After working aboard yachts for over a decade, Gaby and Chris Welch were looking to set down roots and establish a community. This led the former chief stew and rotational chief officer of M/Y Deniki to take ownership of Zenergy at the end of April 2023 from crewmembers Amber and Harry, who spent years developing the brand and product before deciding to spend more time at sea and traveling.
“The previous owners of Zenergy are also yacht crew and we have been in the same circles of health and wellness for years, although we didn’t make that connection until more recently,” Gaby says. “It really was a perfect match and we have absolutely loved working with them during the transition — we joked that they are the younger versions of us! We will remain friends and I’m confident we will
work together again in the future.”
Zenergy is an organic mushroom health supplement with more than 30 vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Some of the short- and long-term benefits include increased mental focus and function, immune boosting, reduced anxiety, and anti-inflammatory.
“We choose primarily to combine our mushroom supplement with top-quality coffee; there are health benefits to doing this, including sustained energy levels and removing the ‘coffee jitters’ but it also allows people to make Zenergy part of their daily routine — a moment to relax and enjoy before the challenges of the day,” Gaby says. “In addition to this, we offer a blended mushroom extract powder, which can easily be added to teas, smoothies, yogurt, oats, and lots more.”
Gaby and Chris spent several days training with the former owners and a few more days moving all the stock to their offices. Despite starting and managing their own business, HULA Wellness, since 2021, she admits the learning curve is much steeper with buying a company. “What I can really say is that we have bought an incredible company that has been shaped very well by Amber and Harry,” she says. “The product speaks for itself, and it has been very easy to build passion for the brand because it ties so closely with our own passions and visions for life.”
The product has been ethically sourced and supplied in 100 percent recycled materials. The supplement uses three types of organic mushrooms — chaga, which increases overall immunity, is anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory; cordyceps, which increases physical energy boost with no crash, increases libido, and helps balance hormones; and lion’s mane, which increases creativity and focus, reduces anxiety, and improves gut health. They were chosen because combined they all help you get the most out of your day while still leaving some energy to relax and enjoy life — hence the name, Zenergy.
For captains and crew, it’s a great supplement to improve health, productivity, and all-around wellness, and they’ve received positive feedback so far. “We have chosen three different mushrooms that all have numerous health benefits, but above all, they are all focused on providing energy, improved recovery, improved immune system, reduced anxiety, and increased mental alertness,” Gaby says. “Both on-charter and off-charter yachting can be extremely damaging to our health and the adaptogens in our mushroom extract assist your body’s stress defense to combat the extremes of yachting life.”
Combined with their passion for fitness and wellness, Zenergy is perfect for them to build a wider range of health and wellness products. They will soon be hosting wellness retreats in the Algarve, combining workout classes, yoga, breathing work, and functional mushrooms.
Follow the company’s journey on Instagram @zenergy.mushroomcoffee, and browse their products at zenergymushroomcoffee.com. Use DOCKWALK10 for a 10 percent discount.