Bayou City Hemp Bolsters Growth With Two Key Hires and New Facility

BAYOU CITY HEMP BOLSTERS GROWTH WITH TWO KEY HIRES AND NEW FACILITY

–Texas-Based THC Beverage Leader Adds Industry Veterans and Plans State-of-the-Art Houston Expansion as Sales Soar–

AUSTIN, TEXAS (March 24, 2025) – Bayou City Hemp Co., a trailblazing Texas-based THC beverage brand, proudly welcomes Jeremy McKnight as Senior Vice President of Commercial & Business Development and Joanna Desjardins as acting Chief Operating Officer. These powerhouse hires signal a bold step forward as the company’s portfolio of brands, including the fan-favorite HOWDY, rides a wave of explosive growth in the cannabis beverage market. Alongside this talent boost, Bayou City Hemp is set to break ground on a cutting-edge facility in Houston, cementing its status as a cannabis industry frontrunner.

Jeremy McKnight joins with over 20 years of beverage and alcohol industry expertise from Republic National Distributing Company and Deloitte. A seasoned leader in retail, on-premise, and national accounts, he has spearheaded teams of 300+ and delivered transformative growth. "I’m thrilled to join Bayou City Hemp as the cannabis beverage market surges," McKnight said. "This category is accelerating fast, and there’s huge demand for top-notch, safe THC products like HOWDY. I can’t wait to strengthen our team’s foundation while upholding the high bar we’ve set since 2021."

CEO Ben Meggs shared his enthusiasm: "We’re thrilled to have Jeremy and Joanna join us. Their skills are exactly what we need to manage our rapid growth and ensure we’re setting new standards in the industry. With Jeremy’s deep industry knowledge and Joanna’s operational prowess, our new facility will be unmatched, and our brands will continue to lead the market."

Joanna Desjardins brings 20+ years of operations and strategy experience, starting in oil and gas engineering at ConocoPhillips, then excelling in corporate development at Cenovus and Deloitte, where she focused on M&A and restructuring. "We’ve designed a state-of-the-art facility in West Houston, set to open by year’s end," Desjardins said. "This space will supercharge our research and production, meeting consumer demand head-on. 2025 is going to be massive!"

Spanning over 4 acres, the multimillion-dollar Houston facility—slated to break ground in summer 2025—will position Bayou City Hemp as the South’s largest hemp production hub. Known for its best-in-class nano-emulsion technology, the company continues to innovate under the leadership of West Texas oil and gas veterans.

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