High Ground is making its debut in our May Pop Off box, and we couldn’t be more excited to introduce you to them. From bold flavors to functional ingredients, this is a brand that immediately stood out to us. 

So we had to sit down with Jessie to chat about what makes this incredible brand so unique. We talk about her journey, what inspired High Ground, and what sets it apart. We hope you love this read as much as we do.

Hiii Jessie! We’re so excited to be collaborating on our first RTB box together. Can you tell us a bit about you, and how High Ground came to life?

Hiii! I’m Jessie, founder of High Ground Elixir, and I’m so excited to be part of the RTB box. High Ground was born from a lifelong love affair with mushrooms. Coming from an Asian culture where they were used as both food and medicine, I grew up appreciating all their great benefits. I’m also fully obsessed with strawberries, so High Ground became the perfect way to bring two of my favorite things together in one very delicious can. The result? A drink that feels as good as it tastes. I’m so excited for everyone to try these freaking delicious functional fungi!

Can you walk us through the ingredients a little more? What is your blend made up of and why did you choose to bring those specific ones together?

Our blend is made with five organic adaptogenic mushrooms: lion’s mane, reishi, cordyceps, chaga, and turkey tail.

These mushrooms each have a specific super power that addresses key consumer needs of today.

Lion’s mane is the brain mushroom, renowned for focus and cognitive support. 
Reishi is the chill one — for calm and stress support. 
Cordyceps is the “let’s go” mushroom, known for energy and stamina. 
Chaga brings antioxidant support. 
Turkey tail is rich in prebiotics so it’s great for gut health.

We brought them together because we wanted a well-rounded blend that supports everyday feeling good — mood, focus, gut health, hydration, all of it — without making you take capsules or mix powders.

When you talk about making “feeling good” feel effortless with your cans, what does that actually look like for you? And how would you describe that to someone who is new to these kinds of ingredients?

For me, effortless wellness means it fits into your actual life. It shouldn’t feel like work or adding something else to your To Do list. When you don’t want something loaded with sugar, you want something fun, you want to feel good about what you’re drinking - you crack open a cold can of High Ground.

For someone new to these ingredients, I’d say don’t overthink it. Adaptogenic mushrooms are mushrooms used for everyday wellness support. We just made them sparkling, delicious, and way fun to drink.

What’s one of the biggest myths you hear about adaptogenic mushrooms that you’d love to clear up?

The big one: “Wait… am I going to trip?”
Nope. They’re not THOSE kinds of mushrooms.

High Ground is made with adaptogenic mushrooms, not psychedelic mushrooms. These are functional ingredients for everyday wellness support — focus, calm, mood, immunity, gut health, that kind of thing.

You can drink High Ground and still drive your kids to soccer, attend a Zoom call, do any adulting you gotta do.

Your flavor combos are so so good. How did you choose them and what does that creation process look like for you?

Flavor is everything for us. The mushrooms might get people curious — or make them a little suspicious — but the flavor is what wins them over. We never wanted to make a boring Lime or Cherry situation.

We start with flavors that feel juicy, bright, and craveable. I’ve already mentioned my love affair with strawberries, so Strawberry Peach had to be our star. It’s sunny, fruit-forward, and all the way irresistible.

Then we added Yuzu Lime for your zesty mood, Orange Passionfruit for a mini tropical escape, and Chili Mango for when you are feeling feisty. Basically, our lineup has a flavor for all your different moods.

The process is a lot of sipping, tweaking, overthinking, laughing, rejecting anything that tastes too earthy, and making sure the fruit really shines.

My husband Jeff is our Chief Creative and also our unofficial mushroom-taste alarm system. He does not want to taste mushrooms in a beverage. Ever. So if a flavor passes the Jeff test, it can go in the can.

Do you have any tips or little rituals for someone trying High Ground for the first time to really get the most out of the experience?

First tip: drink it cold. High Ground loves to chill as much as you do.

Before you crack it open, flip the can over once to wake up all that mushroom goodness, since the functional ingredients can naturally settle. Then drink it straight from the can, or pour it over ice in a fancy glass because you deserve it.

Add a citrus wedge, fresh berries, or a Tajín rim with Chili Mango if you’re feeling dramatic.

My favorite ritual is using it as a little afternoon reset. It’s cold, delicious, and makes the day feel a little less chaotic.

