When Alex and Morgan started looking for a THC drink to replace their nightly glass of wine, they assumed someone had already made it. They…
Insights on positioning, audience, and design decisions that make strong beverage brands.
Cheech & Chong may be one of the most recognizable names in cannabis, but that doesn’t mean they can rely on nostalgia to sell beverages.
The THC beverage market is still defining itself. Some brands are positioning THC drinks as mainstream non-alcoholic beverages, chasing mass retail chains like Target and Circle K.
Differentiation, Distribution, and Consumer Connection Are Key
Trade marketing is a common term you hear in the alcohol and beverage distribution industry. Big companies dedicate entire teams to each sales channel, whether that’s convenience stores, liquor stores, on-premise accounts, grocery, or mass retail. It’s a boots-on-the-ground function, built to generate sales velocity and get products moving off shelves.
In 2023, Minnesota enacted a law allowing hemp products to be sold in retail stores outside a dispensary through special licensing. Liquor stores in general must abide by a strict list of items they can sell, and when the law passed, it gave them a much-needed lifeline as alcohol sales continued to decline.
A wave of infused beverage brands flooded the market over the last few years. Now, the sector has entered a period of settling and reassessment, as operators pause to evaluate the real opportunity and determine the smartest path forward amid ongoing legal uncertainty.
Reach the people building the hemp beverage industry. Hemp Beverage News covers the brands, distributors, retailers, and regulators shaping the fastest-moving category in the beverage business. Our readers are the operators making purchasing, distribution, investing, and go-to-market decisions right now.
If you sell to hemp beverage brands or you’re a brand looking to get in front of buyers and distributors, advertising with HBN puts you in front of the audience that matters. Contact us to receive our media kit by filling in the form below.
