Startup CPG Newswire:
Mitra9 Reports Strong H1 2026 Growth as Federal Regulators Draw a Clear Line Between Botanical Kratom and Synthetic Concentrates
PRESS RELEASE — NEWS PROVIDED BY Dallas Vasquez for Mitra9
Fort Myers, FL (July 2026) – Today, Mitra9, the functional beverage company specializing in premium mitragynine and kava products, released its first-half 2026 performance results, reporting double-digit growth across its seltzer, shot, and regional distribution channels in the first six months of the year.
Mitra9’s released results include commentary on the most significant federal regulatory development the kratom category has seen in years: the DEA’s July 1 Notices of Intent to temporarily schedule concentrated and synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products.
The company welcomes the federal regulatory action as a direct validation of the product philosophy and sourcing standards Mitra9 has maintained since its founding.
Federal Regulators Draw the Line Mitra9 Has Always Operated Behind
On July 1, 2026, the DEA filed two Notices of Intent (NOI) with the Federal Register to initiate the temporary scheduling process for concentrated and synthetic 7-OH and three of its related synthetic derivatives — mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MP), MGM-15, and MGM-16.
The action was accompanied by a joint statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the FDA supporting the DEA’s move and clarifying the targeting of synthetic, high-concentration 7-OH products, not natural botanical kratom.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. stated that the administration will “continue using every available authority to stop these deceptive products, hold bad actors accountable, and protect American families.” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole framed the action as targeting “highly concentrated, synthetic 7-OH products,” explicitly distinguishing them from the natural botanical.
The threshold set in the NOI is 0.050% 7-OH on a dry-weight basis for botanical materials. For synthetically produced products, it’s 0.050% by weight or greater than 1 milligram. Products above that line, including concentrated tablets, gummies, liquid shots, and vapes sold in gas stations and smoke shops, are the target. Natural leaf kratom products operating below that threshold are explicitly outside the scope of the action.
“This is the regulatory clarity our category has needed. The federal government has now formally recognized what responsible operators have been saying for years: not all kratom products are the same, and the products driving public health concerns are not botanical kratom. They are synthetic concentrates that never should have been marketed alongside natural leaf products in the first place.” —
-Dallas Vasquez, Co-Founder and CEO, Mitra9
About Mitra9
Mitra9 is redefining functional refreshment with beverages made from mitragynine and kava that support mood, clarity, and recovery. Available in more than 30,000 retail locations and trusted by over 250,000 customers, Mitra9 blends bold flavor, convenient formats, and botanical ingredients for functional beverages made for everyday routines. All Mitra9 products are formulated from natural botanical sources, third-party tested, and produced under strict sourcing and quality standards.
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