Mushroom-based drink aims to carve itself dedicated space in functional beverage market
Functional mushroom drink brand Muush has revealed it has raised more than £400,000 in its first year, with the business on track to hit £500,000 in the coming months.
The new investment is earmarked to support increased production, expanded retail partnerships, and the development of additional flavour-led functional lines to meet rising demand.
Founded in 2024 by Dan D’Souza and Matt Martin, Muush has built momentum among consumers looking for great taste and nutritional value, without relying on sugar, caffeine, or alcohol. The brand describes itself as sitting in a new space as a functional drink for people who don’t want to compromise on flavour.
The start-up says the £400,000 milestone has been achieved through “grassroots graft, not big-budget campaigns”, with the founders attending wellness festivals, trade events and founder meet-ups – often in their Muush-branded Rolls-Royce ’Muush-mobile’.
“There’s a clear shift happening,” D’Souza said. “People want drinks that make sense – low sugar, functional ingredients, and something that tastes great. We’ve developed drinks for people who used to reach for traditional high-sugar sodas, but now want something with flavour and nutritional benefit. Muush bridges that gap.”
Martin added: “From the beginning, our strategy has been simple: show up, stay visible, and talk to real people. We’ve met almost every investor and retailer face-to-face, poured thousands of samples, and driven the MUUSH-mobile across the country more times than we can count. It’s proof that hustle still works.”
The functional beverage market is expected to reach £1.2 billion in the UK by 2027. Within that growth, Muush is aiming to position itself as a brand that solves a major consumer frustration: functional drinks that promise benefits but taste medicinal, or great-tasting drinks loaded with sugar. Muush’s blends – which feature Lion’s Mane mushrooms – are said to be crafted for people who want both.
