Zach Squier has made a fast start to his venture into cannabis beverages, although maybe not exactly in the way he had planned.
When he first spoke with BevNET in 2023, the former chef and Maine native was fresh off the release of his company’s debut product: a line of 100mg and 20mg THC-infused mixers in 2 oz. bottles, crafted with premium local ingredients and designed for a potent dosing experience in drinks, foods or cooking. Inspired by his own Thanksgiving creation of infused cranberry sauce, he envisioned consumers using it as a truly versatile edible, equally good as an ice cream topper or for crafting a sophisticated mocktail.
That’s still an ambition over the long term, said Squier in an interview last month, but the forthcoming launch of a new four-SKU line of hemp THC-infused seltzers reflects how the brand is responding and adapting to practical consumer demands — while trying to adhere to its craft-forward approach.
“The chef side of me wants to (show) all these fun ways to use (the product) — incorporating them into recipes, baking the Blueberry Lemon into a blueberry pie, fun stuff like that. And we’re still going to expand on that,” Squier said in an interview last month. “But I think for the most part, people love convenience.”
Squier’s evolution is reflective of how the cannabis beverage market has segmented: the brand’s strong 100mg shots are popular within regulated adult-use retailers, while its other product, an 8 oz. non-carbonated cocktail (100mg THC with multiple servings) has become the company’s sales driver in Maine and Massachusetts. But hemp-derived THC is where the category is truly growing and, according to survey data from Brightfield Group, 36% of respondents reported choosing hemp-based THC products because they are easier to find than cannabis, more than any other reason, and 29% utilized them because they were legally accessible.
Infused shots have proven a popular format, but even brands that specialize in that market aren’t standing pat. Uncle Arnie’s, Pamos and Nowadays are just a few from the growing list of names that now offer hemp-derived THC beverages in both shots and large format RTDs.
The new seltzers represent a “finished version” of the mixers: each flavor — Raspberry Lime, Blueberry Lemon, Mandarin Mango and Pink Pineapple — contains 5mg THC and 10mg CBD per 12 oz. can. But they’re also fortified with electrolytes and prebiotics, slotting them in with broader wellness trends in beverages and inspiring the tagline “Hydrate Your Mind + Body.”
The line also represents an important step further into the hemp-derived drinks market; backed by a more “relatable” product, Squier’s is targeting liquor and convenience stores. Though as his brand fans out across the Northeast, the founder is keen to balance both sides of the market, though he’s wary of selling hemp-based products in states where Squier’s is moving through licensed rec dispensaries. While the hash rosin-derived mixers and cocktails are now available in Maine and Massachusetts — with Rhode Island next in line — the hemp-derived seltzers are being primed for retail distribution in Connecticut and Texas, along with ecomm.
As for the chef himself, Squier still finds time to experiment in the kitchen; he’s even applied for a cooking competition show, so stay tuned. But he’s all-in as a beverage entrepreneur, meaning he’s balancing fundraising (a $500,000 round) while he’s developing a new non-beverage product for regulated channels, the details of which he’s keeping under wraps for now. With new products to tow, the next step is formalizing and fine tuning brand marketing, he said.
“I’m excited to get to the point where we’re focused on just really getting our product out there and doing fun events, things like that are definitely something that I look forward to,” said Squier. “And I think as we move into hemp space it’s going to be super challenging, but a new, exciting avenue for our products.”