Sometimes brands attempt to diversify in ways that don’t make sense — Cheetos once tried to market a lip balm. Other times, it feels kismet, like Edible Arrangements parent Edibles Brands’ decision to launch a D2C digital platform for… well, edibles.
Edibles.com is currently available to Texas residents, offering a variety of wellness-focused, hemp-derived THC products, including beverages, chews, and enhancers that customers can mix into other drinks.
The company intends to first expand across the Southeast US, launching online stores in Florida and Georgia and a brick-and-mortar location in Atlanta.
This is legal?
Sure is. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp — defined as a plant that contain 0.3% or less THC — meaning that hemp-derived THC products can be sold even in states that haven’t legalized cannabis, assuming they haven’t also enacted legislation against hemp. But essentially, they’re the same plant.
Most of Edibles.com’s products are low THC — 5 mg or less per serving — with a focus on wellness benefits, such as sleep, mood, or relaxation, not getting as blazed as humanly possible.
“Even if you’ve never heard of any of these brands before, you can shop based on outcome and determine exactly what products you want and which ones might be a good fit for you,” Thomas Winstanley, Edibles.com’s executive vice president, told The Hustle.
Aside from the name…
… the move makes sense for Edibles for a few reasons.
Edible Arrangements’ first store opened in Connecticut in 1999. Today, it has 1k+ stores across the US. Edibles.com will be able to use the franchise and supply networks it already has to offer same-day and next-day delivery, akin to how Drizly delivered alcohol.
Winstanley sees edibles as a more accessible form of cannabis compared to inhalables for new consumers, and attitudes toward cannabis in general have shifted considerably over the years.
Gen Z consumes alcohol less than previous generations and “didn’t grow up being told [cannabis] was illegal,” Winstanley noted.
At the same time, functional beverages are growing at a quick pace. It’s a $50B market in the US and is expected to reach $62B by 2027.
We know what you’re thinking…
… and no, Edibles.com does not currently offer artfully curated bouquets of edibles, as the brand is focused on its launch. However, that’s not to say it couldn’t happen in the future.
