Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), is quickly becoming a major player in functional foods and beverages, with growing understanding of its many health benefits, leading to a surge in product sales and a market value of $27.81m, according to Technavio.
Here are the top six things food and beverage manufacturers need to know about this functional mushroom.
1: What is lion’s mane?
Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a species of tooth fungus or mushroom. This edible variety is native to Asia, Europe, and North America, and tends to grow in a single clump with dangling spines longer than 1 centimetre (1⁄2 inch).
It gets the name ‘lion’s mane’ from its large, white, shaggy appearance, which resembles… yes you guessed it, a lion’s mane.
2: Multiple health benefits
Research has linked lion’s mane to a whole host of health benefits, including cardiovascular health, nerve repair, cognitive health and weight loss. As a result of these positive links, consumers are fast becoming interested in incorporating it into their diets through foods and beverages, and supplements.
3: Versatile ingredient
Lion’s mane is an incredibly versatile ingredient, suitable for use in a whole range of foods and beverages, including smoothies, protein shakes, ready meals and cereal bars.
“Lion’s mane mushroom is a versatile ingredient that can be easily incorporated into various dishes, adding a unique and earthy flavour,” says a spokesperson for Merryhill Mushrooms.
4: Lion’s mane tastes good
Lion’s mane isn’t just popular as a supplement or functional ingredient in food and beverage products, these uniquely-shaped mushrooms taste good in their own right.
“They are delicious,” said one user on Reddit, while another described them as having a “nice flavour”.
This adds to lion’s mane’s versatility and creates further opportunities for manufacturers to incorporate them into new food and beverage products.
5: Sales rising fast
The past 12 months have seen a noticeable uptick in global demand for lion’s mane products, leading to a strong market value of $27.81m, and an impressive projected CAGR of 19.84% over the next four years, according to Technavio.
“In the last five to 10 years, there has been a surge in interest around the lion’s mane mushroom,” says Merryhill Mushrooms.
Moreover, this trend is accelerating, with social conversations about lions mane increasing by 18.31% over the past year, according to Tastewise.
And it’s not just food and beverage manufacturers getting involved. The service sector is also catching on, with 0.42% (4 616) of UK restaurants now offering lions mane on their menus.
6: Perfect for vegans and vegetarians
Its meaty texture and seafood flavour makes lion’s mane a perfect meat and seafood substitute.
“The lion’s mane mushroom taste is distinctive,” says Alex Dorr, founder and CEO of Mushroom Revival. “The fresh mushrooms have a meaty texture and a mild savoury taste, like shellfish and seafood. Lion’s mane is a perfect meat substitute in seafood recipes.”
With concerns surrounding the ultra-processing methods and unnatural ingredients used in many plant-based products, lion’s mane could be positioned as an alternative to single-ingredient products such as tempeh.