Mushroom coffee has become the latest trend in the UK, with consumers ditching traditional flat whites for blends made from ground coffee mixed with powdered medicinal mushrooms such as lion’s mane, chaga, reishi or cordyceps. The industry is now worth over £2.5 billion globally, according to Power Brands, and is being embraced by cafés, supermarkets, and online brands.
Despite its name, mushroom coffee contains no hallucinogenic compounds; it is made with 'functional mushrooms' long used in traditional medicine. However, branding expert Darin Ezra from Power Brands warns that these products are not regulated like medicine and that some brands include such small amounts of active ingredients that effects may be negligible.
Some mushroom coffee blends are entirely caffeine-free, while others still contain caffeine. Premium versions often cost twice as much as regular coffee, with packaging and marketing targeting younger consumers via TikTok and Instagram. The trend is linked to broader shifts towards sober-curious living and self-care routines, particularly among Gen Z.
Ezra notes that mushroom coffee is a 'masterclass in branding,' selling calm, focus, and clean energy to a generation overwhelmed by modern life. While studies suggest potential cognitive and immune benefits from some mushrooms, the evidence is still emerging, and many products overpromise with buzzwords not backed by robust clinical trials.
