Organic mushroom extract brand Real Mushrooms acquires Mushroom Science

Organic mushroom extracts brand Real Mushrooms announced it had acquired the legacy brand Mushroom Science.¹ Real Mushrooms was founded in 2015 by Jeff Chilton and his son Skye Chilton, building on experience from the mushroom extract ingredient supplier Nammex, founded in 1989 by Jeff Chilton. Both Real Mushrooms and Mushroom Science have long partnerships with growers in China, a significant region for mushroom growing, the January 20, 2026, press release from Real Mushroom explains.

Mushroom Science was founded by the late John Seleen, and has provided mushroom supplements since 1994. “I first met John Seleen at the International Society for Mushroom Science conference in China in 1989,” Jeff Chilton explains. “As an accomplished mushroom cultivator, John understood the economics and realized the importance of sourcing mushrooms from China. He was a pioneer of the functional mushroom category and was dedicated to product quality, appropriately naming his company Mushroom Science and utilizing analytical testing to ensure the benefits of his products. John’s educational outreach was also instrumental in exposing mycelium fermented grain products, and we are pleased to keep his passion for quality alive.”

Fermented grain mycelium

Mushroom Science was the first brand to provide education to consumers on the difference between mushroom products and fermented grain mycelium, the press release states. Differentiating between the two was a focus of a consumer survey in late 2023 when Nammex, the sister company of Real Mushrooms, conducted a survey of 10,000 consumers in the US on their knowledge of mushrooms.²

The Mushroom Science process

Mushroom Science has a focus on science and health benefits, having conducted clinical research on three of its products, the company explains.³ "Our customers have always been at the heart of Mushroom Science,” stated Kyle Ruxton, president of Mushroom Science, in the press release. “Over the years, we’ve built our reputation on clinically relevant extracts made from real mushrooms (fruiting bodies), traditional hot water extraction, rigorous testing, and full transparency.”

The company uses a hot water extraction method and offers mushroom supplements in capsule form, Mushroom Science explains. The process releases polysaccharides (beta-glucans) into a bioavailable form, it adds.

“As we close this chapter, it was essential to partner with a company whose core brand values align seamlessly with our own,” Ruxton adds. “Real Mushrooms shares that same commitment to organic, mushroom-only extracts, proper hot water extraction, and science-backed education, and we are proud to endorse them as the trusted source we recommend to our customers going forward. We are confident our community will be well served in their shared commitment to quality."

A focus on customer and product

Real Mushrooms offers single extract powders, blends, a pet line, and more, with products sold through practitioners and retailers, as well as online directly to consumers. The products focus on benefits for immunity, rest and relaxation, cognition and focus, and pet health.⁴

“When I started Real Mushrooms ten years ago with my dad, Mushroom Science was definitely a role model for what we wanted to accomplish,” Real Mushrooms CEO Skye Chilton stated. “As a long-standing brand in the industry, they were doing it right, leading with education and selling a high-quality product. I’m excited to be able to bring Mushroom Science into the Real Mushrooms family. It is a great honor, and their customers will not be let down.”

References

1. Real Mushrooms. Real Mushrooms to Acquire Legacy Brand Mushroom Science. January 20, 2026. (Accessed 2026-01-20).
2. Krawiec, S. Consumer survey commissioned by Nammex shows what consumers perceive as mushrooms. November 22, 2023. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/consumer-survey-commissioned-by-nammex-shows-what-consumers-perceive-as-mushrooms (Accessed 2026-01-20).
3. Mushroom Science. About Us. https://mushroomscience.com/pages/about (Accessed 2026-01-20).
4. Real Mushrooms. Our Story. https://realmushrooms.com/pages/our-story (Accessed 2026-01-20).