Last Week’s Hemp Commentary 

Beverage Makers Leverage Cannabis in Marketing

CBD Infused beverages was the epic demand that never materialized.  FDA policy – or lack thereof – prompted large risk-averse beverage companies to retreat from previous CBD plans.   In 2019 PepsiCo was one of the companies purported to have concrete plans for formulating CBD beverages, and established a relationship with a North Carolina based extraction firm. 

After most large beverage makers abandoned CBD beverages, Molson-Coors continued developing cannabinoid-infused products that were limited to Canadian markets initially, but contained THC and CBD.  In 2021, Molson-Coors introduced the Veryvell line of CBD infused sparkling water in Colorado, part of their broader strategy to become a diverse beverage maker.  

Molson-Coors’ pivot to beverages other than beer will likely be successful, if built on the universally…