The mushroom market - France (2024)

1.2 A stable global market dominated by China

The many health benefits of mushrooms are driving demand worldwide. This is particularly true of the Asia-Pacific region, which dominates the market with extremely high demand for mushrooms from Japan, China and even India.

North America and Europe are major markets for exotic mushrooms, both in terms of imports and regional production. The rate of cultivation of shiitake mushrooms in North America and Europe has been rising in recent years, in line with increasing demand in these regions. [***]

In ****, China will dominate the market with **.* million tons produced, compared with ***,*** tons for Japan, the world's second largest producer. That's around ** times more than its Japanese rival.

Main mushroom-producing countries World, ****, thousands of tonnes Source: ****

The global mushroom market is divided into categories based on different storage methods. A distinction is made between fresh and processed mushrooms (***).

In fact, demand for fresh mushrooms is on the rise, but frozen and chilled mushrooms are easier to store and transport than fresh ones. As a result, advances in packaging and transportation, which enable fresh mushroom distributors to transport their mushrooms over greater distances, are a key factor in the increase in revenues generated by the global market.

Source: ****

1.3 The European market dominated by Poland

In Europe, mushroom production has remained broadly stable in recent years, at around *,***,*** tonnes a year. A distinction is made between fresh and processed mushrooms (***). The desired shelf life, the clientele and transport time all determine the fate of mushroom production.

European mushroom production Europe, **** - ****, in thousands of tons Source: ****

In ****, ** countries will account for **% of mushroom production: Italy, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. Poland is the largest market, with ***,*** tonnes of mushrooms produced. The Netherlands is second, with ***,*** tonnes , and Spain completes the podium with ***,*** tonnes .

Exports are mainly destined for the European market. Exports to third countries are dominated by the United States. Thanks to an increase in quotas, these countries will account for **% of non-EU exports by ****.

1.4 The French market dominated by button mushrooms

The French market will account for ***,*** tonnes produced in ****, up *.*% on ****. This makes France Europe's fourth-largest producer, behind Poland, the Netherlands and Spain.

In France, the market is largely dominated by the button mushroom (***), which alone accounts for **% of production. [Thus,the share of other mushrooms in French production can be considered negligible on the scale of the national market.

According to the website of[***], the Association Nationale Interprofessionnelle du Champignon de couche, the industry generates annual sales of *** million euros, and employs over *,*** people. Finally, ANICC reports that production is distributed mainly between the Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire regions.

Growth in mushroom production France, ****-****, thousands of tons Source: ****

1.5 Domestic consumption outstrips production

In France, demand for mushrooms is on the rise, particularly demand for fresh mushrooms. Although according to[***], **% of French production is already destined for the fresh market, (***), this production is far from sufficient to meet national demand. As shown by the mushroom trade balance over recent years, France imports the majority of its mushrooms, with imports in **** representing *.* times the value of exports in ****.

Trade balance for truffles and mushrooms in France France, ****-****, in millions of USD Source: ****

The high volume of imports can be explained mainly by demand for Champignon de couche, but also by French consumers' infatuation with certain more exotic varieties of mushroom that neither grow wild nor are cultivated in France, as detailed in the table below.

Source: ****

The majority of trade in fresh mushrooms involves cultivated mushrooms (***). This explains the low volume of Agaricus in processed mushroom trade, which is dominated by other species that grow little or not at all in Europe, and are therefore difficult to transport fresh.

For over ** years, the vast majority of French imports have taken place within the stable framework of the European Union, with the Netherlands and Poland as our main partners.

Breakdown of truffle and mushroom imports ...

2.1 A global trend towards local consumption and fresh produce

The French pay close attention to the health, social and environmental impact of their food. This awareness often goes hand in hand with a desire to change towards a more responsible diet. A sustainable trend has been underway for several years now.

Motivations for sustainable food consumption France, ****, in Source: ****

The French are particularly attentive to their food, as evidenced by the growth of the organic market. This market peaked in ****, during the health crisis, when the French placed greater importance on their health and nutrition. In ****, the volume of organic fruit and vegetable sales has fallen by *.*% compared with ****, to **** million euros, but remains higher than the pre-covid sales level.

