Marley One: Medicinal shroom products designed with Bob Marley’s family bound for UK shelves

Functional mushrooms” – aka: medicinal mushrooms, non-psychedelic mushroom products with health benefits – are growing in popularity as a wellness trend.

The likes of Elle Macpherson and Gwyneth Paltrow add them to everything from their morning lattes to protein shakes, and they are even being added to skincare products and craft beer.

Fungi like cordyceps and reishi have “adaptogenic” properties to help fight stress and support the immune system, while one fungi, lion’s mane, can be used to make mushroom coffee as it works like caffeine without the crash.

They long been used in traditional Asian medicine for their ability to improve health and preserve a youthful appearance.

Now Britons will soon be able to buy the functional shroom offerings from brand Marley One, which was created by the Marley family in collaboration with Toronto-based firm, Silo Wellness.

Products to be rolled out to independent UK retailers, health food stores and on e-commerce sites, via a distribution partnership with listed firm LocoSoco, will be five functional mushroom tinctures.

The tinctures include mushrooms such as cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, reishi and turkey tail aiming to improve everything from immunity and gut health, cognitive function and sleep enhancement. Products set to be released at a later date include gummies, capsules and make-up.

The functional mushroom market was worth £18.4 million in 2020, according to Mordor Intelligence research, and the companies said the deal – which will see LocoSoco distribute the Marley One range exclusively in the UK – “reflects consumer demand for mushroom-based wellness products and the market potential for functional mushrooms in particular”.

LocoSoco said the deal “cements a solid route to market for Marley One products that can keep pace with consumer demand across the region”.

The listed Silo, which was founded in 2018 and has operations in Jamaica and Oregon, also makes psychedelic shroom products.

Magic mushrooms are currently illegal in the UK and the US, but are sold in Jamaica. Silo’s products include a psychedelic nasal spray, developed to treat post traumatic stress and depression.

The firm also has plans to launch a psychedelic mushroom line under the Marley One brand later this year.

Users of psychedelics have long argued micro-dosing shrooms can offer spiritual and medical benefits, and have called for decriminalisation.

The global psychedelic drugs market at large is projected to reach $6.85 billion by 2027, according to Data Bridge Market Research.

Silo CEO, Douglas K. Gordon, said: “Since the launch of Marley One, we’ve been vetting potential partners to help us bring the powerful health and wellness benefits of functional mushrooms to the U.K., where consumer interest in these products is on the rise, and psychedelic products as regulations allows.”