Two long-term friends from Moray have launched their “functional mushrooms” brand into Tesco.

Erik Lang and Smith Feeney are supplying 250 Tesco stores across the UK with five products from their Love Mushrooms brand. The products are also being stocked on the supermarket’s website.

The entrepreneurs say research shows that functional mushrooms “can help with concentration, stress, anxiety, energy and immunity”.

They have their own organic mushroom farm and laboratory on Marcassie Farm in Forres, near Cairngorms National Park.

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They use ultrasonic assisted extraction, which they say “is the most efficient extraction method and preserves the natural compounds to ensure high-purity and stronger extracts”.

Love Mushrooms offers a variety of “affordable” tinctures and capsules. The range includes Reishi, Cordyceps and Lion’s Mane, which the entrepreneurs say are all celebrated for their potential health benefits.

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Each product is available for £9.90 and they are on a “permanent three-for-two promotion with a Tesco Clubcard”, Love Mushrooms noted.

Mr Lang, who is 38 and was born in France, has been growing mushrooms for more than 10 years and has worked on organic farms and as a sous chef in restaurants around the world.

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He said: “Our dream is to make the highest-quality functional mushroom tinctures and capsules available to people at a price that isn’t a barrier, instead of them being seen as a luxury product.

“We’re excited to be stocked all over the country in Tesco, as well as online, and to be on a permanent Clubcard deal. It means we can bring functional mushrooms to the mainstream.”

Mr Feeney, who is also 38 and has a background in the charity sector, first met Mr Lang while they were both working on a Spanish ecological community project in 2014.

He said: “We’re both fascinated by the benefits of mushrooms and how closely they’re connected to our wellbeing and holistic health. Research has shown that humans share 50% of our DNA with mushrooms.

“Like Erik, I’ve been growing lots of different varieties of mushrooms for years wherever I’ve been living in the world and have done a lot of research into their amazing health benefits. Mushrooms and fungi have for centuries been sustenance for those who know how to harvest and use them.”

Mr Feeney added: “When we found Marcassie Farm, we knew it was the perfect place to start our business. It’s a peaceful place, and a real close-knit community, which champions innovation and creativity as well as promoting heritage crafts, food-growing and artisan production.

"We started making our tinctures and people really loved them, so we knew we had a good business idea. We’re very proud to be listed in Tesco and our goal is to keep growing the brand while remaining rooted in our community and our values. We’d love to make Love Mushrooms an international brand.”

Tesco said: “We’re delighted to be stocking Love Mushrooms capsules and tinctures in our stores across the UK. They are on offer to our Clubcard customers on a permanent three-for-two deal, giving people a high quality and affordable everyday British product.”