Sales of organic fruit and vegetables France, **** - ****, in millions of euros Source: ****

As a result, consumers are more attentive to the quality of the produce they consume. This explains the trend towards fresh, local produce that we've been seeing for several years now.

The recent health crisis has accentuated the increase in demand for fresh, local produce. According to Ipsos, **% of French people feel ready to consume as many local products as possible to support the economy. More generally, demand for quality, local produce was already on the rise ...

2.2 French mushrooms: a consumer demand

Mushrooms are one of France's most popular vegetables among consumers. It's common knowledge that mushrooms are good for your health, as evidenced by the plethora of online articles singing their praises.

Mushrooms are also becoming increasingly popular. Between **** and ****, it was one of the top * fastest-growing vegetables in France[***].

Top sales growth figures for vegetables France, **** - ****, in Source: ****

According to Jérémy Abriac, site manager at Champi **,[***]: "There is a shortage of French production in relation to demand. Even if French mushrooms sell for an average of ** to **% more than foreign ones, the French are now demanding mushrooms of French origin".

2.3 Growing overall demand for fresh mushrooms

Mushrooms are fairly common in the French diet. Fresh mushrooms top the list with a penetration rate of **%, followed by appertized mushrooms (***).

Penetration rate of cultivated mushrooms France, **** - ****, in Source: ****

In line with trends towards local consumption and environmental protection, more and more French people prefer fresh produce, available from local producers or with a low carbon footprint. According to an IFOP survey, in ****, **% of French people enjoy eating fruit and vegetables, and **% would like to eat more of them. Nevertheless, many are still financially unable to consume fresh produce (***), and **% of French people think that the government and authorities should do more to encourage their consumption[***]. Similarly, in the interests of better health, more French people are avoiding processed products. As a result, fresh mushrooms are gaining in importance in consumption, having even overtaken processed mushrooms by ****. In ****, the French consumed around ** tonnes of fresh mushrooms and ** tonnes of processed mushrooms.

French home consumption France, **** - ****, in tons Source: ****

2.4 Towards a trend for Asian medicinal mushrooms

A great unknown on the European and French markets just a few years ago, even though it is the second most widely consumed mushroom in the world (***), Shiitake is gradually making its appearance in dietary supplements and in several products.this trend is confirmed by the fact that more and more French people are interested in so-called "medicinal" mushrooms. These Asian mushrooms are derived from traditional medicine and are reputed to be rich in nutrients, proteins, fibers, vitamins and minerals. [***]

Pinterest reports a ****% increase in recipe searches for shiitake, while posts about it have risen by **%[***]. We can also take a look at users' interest in the term "Shiitake" on Google.

Interest in searching for "shiitake" on Google France, **** - ****, in Google Trends index Source: ****

Interest in shiitake has been growing over the last few years, with a marked seasonal pattern, searches being much higher at the end of the year.

Four species are particularly popular in the United States: Shiitake, Reishi, Chaga and Enoki, but there are almost *,*** species listed in traditional Asian medicine.

Europe is taking a more cautious approach to these products, but interest in these exotic mushrooms is already growing. [***]

2.5 Close-up of the morel sub-segment

Morels, part of the Morchellaceae family, are edible spring mushrooms. Its nutty taste and distinctive woody aromas make it a rare and delicate prestige mushroom. Morels form a complex group that includes many varieties, some of which are difficult to recognize. However, two groups can be distinguished fairly easily in France: the common morel(***), the second most expensive on the market after truffles.

French morels are generally consumed locally or regionally, but quantities remain too small to satisfy all customers. Specialist wholesaler Champi-montagne, for example, sells ** tonnes of morels a year, but only **% of its products are French. Gourmet restaurants are therefore the main target for retailers. Among Champi-montagne's customers, ** out of ** restaurants are three-starred. In terms of logistics, morels imported from Eastern Europe take between ** and ** hours after picking to arrive in France by plane or truck, compared with a maximum of ** hours for French morels. [***]

However, a Chinese patent filed by professors Douxi Zhu and Ronghua He has enabled mass industrialization of this fine mushroom. Mostly imported from China in dehydrated form, morels were sold for between €*** and €*,*** a kilo until ****. The France Morilles company then teamed up with Chinese professors to obtain exclusive exploitation rights for the patent ...

