Canadian CANNAINVESTOR Magazine April 2017 | Page 126

Functional beverages such as Hemplify operate in a much larger market than the cannabis industry, which, as mentioned earlier, is expected to reach approximately $89.6 billion this past year. As consumers have moved away from sugar-based sodas in recent years, it presents opportunity for functional drink brands that just don’t provide a low sugar alternative, but various nutritional or health benefits, all the while maintaining a great taste. Jeff suggests that the “reality is, CBD or hemp extract drinks which are made from hemp stalk is a very larger market opportunity. Major companies such as Coke and Pepsi have also tried to capture part of the market by acquiring health drink startups”.

Tinley has also created formulations for its cannabis-infused line of liquor-style and ready-to-drink cocktail products. These alcohol-free, cannabis-infused products include Dark Caribbean Rum, Cinnamon Whisky and Amaretto extract-based varieties, as well as a single-serve Margarita cocktail, all made with extracts used for their alcoholic counterparts. The Company intends to use oil extracted from cannabis grown in Humboldt County, California. It is now preparing for production of its first run of saleable products, and will be available through the recently launched Tinley Collective. (Marketwired – “Tinley Opens California Cannabis Collective for Tinley ’27 and Other Cannabis-Infused Beverages” www.marketwired.com)

Other publicly traded Canadian companies in this market space such as Lexaria Bioscience Corp (CSE:LXX, OTC:LXRP) and their cannabinoid (CBD) edibles patented technology works to mask the taste and eliminate the need for sugar-filled edibles, and further increases bio-absorption 5-10 times the norm. (www.lexariaenergy.com).They license their technology to other companies and also have their own line of products under the Vipova brand, which includes a line of teas infused with hemp oil and Lexaria Energy Bar, a hemp oil-infused protein bar, among other products.

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