It is no secret that THC beverages are starting to make some serious progress in conventional retail verticals in 2024. In wholesale, we're starting to see a pattern of certain brands on shelves in convenience, grocery, off-prem liquor, on-prem liquor and CBD stores around the country. On top of that, there are some clear favorites in the direct-to-consumer channels as beverage brands are using social media platforms and creative marketing strategies through digital channels. We break down some of the thc beverage brands to keep an eye on in the future, what they're doing well, and how they are creating a unique niche for themselves in the infused beverage category.
While we don't have an sort of accurate count, it's clear that there are over 100 different THC drink brands vying for market share. The vast majority of them are still relatively small and localized to core markets, such and Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. This is really the birthplace of the beverage brand boom, which you can read more about in a recent blog post (Why Hemp Beverages Became So Popular in 2024).
Diving right, in we're going to break things down by hemp thc beverage "category" as we see it, and give a quick blurb on each of them.
Seltzers and Social Tonics:
THC seltzers and social tonics are probably the most competitive and popular category in the hemp-infused beverage space right now. While there are many players, there are some clear favorites in the market today. Keep in mind, brands that are known for thc seltzers may cross into different categories, such as weed sodas and cannabis cocktails.
CANN Social Tonics: CANN Social Tonics is a well-recognized brand in the THC social tonic and seltzer space. Known for their limited-ingredients and fresh fruit and herbal flavors. CANN Social Tonics is a "go-to" for many in the hemp beverage category. CANN is one of the first-movers in thc beverages, after cutting their teeth for years in the regulated, recreational cannabis category in California and beyond. CANN is also well-respected as best-in-class when it comes to their marketing prowess and online presence; winning a significant number of Clio Awards for their successes. Available in a variety of delicious flavors, such as Blood Orange Cardamom, Grapefruit Rosemary and Lemon Lavenders. Also available in multiple THC doses, such a 1mg, 2mg and 5mg.
Cycling Frog: While the market is still pretty young, many would consider Cycling Frog to be an OG player in the sparkling thc beverage space. Cool Material calls it "A Can of Pure Relaxation". Their flavor "Black Currant THC Sezlter" won a gold at the 2024 LA Spirits "High Spirits" awards. Their known for their bold but recognizable flavors, such as Black Currant, Wild Cherry, Iced Tea Lemonade (watch out! This is a 50mg powerhouse of a beverage) Ruby Grapefruit, Passionfruit, Lemon and more. Available in a variety of dose sizes from 2mg to 50mg, Cycling Frog has a dosing and a flavor for everyone in THC beverages.
Cantrip: While they also boast a variety of soda options, Cantrip is a well-known THC seltzer that can be found in some of your favorite liquor stores, including Total Wine & More. Cantrip has an inviting brand for the cannacurious customer, with a variety of delicious seltzer and soda flavors to keep you occupied. At the time of writing this (9/16/24), Cantrip has 93 reviews with an average rating of 4.97 stars on Judge.me. Much like Cycling Frog, Cantrip has a variety of doses available, from 3mg of THC up to 50mg of THC per beverage. Available in a variety of flavors such as Grapefruit Hibiscus, Cola, Orange Soda, Root Beer, Ginger Peach, Lemon Basil, and Blackberry Lavender. Cantrip continues to make it's name known as a leader in the space and I expect it will continue to grow at a rapid pace in the coming years.
Sodas:
Oliphant Brewing Company: Oliphant Brewing Company is a sleeper in the delta 9 thc beverage category. It began as a production brewery and taproom located in Somerset, Wisconsin. The small and mighty Oliphant Brewing team has always been one of experimentation and uniqueness. First with sour beers and specialized IPA's and now with THC drinks. Oliphant has a character and design to their branding that is truly one-of-a-kind. Their artist hand-draws all of the artwork on the labels for their signature flavors. Some of these flavors including Apple Cinnamon Crumble, Blueberry Cheesecake, Peach Crumble, Bog Boy and "Baja Blast" soda. They have mg counts ranging from 3mg up to 25mg. Oliphant is poised to become the first truly craft hemp beverage in a world of hemp seltzers, mocktails, teas and lemonades.
Mary Jones THC Sodas: If you've ever walked into a grocery store, a bodega or a hobby shop (which pretty much covers everyone that's ever been into a retail store) you've seen the famous "Jones Soda" flavors. As a 90's kid, Jones Soda holds a special place in my heart. As they say on their hemp-derived thc website "Same Jones. More Mary". When I saw that Jones Soda decided to take the the flavor train to hemp and cannabis. Jones has a unique and recognizable brand name, as well as distribution that will carry them far in the hemp beverage space. With flavors like Orange & Cream, Green Apple, Berry Lemonade and Root Beer and doses of 5mg and 10mg, you can expect that Mary Jones will be able to cater to the nostalgiac 90's kid pallet in all of us.
Mocktails:
Flyers Craft Cocktails: You can't talk about THC mocktails and alcohol alternatives without bringing up Flyers Craft Cocktails. Flyers has won more awards for their unique spins on classic mocktails than any other hemp cocktail brand. The beverages were crafted in partnership with James Beard Award Winning Mixologist, Ivy Mix. Some of their classic cocktail alternative flavors include Ol' Fashioned, Apero Spritz and Margarita. Recently, Flyers also came out with an epic line of "Sunset Spritz" Flavors including Watermelon Mint, Mango Guava and Grapefruit Lime. All of their beverages are 5mg of THC per can. Flyers Craft Cocktails is a leader in the hemp mocktail space and have been participating in the market since before the boom. As they continue to build their distribution network and ecommerce presence nationwide, we expect that Flyers will be a clear leader in the THC mocktail space for years to come.
Trail Magic: Trail Magic is also an OG in the cannabis infused drink space. We love these beverages for their easy-to-drink flavors, clean branding and brand identity. While some might consider Trail Magic to be a seltzer or sparkling beverage, we're adding them to our list of cannabis mocktails to watch in the coming year(s). This is because they focus on classic cocktail-inspired flavors like Mimosa, Half & Half, and Marganrita. They also have a unique flavor called Berry Basil that is quite good. Trail Magic is a brand that is inviting and professional and that's likely part of the reason that so many of the mainstream or conventional retailers that are dabbling in hemp thc cocktails have started to carry them, including Total Wine & More. With drinks in THC concentrations of 5mg and now 10mg with the "Peak Series" we expect that Trail Magic will continue to cater to a broad swathe of customers.
Other:
Brez Social Tonics: In a market of many options, you can't forget to discuss the brand that has been taking the internet by storm, Brez. Brez labels itself as "a euphoric, calming, and inspiring next-gen social tonic with an unparalleled effect". Brez has built an excellent beverage infused with THC, CBD and Lions Mane (among other things) for a unique drinking experience. And that's exactly what they're all about; "the experience" that they're creating. It starts right when you visit their website...it's almost like you're taken to another world. What's especially interesting is that they're finding such success with only a single flavor option: Lemon Elderflower. Unique in it's own right, Brez is definitely a functional hemp beverage to keep an eye on.
