Leading vegan brands specialist and fastest growing vegan distributor in the UK Bravura Foods’ latest product launch Leaf Life has scooped the most coveted Best Drink Innovation award at this year’s International Drinks Expo in London.  The new CBD infused range of lightly sparkling drinks was pitched alongside this year’s most innovative drinks concepts to judges and industry experts that included mixologists and technical representatives and was successfully crowned overall winner at last week’s exhibition at the Excel in London.

Bravura Foods who were exhibiting at the show were showcasing all three flavours of their new to market CBD drinks brand – in Laidback Lemonade, Relaxing Raspberry and Mindful Mango and Passionfruit flavours. Each 250ml can contains 15mg fully certified, full spectrum CBD and the drinks are free from any artificial sweeteners, flavours or colours and are certified by both the vegan and vegetarian societies.

Lisa Gawthorne, Co-Founder at Bravura Foods commented “We are so pleased with this particular award not only as it’s the first award win for Leaf Life but also because it really rewards our efforts at launching such a creative drink that performs so well from a design, taste, texture and overall delivery point of view. Anyone working in the CBD industry knows there is a big education challenge amongst consumers who think the drink is going to get them high (which it doesn’t as our CBD is THC free) and our drink really tackles this head on by pushing general relaxation and functionality over trying to reach out to the “stoner” market.

Karl Morris, Co-Founder at Bravura Foods also added “We have created something very special here and we know that from our initial lead user tests in which the drink scored monumentally high across all scoring criteria. Our lemonade only has 19 calories and the raspberry and mango variants are both under 25 calories making it one of the lowest calorie, highest CBD infused drinks on the market.”

The eye-catching colourful range of CBD infused drinks have currently been listed with leading health food wholesalers Tree of Life and The Health store and will be rolling our in independent health food stores nationwide over the coming weeks. The company are also in talks with major multiples, high street and convenience retailers regarding 2020 ranging plans and intend to start selling online in the New Year.

In the same week over at Food Matters Live, also held at the Excel, Leaf Life was also named runner up given a “Highly Commended” status in the Drink of The Year Awards. Lisa added “With such a positive start and wonderful reception for the brand, it goes to show this brand really does have a bright future ahead and we are looking forward to working with retailers who are excited to be part of the success as the CBD market continues to experience phenomenal levels of growth.”

The CBD market is certainly showing no signs of slowing down, according to recent data printed in The Times, the CBD UK Market has gone from 0-£300m in 3 years (The Times 19.08.19). The CBD global market is also expected to hit 22 billion globally by 2022 (Bright field Group).

Source: The Leaf Life

Jill Beraud, CEO and Co-founder of Sh’nnong Beverages Company, is no stranger to the iced tea beverage category, having previously served as President of Starbucks & Lipton Joint Ventures at PepsiCo, where she oversaw the largest global tea portfolio and the reinvention of Pure Leaf Teas.

“When my business partner Charlie Herbstreith and I originally discussed this idea, it reminded me of my time at PepsiCo when kombucha and coconut water were just emerging.  However, given the far-reaching benefits of CBD, this is a much bigger white space,” stated Beraud. “The Vitamin Shoppe is the perfect launch partner for us.  They are establishing themselves as CBD Central across multiple categories and have tremendous in-store expertise in health, wellness and nutrition.”

Sh’nnong Beverage Company is raising the bar with next generation, plant-based beverages by infusing each Má Iced Tea with CBD+ natural botanicals. CBD+ not only harnesses the functional benefits of zero-THC Hemp CBD but elevates those benefits by combining it with nearly 20 different herbs and spices inspired by the original Má brews of Emperor Shennong.  Shennong used his brews to treat a variety of conditions and later became known as the Father of Chinese Herbal Medicine.

“We founded Sh’nnong Beverage Company on the principle of creating plant-based, better-for-you beverages leveraging not only the benefits of CBD, but also those of natural botanicals, adaptogens, herbs and spices.  This is CBD+,” explains Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer Charlie Herbstreith.  “CBD+ is about the combined benefits of tea, Hemp CBD and carefully chosen botanicals for an overall more powerful effect. Our mission is to help everyone live their life in balance and achieve total Má.”

