Rowdy Mermaid, known for its kombucha, entered a new category with its Adaptonic sparkling immunity tonics. The beverage is made with fruits, botanical herbs and reishi mushroom extract.
These reishi mushrooms are also known as mushrooms of immortality; they contain healthy beta-glucans, which are high in soluble fiber and are believed to strengthen one’s immunity. Modern-day technology has allowed for the extraction of beta-glucans from these mushrooms, making them an easy additive for functional beverages.
Beta-glucans are found in yeast, algae, bacteria and fungi. Since these sugars have been isolated from the reishi mushrooms, the Adptonic beverages have no recognizable mushroom flavor. The reishi-derived beta-glucans used in Rowdy Mermaid’s products are certified GRAS by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Rowdy Mermaid’s new beverage line is the first sparkling adaptogen tonic that uses reishi mushroom extracts and combines refreshing flavors and a bubbly feel to create an immune-boosting beverage. The four Adaptonic flavors include Ashwagandha Blackberry, Matcha Yuzu, Strawberry Holy Basil and Chamomile Lime.
The beverages are low-calorie drinks with fewer than 25 calories and six grams of sugar per 12-ounce can. Additionally, the four different beverages are caffeine-free.
The sugar used in the drink is made with regenerative sugar to comply with the company’s sustainability goals. Regenerative agriculture, as defined by General Mills, is a “holistic, principles-based approach to farming and ranching that seeks to strengthen ecosystems and community resilience.”
In other words, unlike sustainable practices that look for ways to avoid degrading agricultural systems, regenerative practices apply techniques to restore the system to improve productivity.
Related: Realizing the Potential of Mushrooms as Meat Alternatives
“Rowdy Mermaid has always been about celebrating and democratizing the power of functional plant medicine, and our new Adaptonic sparkling immunity tonics beautifully deliver on this mission thanks to their botanic-boosted immunity and wellness benefits,” said Jamba Dunn, CEO and founder of Rowdy Mermaid, in a statement. “We revolutionized kombucha by delivering options that were less ‘kombucha-y.’ With the Adaptonic collection, we’ve turned our eye toward creating a new type of adaptogen-fueled functional beverage, leveraging our Rowdy energy, creativity, magic and passion to deliver sustainably sourced, immunity-boosting deliciousness.”
The functional beverage market is set to reach $46 billion by 2023 and medicinal mushrooms’ sales are predicted to increase by 200 to 800 percent. Functional beverages are purchased by consumers who are looking for a drink that will help them recover after exercising, boost their vitamin intake and support general health.
In the US, the biggest functional beverage market lies in the energy drink industry, followed by sports drinks, meal replacements and functional juices, respectively.
Rowdy Mermaid is known for its kombucha. Alongside their release of Adaptonics, they launched the first “energizing” kombucha in a new flavor called Grapefruit Rise, a blend of grapefruit with a hint of rosemary. The drink includes green tea, which means it contains 100mg of caffeine that will provide kombucha drinkers with an extra kick.
Rowdy Mermaid’s Adaptonic sparkling tonics and their kombucha are available on the company’s website, and their Adaptonic beverage will be available in the Rocky Mountain region in Whole Foods Markets in mid-April. The company plans to have the beverage in all Sprouts locations across the country by the end of the following month.
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