Cannabis

Hemp-derived THC beverages and edibles are now officially off limits in California after the state’s Office of Administrative Law approved Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed emergency ban on Monday.

Tilray Brands will launch several hemp-derived Delta-9 THC beverages in “key markets across the U.S.” starting in October, the company announced today. The Canadian cannabis firm has formed a new business unit, Tilray Alternative Beverages, for its Delta-9 beverage portfolio, which includes mocktails, seltzers and sparkling drinks made with hemp extracts.

Citing concerns over public health, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed heavy restrictions Friday on “intoxicating hemp products.” Through an emergency regulation, Newsom proposed removing food and beverage products containing hemp extract from stores within the Golden State.

After being stuck in limbo for much of July following the passage of regulations on THC-infused beverages in Iowa, Iowa City-based Climbing Kites is pushing new products into retailers this week.

Research from three different studies in the U.S. and Canada shows there may be more interaction between cannabis and alcohol consumption than previously believed, according to analysis of the studies by financial services firm Bernstein.

Ask any THC or non-alcoholic alternative beverage founder about their biggest obstacle to breaking into widespread distribution and the answer is almost always the same: education.

Big Grove Brewery has acquired a majority stake in Climbing Kites, an Iowa-based maker of Delta 9 THC- and CBD-infused, non-alcoholic sparkling water.

8th Wonder Brewery, Distillery and Cannabis has been acquired by Bayou City Hemp Company, a Houston, Texas-headquartered cannabis company.

More than 300 winners were honored during the Brewers Association’s (BA) 2023 World Beer Cup (WBC) during Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville this week. Guinness Baltimore Blonde – the signature offering of brewing operations at Diageo’s Relay, Maryland-based production facility – has become such a local icon that one Baltimore County official wants to invest $500,000 in a local brewer to keep the beer flowing, according to the Baltimore Banner.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for beer both at home (+6.1%) and away from home (+5.5%) outpaced overall inflation (+5%) in March 2023 compared to March 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Constellation Brands recorded an impairment charge of $66.5 million pertaining to what’s left of its craft beer division in its fiscal year 2023 fourth quarter, according to its most recent 8-K form filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Canadian cannabis company Hexo Corp, a former partner of Molson Coors, has been acquired by Tilray Brands, in a deal valued at around $250 million, the company announced yesterday in its Q3 earnings report.

Boston-based Harpoon Brewery is expanding beyond bev-alc and into cannabis, announcing the launch of Rec. Weed, a THC-infused non-alcoholic beverage.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) may have ceded advertising exclusivity rights to Super Bowl LVII, but the world’s largest beer manufacturer will continue to have an outsized presence during breaks in the game.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears to be cracking down on CBD food and beverage brands as the federal agency sent warning letters last week to five companies selling infused products.