Dried shihitake mushroom, a delicacy that grows in Japan, is now available in grocery stores.
This week, Costco is selling dried shihittake, the mushroom that comes in the dried form.
It has been a long time coming, says Jim McNeil, co-owner of the McNeil Family-owned supermarket chain.
“I started to look for a mushroom to go with our beef jerky,” he said.
“Then it was just this huge explosion of mushroom prices, and we knew this was going to happen.”
The McNeil family has been growing mushrooms for over 150 years.
Now they have an extra incentive to get them to market.
The company plans to open the first Costco in Japan next month.
The mushroom has been grown and dried in Japan for the past 15 years, but Costco has been able to bring it to the U.S. for the first time since it began selling mushrooms in 2006.
McNeil said that the mushroom’s popularity is due to its flavor and health benefits.
Mushrooms contain calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and sulfur, among other nutrients, according to the National Mushroom Council.
They also help with digestion, promote weight loss and boost immune function.
But Costco’s sales growth is slowing because of the growing competition in the meat market.
The company says its prices are up 4% year-over-year for beef jerks and 5% year over year for dried shiwits.
This isn’t the first supermarket to stock mushrooms.
The McNeils bought the mushroom wholesale in 2009 from a farmer in Wisconsin.
They then shipped the mushrooms from there to Costco, where they shipped them to Japan.
“The mushroom was not only the best mushroom we’ve ever tasted, it was the best of the year,” McNeil said.
Now, Costco has a dedicated store that is open to the public and sells fresh shiITake mushrooms.
Costco said the first 200 customers who buy a box of dried shivittake mushroom will receive a free sample.
The free sample comes with an exclusive Costco logo tattooed on the outside of a container.
While McNeil is not thrilled about the new Costco, he says it is a good opportunity to bring mushrooms to the United States.
“I think the mushroom industry is booming in Japan and we’re really excited about that,” he added.
“I think there are a lot of opportunities here for people who have never eaten a mushroom before, and they can try something new.”
