Truss CBD USA, a joint venture between Molson Coors Beverage Company and Canada's HEXO Corp., has introduced Veryvell, a CBD beverage available in Colorado. It's Truss CBD USA's first entry into the U.S. CBD market, and the latest example of Molson Coors' ambitions beyond the beer aisle.
CBD – or cannabidiol – is an extract of the hemp plant, and has none of the psychoactive components derived from THC, the active component of another hemp byproduct, marijuana
Veryvell, a line of non-alcohol sparkling CBD beverages, is derived from hemp, has zero calories and zero sugar. Made with adaptogens, herbal components that are known to adapt to the body’s needs, Veryvell comes in three flavors:
- Focus (Grapefruit Tarragon): a combination of grapefruit and tarragon with ginseng and guarana
- Mind & Body (Strawberry Hibiscus): a blend of strawberry and hibiscus with ashwagandha and elderberry
- Unwind (Blueberry Lavender): a mix of blueberry and lavender with ashwagandha and L-Theanine
Veryvell, which is distributed by Coors Distributing Company, is sold in Denver retail locations and is available online for delivery across Colorado.
The beverage taps into consumer wellness trends, says Jane Armstrong Hockman, Truss CBD USA’s general manager.
“Consumers care about wellness now more than ever, so this is a beverage that’s made for this moment. Veryvell is meant for people who want to indulge in self care to boost their clarity, restore their balance or let go of their day,” she says.
In August, Truss Beverages, another joint venture between Molson Coors and HEXO that operates in Canada, launched five separate varieties of cannabis-infused beverages that contain CBD and THC. Together, its brands make it the nation’s dollar share leader in the cannabis space. (inside.beer, 27.8.2020)
Truss CBD USA is a separate entity from Truss Beverages (inside.beer, 15.4.2020), and Veryvell, unlike its counterpart sold under the same name in Canada, contains no THC.
Entrepreneurs in the beverage space and beyond have found consumers eager to try products that incorporate CBD.
That includes major beverage companies exploring the space, including PepsiCo, as well as Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., which launched its sparkling CBD water CarryOn last year. Other major beverage makers, including Constellation Brands and AB-Inbev have signaled their intentions to enter the U.S. market, as well, through investments and partnerships. Thus far, however, neither have introduced products.
With its entrance into the market, Molson Coors is well positioned to quickly expand distribution of Veryvell and other products produced by Truss as the regulatory environment evolves in the U.S.
“If you look at the core competencies of Molson Coors, we’re good at producing beverages, marketing beverages and distributing beverages through our wholesale network, which positions us well for cannabis beverages,” says David Coors, who sits on Truss’ board of directors.
The joint venture between Molson Coors and Gatineau, Quebec-based HEXO began in 2018, and Coors says getting Veryvell into stores after three years of research and testing was “a monumental moment.”
“We’ve done it in a way that’s as responsible as could possibly be. We’ve vetted all of our suppliers and processes and inputs. We tested and modified. The amount of work that has gone to getting to this point is remarkable,” he says.
While Veryvell is Truss’ first product in an American state, Coors says it won’t be the last.
"We're monitoring the evolving regulatory environment, and are ready to hit the ground running. So expect more to come," he says.
