Hemp and CBD continued to reign as one of the top food and beverage trends at Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore last week, just as they did at the event’s counterpart Expo West last March – but also just like at West they were far from the only...
The US House of Representatives is expected to vote today on a bill that would clear the way for full banking services for companies dealing in hemp/CBD products.
After several years of strong growth driven by its core kefir business, Lifeway Foods’ revenues have plateaued at around the $120m market in recent years, while sales in the latest quarter were down 14% YoY. However, a new line of plant-based functional...
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has introduced language into a congressional spending report that would require the FDA to issue formal enforcement discretion on the sale of hemp-derived CBD products within 120 days, clearing a path for the lawful...
While there is something of a Gold Rush mentality driving parts of the CBD market right now, “there will be a lot of winners in this space, if brands can create a credible product and tell the appropriate story,” predicts one new player in the space.
Socati Corp., a processor of broad spectrum hemp extracts, has launched two CBD products for the CPG industry containing a minimum of 80% CBD and 4% of the minor cannabinoid cannabigerol (CBG) with non-detectable levels of THC.
Interest in CBD is “off the charts,” but those mulling the regulatory path forward for the hottest functional ingredient of the moment might be well advised to consider how other cannabinoids will fit into the regulatory framework going forward, says...
A California court has granted a request from Mondelēz Canada to compel Facebook and Google to release information associated with Instagram and Gmail accounts of a company selling THC-infused gummies under the STONEY PATCH brand.
Natural Hemp Company CEO Chris Clifford believes the next big category to hit the food and beverage market will be CBD-infused sparkling water. And the company is positioning its first CPG brand, Day One CBD Sparkling Water, as an everyday beverage that...
The rollout of New Age Beverages’ CBD-infused beverages has been delayed owing to the regulatory uncertainty over CBD, which makes navigating the territory “as murky as the Strait of Hormuz,” CEO Brent Willis told analysts yesterday.
Humming Hemp is on a mission to increase household penetration of hemp food products and is targeting mainstream consumers through conventional retail channels including a nationwide distribution deal with Kroger later this year.
In an editorial published yesterday former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the agency needs to act quickly on CBD, but must not compromise on its mission of safety in doing so.
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products hitting US shelves, from Kellogg’s limited edition Baby Shark cereal, to new oatmilk based yogurts from So Delicious, high-protein, ultra-filtered milk from Organic Valley, and CBD… everywhere.
While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, ripping off a beloved children’s candy brand (SOUR PATCH Kids) in order to sell THC-infused gummies is no laughing matter, says Mondeléz Canada in a trademark infringement lawsuit against edibles...
FDA said today it will have an update on a new regulatory structure for CBD by early fall. The announcement came via a press release on another warning issued to a CBD marketer making illegal disease claims.
CBD snack and beverage brand Weller has raised $3m in a funding round led by venture capital firm Brand Foundry Partners, which the company will put towards scaling up production and increasing marketing efforts to meet high consumer demand.
The US market for foods and beverages featuring hemp-derived CBD – from relaxation drinks to gummies – could be worth $2.5bn by 2023, or 10.5% of an estimated $23.7bn market for CBD products (spanning everything from pharmaceuticals to petfood), predicts...
CBD-infused beverage brand Sweet Reason has raised $2.5M in a seed round led by New York venture capital firm Lerer Hippeau, with participation from RiverPark Ventures, Max Ventures, Subversive Capital, and angel investors.
Colorado has convened a commission to formulate an agricultural plan for the cultivation of industrial hemp in the state. A longtime supplement and natural foods industry consultant is among the participants.
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has put further pressure on FDA with a letter requesting a formal announcement of enforcement discretion on the CBD question while a more permanent regulatory solution is hashed out.
California-based Green Gorilla has acquired two farms (through its subsidiary Gorilla FarmCo), totaling 1,510 acres of organic farmland, to expand its vertically integrated 'seed to shelf' line of CBD products.
An amendment advocated by the Natural Products Association that would earmark funds for CBD regulation was including in the final version of the 2019 appropriations bill passed by the US House of Representatives.
Supplementation with a hemp-derived, CBD-rich extract for six weeks led to significant improvements in sleep and reductions in appetite, according to results of a randomized clinical trial in healthy adults.
CBD and other cannabinoids produced via fermentation can deliver the purity and reliability that the market is looking for at a lower price, claims Amyris, which is aiming to introduce its first products next year following a partnership with a newly...
