AB InBev, Tilray plan launch of CBD-infused drinks in late 2019

Fluent Beverage Company, a joint venture between AB InBev and Canadian cannabis company Tilray, has announced plans to commercialise non-alcohol CBD-infused beverages in Canada, once regulations allow.

AB InBev participates in the partnership through its Labatt Breweries of Canada subsidiary and Tilray through its High Park Company subsidiary, which offers a range of cannabis brands and products in Canada.

The joint venture was first announced in December 2018, in which High Park and Labatt partnered to research non-alcohol beverages containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Fluent intends to have CBD-infused beverages available for sale to adult consumers in Canada as early as December 2019, subject to timelines implemented by Health Canada and provincial regulators.

The company will continue its ongoing research on non-alcohol beverages containing THC.

Fluent is led by CEO Jorn Socquet, an AB InBev veteran who most recently served as its global vice president of marketing strategy.

“Leading Fluent in my return to Canada has been very exciting,” he said. “To be Fluent means to have mastery of a subject or skill.

“We have assembled a team with best-in-class expertise from the beverage and cannabis industries and together we are reaching higher for our consumers, with a shared commitment to setting the standard for product quality and responsible marketing. We look forward to building the future of CBD-infused beverages at Fluent.”

There has been a spike in activity in the cannabis sector in Canada as regulations concerning the production and sale of derivative cannabis products – such as edibles and infused beverages – officially go into effect on 17 October, exactly a year after recreational cannabis became legal in the country.

Canada will see a range of products in retail stores after the second wave of legalisation, but not until mid-December.

Last year, Molson Coors Canada partnered with Canadian cannabis producer The Hydropothecary Corporation to create a joint venture selling cannabis-infused drinks.