Target’s decision to start selling hemp-derived THC beverages marks a major milestone for the cannabis industry and a reality check for brands hoping to follow. Selling into mass retail is not just about scaling production or packaging appeal. It requires proving that your product meets the same safety and manufacturing standards as food, pharma, and cosmetics.
As Darwin Millard, Technical Director at CSQ Certification, explains, “Retailers like Walmart and Target protect their liability by only buying from GMP-certified producers. That certification is their shield.” Without an accredited Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification, cannabis brands may not make it past the first round of vendor qualification.
The cannabis industry has traditionally operated in a silo, selling B2B to other licensed operators that rarely demand third-party certifications. Mass retail works differently. Buyers rely on accredited certification programs to verify every layer of the supply chain, from ingredient sourcing to packaging. This creates traceability and reduces risk if something goes wrong.
Many hemp brands rely on co-manufacturers already bottling for alcohol and alternative beverage industries, but those manufacturers are often not GMP-certified for cannabis products. Existing food safety schemes, such as SQF or BRC, do not yet recognize cannabinoids as approved ingredients. Target may have overlooked this gap when approving its current selection of hemp beverages, but it is unlikely to last.
Target’s move could push the entire cannabis supply chain to adopt GMPs and operate at a higher standard. As Millard warns, “It could be the thing that gives our industry its biggest black eye if something goes wrong, or the moment that raises the bar for safety and quality once and for all.”
What It Takes To Get GMP Certified
GMP certification is a rigorous, multi-step process that demonstrates a company’s commitment to verified quality and safety standards. While companies may conduct internal audits or rely on partner reviews, the most trusted path is third-party certification.
This involves an independent organization auditing every aspect of operations to ensure compliance with established GMP requirements. It provides objective proof that processes, documentation, and product handling meet globally recognized benchmarks.
Not all certifications carry equal weight. Accredited certifications are validated by external authorities and recognized internationally. Unaccredited certifications may provide internal assurance but carry less credibility with regulators and national retail buyers.
For brands targeting mass retail or global trade, third-party certification verifies that safety, traceability, and quality systems are not just claimed.
What Compliance Looks Like
Scaling into mass retail also means aligning with standards that extend beyond manufacturing alone. It requires a system that holds up from cultivation through the final product.
Cultivation falls under Current Good Agricultural Practices (GACP), ensuring that plant growth and harvest meet strict safety and quality benchmarks.
These standards apply across both indoor and outdoor environments and include protocols for:
- Water quality and irrigation management
- Equipment sanitation and maintenance
- Crop protection and propagation materials (including clones, seeds, and tissue culture)
- Temperature and atmospheric control during drying and curing
Once plants are harvested, the process transitions from GACP to GMP. “Harvest is the hard line,” says Millard. “Once you start to process the plant in a controlled environment by trimming, curing, or packaging, you’re operating under GMP.”
The CSQ Cultivation program extends through flower handling, grinding, and pre-roll production, but stops short of infused or extracted products. For post-harvest remediation techniques like irradiation, detailed procedures must be documented and validated.
“We treat drying and curing like refrigerated or frozen food storage,” Millard explains. “There are specific temperature and environmental conditions that must be maintained to preserve product safety and quality.”
In extraction and formulation, standards define how cannabinoid materials are processed, refined, and incorporated into finished products. This includes everything from raw extracts like live resin or rosin to distillates and purified cannabinoids, along with risk assessments and allergen considerations for ingestible products.
The Missing Layer: Beverage-Specific Standards
Even with GMP in place, key variables in hemp beverages have remained largely unstandardized—until now.
New ASTM standards in development focus on the stability of pre-made cannabinoid emulsions, the ingredient most beverage brands rely on to infuse THC into drinks. These emulsions are what co-packers use at scale, and their performance determines whether cannabinoids stay evenly distributed throughout a product’s shelf life.
The proposed standard sets measurable limits on droplet size and how much that distribution can shift over time. If an emulsion breaks down, cannabinoids can separate, leading to inconsistent dosing from one sip to the next.
The framework also introduces a way to verify shelf-life claims. Brands will need to demonstrate that their emulsions remain stable within defined tolerances or use the methodology to establish accurate expiration dates. This gives procurement teams a more verified way to evaluate ingredient suppliers.
A second standard addresses beverage packaging, specifically can liners. Certain liners can absorb cannabinoids, flavor compounds, or colorants, reducing potency and altering the intended experience. Even small losses matter when cannabinoids are both the most expensive input and the functional core of the product.
The specification would require manufacturers to identify liner materials, confirm they are approved for beverage contact, and demonstrate that cannabinoid loss remains below defined limits. Supporting test methods are also being developed to verify liner composition and quantify the amount of product being absorbed.
The Last Mile: From Distribution to Shelf
Once products leave the manufacturing facility, consistency depends on how they are handled through distribution and retail.
Distributors and warehouse operators are responsible for maintaining controlled environments that preserve product integrity. Temperature, humidity, and storage conditions must be monitored and documented, particularly for infused beverages that behave more like perishable goods than shelf-stable CPG.
Retailers are also responsible for product preservation once it hits the shelf. Improper lighting, heat exposure, or storage conditions can degrade cannabinoids and impact potency, flavor, and consistency.
If a product no longer performs as labeled at the point of sale, the risk shifts downstream, through recalls, reputational damage, or regulatory exposure.
Standardized handling procedures and documented chain-of-custody records help ensure products maintain their intended quality from production to purchase.
Raising the Bar For Cannabis Quality
Target’s entry into the hemp-infused beverage market marks a turning point as the industry moves into mainstream retail. GMP and GACP certification, emerging ASTM standards, controlled storage, and documented procedures are no longer optional when selling into mass retail.
