The global health & wellness foods industry was worth US$764.2B in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%, this industry is poised to reach a market size of US$1T by 2027.
The functional foods market makes up 29% of this monstrous industry (thereby clocking in at an astounding US$221.6B in 2020) and a large portion of this interest seems to be coming from the West, with the Unites States alone making up over 28% of the global health & wellness foods industry.
What does a trillion-dollar industry mean for a well-positioned company in the space?
For one, it means rapid expansion. Rritual Superfoods (CANADA: RSF) (U.S.: RRSFF) (EUROPE: 0RW) attained certified organic status in a matter of weeks before landing tens of thousands of points of distribution in the U.S., and these are only a few examples of how quick the demand for health & wellness products is growing.
But before we can start discussing their growth plans, we need to pull it back and discuss their product.
Today, we’re talking adaptogens.
Adapto-what?
Adaptogens are essentially a class of herbs that introduce specific health benefits to your diet, without requiring intensive diet changes. On a broad basis, they can boost your resistance and tolerance towards emotional and physical stress, though they can become much more precise than this in their use.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about adaptogens is that they live up to their name; they quite literally adapt to meet your needs.
Think of how a thermostat controls the temperature; it can be set to maintain a specific temperature, regardless of external circumstance. Adaptogens can increase your energy when you are tired, and then dial back and help you relax if you are feeling restless. Adaptogens often play a regulatory role in your body and mind, with the ultimate goal of restoring your body to its optimal function.
Some common issues they are used to remedy are:
- Headaches,
- Focus,
- Dry eyes,
- High blood pressure, and
- Immune system function.
Mushroom adaptogens are amongst some of the more popular kinds of adaptogens. Already being one of the world’s best superfoods, mushroom adaptogens are quite variable, as different strains of mushrooms can harbor different benefits.
“The time in your life when you need an adaptogen is when you’re under additional-or even extreme-stress,” says Keri Marshall, M.S., a naturopathic doctor and director of scientific affairs at Pharmavite. “Adaptogens could impact how much of the fight-or-flight hormone cortisol is released, helping to reduce stress. In someone else, they could urge cells to produce more neuropeptide Y, which plays a big role in regulating mood and appetite, and helping the body adapt to physical stressors like exercise. The other main system they support is your immunity.”
Adaptogens aren’t like medication. They don’t magically cure your problems; they need to be taken every day, with effects expected to sneak into your life after a few weeks. Adaptogens are meant to be a preventative measure against illness, rather than a solution once you’ve already gotten there.
Just as you want to take supplements at specific times, you’ll want to plan out your adaptogen consumption throughout your day.
“Your cortisol is highest in the morning when you wake up and it drops throughout the day. That’s when you want to take your adrenal adaptogen herbs so you can stimulate your body’s natural rhythm to wake up,” advises Marshall. “There are some exceptions, though: if you’re taking ashwagandha for sleep, take it in the evening. But ashwagandha for other purposes-such as adrenal or immune system support-should be taken in the morning, according to Marshall.”
Rritual’s Use of Adaptogens
Rritual has a meticulously crafted line of functional mushroom adaptogens. While many similar products are commonly mixed with drop coffee powder, forcing the consumer to get a dose of caffeine, Rritual leaves their product raw; unmixed with any external substances. This provides the consumer freedom to mix it into any application they wish.
Smoothie? No problem. Protein shake? Shake it up.
Rritual grows their mushroom mycelium on gluten-free whole oats and organic brown rice and all raw product is harvested from certified organic mushroom farms in the U.S. An organically certified, gluten-free, and caffeine-free product removes as many dietary hurdles as possible, opening up Rritual’s blends to consumers with many different conditions.
Did you know? Mycelium is the highly dynamic stage of the mushroom life cycle. Mycelium is the primary portion of the mushroom, while the fruit body is the temporary “flowering” part of the mushroom life cycle that releases spores for reproduction. Mycelium is the longest living part of the organism.
The different kind of mushroom adaptogens used in Rritual blends include:
Chaga Powder (Immune)
Chaga has been used historically for hundreds of years as a natural defense source. It supports a healthy immune system and brings on protective antioxidant compounds to amp up your body’s ability to fight off threats.
Lion’s Mane Powder (Focus)
Lion’s mane is all about cognitive health. It has been shown to keep up the brain’s inflammatory response and contains several protective compounds. Lion’s Mane, in a dramatized explanation, keeps you calm, cool and collected in times of challenge. Kind of like… a lion.
Reishi Powder (Relax)
Reishi encourages and maintains balance in your body’s key health systems, including the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and the digestive system. It is said to have a natural calming effect on your body and mind. Our body is made up of billions of tiny organisms; if these are all distressed, there’s a good chance your mind will be too.
Where Have Adaptogens Been All This Time?
As America was busy feeding the world fast food, sugary treats, and cigarettes, very little about adaptogens reached the mainstream. The basis of the food industry was to feed us as much salty, sugary, and fatty foods as possible to maximize the profit of all corporations involved.
Lest we forget that doctors were prescribing white wine and cigarettes only decades ago.
The food industry is very clever. Back when “fat” was looked at as the enemy, dozens of companies began advertising low-fat options for consumers, under the false premise that they were trying to provide a healthy option. These low-fat options ended up being packed with sugar, which food experts found out was not only more harmful to your insides, but actually made you gain weight!
Fast forward to 2021, and genuine health benefits are all the rage.
Natural health products, kombucha, superfoods, functional mushrooms… more and more people are trending towards healthier diets and lifestyles. It is estimated that 8 in 10 people in the U.S. had improved their diets due to COVID-19, according to the International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) 2020 Food and Health Survey.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that Rritual and their line of functional mushroom adaptogens are flying onto, and off of, shelves throughout the states. They’ve already landed themselves in 2,400 retail locations, with 10,000 points of distribution. Their goal this year is to amp that number up to 6,000 retail locations, with 20,000 points of distribution.
As they inked a contract with Rite Aid to have their products sitting on the shelves in one of the biggest drug store chains in the U.S., Rite Aid agreed to stock Rritual’s three flagship products in 20% more of their stores.
Although this rapid expansion is primarily thanks to Rritual’s stacked team of experts in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) world, the demand wouldn’t be there if health products weren’t on the rise.
Disclaimer: Rritual Superfoods Inc. is an Edge Communications Client, and we own shares in the company.