THE LEARNING CURVE

2019

One line: The year we learned the ropes the hard way, with no safety net.

• Bootstrapped reality: We built with what we had, not what we wished we had.
  
• Brexit punch: Our early EU community got harder to reach overnight, so we adapted fast.
  
• Ops discipline: We tightened sourcing, extraction, and logistics so quality didn’t slip under pressure.
  
• Money lessons: We made mistakes you only make once… because you can’t afford to repeat them.
  
• Google Ads meltdown: £500 spent, confidence shaken, and a very quiet “what have we done?” moment.
  

Closer: Every brand has a highlight reel. This was our “become real” year.

GRIT HAPPENS

2020

One line: The year the world changed, and we chose to keep going anyway.

• All in: Every resource went back into the business. No shortcuts, no backup plan.
  
• Brexit finalised: The door to the EU tightened even more, and we had to re-route our future.
  
• COVID chaos: Supply chains broke, fear spiked, and uncertainty became the default setting.
  
• Endurance built: We learned how to operate under stress without compromising standards.
  
• First funding win: Our first loan came through after relentless follow-up (and more than a few HSBC emails).
  
• Ransom reminder: A hard lesson in backups when our website got held hostage.
  

Closer: This year didn’t just test us. It forged us.

LOCKDOWN LESSONS

2021

One line: Quiet years reveal what you’re really made of. This was ours.

• Lockdown life: We worked through isolation, long days, and the mental load no one sees.
  
• Logistics chess: Global supply issues meant precision planning, patience, and a lot of problem-solving.
  
• Range expansion: We broadened the lineup (hello mushroom coffees) and kept the quality bar high.
  
• Unexpected spotlight: Our first Vogue and GQ feature landed, which still feels surreal.
  
• Party panic: New Year’s Eve organising… then the site crashed. Daniela and Marko upstairs, guests downstairs.
  

Closer: Not glamorous. Not easy. But it moved us forward.

PAWS & PROGRESS

2022

One line: Growth got more complex, and the mission got bigger.

• Inflation squeeze: Every decision had to be smarter as costs climbed everywhere.
  
• Pet range begins: We launched pets after repeated demand from vets, pet parents, and shelters.
  
• Global shockwaves: Ukraine war impacts hit supply and pricing, especially for Chaga sourcing.
  
• Organic win: We achieved UK Organic Certification, a milestone we worked hard for.
  
• Traceability upgrade: Batch tracking improved so accountability wasn’t a claim, it was a system.
  
• Royal farewell: A moment the whole UK paused together.
  

Closer: More responsibility. More people relying on us. We levelled up.

BEATING BREXIT BLUES

2023

One line: The year we widened our reach and strengthened the foundation.

• Global reach: Expansion into the EU and South Africa, building on the years of groundwork.
  
• Cost-of-living era: Budgeting mattered more than ever, for customers and for us.
  
• AI wave: ChatGPT arrived and changed the world’s expectations of speed, trust, and transparency.
  
• Media spotlight: Features in the Evening Standard and The Independent gave us a bigger stage.
  
• Deeper craft: We joined the British Mycological Society and leaned further into the science.
  

Closer: Bigger audience, higher standards. We chose higher standards.

VALUE OVER PRICES

2024

One line: This is the year we doubled down on what matters: trust, support, and real-world value.

• Customer first: We chose long-term trust over short-term tactics.
  
• Team growth: Theo and Elanda joined, adding heart and horsepower to the mission.
  
• Advisor board: We built our Board of Advisors to keep us sharp, grounded, and accountable.
  
• Podcast launch: We started telling the stories behind the supplements and the humans using them.
  
• New products: We launched teas and kept refining how people actually use the range day-to-day.
  
• More press: Women’s Health and The Telegraph featured the brand.
  
• To be continued: Because this story isn’t finished.
  

Closer: If you’ve followed along, thank you. If you’re new, welcome in.

THE YEAR OF CHARACTER BUILDING

2025

One line: The year we got tested on every front: growth, regulation, logistics, and identity, and we kept the bar high anyway.

• USA launch shock: We pushed hard into the US and started getting real traction, then a de minimis policy shift hit and hundreds of orders sat stuck in customs and FDA processing for months. Painful, expensive, and a crash course in patience.
  
• Chicago base: We registered Antioxi LLC and officially became operational in Chicago, building a stronger foundation for the US long game.
  
• UK compliance curveball: A competitor triggered scrutiny and we had to reformulate and tighten up fast. The hardest part: pulling back on human marketing for Turkey Tail in the UK, even though it’s the product that started this whole company.
  
• Tinctures launched: We expanded into tinctures and became the only brand we know offering 16 mushroom extracts in every format: powders, capsules, tinctures.
  
• Beyond mushrooms: We launched a supplement line starting with creatine, bovine collagen, and marine collagen, built with the same Antioxi mindset: clean inputs, clear standards, no shortcuts.
  
• Back to China, with cameras: We went back again, this time filming and documenting more of the sourcing story so customers could see the real world behind the products.
  

Closer: If you’ve ever felt like your health journey forces you to build character, this year made us understand that deeply. You’re not just buying supplements. You’re joining the story.