Hemp-derived THC drink sales surge as new federal cap could remove products from shelves

Sales of beverages made with hemp-derived THC have surged in mainstream retailers, but a new federal limit on THC per drink could push many products off shelves. At a Stew Leonard’s store in Paramus, N.J., stacks of hemp-infused drinks occupy prominent space in the liquor department as retailers report fast growth.

Blake Leonard, president of Stew Leonard’s Wine & Spirits, said the chain now offers up to 75 brands after carrying fewer than 10 three years ago, and that sales are about 25 percent higher this January than a year earlier. The drinks have found a market amid practices such as Dry January, Damp January and “Cali Sober,” and major retailers including Target, Sprouts and Circle K, as well as national liquor chains, are stocking them.

Andrea Starr of Total Wine & More called THC beverages one of the company’s highest-growth categories. Industry data firm Future Markets Insight estimated roughly $850 million in THC beverage sales last year and said the market could reach about $4 billion by 2028. The category expanded after the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp with up to 0.3 percent THC by dry weight; most retail drinks are made from hemp, though some dispensary products use marijuana.

Key Topics

Business, Thc Beverages, Stew Leonard's, Hemp Beverage Alliance, Drinkin' Buds