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M2 Ingredients has announced the launch of M2Brew, an ingredient solution engineered for mushroom coffee applications to ensure bioactive compounds survive the brewing process and reach the consumer.
According to the company, which is based in California, US, the solution is the only mushroom ingredient of its kind that is specially designed to ensure beneficial compounds are present in the final brew.
It is engineered for drip, pod, pour-over and foodservice coffee formats, aiming to help brands deliver functional benefits in authentic brewed coffee without compromising on taste, clarity or performance.
M2 Ingredients claims the solution delivers up to 100 times more beneficial compounds into the finished cup compared to other brewed mushroom formats currently available, as bioactive compounds often do not make it through the filter.
It aims to accelerate the growing interest in functional mushroom coffee products by responding to untapped demand for efficacy. Consumer research conducted by Glass Research in 2025, based on a survey of over 1,000 US coffee drinkers, revealed that 84% said they were interested in trying mushroom coffee, while only 12% had tried it.
Sandra Carter, founder of M2 Ingredients, explained that most mushroom ingredients are not designed for traditional coffee systems – when added to ground coffee, they often do not move efficiently through the filter.
This results in only a small, water-soluble fraction of the bioactives ending up in the cup, meaning consumers are not receiving meaningful levels of the beneficial compounds being promoted, she emphasised.
“On top of that, full-spectrum mushroom powders historically clogged filters, overflowed pods, and simply were not ready for true commercialisation,” Carter added. “The industry had not solved the balance between performance in the equipment and efficacy in the cup, until now.”
Julie Daoust, chief science and technology officer at M2 Ingredients, noted that this is why many popular mushroom coffee products on the market today are instant.
“Instant formats bypass the challenges of brewing, but the industry has been looking for a way to truly integrate functional mushrooms into brewed coffee as well,” she said. “We wanted to develop a solution for brewed, mainstream coffee applications, products that can be served at coffee stations, gas stations and foodservice programmes across the country, while also elevating offerings in specialty cafés and at-home brewing.”
The solution is made from M2 Ingredients’ patented whole, full-spectrum mushroom ingredients. It is designed to be compatible with all types of brewing equipment for foodservice, pods, traditional coffee pots, pour-over and more, engineered to deliver consistent brewing and benefit performance with no grit, cloudiness or flavour disruption.
M2Brew is scalable for speciality roasters, pod manufacturers, hospitality, office coffee and large-scale foodservice operations.
The company is debuting its innovation at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California, this week, where attendees can taste brewed coffee made with the solution.