3.1 A small number of producers in France

In France, the market is organized around producers (***), manufacturers offering preservation solutions, distributors, restaurants and, finally, end customers. Other players operate on the periphery of the market, such as composting centers and suppliers of horse manure, essential for cultivation. Growers, on the other hand, distinguish themselves from the classic wild harvest by their off-grid production.

The majority of French growers are located in the Maine-et-Loire département (***), and more generally in the Pays de la Loire and Centre regions.

Source: ****

The main difficulty in finding data is the very small number of producers in France. For example, the [***] website lists just ** French producers in **** in the mushroom category. This low number can be explained by competition from foreign producers, by factors affecting the harvest, or by the fact that a farm is labor-intensive.

3.2 A wide variety of growers: from industrial companies to seasonal and hobby growers

The diversity of market players is real. This can be seen by observing the protagonists who share the cultivated mushroom sector. According to[***], there are :

Large-scale industrial companies (***); More extensive producers, sometimes seasonal, who combine this activity with other sources of income (***); Hobbyists, who obtain their supplies from garden centers or mail-order sales.

Sales outlets are obviously dominated by supermarkets, which obtain their supplies from the major industrial producers, who are themselves responsible for the bulk of production in France.

In ****, France's leading producer of fresh cultivated mushrooms was Renaud. Based in Charente-Maritime, this company generated sales of almost ** million euros that year. Nearly ***,*** trays are packed in the plant every day, and *** tons are dispatched every week. The company employs *** people and has ** growing rooms. It also advertises on its website that it produces *** tons of mushrooms per week, which adds up to around **,*** tons / year. [***]. We can also mention La Gontière (***), which, although taken over by Bonduelle in ****, has no doubt kept the same production capacities. Lou Legumes, which expanded in ****, announces on its website that it will soon be able to produce **,*** tonnes of mushrooms a year, which would put it mathematically number * in France in terms ...

3.3 A diversity of production methods

Once again, diversity is reflected in production methods. It goes without saying that each mushroom species has its own specific method.

There are * different cultivation methods for the cultivated mushroom, depending on technical developments (***). Today, cultivation in tubs is the most widespread, but all methods follow the same steps. And * months are needed before harvesting.

It's a meticulous process that depends on a number of factors: growing mushrooms on peat, for example, will produce mushrooms that are ** to **% more water-logged than those grown on limestone[***].

3.4 Button mushroom processing plants, a discreet but important B2B player in the sector

It's difficult to know what market share these plants hold in France, but it's certain that they are indispensable in mushroom processing and storage.

These factories act as the link between producers and distributors. They source fresh mushrooms from a variety of producers, and diversify the methods and forms of preserving them, before selling them on to restaurants and supermarkets.

There are many such companies, and while some, like FLM Ingredients, specialize in mushrooms, most work with more than one vegetable, and are often subsidiaries of major groups such as Bonduelle.

Their real added value lies in their ability to offer restaurateurs and supermarkets a wide range of standardized, ready-to-use finished products. By sorting according to stage of development and offering different slat thicknesses, restaurateurs can choose the standard that suits them best.

Source: ****

4.1 The main mushroom species

There are hundreds of thousands of mushroom species worldwide. But, as already mentioned several times in this study, very few of them are currently cultivable.

The website[***] offers a typology of the main cultivable mushrooms.

Cultivated mushroom: A smooth, white or blond skin with invisible lamellae and a supple cap. The more open the cap, the more intense the aroma. When it measures ** to ** centimetres in diameter, the mushroom is nicknamed "galipette" - the cap is so heavy that it tilts. Tender and tasty, it's easy to cook. They can be found everywhere, in supermarkets, in bulk at markets and in specialized stores

Shiitake: The second most widely cultivated mushroom in the world. Native to China and Japan, shiitake is also known as the oak wood lentigine or fragrant mushroom. It has a fleshy reddish-brown cap, soft, spongy flesh and a delicate flavor, and can only be eaten cooked. Harder to find in France, but increasingly available in supermarkets, certain markets and, above all, on fruit and vegetable websites.

