M2 Ingredients, a vertically integrated functional mushroom grower and ingredient supplier based in Vista, CA, has launched its M2 Center of Innovation, a state-of-the-art food, beverage, and supplement R&D application lab designed to accelerate innovation and elevate industry standards for functional mushroom product development.

The M2 Center of Innovation features experienced functional mushroom R&D teams and a purpose-built facility to support brands developing next-generation functional foods, beverages, and supplements across formats, including RTDs, ready-to-mix powders, gummies, capsules, shots, bars, and more.

“This is a major step forward not just for M2, but for the entire functional mushroom industry,” said Jeff Rogers, CEO of M2 Ingredients. “Brands have historically had to choose between ingredient suppliers and true innovation partners. The M2 Center of Innovation eliminates tradeoff by combining deep scientific rigor with real-world formulation and application expertise. This will be a powerful asset for our partner brands and a catalyst for faster, more confident innovation.”

The application lab is fully integrated with M2’s cultivation, processing, and scientific research teams. This vertical integration allows common formulation challenges, such as solubility, suspension, flavor pairing, and sensory performance, to be addressed at the ingredient level.

The Center of Innovation will be led by Jay Schmalz, R&D Innovation Manager at M2 Ingredients, and supported by M2’s in-house team of food scientists, formulation experts, and researchers.

According to Sandra Carter, founder of M2 Ingredients, the launch represents a defining moment for the category. “This Center of Innovation reflects the infrastructure the functional mushroom space has been missing. It is designed to help brands move beyond concepts and into market-ready products that deliver on both efficacy and experience. We believe this will fundamentally change how functional mushroom products are developed and commercialized.”

Chief Science Officer Julie Daoust noted that the center was shaped by her own experience leading R&D and innovation teams on the consumer brand side earlier in her career. “This is the partner I always wished I had when I was responsible for bringing new products to market,” she said. “A team that understands ingredient science, formulation realities, scale-up challenges, and commercialization timelines all at once. The M2 Center of Innovation allows brands to innovate without having to build a full internal R&D infrastructure, while still delivering products that truly work.”