Mushrooms are magic: new adult soft drink, Zooz, makes its debut with £1.25million backing

Pictured: Daniel Soos, founder and CEO of Zooz, unveils his new product which contains Cordyceps Mushrooms (in view) and Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

An innovative non-alcoholic wellness drink based on mushrooms is launching tomorrow (5 September 2024). Zooz is a ground-breaking pioneer in the rapidly growing no-and-low category which its creator believes will establish a whole new sub-category, redefining the way adventurous consumers and bar-owners think about adult soft beverages. 

The launch of this super-premium liquid follows a £1.25million seed funding round.

Zooz is remarkable not only because of its highly unusual ingredient base, packed with mushroom energy, but also for the distinctively delicious taste and the wellbeing benefits it delivers. This product is very different from the overly sweet or overly caffeinated soft drinks that have, until now, been the mainstays of the adult beverage non-alcoholic category. It has been developed and launched by a young, former personal trainer with a passion for his invention, Daniel Soos.

This low-calorie drink comes in at just 26.25 calories per 250ml serving.   Zooz will become a natural alternative to booze for those who are health- and calorie-conscious and who enjoy sophisticated flavours. This drink will appeal to the sober, the sober-curious and those who want a truly different mixer.

Zooz is more versatile than existing functional and wellness drinks and healthier that many other mass market soft or energy beverages. The taste of Zooz is akin to Italian bitters but with a depth of flavour that is unique. It is amber in colour so looks attractive in the glass; and the taste makes it enjoyable either as a drink in its own right or an accompaniment to savoury foods. The flavour profile delivers a crisp, sharp citrus twist; it is zesty, natural, and invigorating.

Zooz is sugar-free, gluten free, plastic-free and has no artificial additives. So many drinks in this category are defined by what they are not, rather than what they are. Zooz is different: it has numerous benefits. The ingredients are sustainably sourced. Zooz is classed as a mushroom-based food supplement and is for over-18s only because it contains natural caffeine. The Lion's Mane Mushrooms contain beta-glucan and other active ingredients and are thought to aid cognition. Cordyceps Mushrooms, the other key ingredient, contain Cordycepin as the active ingredient, believed to improve endurance. Ginseng, which can help the immune system, and green coffee beans, to boost the metabolism, are also present in the drink.

The creator of Zooz, 27 year-old Daniel Soos, is a former competitive swimming champion and personal trainer to top business-people and celebrities including Harry Styles. The company he founded, Soos Drink Ltd based in London, took four years to develop the product.

Daniel Soos, founder and CEO of Zooz, says: “Zooz is not just pushing the boundaries in the world of soft drinks: it is trailblazing a whole new sub-category. The idea took shape one day as I was walking through a supermarket. I decided to make it a reality. I quit personal training and devoted everything to this dream, enduring financial hardships, but I never lost sight of my vision.

“Now, the market is primed and I am excited to bring our innovative drink to the world. I believe it will be a new benchmark in the non-alcoholic beverages category. It’s nothing short of a revolution and supports my personal belief that good energy comes not just from what you take in but what you give out to the world.”

Pictured: Zooz perfect serve: chilled neat or with a slice of orange, or can be poured as a mixer

The super-premium liquid has been trialled in a small number of London’s high-end bars to great acclaim and the company is looking to stock Zooz in both the on- and off-trade. The RRP is £1.95.

Zooz is available in single serve, environmentally friendly, single serve 250ml aluminium cans in distinctive and contemporary gold livery. Aluminium was chosen as it is infinitely recyclable.

The mushrooms are organic and harvested sustainably in East Asia before being processed in Germany after which they land in the UK to be used in the finished drink.

Daniel Soos concludes: “Zooz is a good choice for people who pride themselves on making good choices.”