Oyster mushrooms: The third most cultivated mushroom in the world. There are some forty species. The most common is shaped like an oyster shell, earning it the nickname "oyster mushroom". It has ...

4.2 Different preservation methods

Source: ****

4.3 Cultivated mushrooms: fresh prices rise, processed prices fall

In line with the growing demand for fresh French cultivated mushrooms, and although the share of fresh production has increased, it is still insufficient to meet demand. As a result, prices for fresh mushrooms have risen in recent years, as shown in the graph below.

Change in the average retail price of Button Mushrooms in mainland France France, ****-****, base *** in **** Source: ****

conversely, we note that the price of canned (***) is falling, in line with a demand that is losing interest in this product. This trend is not yet obvious, but given the information currently available, it's not unreasonable to assume that it will become more pronounced over the next few years.

The [***] website lists and updates mushroom prices on a weekly basis, according to species, growing area and market.

For example: in March ****, a kilo of organic button mushrooms cost an average of €*.** from a wholesaler and €**.* in a specialized organic store.

Average price trend for button mushrooms France, ****-****, in €/kg ex VAT Source: ****

4.4 A breath of fresh air, with some innovative start-ups boosting the sector

New players have emerged as UFOs among the sector's traditional protagonists. Riding the wave of medicinal mushroom and home-growing trends already widespread in the USA, Canada and the UK, they are reinventing the sector with solutions tailored to the real demand for local, healthy consumption.

As a result, we're seeing a proliferation of urban cultivation solutions, such as in the cellars of a Monoprix store in Paris, where the startup la boite à champignons has set up production, as reported by the daily[***].

But also sales of kits for growing your own mushrooms, as offered by the startup[***], in an eco-friendly approach.

In **** Pleurette raised *.* million euros, organic mushrooms as an alternative to meat consumption. An idea in line with vegan/veggie trends. Pleurette also uses mushrooms as ingredients in dietary supplements such as sauces and spreads.

In January ****, Mycophyto, a French start-up founded in **** and based in Valbonne, closed its latest round of financing, for a total of *.* million euros. This start-up aims to protect soils and find effective alternatives to chemical pesticides in agriculture through the use of microscopic fungi.

In ****, Cabane & Cie invested ** million euros in twelve state-of-the-art cultivation chambers in the Landes region of France, to reduce the ...

5.1 Marketing standards and regulations :

As vegetables that are often processed or frozen, mushrooms in all their forms must comply with a number of standards.

The international food standards for fruit and vegetables are listed in this book:[***].

European Union standards for cultivated mushrooms are available in this document [***].

UN and EEC standards:[***].

In general terms:

By-products must be derived from fresh mushrooms processed immediately after harvesting, before they can begin to deteriorate; Color and odor must be characteristic of the product used; The origin and place of cultivation must be indicated and verifiable;

5.2 Picking regulations

Mushroom picking is highly regulated, and in France it's forbidden to sell mushrooms that have been picked on a plot of land you don't own. Picking on private land is therefore punishable by a fine of up to €*** (***)

The[***] website lists the various laws in force concerning mushroom picking:

Article L. ***-* of the French Environment Code: mushroom picking is prohibited where there is a particular scientific interest or where the preservation of biological heritage justifies their conservation. (***)

In the following cases, commercialization is prohibited by law:

Article R.***-* of the French Environment Code prohibits the sale, free of charge or in exchange for payment, of mushrooms on a list drawn up by the Prefect; Article L.***-** of the French Forestry Code punishes any unauthorized removal of mushrooms from forests, and of course their sale; Article L. ***-* of the French Environment Code requires authorization for the sale, free of charge or in return for payment, of any of the mushrooms on a list drawn up by the Minister of Agriculture.

In principle, authorized mushroom products are intended for personal consumption, and the seller is responsible for their sale.

6.1 Segmentation

• Lou Légumes
• La ferme de la Gontière
• France champignon
• Champignon Renaud
• Sabarot-Wassner
• France Champignon (Bonduelle groupe)
• Hifas da Terra
• Walkro
• UpCycle