Wild mushrooms are enjoyed by many cultures and incorporated into many cuisines. While many mushrooms are grown on farms, wild mushrooms are much more coveted in the culinary world. This is one reason mushroom hunting and foraging are so popular.
Mushroom hunting and foraging can be extremely profitable. While the price is dictated by the market demand, it is not uncommon to find rare wild mushrooms selling online for over $20 USD per oz., or $320 USD per lb. Ecommerce platforms provide global sales distribution to small business foragers.
Foraging wild mushrooms and finding a buyer are hard enough, making sure you are in compliance with state and local laws is a completely different challenge. Below we provide resources to begin your journey into the world of mushroom hunting and foraging.
In this article we outline:
- Government resources to guide you through the permits and regulations process.
- An estimate of the selling prices for some of the most popular wild mushrooms currently for sale online.
- Online ecommerce platforms that allow individuals to sell their foraged goods to a national market.
- Alternative options to selling just fresh or dried mushrooms to the market. Example, selling mushroom growing kits online to allow others to grow their own mushrooms.
- Locations and sources to sell fresh picked mushrooms to.
Mushroom hunting and foraging can be very profitable for the individuals that are ready to put in the work. The traditional process for selling foraged mushrooms is to sell directly to restaurants or sell the mushrooms at farmers markets. If you go this route, make sure you are abiding by the laws in your area.
Before selling any fresh or dried mushrooms make sure you check all laws in your area regarding selling food and food safety. A great place to start is to search your city and state’s Cottage Food Laws.
Cottage food laws regulate which items individuals are allowed to make and sell in home kitchens, and which items can be sold with or without a license. Your city and state’s Cottage Food Laws will guide you to the necessary governing bodies for the next steps.
We cover Cottage Food Laws in more detail later in this article, in the section below titled: Rules and Regulations of Mushroom Hunting and Foraging. We provide website links and government references for guidance to begin your search.
If you are new to mushroom hunting and foraging, take classes in your area with local mushroom foraging experts. There are mushroom hunting clubs all over the world and several groups in the US that also have extensive resources online for their geographical area.
Cover image details: Imleria badia, commonly known as Bay bolete © muuraa/123rf.com
How Much Money Can You Make Mushroom Hunting?
There are many variables to making money mushroom hunting. The best shot for success is to understand the variables before you begin, so you can build a path to the largest market possible and mitigate any excess costs.
The amount of money you make from mushroom hunting varies on many factors; The grade of the mushroom, the size of the harvest you collect, the distribution channel you sell to, and the current demand-driven market price. Additionally, the cost of supplies will take away from your total net income.
Below we provide a reference price list for mushrooms that are currently selling online as of October 2021, and online platforms that allow individuals to sell their foraged goods. Use this as a guide to see the bigger picture and market trends. Understand the prices will change over time.
When reviewing the prices below remember they will change over time based on the market demand.
Use this list in your research as a reference point in the trends data to see which mushroom prices are trending upward, and which are trending down. Another trend I took away from this research is the overall popularity of certain mushrooms based on the available data online.
For example, the Morel mushroom is extremely popular online with many websites that are solely based on this mushroom, and thousands of cooking articles written on how to cook with Morels. That popularity trend continues when looking at the internets’ largest eCommerce platforms.
eCommerce has provided the means for individuals to sell their foraged goods to buyers across the country. We will explore this growing eCommerce trend further in this article. For now, the takeaway is that location is no longer an obstacle to selling foraged mushrooms to customers.
Before heading out to the woods to forage for mushrooms, invest time in learning the foraging laws and Cottage Food laws in your area. See the section we wrote below titled: Rules and Regulations of Mushroom Hunting and Foraging. We provide website links and government references for guidance to begin your search.
The list below contains a snapshot of mushroom prices online as of October 2021. These numbers are averages compiled from multiple online sales platforms and individual sellers’ websites. Remember the prices for mushrooms will change based on market demand and mushroom availability. Use this as a reference to understand which cultures of mushrooms are frequently sold online.
