Could CBD Oil Help Brands Grow?

I literally get something about CBD in my inbox twice a day. So feels like its time for some exploring. CBD Oil is the compound derived from hemp but without the THC. And apparently, you can add it to just about anything. Right before Christmas, one of my friends said she was going to go buy CBD dog treats for her dog that has anxiety. That is when I knew there were big opportunities for marketers.

A little background: At the end of 2018, industrial hemp was legalized by the federal government. This meant a bigger, national opportunity for brands that were already creating products with CBD where medical marijuana was legal, and the chance for others to jump on the bandwagon. CBD is believed by many to help with a wide range of conditions, such as anxiety, sleep disorders, and inflammation. And it can be added to a lot of beverages like water, coffee, cocktails, iced tea, and foods like ice cream, salads, milk, and even pet treats to create functional foods, creating opportunities in almost every category.

Of course, there were many small brands ahead of the legalization. Weller is one that I love. They are a snack brand based in Colorado that makes CBD infused coconut bites that claim to take the edge off and keep you focused and confident. While they are currently sold at coffee shops, convenience stores, grocery stores and online, since the legalization, they are looking to expand nationwide. They have a lofty declared goal of making the world a better place, and if they really do take the edge off, maybe getting their snacks into the hands of more people really will make the world a better place.  

Steepfuze is a coffee company that spent years trying to infuse hemp extracts into coffee to find a way to preserve the coffee profile. They ultimately found it was the best to add them directly into the naturally occurring oils expressed from the raw coffee beans during the roasting process. They pitch their product as easing many of coffee’s commonly experienced negative side effects like caffeine jitters and encourage their customers to treat CBD like a daily vitamin to help maintain balance and homeostasis throughout their entire body.

Uncanny Wellness is a water-soluble CBD powder that easily mixes into drinks and has up to 10 times better absorption in the stomach than regular CBD oil. This is particularly interesting because they claim that you cannot really “take too much”, but do say you might experience different effects at different quantities. Right now, CBD oil is incorporated into snacks for the tapped-in wellness community, but now is the time to introduce it to the mainstream consumer.

And just last week, the Earth Diet author Liana Werner-Gray, posted a recipe for CBD Infused Pesto Sauce on Explore Cuisine’s Edamame Spaghetti. Binding CBD oil with olive oil and adding it to traditional pesto ingredients makes this high-protein and fiber-packed dish even healthier. Gray, the chef behind the Earth Diet says when CBD is infused into your food, it is four times stronger, which means this dish is excellent for helping manage depression and anxiety.

The question is, will consumers be willing to take the same leap with CBD oil that they do with other supplements.

So far, it’s sounding like a big giant YES. In 2017, sales were at $367 million, but by 2022 the market is projected to be up to $22 billion. That explains why even big brands like Coke are interested in CBD as a potential ingredient for new functional wellness drinks.  They are actually already in talks with Canadian marijuana producer Aurora Cannabis to develop the beverages. If Coke is involved, you know this trend is not going away.

If you’re a small brand trying to stand out in this emerging market space, or a big brand trying to break into this new field, we can help. Let’s talk.

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