Natural products online marketplace Thrive Market has temporarily halted sales of hemp-derived CBD products after its merchant processor demanded it cease selling them amid uncertainty over their legal status, but says it is in conversations with a new...
CBD and THC are not the only buzz-worthy ingredients derived from hemp, according to Chad Rosen, founder of Victory Hemp Foods, who touts the plant’s seeds, which are packed with high quality protein and healthy fats, as an equally important “profit center”...
The CBD market is exploding with the ingredient popping up in everything from bars to beverages to confections and everything in between – driving up sales to more than $200 million in 2018 by conservative estimates and an expected $3.8 billion by 2025,...
Plant-based meat, dairy and egg alternatives got top billing at the IFT annual meeting and expo in New Orleans this year, while hemp-derived CBD also made its debut, regulatory uncertainty notwithstanding... Check out part 1 of our gallery of highlights...
The United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Phoenix-based Hemp Industries Association (HIA). The agreement is an effort to advance hemp extract product research, safety, identity and quality standards.
Layn Corp – best known for its stevia, monk fruit, and botanical ingredients - is making a significant bet on hemp-derived CBD, announcing plans to invest around $60m to build a US facility capable of processing a minimum of 5,000 tons of hemp biomass...
While not everyone was on the same page about the legal path forward for hemp-derived CBD during Friday’s marathon FDA hearing, multiple speakers made clear that the current situation is untenable, with one predicting a wave of lawsuits, and others demanding...
“If we do not succeed in working together to reassure the card brands that they can safely support our industry, then we predict a significant decrease in CBD sales within the next few months,” the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) has warned.
A study published recently has found a level of liver toxicity for CBD, putting up a big caveat to the notion within the hemp/CBD world that its products have nothing in the way of safety concerns.
Beverages under the Zola and Caliva brands featuring hemp-derived CBD will start to hit the US market around August or September, says Zola founder Chris Cuvelier, who recently took the helm at a new beverage division at Caliva after the San Jose-based...
Neptune Wellness Solutions has moved into the CBD field in the United States in a big way with the acquisition of North Carolina hemp products producer SugarLeaf Labs.
We’re no longer in the ‘Wild West’ when it comes to hemp-derived CBD, but buyers can still get burned if they don’t do their homework, says Colorado-based BBB Labs, which has launched a quality assurance seal for its hemp extracts to reassure partners...
While the rapid growth of the plant-based market in the US initially may have been fueled by demand for alternatives to animal-protein and -dairy, the trend is quickly evolving as consumers’ tastes become more sophisticated and they begin to embrace plants...
Hemp extract processor, Socati Corp.'s acquisition of Blue Marble Biomaterials, a global manufacturer of specialty compounds for consumer goods, will usher in mass scale production and quality control of in-demand broad spectrum hemp extract (which...
Symrise and The Green Organic Dutchman (TGOD) are expanding their beverage innovation capabilities with an investment in Califormulations, a US beverage innovation company that works with a number of beverage companies and brands in the US market.
Fundamental questions of identity and intended use will have to be answered before CBD can take center stage as a legal dietary ingredient. The upcoming meeting with FDA will likely provide a start, but hopes that all issues will be quickly solved seem...
While several firms are exploring using genetically engineered yeast to biosynthesize cannabinoids using a fermentation process (rather than extracting them from cannabis plants), German company Farmako claims a new approach utilizing bacteria gives it...
The FDA recently reiterated that it’s unlawful to introduce foods or supplements containing added CBD into interstate commerce, but also said enforcement action would focus on brands making "egregious" claims, providing some comfort to firms...
Defining what kombucha is – and just as importantly, what it isn’t – is mission critical if industry pioneers are to preserve the integrity of the category as more brands enter the segment, argues GT Dave, founder of market leader GT’s Living Foods.
The hemp/CBD industry is being threatened by so-called synthetic cannabinoids that are flooding the market, attendees at a recent botanicals conference were told.
While some natural products brands are only interested in CBD from hemp or marijuana plants, the market for cannabinoids produced via microbial fermentation is potentially huge, as the pesticide-free process delivers higher yields and consistent purity...
FDA has reiterated its enforcment stance on CBD and hemp products, has updated a Q&A document on the subject and has specified what kind of information it is seeking in the runup to a public meeting on the subject in May, all as part of documents...