MUUSH

Functional mushroom elixirs and cans

Author

Quick Pitch
November 19, 2024

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Categorised as EIS/SEIS eligible

The UK’s EIS/ SEIS schemes are incredibly important for early stage startup funding, making the UK highly competitive for securing investment. At Quick Pitch we think it’s crucial to champion startups taking advantage of this super power even if pre-launch.

Today’s feature of Quick Pitch is an early-stage start up that is taking a different approach to the functional drink market.

The Market

This week's business solves two major problems: 

  • Currently the average sugar content for kids drinks (E.g. Fruit shoot, Innocent smoothie, Capri Sun etc) is 21g which wildly exceeds the daily allowance for kids aged 4-6 (19g).

  • The non-alcoholic beer and spirit market is is set to double in the next ten years but the alternatives like aperitifs are still full of additives like Acesulfame K and Aspartame.

One Liner

MUUSH produce functional mushroom elixirs and cans, combining nootropics, adaptogens and natural flavours that redefine what a drink can do.

  • Disrupting the kids drinks market that has largely been controlled by Capri Sun for 40+ years.

  • Taking a different approach to the rising functional drinks disruptors by positioning as adult aperitif.

Quickfire

  • Headquarters: London

  • Employee count: 4

  • Investors: Several angel investors

  • Funding amount: £50k committed (raising additional £200k)

  • Business model: Consumer brand

  • Traction metrics (pre-launch):

    • Secured European trademark

    • Interest from the likes of David Loyd, M&S, Bailey and Sage, Ascot racecourse and Hand & Flower

    • High profile ambassador interest including Fred Sirieix

Due Diligence

APPEALS

  • Unique positioning: Muush pride themselves on being one of a few brands approaching the functional drinks market in this way by focussing on the adult aperitif market and the undisrupted kids market.

  • Booming market: In such a fast growing market there is opportunity to take a lot of market share in a small amount of time.

POTENTIAL RISKS

  • Fragmented market: Highly competitive environment means brands like Muush need to move incredibly fast.

  • Big players with big pockets: Marketing space is hard to fight for against giants like Coca Cola and Red Bull. It’s vital to execute quickly and stand out.

Competition

Founders

  • Co-founder; Matt Martin: Previous founder of Retro Mountain, Dinoski (now Roarsome) that trades in 35 countries worldwide and events company Howling Owl.

  • Co-founder; Dan D’Souza: Marketing at worldwide brands like Virgin Holidays, Citi, Octopus Investments. Previous founder of Howling Owl alongside Matt.

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