| Mushroom Name | Average price per Ounce (USD) |
| Bay Bolete Mushroom (Imleria badia) | $10.93 |
| Black Trumpet Mushrooms (Craterellus cornucopioides) | $10.85 to $31.98 |
| Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) | $2.99 |
| Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) | $2.12 to $4.50 |
| Chanterelles (Cantharellus) | $1.99 to $13.99 |
| Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) | $1.88 to $4.85 |
| Cremini Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) | $4.90 |
| Hedgehog Mushroom (Hydnum repandum) | $1.10 to $13.99 |
| Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa) | $1.25 to $10.00 |
| King Bolete (Boletus edulis) | $2.81 to $12.99 |
| Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) | $10.00 |
| Lobster Mushrooms (Hypomyces lactifluorum) | $25.76 |
| Matsutake Mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake) | $6.12 to $16.99 |
| Morels (Morchella) | $13.74 to $25.50 |
| Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) | $4.90 to $17.99 |
| Portobello Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) | $14.955 |
| Red Mushroom Russula (Russula emetica) | $7.68 |
| Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lingzhi) | $1.50 to $5.06 |
| Shiitake Mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) | $1.82 to $7.67 |
Related article: Growing Wild Mushrooms – From Liquid Cultures, Spores, or Plugs
If you are interested in starting your own mushroom growing operation, read our article on Growing Wild Mushrooms. In the article, we cover the 5 phases of growing gourmet mushrooms at home and provide insight on the best materials to use to get your mushroom garden up and running as quickly as possible.
For more on growing your own mushrooms read, Growing Wild Mushrooms – From Liquid Cultures, Spores, or Plugs
Ecommerce Platforms to Sell Wild Mushrooms On
The internet has provided a new opportunity to foragers and small business mushroom growers, by providing a national and in some cases, global distribution network.
Ecommerce sites like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay all have large markets of foraged wild mushrooms and fungi for sale by third-party sellers. This allows foragers in remote locations to sell their foraged harvest to buyers around the country.
Below we cover the three largest online marketplaces for foragers to sell wild mushrooms and fungi.
The internet is allowing mushroom foragers to connect with buyers from around the world. The market of wild mushrooms and fungi sellers online continues to grow at an exciting pace, and the forager that is looking to make money selling online has never had a better opportunity than right now.
Below we will provide links and guidance to start your search into these online sellers.
Keep the following fees and charges in mind as you research each eCommerce platform; Costs to join, storage and shipping fees (if the eCommerce platform handles your shipping), commission fees, and specific rules and regulations on which foods can be shipped and where you can ship these foods to.
We did not include this information as the fees and regulations can be changed at the will of the eCommerce platform as they see necessary.
Amazon – Selling Wild Mushrooms on Amazon
Disclaimer: The links below are not affiliate links. These links are meant to aid readers who are interested in selling wild mushrooms online.
Amazon is a great platform as it is the largest site and has the most users. It seems everyone starts their search on Amazon as it has a large selection of everything, and it is easy to purchase on.
Below are links to the amazon seller information page where you can find the rules and requirements needed to become a seller, along with the regulations on the items that can be sold on the platform.
Link to Amazon Seller Information and Sign-Up Page.
Link to Amazon article: How to Start Selling on Amazon.
Link to Amazon article: What is Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)?
Link to Amazon article: Explore selling program.
The link below will take you to the Amazon listing page for wild mushrooms. Check out the wild mushrooms and grow kits available, also note the number of reviews and comments each item has. This is a great indication of the number of sales a wild mushroom is generating.
This link will take you to the Amazon sales page for Dried Wild Mushrooms. Check current stock and prices on Amazon.
Read the reviews on Amazon to see what the customers like, and what the customers do not like about a product. Create your product to solve the needs that are not being met by the other products.
Etsy: Selling Wild Mushrooms on Etsy
Disclaimer: The links below are not affiliate links. These links are meant to aid readers who are interested in selling wild mushrooms online.
Etsy is a great platform to sell on, as many people already visit Etsy when they are looking for unique items. Additionally, Etsy has an established customer base of wild mushroom buyers.
You can set up selling accounts on multiple platforms to fully expand your sales distribution network. Consider signing up for all three platforms, Amazon, Etsy, and eBay to see which channel is the strongest for your products.
Below is the link to the Etsy seller page with the rules and requirements to become a seller on the platform.
This link will take you to Etsy’s article: How to Create an Etsy Account.
This link will take you to Etsy’s New Seller’s information and resource page.
This link will take you to the Etsy sales page for Dried Wild Mushrooms. Check current stock and prices on Etsy.
eBay: Selling Wild Mushrooms on eBay
Disclaimer: The links below are not affiliate links. These links are meant to aid readers who are interested in selling wild mushrooms online.
eBay is the original site for rare and valuable items. Buyers know to visit eBay when they are looking for one-of-a-kind items, this includes wild mushrooms.
eBay has a large wild mushroom marketplace that receives traffic from buyers around the world.
eBay may be one of the best platforms to start on as it is easy to set up listings for new users with one-off sales. Perfect for those rare mushrooms that are only in season for a brief period each year.