Sharon Leite, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe, commented: “As a trusted resource for CBD hemp extract products, we are thrilled to be the exclusive launch partner of Má Functional Iced Teas with CBD+, providing our customers with a refreshing and delicious option in this category. We are especially excited to team with visionaries like Jill Beraud and Charlie Herbstreith, who bring years of consumer marketing and beverage industry experience to this pioneering product in the CBD hemp extract space. Their expertise, combined with these innovative beverage formulations, are an exceptionally compelling addition to our 20 CBD hemp extract brands within The Vitamin Shoppe.”

All Má Functional Iced Teas with CBD+ Natural Botanicals ($4.99) are naturally sweetened, contain no sugar and are less than 10 calories.  Available exclusively at The Vitamin Shoppe, Má Iced Teas are carefully curated into three distinct blends including:

• FOCUS:  Oolong Peach Spark will help you feel more focused with CBD + brain-stimulating adaptogens of ginkgo biloba, gotu kola and Rhodiola Rosea.  With 40mg of natural caffeine added, it is just the right spark you need to help promote cognitive brain activity.
• RELAX:  Lavender Berry Chill features blueberry-infused, caffeine-free Bai Mudan Tea blended with CBD, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, elderflower and passionflower to impart calm and help reduce stress and anxiety.
• DETOX:  Emperor Spice Cleanse is a caffeine-free, detoxifying brew to help you purify the mind, body and soul with CBD + Green Tea, lemon, chamomile, schisandra berry and dandelion root to help remove toxins from the body.

Source: Sh’nnong Beverage Company

Let’s start at the very beginning. How did you come up with the idea of Sweet Reason?

In the summer of 2017, I became obsessed with cannabis beverages. As someone who struggles with the day-to-day anxiety of a fast-paced lifestyle, I fell in love with the therapeutic benefits of hemp CBD. Fast forward to today, Sweet Reason exists to bring the health benefits of hemp and cannabis to people through beverage. We launched with CBD sparkling water, which is hemp-derived and non-psychoactive. It helps you feel calm and focused throughout the day. CBD is just the beginning – there are over 100 cannabinoids that you can extract from hemp or cannabis, many of which have promising health benefits. People are looking for alternative ways to deal with stress and anxiety and the sober-curious movement is REAL. Hemp and cannabis beverages have so much potential to make us a healthier society.

The brand has 4 different flavors. Can you tell us more about each? Which one is the most favorite among consumers?

We have a flavor for everyone – Grapefruit, Cucumber Mint, Strawberry Lavender and Lemon Rhubarb. Grapefruit is that classic staple that never disappoints. Cucumber Mint gives you that “spa day” feeling. Strawberry Lavender is for people that love a more contemporary flavor profile. And our most recent addition to the family – Lemon Rhubarb – is quickly becoming a fan favorite. It’s for people who love lemon beverages but with a twist. The best part is that Sweet Reason has no sugar or sweeteners, five calories, and three simple ingredients, so you really can’t go wrong. It’s as clean as it gets.

The creation of the CBD-infused beverage line is quite a challenge. What difficulties did you face during the development of Sweet Reason?

It was really difficult to create a CBD beverage without sugar or sweeteners because CBD is naturally bitter. When we were developing the recipe, I was adamant about not using sugar or sweeteners and sticking with simple ingredients. I wanted to create a product that I would personally drink all day, everyday, and could really get behind selling. Thankfully, we landed with a recipe that people love and can feel good about consuming everyday.

These days there is a ton of new CBD-infused brands emerging in the United States. What makes Sweet Reason differ in the market?

We’re the best tasting, healthiest and most effective CBD beverage on the market. We use no sugar or sweeteners, have only five calories, and three simple ingredients. Our CBD is C02-extracted from organic, Colorado-grown hemp and we use a micelle technology to make it absorb better in your system.

The year has almost come to an end. What is the biggest milestone planned for 2020?

In 2020, you’ll see us grow our distribution, our team and our product offering. We want Sweet Reason to be available to consumers across the country.

In your opinion, what are the biggest misconceptions regarding CBD-infused beverage and food products?

