'I believe it is a real milestone': Sparkling sea moss tea is a healthy idea from Newry innovator
Serial entrepreneur Donal MacLynn, one of the founders of Newry whiskey maker Two Stacks, launches a new canned drink blending Irish sea moss with organic herbal tea
Serial innovator Donal MacLynn, one of the whiskey experts behind multi-award-winning Irish whiskey Dram in a Can and other original expressions from Two Stacks, the Newry-based whiskey blender and bottler, has come up with a novel new drink, Mara Sparkling Sea Moss Tea.
Donal was one of the three founders of Two Stacks, the Irish whiskey bonder and blender established in 2020, which created the first Irish whiskey in a can alongside a portfolio of original single malts and blends.
He left Two Stacks in 2024 to develop and launch Mara Sparkling Sea Moss Tea. Sea moss is a gluten-free, vegan source of nutrients including vitamin B2, calcium, magnesium, iodine, potassium and zinc. It is also widely used as a natural supplement.
“Mara Sparkling Sea Moss is the result of countless hours spent researching, planning, scrutinising and testing my concept and prototypes of this unique beverage,” he said.
“I believe it is a real milestone: Ireland's first ready-to-drink beverage using real herbal tea infused with Irish sea moss.
“My ambition was always to create a clean, natural-tasting drink with as few ingredients as possible, but packed with flavour, complexity, depth and functionality.
“From organic sea moss harvested in Connemara to bespoke organic tea blends developed with Solaris Tea in Galway, Mara is designed to bring sophistication and simplicity to the health and wellness side of the no and low-alcohol drinks market.
“A great deal of work has gone into Mara's creation, from my R&D partners at Teagasc, the Republic's agriculture and food development body, to other experts, including the Local Enterprise Office in Sligo.”
The drink is produced in convenient cans and offers an alternative for consumers looking for a different kind of refreshment, particularly those on the go.
Sea moss, most commonly known as Chondrus crispus, is a type of red seaweed found along rocky Atlantic coastlines. It is widely used in food products and as a natural thickening agent.