Below is the link to the eBay sellers page with the rules and requirements to sell on this platform.
This link will take you to eBay’s seller sign-up page: Start selling on eBay.
This link will take you to an article by eBay that details how to sign up for a seller’s account. Article titled: Signing up for an eBay account.
This link below will take you to the eBay sales page for wild mushrooms. Check out the variety in both mushrooms and other rare fungi that are available on this site.
This link will take you to the eBay sales page for: Dried Wild Mushrooms.
Types of Mushroom Products to Sell Online
Dried and fresh mushrooms are very popular to sell online. This availability in wild mushrooms has sparked a huge market of hobby growers that want to grow their own crops of culinary mushrooms.
Mushroom grow kits are available online in many forms. Some kits are sold in spawn bags and ready to grow as soon as they arrive to the customer. Many other hobby growers, buy mushroom cultures in the form of liquid cultures, mushroom spores, or mushroom plugs.
The variety of mushroom kits provides a great opportunity to the seller that can meet the needs of the market.
Below we outline the three main types of mushroom cultures available online. Use this list as a starting point to identify any products you could create and sell online to the culinary mushroom growing community.
Selling Mushroom Liquid Cultures Online
Liquid mushroom cultures can be purchased online in almost any species of gourmet culinary mushroom, and they are a great way to start your mushroom garden.
The liquid cultures arrive in syringes and are designed to be injected directly into a spawn bag or petri dish to begin the growing process.
Selling the liquid cultures with a growing sub straight would make a great growing kit and a competitive product to sell online.
Selling Mushroom Plugs Online
Spawn plugs are small wooden dowel pieces that are covered with the mycelium of specific mushroom culture. The plugs are sold in packs and are designed to be inserted in logs or fallen trees. Once the plugs are in the log or tree limb, they will take root and grow into mushrooms. The dowels can be inoculated with mushroom species that grow on wood sub straights.
Selling Mushroom Spores Online
Mushroom spores are also frequently sold online. The spores of a mushroom culture are the simplest form of mushroom cultures sold, as the collection and packaging for resale is less hands-on than liquid cultures, or dowels.
Selling Fresh and Dried Mushrooms Locally
In addition to online sales, the traditional method for selling mushrooms can still be profitable, though the market may be smaller depending on your geographic area.
Fresh and dried mushrooms can be sold at farmers markets or sold directly to restaurants. Before heading out to the woods to forage for mushrooms, invest time in learning the foraging laws and Cottage Food laws in your area. See the section we wrote below titled: Rules and Regulations of Mushroom Hunting and Foraging. We provide website links and government references for guidance to begin your search.
Related article: Growing Wild Mushrooms – From Liquid Cultures, Spores, or Plugs
If you are interested in starting your own mushroom growing operation, read our article on Growing Wild Mushrooms. In the article, we cover the 5 phases of growing gourmet mushrooms at home and provide insight on the best materials to use to get your mushroom garden up and running as quickly as possible.
For more on growing your own mushrooms read, Growing Wild Mushrooms – From Liquid Cultures, Spores, or Plugs
Farmers Markets
There are farmers markets all over the country, and a quick search online for your cities local farmers market will lead you to the steps and requirements needed to rent a booth at the market.
Farmers markets can be a great distribution channel if you have a consistent supply of mushrooms to sell. Either from a bountiful forest harvest or mushrooms, you grow on your own.
Before selling at a farmers market become familiar with the local market rates for the varieties of mushrooms you will be selling. Spend time at the market to see what other sellers are charging and note the grade of the mushrooms they have available.
Farmers markets require more overhead to get up and running than other methods of selling. Keep these costs in mind as you are growing your business. Costs like tables, tents, banners, signage, credit card processors (or you can go all cash, but may lose credit card sales), etc.
Don’t rule out farmers markets as you could always sell your harvest at a bulk price to other vendors at the farmers market, who could then sell the mushrooms to their customers.
Local Restaurants
Local restaurants have also been a source for foragers to sell their harvests. This method is also location-dependent as there may not be restaurants in your area, or the restaurants may already have established distributors. It never hurts to reach out and ask if they are in the market for freshly foraged mushrooms.