I think the biggest misconception about CBD products is that they can get you ‘high’ and therefore can’t be part of a productive day. CBD is non-psychoactive so it can be consumed during your workday. Sweet Reason calms the mind and allows you to focus on the task at hand.

What advice would you have given yourself before you started out in the beverage business?

As with any business, it’s all about the people, and the beverage space is a pretty tight-knit community. Hire people that have worked in beverage sooner rather than later.

For more information visit Sweet Reason’s website.

1. Good Day is a beverage line infused with CBD. How did you come up with the idea of it?

Good Day was born out of a desire to build a company and a product line that is truly healthy in all aspects of the word – both good for the body and good for the mind. The founding team at Good Day – myself, Nick Miller, and Andy Gabriel – worked CBD into our own personal routines over the past few years. The interesting part is that we all turned to CBD for different reasons: I was searching for something to help overcome my general hyperactivity and stress levels associated with my former role as an executive leader at a Fortune 100 company, Nick was looking to combat inflammation and sore muscles while running ultra-marathons, and Andy was seeking a treatment to help regulate anxiety and mood.

The idea came from our collective, but individual living experiences on the West Coast. All three of the founders spent time living in California, so we were exposed to every type of cannabinoid consumption option available. However, most cannabinoid-infused products on the market are unhealthy, sugar-filled items, ranging from beverages that use an apple juice base to every type of candy imaginable – like chocolates, gummies, cookies, and mints. We quickly identified a giant opportunity that aligned with current consumer trends, which was developing a natural, “clean label” beverage made from real, organic ingredients without preservatives, added sugar, or “natural flavors,” that still tastes delicious. That’s Good Day.

2. Good Day line has 3 different flavors. Can you tell us more about each? Which one is your favorite?

Rather than flavors, these are three different, yet complementary beverages in different categories, all of which are tied together by the inclusion of CBD. They all use minimal ingredients without preservatives or artificial additives, but each is unique in that they help a person reach their desired energy output: Cold brew coffee is meant to increase energy, while our Chamomile herbal tea is meant to gently lower energy levels, and our Citrus sparkling water is meant to keep you balanced any time, any day. My personal favorite is the Cold brew coffee, but that’s mainly because I practice daily intermittent fasting and want something that doesn’t break my fast in the morning but gives me the balanced energy I need to start my day.

3. The creation of a good-tasting beverage isn’t easy. What difficulties did you face during the development process?

This is especially true when using CBD sourced from hemp extract, which has a very unique and naturally bitter flavor. When you combine that with the fact that we set out to create a very “clean” beverage with low sugar and calories, it made the process very difficult. We see a lot of beverages flooding the market that took the easier path, which involves using a CBD Isolate (word on the street is that this will not be approved by the FDA), plus the addition of zero-calorie “natural flavors” (which our formula development partners had a hard time even explaining). All we will say is that it took a lot of experimentation and tweaks to land on our ultimate formulas. We know we’re biased, but the taste and ingredients speak for themselves… we have the healthiest and tastiest CBD-infused beverages on the market.

4. What is the biggest achievement Good Day has reached so far?

I would say the biggest achievement so far is more like a series of achievements that the founding team – myself, Nick Miller (COO), and Andy Gabriel (CFO) were able to achieve in such a short amount of time. Nick and I left our jobs at Facebook and Sysco respectively back in April. Since then, we were able to raise an initial seed round of capital, develop a super-strong brand with beautiful and unique packaging, source all of our premium ingredients, finish formulation and manufacture all three beverage SKUs in our initial product portfolio. We went live with eCommerce sales in late July and now we are getting shelf space in retailers across the country. Again, all of this was accomplished in about a seven-month span of time. I think that speaks to the differentiation and velocity that Nick and I bring to this industry.

5. There is still a strong stigma regarding cannabis. What are the main benefits it has?

Let’s just focus on the ingredient we use: CBD, which is an acronym for cannabidiol – a natural compound derived from the cannabis plant, which is just one of over one hundred different cannabinoids found in the hemp plant (not to be confused with THC, which is found in high concentrations in the marijuana plant). CBD is known to support your body’s powerful endocannabinoid system (ECS).

