Image by @trytroop
Troop is Paving the Way for Mushroom Wellness in 2023
Troop is functional mushroom gummies. The brand’s goal is to demystify mushrooms and make them approachable, and what better way than in a delicious gummy? Our Editor In Chief, Kennedy, interviewed the two brains behind the brand to see how Troop was created and what it has to offer for the community of wellness mushroom lovers.
Conversations with Co-Founders Stephanie Moyal and Jake Mellman
KS: What is Troop? Tells us about a little bit about your brand and the mission/purpose.
SM: Jake and I are cousins and we founded troop during the pandemic. Like most during that time, we were investing in our health and wellness and looking into natural remedies and ways to keep our bodies healthy. When we came across mushrooms, we felt as though we had discovered this secret that not enough people were talking about. We became obsessed and started reading books, watching documentaries and then decided to grow our own mushrooms. We loved the benefits that mushrooms were bringing to our lives and wanted to share them with our community in a way that made sense to us. When we looked at mushroom products on the market, everything struck as ceremonial or mystical, or at the other end of the spectrum, geared towards the avid adventurer. We then set out to demystify mushrooms and make a product that would appeal to the everyday user, and what better way than in a delicious gummy? We decided on the name troop because it means a group of mushrooms that grows together. As such, community is built into the ethos of our brand and our goal is to bring people together and create a troop of people who are passionate about health and wellness.
KS: What makes Troop unique amongst other brands?
SM: The quality of the product is the most important thing for us. As such, we only use mushrooms organically and sustainably cultivated in the US and dual extract them for maximum benefit. Our products are also vegan, gluten-free, soy free and made with natural colors and flavors. We see other companies taking shortcuts with their mushrooms including where they’re grown and not using the fruiting body. At the end of the day, creating the best product we can will always be our goal.
KS: What should people consider incorporating mushrooms into their lifestyle? What are the healing powers?
SM: Mushrooms have a myriad of health benefits and we believe should be incorporated into everyone’s lives. Ranging from protecting your body from various illnesses and ailments, boosting cognitive function, maintaining a healthy gut, containing antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties and promoting a good night’s rest to name a few, there’s not much mushrooms don’t do. To learn more, check out our page with more mushroom benefits along with research and studies. https://trytroop.com/meet-your-shrooms/
KS: What are your favorite kinds of mushrooms?
SM: We love all of the mushrooms that we work with; however, if I had to choose, I would say lion’s mane. Alzheimer’s runs in our family and being able to protect your brain with something natural against the potential of that disease is extremely important to me. Jake’s favorite is reishi- he describes it as getting a warm hug on the inside of his body and it helps him get a good night’s rest.
KS: Why are mushrooms important to you?
SM: We believe in natural and preventive measures to protect your health. Nature, especially mushrooms, hold many of the answers that we’re looking for in terms of overall health and wellness. They’ve had extremely positive effects on our lives, and it’s our goal to spread the word and help other people reap the same benefits.
KS: Why do you think mushroom wellness has grown so much in the past few years?
SM: While mushrooms have been used in Eastern medicine for thousands of years, they’re finally starting to get the recognition they deserve in the west. As more studies are being conducted and their results publicized, the word is getting out how beneficial they are for our health. We truly believe that this is only the tip of the iceberg and we’ll continue to see positive information spreading across the news and more mushroom-based products come to the market.