Melting Forest’s Mushroom Sparkling Drinks Are Now in Nearly 2,000 Target Stores
Melting Forest’s D-Stress sparkling mushroom drinks are now in nearly 2,000 Target stores, in Strawberry Lavender, Coconut Pineapple and Yuzu Lime.
Remember when the 3 p.m. slump meant a second coffee and a vending machine run?
You grabbed the biggest can of caffeine you could find and powered through your inbox. By 7 p.m. you were wired, tired and doomscrolling on the couch. Now the drinks aisle wants to sell you the opposite.
What actually happened
Melting Forest, a beverage brand founded in 2023 in Corona, Calif., says its D-Stress sparkling drinks are now on shelves in nearly 2,000 Target stores nationwide. Every store carries the same three flavors: Strawberry Lavender, Coconut Pineapple and Yuzu Lime. The rollout follows the Target deal it announced in June, and the brand says it’s now in more than 8,000 grocery and mass retail stores.
Melting Forest says each 12 oz can mixes organic reishi and lion’s mane mushrooms with L-theanine, ashwagandha, lemon balm, magnesium and vitamin B6, with zero sugar, 5 calories and no caffeine. The brand pitches D-Stress for moments when you want to unwind without slowing down. On Melting Forest’s own site, a 12-pack is $34.95, which works out to about $2.91 a can.
Founder and CEO Sean McDonald put the goal plainly. “When we started Melting Forest, the goal was to take functional drinks out of the wellness aisle and put them where everyday people shop,” he said.
Our read: the wind-down drink is the new energy drink
This is our read. For years the cooler was a wall of caffeine promising to get you through the day. Now there’s a growing shelf of drinks promising the opposite, and mushrooms are the ingredient of the moment. Getting into Target, where people pick up paper towels and birthday cards, is what turns a wellness trend into a normal Tuesday purchase.
The reality check
Nearly 2,000 Target stores shows that buyers and shoppers are into it, but popularity isn’t proof that a drink does anything. The calm and clarity language comes from Melting Forest, and we haven’t seen a study on this drink. If you’re pregnant, nursing or take medication, read the ingredient list and check with your doctor before adding adaptogens like ashwagandha.
The close
The 3 p.m. slump used to mean one more coffee. Now there’s a can on Target’s shelves that wants you to slow down instead.
Sources
Disclosure: WellWham has no affiliate links in this story.
Brand information: PR Newswire
