Optimi Health is a functional mushroom brand whose mission is to bring formulations to market that will “transform and ‘optimize’ human development.” As of September 2021, Optimi is led by CEO William (Bill) J. Ciprick.
The company has a vertically integrated, “cultivation to consumer” business model, with two 10,000 sq.ft. pre-operational facilities in British Columbia that host research, cultivation and processing of high-quality functional mushroom strains. Optimi has manufactured and tested its first nutraceutical supplement line, expected to launch in early 2022. Fungi varieties in these products include Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Chaga, and Reishi.
Optimi also aims to produce and distribute medical products based on psilocybin and psilocin. In October 2021, Optimi applied for a provisional patent pertaining to a novel technique for extracting psilocybin and psilocin. According to a press release, this breakthrough technique increases the total yield of extracted alkaloids, protects alkaloids from degradation, improves manufacturing efficiencies, and provides superior consumer products. The company’s research with these psychedelic compounds is enabled by a Health Canada Research Exemption belonging to its partner, Numinus Wellness. Optimi’s application for a Dealers License, which will allow for large scale psilocybin cultivation, is also expected to be approved in early 2022.
Several business partners facilitate Optimi’s work: Canadian Premier Supplements provides production and co-packaging services, Numinus provides lab testing, research, and development support, North American Reishi Ltd. (“Nammex”) gave a startup supply of organic mushroom extracts, and the University of Calgary business incubator supports the review, design, planning, and execution of Optimi’s clinical trials.