It’s important to first understand homeostasis, which is your body’s effort to keep all of your internal systems running at optimal levels, no matter what’s happening around you. When one of those systems, such as mood or stress levels, isn’t working at peak performance, your body turns to the ECS to bring it back to the optimal level. CBD reacts with the ECS by stimulating endocannabinoid receptors, promoting homeostasis, and assisting in the restoration of your body’s natural balance.

6. It is crucial to know your target market. Who is Good Day’s ideal customer?

Good Day’s target customer falls into a primary category of the modern-day Millennial consumer and then a secondary category of GenX followed by Baby Boomers, considering those latter groups are some of the fastest-growing users of CBD. We wanted to approach our products and brand as something that would be highly appealing to a 28 year old, but also natural in the hands of that 28 year old’s mother or father.

7. In your opinion, what are the biggest trends in the beverage market every startup should notice for 2020?

Consumers are becoming more educated and socially aware of the negative impact of single-use materials. They are also honing in on the importance of healthy ingredients. Therefore, we believe that more brands will begin exclusively using quality ingredients to achieve a “clean label.” We also think there will be growth in the ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage category using sustainable materials, such as aluminum. Aluminum is one of the few materials that can be recycled directly back into itself over and over again. Definitely not the use of plastic. Did you know that only 9% of plastic ends up being recycled? The remaining 90%+ just ends up in landfills or our oceans. We are huge advocates of real, healthy ingredients and using highly recyclable materials at Good Day.

8. What advice would you have given yourself before you started out in the beverage business?

The advice that I still give myself everyday: expect bumps along the way, but never stop driving forward. Starting a company is like a puzzle – all of the pieces are always right in front of you, sometimes they are hidden, so it’s just a matter of organizing, prioritizing, and making progress toward your most important Key Performance Indicators. As Nick, Andy, and I always say, every action that we do should be contributing toward making or improving our product or selling more of our product. Full stop.

For more information visit Good Day website.

First of all, tell a little bit about your company. How did the story of Vertosa begin?

Vertosa is an active ingredient manufacturer for infused products. Our flagship products are our line-up of stable and scalable nanoemulsions powering infused beverages and topicals. Our motivation in creating Vertosa was to provide much-needed trust and transparency into the cannabis and hemp supply chains while creating targeted, safe and consistent experiences for the end consumer. After entering the industry in 2015 – pre-legalization in California – via the launch of Gateway Incubator, I spent three years evaluating opportunities in the space, investing in and advising companies in every segment of the market, and helping build the entrepreneurial ecosystem as it evolved from the unregulated market. Over that time, it became clear to me that there were two things that needed to occur for the industry to truly break into the mainstream:

First, we needed to break the habit of every company driving towards vertical integration. The industry needs reliable horizontal operators that build efficiency into the supply chain by focusing on their core competencies.

Second, consumers needed access to products that provide efficacious, predictable, and consistent experiences while having a desirable consumption method. Beverages was clearly becoming the next frontier, and the technology needed to be improved.

I met Dr. Harold Han, our Founder and Chief Scientist, while I was managing Gateway in 2016, and we immediately started collaborating on a concept to help solve both these issues. As a surface chemist with a Ph.D out of NYU, his entire career was centered around stable and scalable emulsion systems, which perfectly positioned him to tackle the technical issues. I arrived at a point in 2018 where I had to ask myself, “do I continue to sit on the investor-advisor side of the table, or do I get behind a single technology and founder I truly believe in?”

And with that, Vertosa was born.

A couple of weeks ago your company announced a rebrand. You have changed the previous name Nanogen Labs to Vertosa. Why?

The new branding signifies the continued evolution of our best-in-class emulsion technology, service and expertise alongside our entrepreneurial roots in the Bay Area. Our new name is very meaningful, as “vert” speaks to both green and truth, in line with our roots in cannabis and cutting-edge plant science. And “osa,” which is Spanish for female bear, speaks to our proud roots in California, with an important nod to the power of the female plant in cannabis. We are a growing company and becoming increasingly versatile. Our new name reflects that.

What are the main services your company provides? Why beverage startups should choose Vertosa?

