Vertosa, a California-based cannabis infusion company specializing in emulsion technology, this month announced a slate of partnerships to develop THC-infused drinks with multiple beverage companies this fall, including beer maker Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) and sessionable tonic maker Cann.
Founded in 2018, Vertosa develops delivery mechanisms for cannabinoids to optimize various functional benefits, including rapid onset of THC, and specific use occasions, such as promoting sleep, stress and pain relief. The B2B company does not cultivate or extract its own hemp and cannabis, but works with cannabinoids to create specific blends for different need states.
According to chief innovation officer Austin Stevenson, Vertosa announced its latest client roster in hopes of helping to “break down stigmas” around cannabis consumption. The list includes PBR innovation team Pabst Labs, as well as ‘sessionable’ cannabis drink brand Cann, Good Stuff Tonics, CBD mint maker Lucent Botanicals, THC-infused cocktail mixer brand SHOKi Beverages, cannabis champagne producer Rickett Brewing and non-alcoholic infused wine Viv & Oak.
Partnering with a “household name” in Pabst, will help normalize THC-infused products among consumers who still view marijuana as an illicit drug, Stevenson said. Vertosa has previously collaborated with established beverage companies to develop cannabis beverages, working on Vita Coco’s CBD-infused products and the Lagunitas Hi-Fi Hops beer line.
But PBR in particular represents a mainstreaming of the category, he noted. The beer company has developed a non-alcoholic cannabis-infused seltzer brand under the PBR name thatcontains 5 mg of THC, 4 grams of sugar and 25 calories per can. The product is now rolling out in a limited launch in a single SKU (Lemon), with additional flavors currently in development ahead of a retail expansion in licensed dispensaries in California in the coming months.
“That right there just signals to the general consumer population that this is a real thing,” Stevenson said. “Now, with PBR, you have your grandfather’s brand embracing cannabis…. So this brand is signaling to the rest of the world that cannabis beverages are here and cannabis beverages are relevant.”
Cann, which makes a line of microdosed tonics with a ratio of 2 mg of THC to 4 mg of CBD per 8 oz. can, is working with Vertosa for its zero sugar added line called Cann Lite. Co-founder Luke Anderson called the products a “niche SKU” and confirmed to BevNET that his company is working with Vertosa only on this line, with SoRSE Technology acting as its primary supplier. However, Stevenson noted that the line makes use of Vertosa’s rapid onset emulsions, in which consumers feel the effects of the THC within 10-15 minutes.
According to Stevenson, that speed of efficacy is an important innovation in the THC beverage category as many past products could have onset times of more than an hour, often confusing or frustrating consumers who were unsure of whether the product was working and potentially leading them to drink more than they should.
“[With Cann] we thought this is a great application, we want to be a part of this,” Stevenson said. “We’re really excited to help evolve their product catalog, their product lines and also to help socialize cannabis beverages in a meaningful way.”
Working with Good Stuff Tonics, Stevenson said, was a “nod to the OGs” of the THC beverage space. The California-based brand launched in 2016 and produces lemonades and yerba mate drinks containings 100 mg of THC per bottle. Vertosa is helping the company to develop new flavors through emulsions as well as increasing onset time.
Other brands such as SHOKi, Rickett Brewing and Viv & Oak reflect how a new crop of THC-infused cannabis beverages are positioning themselves as stylish and modern alcohol alternatives. Stevenson said these new products are broadly designed to be multi-serve and to blend in on bar carts, creating a product that can meet the needs of alcohol use occasions including fine dining and evening relaxation. Vertosa has also previously worked with wine-style infused beverage House of Saka and Artet, an infused aperitif brand.
“People know what one beer or one glass of wine is going to do to them,” he said. “Now we are teaching cannabis beverage consumers what one glass of an infused House of Saka PINK is going to do to them. What one shot of Artet aperitif is going to do for you at a metered dose. And that starts to educate the consumer, so that they can start to predict their effects and then translate that to sharing it with their friends and family.”