Mushrooms in Tea? It’s Working at Immorel

Is it possible to make a fruity, refreshing, non-alcoholic, sparkling tea from mushrooms? Immorel founders Hayley Kats and Charlotte Rogg, friends since meeting in college, insist it is. “When we tell people about the drinks, they’re always concerned that they’ll taste too earthy or bitter because of the mushrooms,” said Rogg. “It’s so fun to see their surprised faces when they take the first sip!”

The teas avoid the earthy taste of mushrooms by leaning into fruity flavors such as mango and blood orange. “Feed Ur Focus has a really intense and delightful flavor, a fizzy strawberry lemonade,” said Rogg. “The Feed Ur Focus margarita Hayley designed with one of our neighborhood bars is so good I dream about it.”

During a conversation about their discomfort with the constant dependence on caffeine, Kats and Rogg joked about creating a mushroom-based drink company. Kats was finishing her graduate degree in NYU Food Studies and was using mushrooms in her work. Rogg worked in the corporate world in the Boston area, learning about marketing, vendor management and other necessary business tools. They combined their talents and the idea caught hold. “We just did it. Day by day, little by little,” Rogg said. They formed the company in early 2022.

Their sparkling teas are currently created with three different mushrooms: cordyceps, reishi and lion’s mane. Cordyceps energizes without inducing anxiety or jitters. Reishi mushrooms encourage relaxation, and the lion’s mane increases focus. Each mushroom has its own drink with whimsical names like “Wake the Eff Up” and “Slow Ur Roll.”

Deciding to base their company in Brooklyn was a no-brainer. Said Rogg: “There are so many other creatives and entrepreneurs going after wild dreams [in the New York City area] that I’m constantly inspired to dream bigger and push our company to the next level.”