We’re solely focused on being the best infusion technology partners possible to our manufacturing clients. We engrain ourselves in the product development process and ensure we custom tailor the emulsion systems to our client’s needs. We’ve mastered a key component of the supply chain, creating a verifiable layer of trust for infused product makers, ensuring consistency in a historically inconsistent market. We also don’t apply a one-size-fits-all mentality; our infusion solutions are customized for each product and brand, as our team works closely with partners to launch new beverages. Every day, we’re solving issues that our customers have encountered with other off-the-shelf products, such as precipitation in high polyphenolic beverages or potency loss in aluminum cans. That’s what is especially unique about Vertosa – our personal approach to cannabis infusion technology and techniques.

Can you name a few beverage products you recently worked with which left a really huge impression?

We have several clients and categories making quite a splash on the market, but people have been very excited about the coffee category in both cannabis and hemp. Somatik, with whom we helped create both CBD and THC infused cold brew coffee, provides a wonderful uplifting and social effect while building their product around single-origin coffee sourced from Ritual Coffee Roasters in San Francisco. On the hemp-derived CBD side, GoodDay launched its CBD-infused cold brew coffee, recently highlighted by BevNet, and provides a beautifully balanced and focused effect for its consumers. Another category that has been really well received has been the functional juice category. Plant Magic, a terrific and colorful line-up of apoptogenic juice shots can be found across the US in places like Barry’s Bootcamp, where they’re targeting the healthy recovery benefits of hemp. To round it out, we’re working with companies like Tinley and House of Saka who are directly targeting the alcohol replacement category. We also have upcoming product launches with some very notable international brands, so I’d certainly stay tuned for that.

In your opinion, what are the biggest misconceptions regarding CBD and THC infused food and beverage products?

First, that food and beverage is a single category. The beverage format paired with our emulsion technology provides experiences unique in comparison to the traditional edibles category. Rapid absorption allows for more controlled and sociable dosing while providing the opportunity to create more targeted experiences through other bioactive ingredients. Further, the industry is moving well beyond products that are either too strong or tastes like weed, unless that’s desired. Those who have experienced the new beverage formats know that this isn’t your typical edible. The faster onset and offset provide for a safer and more controllable experience where you actually begin to feel the effects before you finish the beverage. No more “shake well and wait an hour.” You actually have a socially acceptable consumption method with a predictable experience and great taste. Further, depending on the formulation, you can create different experiences similar to that of the effects commonly associated with smoking or vaping different varietals of cannabis. This truly is a whole new category for cannabis consumption.

CBD-infused beverage products are on the top of 2019 beverage trends. In your opinion, it’s the next big thing or just a short-term trend? Why?

When it comes to hemp-derived CBD, it’s actually a complicated answer. I believe it, as a functional ingredient, is certainly here to stay. However, hemp-CBD brands must be aware that they may very soon have to compete with much larger brands with diversified offerings. A way to avoid this is to think deeper about the product and whom it’s targeting and why. Think about other ingredients that can complement the effects of CBD and create a deeper ethos for the product.

With regards to cannabis-infused beverages, which often includes varying levels of CBD, I believe it’s most definitely a segment in of itself and here for the long term. In fact, I’d wager that they’re the future of the cannabis industry because drinks dodge the stigma of inhalable products, benefit from the pre-existing sterling reputation of the beverage industry and some of the strongest scientific innovation in cannabis is happening around beverages. Gone are the days of bitter, separated or dubiously effective infused cannabis edibles.

As competition and markets have grown, infusion technology has taken leaps and bounds. To keep up with the needs of diverse beverage partners at varied scale, our scientists are constantly honing our infusion solutions. Want a faster onset time? There’s a solution for that. Want a weedy taste, or zero taste? There’re solutions for that. Adjusting mouthfeel? Yep. Packaging in an aluminum can, paper box, or biodegradable plastic? There’re solutions for those too. As we work to control every aspect of the infused experience, we are actively dispelling myths that cannabis is shadowy, clunky or untested, while creating some of the industry’s most diverse and mass-marketable products.

What advice would you give to beverage startups, who are dreaming about creating a CBD-infused brand line?

First, heed my earlier advice. Don’t just look to CBD to be the “fairy dust” that makes your product an instant success. Be very deliberate in your product development and branding, and truly understand who you are creating it for. What is the experience you are creating?

