Tilray Brands chairman and CEO Irwin Simon had a message for Wall Street during the company’s full-year fiscal year 2026 earnings call: “We are no longer defined by one category, one market or one regulatory outcome.”
THC beverages reached $239 million in the 52 weeks ending April 4 2026, up 135% versus the prior year, and despite a looming ban, there’s thirst for more.
After years of concern that cannabis and THC products could cut into bev-alc occasions, some of the bev-alc industry is starting to view THC-infused beverages as an opportunity. But not everyone is completely on board.
Despite functional ingredients that can get consumers high, BRĒZ is a prime example of a company with lofty growth hopes getting dragged down by the financial realities of scaling efficiently. But they’re working on it.
Daizy’s Social Soda founding partner Jill Johnson, Southern Crown Partners Chief Administration Officer Justin Ashby and Diana Eberlein, Chair of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives spoke at BevNET Live NYC last week to discuss what’s next for intoxicating hemp.
Restaurant owners have thrown their weight behind the hemp beverage debate, asking Congress to enact a two-year delay on an impending Nov. 12 ban on intoxicating hemp usage in food and beverage products.
Dad Grass was crowned the champion of New Beverage Showdown 31, joining an elite cohort of well-known beverage brands such as Health-Ade and Poppi that have previously claimed victory in the bi-annual pitch competition.
Day Two of BevNET Live Summer 2026 featured more insights from venture capital investors, entrepreneurs, embracing AI in branding strategies and deep dives into the relaxation and intoxicating hemp drink categories.
JuneShine Brands isn’t stressing about November’s federal ban on hemp-derived THC products, which could wipe out its fast-growing Willie’s Remedy+ brand.
Facing an ever-increasing likelihood that hemp THC beverages will be outlawed this fall, Nowadays is preparing for the long-run with its latest innovation: Nowadays Extra Light, a low-dose RTD line designed to be compliant with the upcoming regulatory requirements by using just 0.4 mg of THC and 5 mg of CBD per 12 oz. can.
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) proposed legislation last week that would allow states to respectively determine the future of hemp-based product sales within their own borders.
Wisconsin’s Eagle Park Brewing & Distilling has acquired SoulBoxer Cocktail Co., setting the stage for Eagle Park’s further expansion into canned cocktails spanning alcoholic, non-alcoholic and THC-infused formats.
If there’s a stay of execution, it’ll probably be at the last minute. That’s what hemp lobbyists and industry groups are starting to believe about the potential for a reprieve from the upcoming November 12 THC ban, according to the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives (CABA).
As Congress’s November deadline ticks closer for intoxicating hemp beverage makers, states are not waiting to pass their own regulations on if and where THC drinks can be sold.
New York may allow licensed alcohol retailers to sell THC-infused drinks if a new measure introduced in the State Legislature earlier this week gains passage.
The future of hemp beverages remains in flux as potential legislative bills circulate on Capitol Hill, but for suppliers and distributors in the space, keeping up with demand has been business as usual. Almost.
While some intoxicating hemp brands are positioning themselves as alcohol alternatives, one early adopter of alcohol-free spirits is joining the fray from the opposite direction.
