Welcome Note
Welcome Back Gardeners to the 104th edition of Herbal Profiles!
Happy Friday yall! Got a packed newsletter this week. As always, a roundup of the biggest news in the industry in the last week. This week’s featured story I get into retail storytelling and why as a category (and founders) need to rethink how they go to market.
And don’t miss the latest episode of the Free Spirits Podcast.
Let’s get into it.
-Lars
The subreddit I moderate with Chris Fontes hit 1,400 subscribers! And my other subreddit for the broader CPG industry is also growing, hitting 60 subscribers. I would love to have you join us on either or both subreddits!
The Free Spirits Podcast with David Gonzalez and myself just dropped episode 14 of season 2 with Boston Beer Company’s Head of Cannabis, Paul Weaver.
If you could take the time to drop a review of the podcast or even just share it with a friend or two, it really does help us grow and continue to bring you this show.
You can find us on Youtube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!
Any comments or questions? Leave comment on this post or shoot me an email. Would love to hear from you!
News Roundup
- How Minnesota Became the Gold Standard for Hemp THC Sales
- Buzz Without Booze: Hectare’s Sets Standard for THC Beverages
- Edible Arrangements Is Taking Its THC Delivery Service Nationwide
- Snoop Dogg’s Iconic Tonics and The Butcher’s Daughter Serve Up a Fresh Take on Functional Beverages
- THC Drinks Given Away on Lakefront Prompting New Questions
- Revolution Brewing’s Reverb THC, CBD Drinks Slowing Beer Sales
- Wana Brands Launches Hemp-Derived THC Edibles, Beverages in Georgia
📰 Got news? Submit it here! 📰
Any other questions or inquiries you can respond to this email or DM me on Twitter
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Founders, Not Features, Are What Consumers Follow
The Era of Novelty Is Over
Putting THC in a drink is not a selling point. It is an ingredient. Consumers don’t buy because of the ingredient — they buy because of the story. Cookie brands don’t say “look, it has sugar!” They tell stories of nostalgia, founder missions, and rituals.
Was there a time that worked? Absolutely, but that era is long gone. Consumers have moved on. Yes, there’s still plenty who are shopping purely on price per mg but that’s more indicative of the economy and wanting their vices at a price that fits their budgets.
With all that said, the brands who are telling a unique story often lose the plot once they reach the shelf. Part of that is the retailers fault, but something brands need to be aware of and deeply obsessed with telling.
The Story Gap at Retail
Once the product lands on the shelf, the story often disappears. Bogos, coupons, TPRs, featured displays, endcaps — these tactics don’t tell a story. They put you beside a dozen other brands and don’t differentiate. The retail shelf becomes the end of the story instead of the stage where it should come alive.
Brand operators need to keep the story alive inside retail’s rigid walls — through in-store demos, trainings, and compliance-friendly education that answers the “what does it feel like?” question.
Data is also powerful storytelling. Real-world observational and self-reported studies focused on outcomes like reduced alcohol use, better sleep, and decreased inhalation give retailers a reason to believe and consumers a reason to pay attention.
The lesson is simple but rarely practiced: retail should amplify narrative, not flatten it. Velocity matters, but velocity without story is just churn.
Why Founder Energy Still Matters
As you are well aware if you spend any time in this space, the winds are shifting constantly. Compliance rules change daily & consumer understanding is shallow. This is why founder energy is super critical. They are connective tissue.
A founder can show up in ways a traditional marketing plan cannot. They translate compliance into approachable language, they connect product features to lived occasions, and they embody a mission in a way that resonates with both gatekeepers and end consumers.
We’ve seen brands stall when they reduce their pitch to product specs. By contrast, the brands that stand out are led by founders who fold the product into cultural or lifestyle stories:
- Some have paired launches with live events, making the drink part of a shared social moment rather than just another SKU on a shelf.
- Others lean into hybrid formulations, cannabinoids with functional botanicals, for instance to find replaceable moments for consumers.
- Still others use creative, compliance-friendly activations. Educational demos, nutritionist partnerships, or carefully framed digital campaigns.
That’s the pattern: when founders lead the charge, the finish line gets moved off the shelf and outside the store.
Think Your Hemp Beverage Has What It Takes?
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Don’t miss the opportunity to put your brand in the spotlight.
How Brands Can Keep Their Story Alive
Novelty is dead. You can’t expect consumers to keep showing up just because your drink has cannabinoids, adaptogens, or a clean label. The brands that will build lasting positions are those that create two types of demand: velocity and incrementality.
Velocity is about depth: getting your current fans to buy more, more often. Promotions, pack size extensions, and loyalty programs can drive that, but only if the story keeps drawing them back.
Incrementality is about breadth: bringing new households and new occasions into the fold. Activating at events, showing up on podcasts, leaning into social channels — these aren’t just brand-building tactics. They’re acquisition engines.
Every channel becomes part of this equation. If the founder’s voice and the brand’s mission bleed through in each one, storytelling stops being a pre-launch activity and becomes a permanent competitive advantage.
Closing the Gap
The future of NA and THC drinks won’t be decided by features or fleeting novelty. It will be defined by which brands carry their story — consistently, from pitch deck to shelf to social feed — and which founders stay visible long after launch day.