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.
Tilray said its Delta-9 product line “targets different occasions across various consumer audiences and price segments.” The initial lineup of 5 mg hemp-derived THC beverages includes:
- 420 Fizz, described as “a sleek and modern brand built off Tilray’s iconic 420 beverage platform,” which started with craft beer brand SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale;
- Herb & Bloom, “a super-premium mocktail” with fruity notes;
- Fizzy Jane’s, a line of seltzers in three flavors, Blackberry, Blood Orange and Vanilla;
- And Happy Flower, a line of cocktail-inspired beverages, including Margarita, Strawberry Daiquiri and Peach Bellini, launched in partnership with Emergent Beverage in Texas and Louisiana. Those products are also available online, starting at $4.99 per can.
Initial states receiving the beverages include Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee, according to a Tilray spokesperson.
Additional products are expected to launch in the future.
The launch of Delta-9 THC-infused beverages comes amid a busy 2024 for Tilray that has included the integration of craft beer brands purchased last year from Anheuser-Busch InBev, another acquisition for four additional craft beer brands from Molson Coors in August and the launch of several new-to-world and spin-off brands.
The company also underwent a round of job cuts in September as it reorganized its workforce following the closure of the deal to acquire the Molson Coors breweries and brands.
Tilray is the 15th largest beer category in Circana-tracked off-premise scans year-to-date (YTD) through September 8. The company’s beer portfolio has posted more than $119.6 million in off-premise sales through early September. Both dollar sales (-13.7%) and volume (-11.7%) declined through that period.
The new products announcement also comes weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted emergency regulations on hemp-derived THC products, including Delta-9 beverages, citing concerns over regulatory “loopholes” and the risk of children “accessing these dangerous hemp and cannabis products.”
Industry stakeholders have criticized the ban, including the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, which have urged instead for clear regulatory guidelines and enforcement.
Indiana, Iowa, Oregon, Missouri and New Hampshire have also enacted harsher regulations around hemp-derived THC products.