Cannabis Drinks Confront a Serious Buzz Kill- They Taste Terrible
As cannabis becomes more popular, we are seeing that it can be and is being substituted for alcohol and prescription drugs. Whether people want to reduce anxiety, cure a headache, or treat their depression, cannabis is being widely seeked after. The only thing in the way of maximizing consumer utility is the taste of the beverage. The compounds that come from cannabis are THC and CBD, the latter is the nonintoxicating compound. Both THC and CBD are oil-based compounds which means they do not mix with water. This problem is the root of many unfavored outcomes. Due to oil and water not mixing together this leads to drinks looking unappetizing to the consumer as well as a bitter taste and long wait time for the effects to kick in which is the sole reason for consuming the beverage. Because the cannabis extracts are oil-based, it is broken down in the liver which can take up to two hours to feel any effects. Many companies are doing research to figure out how to make the compounds mix together, this not only "would be absorbed and enter the bloodstream faster," but also would reduce the "dish soap and urine" taste. The owner of Ruby's restaurant in New York created a cannabis-infused sweetener known as Azuca. This sweetener will mix with any drink due to the oil-based extracts being converted into a sugar texture. Alkaline Co. also joined in on how to perfect the cannabis beverage. They ultimately came up with the idea of a "soaking and straining technique that separates water-soluble CBD compounds from the plant". This approach is straight to the point because instead of converting the oil based extracts into something that is water-soluble, Alkaline cut out the middle man and directly extracted the water-soluble compounds. Other companies are focusing on breaking down the oily compounds to then mix them with chemicals to make then blend easily with water. The big problem that this technique faces is the disturbing taste it creates due to the chemicals. Canopy Growth Corporations, a Canadian cannabis grower and retailer, partnered with Constellation brands, are also trying to get in on the cannabis beverages. The chief executive of Constellation stated that the drinks "could be sold as intoxicating alternatives to beer or liquor, or a nonintoxicating health drink akin to a herbal tea, coconut water or kombucha". While the demand and consumer preferences increase, researchers are testing different techniques to please their market before someone else does.
This relates to the marketing concept, which is to focus on creating the most desired product by the consumer and making sure that everyone is working to reach that goal. Many of the companies that are selling cannabis products understand the problems that face the beverage category and are working to perfect it. This not only includes the marketing team, but the CEO's such as Bruce Linton of Canopy Growth Corp. and investors such as Constellation brands are all working to reach the same goal. This also relates to product differentiation, as many companies are working to solve this problem they are doing so in different ways to make their product stand out above everyone else in the same market.
I picked this topic because I like keeping up with the cannabis industry, especially now that it is coming closer and closer to nationwide leagization. In addition, this is an organic way of having a good time as well as a great alternative to pharmaceuticals.
The cannabis industry has grown over the past few years and I agree that it is closer to nationwide legalization.
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