The shiitake is an edible mushroom native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed in many Asian countries. It is considered a medicinal mushroom in some forms of traditional medicine. Shiitake mushrooms offer many health benefits such as improved digestion, better cardiovascular health, bone building, etc. which have paved the way for its application in the pharmaceuticals industry.
The global shiitake mushroom market has witnessed constant demand during the last few years and is projected to reach USD 35.4 billion at a CAGR of 15.31% by 2023. Shiitake mushroom is an edible specialty mushroom which was originated in East Asia. It is commonly used in preparation of various cuisines of East Asia.
On the basis of the category, fresh shiitake mushroom will dominate the market and is projected to hold a major share of approx. 50% in the global market. Fresh shiitake mushroom is widely used in preparation of different cuisines for its rich and robust flavoring attribute which is driving the market of fresh shiitake mushroom. Asia Pacific is dominating the market in use of fresh shiitake mushroom followed by Europe. However, North America is witnessed to be the second largest growing country in fresh shiitake mushroom at a CAGR of 14.36% over the forecast period.
Based on the application, food industry is dominating the market holding a leading share of 54.4%. However, increasing awareness of high nutritional and medical benefits of shiitake mushroom including improved cardiovascular health, bone-building, improved digestion, healing chromosome damage caused by anti-cancer treatments and others is boosting the application of shiitake mushroom in pharmaceuticals at a CAGR of 16.56% over the forecast period.