Just a sip:

THC drinks are expanding the aisle. Liquor stores are embracing Delta-9 THC drinks to attract a broader audience in the fast-growing cannabis beverage market.
Consumer habits are shifting. More people are drinking less alcohol as awareness of its health risks increases. THC beverages offer a popular alternative.
THC and alcohol can coexist. Even major beer brands are already investing in THC drinks, proving that alcohol and cannabis can be on friendly terms in retail.

The beverage industry is evolving. As laws around the country change, many states now allow potable purveyors to sell a new breed of innovative drinks containing THC. It’s an exciting addition to any liquor store’s inventory, but some sellers are still skeptical about stocking Delta-9 THC beverages. But are these drinks friends or foes to the customer experience for liquor stores?

Diversifying with Delta-9

Delta-9 THC drinks provide a unique opportunity for liquor stores to diversify shelves and attract a broader customer base – those who might not want to drink booze anymore (or maybe never started), but still want to mingle socially with a buzz. With growing consumer interest in non-alcoholic versions of popular lagers and IPAs and a dramatic shift towards wellness-conscious choices, cannabis beverages represent a new wave of feel-good vibes.

The Delta-9 THC beverage market is booming by all accounts and is giving stores new foot traffic and customer loyalty. Hemp-derived beverage sales increased 143% in 2023, making these drinks a nearly $1 billion segment of the beverage market. By opting to sell Delta-9 THC drinks alongside beer, Jim’s, and Jack’s, stores see a chance to be up on the fastest-growing category in adult beverages.

The Savior of the Party

There’s been a gradual decline in drinking beer, wine, and spirits over the past two decades with younger generations leading the charge away from alcohol. Hangovers, liver damage, the list goes on about why more people are looking for an alt to alc.

And now that the Surgeon General has officially deemed alcohol to be the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, it doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to see that the search for alcohol alternatives is only going to grow. And Delta-9 THC drinks are high on that list.

Cannabis products have been gaining traction as more states move to legalize them. Even traditional alcohol producers have joined in the fun. Some of the largest brewers in the world are now dabbling in THC drinks because they’ve seen the profit potential. More American brewers are branching out, too. California-based Lagunitas and Massachusetts’s Boston Beer Company – makers of Samuel Adams – are now manufacturing THC drinks. Hey, even the creator of the popular Blue Moon beer abandoned beer a few years ago to start a cannabis beer company.

It seems these beverage makers are fully aware that their continued longevity may depend on an ability to broaden their brands beyond booze. It’s not like they’ve given up on their vast repertoires of best-selling alcoholic beverages, either. These brands know their customers. They understand that the alcohol culture also enjoys THC on occasion. They are just giving the public the spectrum of choices they want.

Turn Curiosity Into Opportunity

Embracing hemp-derived Delta-9 THC beverages is a growing trend for businesses looking to be less susceptible to the downturn of alcohol. The stigma around THC is waning rapidly as more people see the benefits of alcohol-free party drinks. It also appears there doesn’t have to be a turf war between hemp and hops. According to Forbes, states like Colorado, which was one of the first states to legalize marijuana for adults 21 and over, continue to experience record-breaking beer sales. In many cases, alcohol sellers claim that the advent of legal weed has made them more profitable. Hemp-derived Delta-9 THC can do that for alcohol retailers.

We’ll raise a toast to that.