For this in-person method of sales, invest time to learn the market price for the goods you will be selling. A great way to find this information is to talk with experts at a local mushroom foraging club, or visit a local farmers market and see the prices and grades of mushrooms they have available.
In addition to selling fresh and dried mushrooms, there is a growing market for mushroom growing kits that can be sold directly to customers. We have addressed those in the section above titled: Types of Mushroom Products to Sell Online.
Mushroom grow kits could be a popular item in the local community for gardeners that would like to enjoy fresh mushrooms for cooking, and who do not have the time to forage on their own.
Go back and reread the section above titled: Types of Mushroom Products to Sell Online. Identify if any of these grow kit ideas could work on a local level instead of, or in addition to an online approach.
Rules and Regulations of Mushroom Hunting and Foraging
Foraging is a form of land management, and the impacts of foraging can drastically change an ecosystem.
Mushroom hunting is a form of land management and subject to laws of the land one intends to forage. The USDA, DNR, and Forest service provide information on the rules for foraging. The forager or mushroom hunter is responsible for confirming the laws and regulations in their area before foraging.
Below we have provided links to many different government websites to help you on your search to become a full-time foraging mushroom hunter.
Cottage Food Laws
Cottage food laws regulate which items individuals are allowed to make and sell in home kitchens, and which items can be sold with or without a license. Your city and state’s Cottage Food Laws will guide you to the necessary governing bodies for the next steps.
The link below will take you to a comprehensive state-by-state list of cottage food laws and regulations. This resource was created by the National Agricultural Law Center.
This link will lead you to the NALCs resource for Cottage Food laws for each US state.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Resources
Farmers Markets Resource
The link below will take you to the USDA article that outlines which foods can be sold at a Farmers Market.
This link will take you to the USDA website’s article titled: What homemade foods can be legally sold at a farmers market?
USDA Guide to Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP)
The link below will take you to the USDA rules and regulations for harvesting and collecting Non-Timber Forest Product items from government property. See section 7.4.2: Regulation of plants on State Lands.
This link will take you to the USDA website and their USDA book: Assessment of Nontimber Forest Products in the United States Under Changing Conditions.
National Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture
The link below will take you to the National Forest Service website where you can locate the requirements and permits needed to harvest and collect Non-Timber Forest Products.
The rules for harvesting NTFPs are different for each state. This site will provide guidance on the permits needed to collect NTFPs for personal consumption and the requirements for Commercial harvesting of NTFPs.
This link will take you to the website of the National Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Growing Wild Mushrooms for Income
Growing mushrooms has also become a profitable endeavor, from growing and selling your own mushrooms, to selling grow kits so others can grow their own mushroom crops.
Growing wild mushrooms at home is very popular with the rise of eCommerce platforms, where you can buy wild mushroom grow kits online. Mushroom kits contain, spores, plugs, or liquid cultures and often a growing medium. Some top grade rare wild mushrooms are selling online for over $20 USD per oz.
Below we outline the types of grow kits and supplies available to start your own wild mushroom growing operation or create grow kits to sell.
There are three main types of grow kits currently available across the internet.
- Liquid mushroom cultures
- Mushroom plugs
- Mushroom spores
We detail these above in the section titled: Types of Mushroom Products to Sell Online. View this section above for more details.
Review the examples we provide and begin to research if these options may be possible to create and sell online in your own mushroom grow kits.
Grow kits are great as many people enjoy the hobby of growing their own mushrooms. This could be a profitable income source in addition to selling fresh and dried mushrooms.
Related article: Growing Wild Mushrooms – From Liquid Cultures, Spores, or Plugs
If you are interested in starting your own mushroom growing operation, read our article on Growing Wild Mushrooms. In the article, we cover the 5 phases of growing gourmet mushrooms at home and provide insight on the best materials to use to get your mushroom garden up and running as quickly as possible.
For more on growing your own mushrooms read, Growing Wild Mushrooms – From Liquid Cultures, Spores, or Plugs
Hen Of The Woods, Price Per Pound
Hen of the woods is a popular mushroom and can be found on many different eCommerce sites.
Hen of the woods price per pound fluctuates based on the mushrooms grade, the market demand, and available stock. However, it sells on several eCommerce sites and can be found for as much as $80 USD to $90 USD per pound in the dried mushroom form.
Wild mushroom prices fluctuate throughout the year.