Calexo took home the title as New Beverage Showdown champion today at BevNET Live Winter 2023, presented by Coca-Cola North America New Revenue Streams.
Launched in 2018, the Los Angeles-based brand produces a line of hemp-derived sparkling THC cocktails, which relaunched in September. Available in three flavors – Citrus Rose, Cucumber Citron and SemiTropical – each 12 oz. can contains 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD. The company also carries a complimentary uninfused line with the same taste profiles but free of the inebriating ingredients.
The panel of judges for today’s final round – which included John Craven, founder and CEO, BevNET.com; Kristen Bareuther, President and Head of Investment, Asahi Group Beverages & Innovation; Dan White, Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company North America; and Ken Sadowsky, Sr. Advisor Verlinvest – praised Calexo for venturing “past the obvious” in the THC-infused beverage space in addition to its successful balance of taste across its portfolio, while suggesting tweaks to the product packaging to make it more retail-friendly.
Calexo beat out five other brands in the round including Magic Cactus hemp-infused sparkling cactus water, Plant Press “clean caffeine” energy drink, Spade sparkling premium soda, Erva Brew Co. yerba mate, and Fang recovery tonic.
Aside from bragging rights, Calexo will take home a $10,000 awareness-building ad package from BevNET.
Speaking with Taste Radio host Ray Latif after the win, co-founders Brandon Andrew and Ian Colon said the brand is currently focused on various trial strategies to help get its reformulated liquids to lips.
“2024 for us is about building awareness and activating our brand out in the world. Calexo is a lifestyle brand, so getting the opportunity for people to share what it is and get to together and express themselves through music, art, fashion, dance – that’s really our priority,” said Colon.
The win comes after the brand in September announced it was dropping cannabis from its flagship product after observing the success of Minnesota’s hemp-derived THC food and beverage industry over the past year. Calexo co-founder and COO Ken Pelletier previously told BevNET that the switch from cannabis to hemp allows Calexo to build in a space with a clear path to “grow into the robustness of a traditional CPG” company.
The finalists were selected from a pool of 12 brands that competed during the semifinal round of the Showdown yesterday. First round competitors included Mixoloshe non-alcoholic cocktails, Sly circadian beverages, NutCase chocolate cashew milk, Adapt Superwater hemp-infused superfood drink, Joie natural energy drinks and Troov non-carbonated performance tea.
Calexo joins past New Beverage Showdown winners including Parch, SANS, Plink!, Hiyo, Agua Bonita, Kite, Cann and HopTea.