consumers are adjusting the way they shop, swapping name brands for generic brands, or skipping higher priced items altogether, shopping at discount stores, using coupons more, and other tactics.
But as American Mushroom Institute President Rachel Roberts explains, mushrooms are made for this moment. “Because mushrooms can offer ‘meatiness’ and a flavor boost to a dish, provide increased health benefits to recipes, and are versatile in variety, texture, and tastes, they are a smart and valuable addition to grocery lists.”
Mushrooms can also offer value in food service. As consumers become more varied on how they shop, food service operators too are looking for creative, flexible ways to offer delicious, satisfying dishes.
“With mushrooms, food service operators can increase volume, value, and craveability by using The Blend–mushrooms chopped and blended into ground meat for burgers, meatballs, tacos, and more. Additionally, the umami and meatiness of mushrooms provide a sense of satiety to any dish across all cuisines—from traditional favorites like pizza, burgers, and salads, to new flavor forward global dishes,” explained Pam Smith, RDN.
While consumers are modifying their shopping habits to absorb increases in inflation, mushroom farms are working diligently to grow and harvest them. Mushrooms are unique; they are grown indoors, year-round, and unlike other segments of produce, mushroom growers create the material in which mushrooms grow all year long.
About AMI
The American Mushroom Institute (AMI), headquartered in Avondale, Pennsylvania, is a national voluntary trade association representing the growers, processors, and marketers of cultivated mushrooms in the United States and industry suppliers worldwide. For more information, visit www.americanmushroom.org.
