Pekepeke-Kiore is a native New Zealand mushroom commonly known as New Zealand Lion’s Mane and scientifically known as Hericium Novae-Zealandiae. It is cousin to the popular Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus) used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries.

New Zealand grown

Regular Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus) products are all grown overseas (often China and East Asia), shipped to NZ and sold here by intermediary distributors (not growers). This is also true for 99% of mushroom supplements available in NZ. Mynd offers a local solution—straight from our mushroom farm in Raglan.

Premium natural mushrooms

Overseas mushroom cultivation can be associated with air pollution and intensive farming practices, resulting in contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides in the final product. Our mushrooms, cultivated with care at our Raglan farm, benefit from the pristine natural resources of New Zealand.

Efficacy

Our research partners at Callaghan Innovation independently tested our New Zealand Lion’s Mane mushroom extract and demonstrated its efficacy against globally leading Lion's Mane products. See Our Science page to learn more about upcoming studies, further quantifying the cognitive benefits with neuroscientists at leading universities.

Erinacines and hericenones are the bioactive compounds found in certain species of mushrooms, particularly in the Hericium genus. They have been studied for their potential neuroregenerative and neuroprotective properties.

These two zesty bioactive compounds have been identified in Mynd’s New Zealand Lion’s Mane (Pekepeke-Kiore) mushroom extract and are responsible for the key neurological benefits accredited to the popular Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus).

Brain health

Research suggests that these bioactive compounds stimulate the production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a protein crucial for the growth and repair of nerve cells.

Brain function

Studies indicate that Erinacines and Hericenones can improve cognitive function, memory, focus and learning.

Brain protection

Additionally, these compounds’ neuroprotective properties help safeguard nerve cells from damage and degeneration.

Mynd’s New Zealand Lion’s Mane (Pekepeke-Kiore) is a natural mushroom supplement for brain health and function. It can be used to support:

1. Brain Health
2. Focus
3. Mental Clarity
4. Brain Function
5. Mood Balance

Studies suggest that regular use of Lion’s Mane bioactives, Erinacines and Hericenones can protect nerve cells from damage and degeneration.

To read more directly from studies, as well as our independent test report, see Our Research page.

To learn more about our upcoming research programmes, see Our Science page.

We recommend taking ¼ – ½ teaspoons (1 – 2g) of New Zealand Lion’s Mane mushroom supplement daily. You may need to experiment with different dosages to find what is right for you.

We recommend adding ¼ – ½ teaspoon into any beverage or food of your choice. Simply stir or blend and enjoy your daily natural brain nutrition.

Cultivated and harvested from our mushroom farm in Raglan, New Zealand, each batch undergoes a spa day of careful drying and heat treatment to retain its natural potency. Our unique cultivation technique, The Mynd Method, together with a full-spectrum heat extraction results in a bioactive rich extract. We pride ourselves on maintaining the purity our product from our farm to your cup (zero additives).

Our science suggests that our New Zealand Lion’s Mane is the first Pekepeke-Kiore mushroom extract to contain both Erinacines and Hericenones. These bioactive compounds can support brain health, function and protection.

These are the same bioactive compounds present in the popular Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries.

Our research partners at Callaghan Innovation independently tested our New Zealand Lion’s Mane mushroom extract and demonstrated its efficacy against globally leading Lion's Mane products. The results indicate that our sample contained Erinacines A, G, (B) & Hericenones A, J.

To read more directly from studies, as well as our independent test report, see Our Research page.

To learn more about our upcoming research programmes, see Our Science page.

100% Pekepeke Kiore (Hericium Novae-Zealandiae) mushroom extract. It’s that simple. No additives.

No, our New Zealand Lion’s Mane mushroom supplement is 100% natural mushrooms and free from common allergens like gluten and soy. You can enjoy the benefits worry-free.

Yes, our New Zealand Lion’s Mane is suitable for vegans and vegetarians, as it contains no animal-derived ingredients. 100% natural mushrooms.

We stand by the quality of our products. If you're not satisfied, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. Your satisfaction is our priority.

At the moment, our products are only available in New Zealand. However, watch this space, as we hope to be announcing international shipping options soon.

We recommend consulting with your healthcare provider before using any dietary supplement while pregnant or breastfeeding to ensure it aligns with your unique health needs.