Second, you are cannabis. Your life will become consumed by the cannabis industry. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but being an entrepreneur in the space automatically makes you an advocate and the go-to in your social network for cannabis Q&A. You’re instantly labeled. You’re constantly educating others, breaking the stigma, and speaking out against injustice. And if you’re not, you’re doing it wrong.

For more information visit Vertosa’s website.

Marijuana-infused beverages market

Big Alcohol Company wants the legalization of the drinkable marijuana market. It is one of the largest beers manufacturing companies around the globe, and they have expressed their intention of making drinkable marijuana products. Upon legalization of their terms, they will be producing alcohol-free weed beers, weed fruit punches, and weed seltzers, among others.

The biggest challenge in this market is no one wants cannabis beverages, and the company needs to put effort into public awareness. Currently, the total sale of marijuana-infused beverages makes up 2-3% of the total sales. However, the alcohol industry is optimistic, and they are investing a lot of money in this market.

Molson Coors, the CEO of Mark Hunter, is focusing on how they can increase the total cannabis sales to about 20- 30%, through increasing marijuana beverage demand by factor 10.

Big companies are investing billions of money in marijuana drinks. For instance, the CEO of Mark Hunter has ventured with a legal pot producer known as HEXO, which is located in Canada. InBev has put on an investment of $50 million in a similar joint venture in British Columbia. Heineken is already selling weed-infused sparkling water through online California Marijuana Dispensaries. Constellation brands are one of the most significant investments in the weed history, after using $4billion and forming 38% of the largest marijuana producer in Canada. One can create there own cannabis drink at home easily. One needs to buy premium marijuana seeds like one at high supplies and then mix them with whole milk to create there very own Cannabis milkshake.

Weed concentration

Pots drinks have a different level of THC. Most companies are breaking the budget buds into personalized experiences, and you can comfortably select the concentration of your choice.

Most pot drinks have a THC concentration of 100mg per bottle. Other pot drinks have a lower THC concentration of 25mg per bottle.  These pot drinks will give you a feeling of highness, which is not the same feeling of being drunk.

Does drinkable marijuana make you drunk?

Industries are investing in holding cannabis drinks expo, to discussing the importance of their beverage drinks and how to expand the market. For instance, the Beverage trade Network in San Francisco will be the first to host cannabis drinks expo. They will be discussing canna-beverages, which will be a $1.4 billion market by 2023.

Big beer companies are now offering pot drinks intending to boost their industry, which has been slowly declining for the past two decades. Wines and cocktail are now shipping into the beers market. Thanks to this innovation, as I can now buy my weed online in the form of a drink.

Drinkable marijuana does not have alcohol effects, and it will leave you feeling high, just like consuming weed through any other method.

Manufacturing marijuana beverages

Cannabis Quencher is one of the oldest operating cannabis beverage brands, and it is still making excellent sales up to date. It produces a line of lemonades and juices in flavors like strawberry and hibiscus. Many people are manufacturing weed beverages illegally and releasing their products in the market.

Products categories

Beverages have become an accessible way of consuming CBD. Industries are now manufacturing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cannabis drinks. Some of the alcoholic CBD beverages are spirits, wine, and beer. Firms have also come up with non-alcoholic CBD drinks like coffee, kombucha, water, tea, juice and sports drinks.

Shaping the future of cannabis beverages

The cannabis product’s background is continuously evolving. The following key trends will influence the demand for CBD infused beverages:

• Changing consumer preferences– changing consumer tastes will increase the demand for cannabis products around the globe.
• Product innovation– cannabis beverages industries are focusing on improving transparency around the ingredients, sustainable packaging, manufacturing personalized strains, and coming up with convenient ready to drink products.
• Influencers and big players– increasing brand endorsement will help in creating a CBD industry market. Putting the name of celebrities on CBD infused beverages will increase the demand and expand the market.

Weed delivers numerous benefits to the body, and its use is now legal in many countries. Most people take weed for fun, through vaping or smoking. Various companies have come up with marijuana beverages, which are currently selling in the market.

THC can be available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It is available in both high and low concentration, to cater for both starters and chronic users. People are embracing weed beverages, and they are considering it to be healthy compared to smoking. Weed infused beverages market is now expanding, and big companies are investing a huge amount in this industry.