Cannabis-Infused Beverages Finally Arrive in Canada

Valens GroWorks Corp., a producer of cannabis extracts, noted the white label products it has produced in collaboration with A1 Cannabis Company, a subsidiary of Iconic Brewing, which will be the first to market in the province in the coming days. Additional Canadian markets are expected to follow.

BASECAMP, what the company calls “a CBD-forward iced tea,” will be available first in select stores, with SUMMIT, “THC-forward citrus water,” expected to follow over the next few weeks.

The new THC- and CBD-infused offerings were produced using Valens’ SōRSE emulsion technology, which the company noted converts cannabis oil into water-soluble forms for a wide range of products while removing the taste, color, and smell of cannabis.


     BASECAMP – a CBD-forward iced tea                       SUMMIT – THC-forward citrus water

 

The technology provides numerous benefits, the company claimed, including a faster-observed onset time than other infused beverages and edibles, reduced offset time and consistency that has the potential to provide more than a year of shelf life for products.

“Our agreement with A1 demonstrates the strategic value of partnering with leading companies that share our vision and reinforces our commitment to launching the Cannabis 2.0 products that consumers are looking for.”

Valens CEO Tyler Robson.

“This is the next step in the execution of our strategy to introduce innovative, high-quality products that deliver safe and customized user experiences,” Robson said.

Canadian consumers were expecting to have a wealth of options to choose from by now when it comes to cannabis-infused beverages, but the production process has proven more difficult than anticipated.

Canopy Growth, for example, planned to have more than a dozen infused drinks on store shelves in January. The company, however, announced an indefinite delay upon realizing the liners in their aluminum cans were sucking the THC and CBD out of its beverages.

Canopy has thus far resisted calls to update its release date to better manage expectations in the future.

According to Deloitte, with the market for cannabis-infused drinks was expected to reach over $500 million annually in Canada, the stakes for A1 Cannabis and its competitors could not be higher.

“The company is fully confident that they (the new drinks) will meet the taste and quality expectations of Canadian consumers who have been waiting eagerly for cannabis-infused beverages.”

Cole Miller, CEO, and founder of A1 Cannabis.

The white-label deal between the two companies calls for the production of at least 2.5 million cannabis-infused drinks over five years with options to expand the partnership with new products.