If you're on prescription medication, it's advisable to consult with your healthcare professional to ensure there are no potential interactions with New Zealand Lion’s Mane. Lion's Mane may contain compounds with anticoagulant effects, so individuals taking blood-thinning medications should talk to their healthcare provider before taking Lion's Mane to avoid the risk of bleeding. Ensuring your health and safety is our top concern.

Currently, we do not test each batch for potency because there isn't a reliable test available for measuring the levels of Hericenones and Erinacines in any variety of Lion's Mane products. While some brands use beta-d-glucan tests to verify potency, we believe this method is unreliable. Beta-d-glucans are present in the cell walls of cereals, fungi, and bacteria, which can lead to easily influenced and inaccurate test results.

However, we place a high value on a scientific approach. Our 2024 research programme is in development with neuroscientists at leading universities. We aim to further quantify the neurological benefits of our New Zealand Lion’s Mane.

Studies will be published upon completion.

We receive feedback from customers that they have included our pure New Zealand lion’s-mane mushroom extract in their children’s routines. It is a natural product with no added ingredients and is generally well tolerated in healthy individuals. However, this product is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, including ADHD. Because individual needs vary, and children are a special population, we strongly recommend you consult a qualified health practitioner before use.

Our New Zealand Lion’s Mane powder has a very mild, earthy flavour — most people find it barely noticeable once mixed into food or drinks. If you have a particularly sensitive palate, you might pick up a subtle, cacao-like note, almost like the aroma of roasted grains or light cocoa.

It blends smoothly into smoothies, coffee, or even porridge, and is easily disguised by other ingredients — so you still get all the brain-loving benefits without any strong taste.

Our recommended daily amount is 1 gram (around ¼ tsp) of New Zealand Lion’s Mane extract. Some customers choose to take more, but there isn’t enough research to confirm additional benefits beyond that amount.

Everyone’s needs are different, so it’s best to start with the recommended dose and see how you feel over time. If you’re considering a higher amount, especially if you have any medical conditions or take other supplements or medications, we suggest checking in with a health professional first.

Short answer: take it however suits you — straight off the spoon is fine, but most people stir it into a drink.Here are the easy options:

Coffee or tea: add ¼ tsp to your mug and stir 10–15 seconds. It’s heat-stable and the taste is usually unnoticeable.
Smoothie: mix ¼ tsp into a smoothie and blend.
Oats, muesli, yoghurt or any meal of your choice — sprinkle and stir — zero fuss.
Water: mix ¼ tsp with a glass of water and throw it back. (A squeeze of lemon or a splash of juice is nice if you prefer.)

How much & when:
¼ teaspoon once daily is the recommended serve.
Most people take it in the morning and keep it consistent day-to-day.

If taste/texture isn’t your thing, we also have capsules and a functional coffee or chocolate that deliver the same NZ Lion’s Mane — just in different formats.

the good news is that both our capsules and powder contain exactly the same 100% New Zealand Lion’s Mane extract. The only difference is the format:

• Powder is ideal if you enjoy adding it to your morning brew, smoothie, or food — it’s versatile and easy to blend into your daily routine.
  
• Capsules are perfect if you prefer something quick and convenient with no prep time or taste.
  

It really comes down to what best fits your lifestyle — you’ll get the same high-quality extract either way.

Short answer: take it however suits you — straight off the spoon is fine, but most people stir it into a drink.Here are the easy options:

Coffee or tea: add ¼ tsp to your mug and stir 10–15 seconds. It’s heat-stable and the taste is usually unnoticeable.
Smoothie: mix ¼ tsp into a smoothie and blend.
Oats, muesli, yoghurt or any meal of your choice — sprinkle and stir — zero fuss.
Water: mix ¼ tsp with a glass of water and throw it back. (A squeeze of lemon or a splash of juice is nice if you prefer.)

How much & when:
¼ teaspoon once daily is the recommended serve.
Most people take it in the morning and keep it consistent day-to-day.

If taste/texture isn’t your thing, we also have capsules and a functional coffee or chocolate that deliver the same NZ Lion’s Mane — just in different formats.

Plunger grind is a coarser grind than espresso, so you can still use it in an espresso machine, but it won’t extract as optimally.

The result will be a slightly lighter, weaker shot. If you love bold espresso, we recommend sticking with a finer grind. If you don’t mind a softer brew, then go ahead — your machine will still run as per normal, it just won’t taste as strong as an espresso grind.

We use Weave Cacao chocolate – a whole bean chocolate from Papua New Guinea.
The sugar is a raw cane sugar, also from Papua New Guinea.