As we reported last year, Bayou City Hemp acquired 8th Wonder, Houston’s decade-old brewery and distillery, to create a vertically integrated cannabis and craft beverage company. The beverages are infused with Delta 9 THC derived from hemp, extracted and formulated using Bayou City Hemp Company’s innovative CO2 extraction and proprietary nano-emulsion technologies.
Last month, Bayou City Hemp Co. partnered with Silver Eagle Distributors Houston to expand the presence of cannabis-infused, non-alcoholic beverages in the Greater Houston market. This week, the Texas THC powerhouse struck a deal with Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods to add their full portfolio of hemp-derived THC beverages to shelves at 238 locations throughout the state.
“We have taken Texas by storm with our safe, high-quality hemp-derived THC products. No one is better suited to supply the state of Texas due to our capacity and existing distribution channels,” said Ben Meggs, CEO Bayou City Hemp and 8th Wonder. “We couldn’t be more excited to reach an even wider audience thanks to Spec’s trust in our products.”
Over 250 major metro retailers in the Lone Star State have embraced 8th Wonder’s products with open arms thanks in large part to earned consumer trust. Bayou City Hemp and 8th Wonder expect to see their footprint double over the next month as Spec’s and other retailers add the full portfolio to their shelves, menus, and bars.
As for Spec’s, the brand has historically been an earlier adopter, having introduced wine in the 1970’s and gourmet foods in the 1980’s. So, this stamp of approval matters to customers.
“Spec’s has always been the industry leader in new products and this is no exception. The alternative beverage niche is only growing in both reputation and customer requests,” says Lisa Rydman-Lindsey, Spec’s Family 3rd Generation. “Our customers know that we will bring them the best in class products and with this partnership we are once again showing our commitment to great brands like 8th Wonder and our customers.”
This is all made possible thanks to the 2018 Federal Farm Bill and Texas HB 1325 allowing for legal sale and distribution throughout most of the nation and across the state of Texas. Restaurants, music venues, movie theaters, bars, and even family-friendly bowling alleys have embraced cannabis, proving that hemp-derived THC beverages are quickly becoming the new normal.
Next, the nation?
With placement secured in every major metro area across the state, the teams at Bayou City Hemp and 8th Wonder have begun to set their sights on expansion into new territories.
“We’ve curated a portfolio of beverages that offers a wide variety of flavor profiles, potencies, and functionality that Texans have safely enjoyed for nearly three years,” said Meggs. “Consumer trends have informed the next era of the brand. Alcohol trends are down and alternatives are on the rise. We are leaning much heavier into cannabis due to consumer demand.”
The brand will be entering into 2-to-3 new states over the course of the next few months, with more information forthcoming.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.