Monterey Nutra Brings Mushroom Chocolate, Smoothie, and Coffee Concepts to SupplySide Global

Monterey Nutra, a Watsonville, California-based supplier of US-grown functional mushroom ingredients, announced on October 5, 2026, that it will present new food and beverage concepts at SupplySide Global 2026 at Booth 2581, explaining that the concepts follow a recent expansion that doubled its manufacturing footprint and production capacity.¹

What Concepts Will Monterey Nutra Sample?

According to the company, the booth will feature three formats:

• ManeFocus chocolate squares: a confectionary application made with Monterey Nutra’s proprietary lion’s mane ingredient, which the company positions as a way to bring cognitive wellness ingredients into everyday routines.
• MycoPure smoothies: blends containing several mushroom species, which the company says will let attendees judge flavor, dispersibility, texture, and overall sensory performance.
• Mushroom coffee and tea: beverages in which visitors can choose the mushroom extract, intended to show how extracts fit established drink habits and different wellness positioning strategies.

Monterey Nutra says the concepts are meant to show mushrooms working beyond capsules and powders. Amir Karian, vice president of nutraceuticals at Monterey Nutra, highlighted the opportunity to move from ingredient to product. “Functional mushrooms are moving rapidly into new product categories, but successful commercialization requires more than simply adding a mushroom powder to a formulation,” Karian explained. “Brands need ingredients that deliver quality and consistency while working effectively in the formats consumers already enjoy. These concepts demonstrate how we can help customers move from an ingredient idea to a differentiated, scalable product.”

How Does the Expansion Affect Supply?

The company says the larger facility supports its MycoPure Dual Extract Powders, Full Spectrum Powders, and branded ingredients such as ManeFocus, for use in dietary supplements, functional foods, beverages, sports nutrition, and pet products. Monterey Nutra says it controls production from US mushroom cultivation through finished ingredient, which it says gives customers traceability, supply-chain visibility, and consistent quality. It describes its strains as organic, vegan, and non-GMO, says they are third-party tested for purity and safety, and cites more than 55 years of experience in mushroom cultivation and genetics.

What Does the Recent Expansion Cover?

Nutritional Outlook reported on August 4 that Monterey Nutra had doubled the manufacturing footprint and production capacity of its Watsonville facility.² The company said the expansion spans every stage of its operation, from genetics and cultivation through finished ingredient production. It also added 2 commercial executives to serve food, beverage, dietary supplement, sports nutrition, and pet categories.

Karian said at the time that customers want partners who can deliver reliable domestic supply at scale and help them develop differentiated products, and he described the project as an investment across the value chain, from cultivation and production to technical expertise and commercial support. He also addressed what he called “a persistent misconception that a US grower cannot keep up with overseas capacity.” He said the company has consistently met customer demand and that partners should not have to choose between the quality and traceability of US-grown ingredients and the scale their business requires.

What Does Marketing Data Reveal?

The article cited two market estimates. A Mordor Intelligence analysis valued the global functional mushroom market at about $13.2 billion in 2026 and projected compound annual growth of roughly 9.45% through 2031. It linked that growth to consumer interest in immune support, cognitive performance, and plant-based nutrition, along with evolving regulatory pathways for mushroom-based ingredients. Future Market Insights estimated lion’s mane and related extracts at about $1.5 billion in 2026, growing about 14% annually through 2036, which was tied to demand for standardized, active-verified extracts over generic mushroom powders.

References

1. Monterey Nutra. Monterey Nutra to showcase U.S.-grown functional mushroom innovation at SupplySide Global 2026. Press release. October 5, 2026. Accessed October 9, 2026.
2. Saraceno N. Monterey Nutra doubles manufacturing capacity to meet rising demand for US-grown mushroom ingredients. Nutritional Outlook. August 4, 2026. Accessed October 9, 2026. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/monterey-nutra-doubles-manufacturing-capacity-us-grown-mushroom-ingredients