What’s something you’ve learned about yourself through this whole process of creating High Ground that’s really stuck with you?

Resilience. Over and over again.

Building High Ground has reminded me that I come from a long line of people who had to keep going, even when the path was uncertain. My family’s refugee and immigrant story has always been part of me, but creating this brand has made me feel that grit in a whole new way.

Starting a beverage company comes with production surprises, retailer hurdles, cash flow stress, and plenty of “wait, am I supposed to know how to do this?” moments. But I’ve learned that I can bend without breaking, figure things out, get scrappy, and keep moving.

What’s been surprising to you about the way people connect with High Ground?

I’ve been surprised by how many different entry points people have.

Some people come for the mushrooms. Some people come for a soda alternative. Some come because they want something fun that isn’t alcohol. Some come because they saw the hippo and thought, “I don’t know what this is about, but I love him.”

I love all of that.

Wellness can feel so serious sometimes. I think people connect with High Ground because it tastes so good while being so good for you, and you don’t have to work so hard. It’s functional and fun all in one.

Can you share a moment or milestone that felt like a really proud one for you and the team?

Winning awards for taste was huge.

Our Strawberry Peach won Bronze at the World Alcohol-Free Awards and Silver at the LA Spirits Awards, and that felt so validating because taste has always been the hill we’re willing to die on.

We never wanted to make a drink people tolerated because it was “good for them.” We wanted to make a drink people actually wanted to drink.

So having a mushroom drink win awards for taste felt like a big mic drop.

What keeps you inspired right now?

The people trying High Ground keep me inspired.

Every time someone takes a sip and says, “Wait, this has mushrooms in it?” I’m like, yes. Exactly. That is the whole plot twist.

I’m also really inspired by how much the zero proof and wellness spaces are evolving. People want better options. They want drinks that feel fun, social, flavorful, and intentional — without feeling like they’re missing out.

And my family keeps me inspired too. High Ground is such a family-built thing, and I love that my kids are seeing us build something from scratch, chaos and all.

Health and wellness has been such a big part of your journey. Where do you see the zero proof space going over the next five years, and what role do you hope High Ground plays in that?

I think zero proof is going to become less about “replacement” and more about choice.
It’s not just “what do I drink instead of alcohol?” It’s “what do I actually want to drink that tastes amazing, feels fun, and also supports how I want to feel?”

Over the next five years, I think people are going to expect more from their drinks — more flavor, more function, more personality, more occasion. Something you can bring to a party, sip at dinner, drink in the afternoon, or keep stocked in your fridge because it’s your go-to

I hope High Ground helps make zero proof feel fun, not restrictive. Less “I’m being good,” more “this is freaking delicious and I feel great about it.”

If you could create your dream setting to enjoy a gorgeous High Ground can, where are you, who are you with, and which flavor are you choosing?

I’m on the beach, toes buried in the sand, with my latest romantasy book next to me. Jeff, the kids, and our golden retriever Solar are all lounging nearby — although Solar would last about two seconds before launching into full beach chaos.

And I’m definitely drinking Chili Mango. Strawberry Peach may be our star, but Chili Mango has that little fire in it — and that’s me every day.

Anything new or exciting coming up for High Ground that you can share with us?

Yes! We’re recently Non-GMO project certified! Our drinks have always been clean label because we are serious about making sure only the good stuff makes it into our cans. But it means a lot to us and we know it means a lot to our fans that we have this official seal of approval from a respected organization. We’re legit, folks!

And of course we are always working on new flavors. We look forward to unveiling them later this year.

And finally, what’s a favorite memory from building High Ground so far that you often look back to?

One of my favorite memories is our first event as a family. Jeff and I brought the kids with us to a local market, and they were absolute naturals — proudly talking up High Ground and telling people all the great things about it.

Everyone who stopped by was so engaged. We gave out a ton of samples, met so many first-time customers, gained new followers, and had one of those rare moments where all the hard work felt very, very worth it.

Building High Ground has truly been a family effort, so getting to share that win together meant everything.

Jessie created High Ground to make wellness feel joyful, thoughtful, and genuinely delicious, and you can really feel that in every sip. We’re so proud to feature them in an RTB box for the very first time as part of our Pop Off lineup.

Whether you already love functional beverages or you’re just curious to explore something new, this one is absolutely worth trying. Grab your Pop Off box and see what it’s all about.