Collaboration in the Commonwealth
The Hemp Beverage Alliance is proud to work with other trade organizations to further benefit the hemp industry. One such partner is Laura Beohner, director of the Massachusetts Hemp Coalition (as well as president of Healing Rose Company.) Talking Joints Memo recently spoke with her about her efforts to create a sensible regulatory framework for hemp:
Beohner is working with the Hemp Beverage Alliance, a national trade association, “to help them push forward for the greater sake of hemp.” She said a bill relative to hemp and hemp products in Mass that’s currently before the Joint Committee on Agriculture could forge a positive path forward:
“I try to represent everyone’s best interest in the hemp space. We have been trying to get a bill passed [for four years] to allow hemp cannabinoids in food and beverage. I know [the Hemp Beverage Alliance] is interested in carving out a beverage space, but I am also interested in carving out a food space for MDAR licenses at least.”
Hats off to Laura for leading the charge in the Commonwealth. Read the whole story here.
HBA and members mentioned in Talking Joints Memo
The HBA and two of its members were mentioned in a recent Talking Joints Memo article. Executive Director Christopher Lackner (HBA), as well as members Adam Terry (Cantrip), and Jason Reposa (Good Feels) were all quoted.
Check it out here.
Hemp Beverage Alliance panel in Chicago
Join us in downtown Chicago on Thursday, March 21st to learn how hemp beverages are booming in Illinois and across the country. Moderated by Laurie Parfitt of LKP Consulting and featuring Glenn McElresh (Plift), Adriana Tarasiewicz (Azuca), and Adam Peabody (Reddi Beverage), the panel will discuss the current state of the marketplace and how new brands can get up and running in this fast moving industry.
Click here for the who, what, when, where, and how much. See you next week!
Hemp Beverage Alliance to host panel at USA Trade Tasting
The USA Trade Tasting (USATT) returns to Chicago this upcoming May 22–23, 2024 for the event’s eighth year. The Alliance will moderate a panel for distributors who want to enter the hemp beverage market.
More information and event schedule can be found here.
Alliance members in Chicago Sun-Times
Glenn McElfresh, co-owner of Perfectly Dosed, and Ray Stout, executive director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, appeared in a recent Chicago Sun Times article about THC beverages in Illinois.
According to the article, ”For brewers, the adoption of a new non-beer product line is both a play for survival and a gamble. As craft beer sales level off, THC drinks are becoming an attractive alternative for brewers: After all, they’re trendy, easier to produce than beer and, with a different flavor than a lager or ale and a different buzz, appeal to a slightly different audience.”
Read more here.
HEMP BEVERAGE ALLIANCE IN MG RETAILER
The good folks at mg Magazine picked up our press release about Michelle Bodian joining us as general counsel. You can read the whole thing here.
MICHELLE BODIAN JOINS HEMP BEVERAGE ALLIANCE AS GENERAL COUNSEL
The Hemp Beverage Alliance today announced cannabis and hemp regulatory specialist Michelle Bodian has joined the organization as general counsel.
“Michelle and Vicente LLP were early supporters of the Hemp Beverage Alliance and have been instrumental in getting us where we are today,” said Christopher Lackner, founder and president, Hemp Beverage Alliance. “We are thrilled to officially add her to our leadership team and look forward to working together to grow the Alliance and the industry.”
Ms. Bodian serves as a partner in Vicente LLP’s Boston and New York offices, where she is co-chair of the firm’s Hemp and Cannabinoids Department and is a leading member of the firm’s cannabis licensing and regulatory compliance efforts in Connecticut and New York. In addition, Michelle leads the firm’s Environment, Health & Safety practice group.
“I’ve had the pleasure of watching the Alliance grow into a powerhouse industry leader,” said Bodian. “I’m grateful for this opportunity to help advance the hemp beverage industry in a responsible, inclusive, and compliant manner.”
Founded in 2023, the Hemp Beverage Alliance is an association of over 140 brands, distributors, supply chain partners, professional service providers, associations and retailers, all working together to create a hemp beverage marketplace that is safe, transparent, and provides consumers with the highest quality products.
The Hemp Beverage Alliance will be at the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association Access Live trade show January 29 - February 1 in Las Vegas.
ABOUT
The mission of the Hemp Beverage Alliance is to create a safe and thriving industry through education, advocacy, best practices and partnership. We achieve this mission by providing consumers, retailers, and distributors with the information they need to better understand the industry; developing best practices to create consistency in labeling and manufacturing; working with elected officials and regulators to encourage common-sense regulation; and collaborating with cannabis and alcohol industries to create a marketplace that benefits everyone. More at hempbeveragealliance.org.
Hemp Beverage Alliance in WeedWeek
The Hemp Beverage Alliance believes marijuana and hemp industries can do more than just co-exist. They actually help each other thrive by normalizing the plant, introducing new customers, and furthering innovation. From WeedWeek:
Hemp and cannabis drinks also seem to have recognized a tacit division of the market: Hemp gets the low-dose “sessionable” drinks, and weed takes the higher potency products better suited for dispensaries.
Read all about the need to #UniteThePlant in WeedWeek. (subscription required).
Statement on New York legal action
The Hemp Beverage Alliance issued the following statement from Christopher Lackner, executive director:
”The Hemp Beverage Alliance applauds the recent legal decision that allows hemp products back onto the shelves of New York stores. This decision will come as a tremendous relief to thousands of New York small businesses, as well as their customers who have made these products part of their daily routine.
"The Hemp Beverage Alliance looks forward to working with OCM and other stakeholders to create a sensibly regulated marketplace that emphasizes safety, protects children, and provides consumers with the products they want."
News about the court’s decision can be found at BevNet and Law360.
Click here to read the court’s decision.