Engaging across all age demographics is crucial for maximizing the potential of edibles and drinkables. Young men remain the strongest force, but women and older consumers cannot be ignored. Edibles tend to be the format most appealing across the board, making them a must-have for any major cannabis brand, with 30% of cannabis-using baby boomers showing interest and 60% of female cannabis users reporting use in the last three months.
Drinkables remain a more niche endeavor; not all brands can, or should, do them well. But part of success will include moving away from alcohol associations; 45% of drinkables users have reached for THC-enhanced sodas, about 15 percentage points more than beer or wine-style alternatives.
Edibles and drinkables, however, do have a critical attribute in common: they’re not inhalables. Both are uniquely positioned to balance recreational use with wellness benefits, by circumnavigating risks associated with smoking. As a bonus, food and drink inherently offer fun and enjoyment associated with flavors and textures. Ultimately, consumables are able to balance objections to cannabis while also checking a lot of key boxes for consumers of all types.
As always with cannabis, the landscape has potential to change abruptly alongside legislation, requiring businesses to maintain agility and scalability.
Cannabis food and drink represent the full spectrum of cannabis opportunity: edibles are a must-have while drinks are a more niche (but still growing) subcategory.
Michele Scott, Associate Director, US Research – Food and Drink
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