Name
Navigating Cannabis & CBD Infused Beverages in Hospitality
Date & Time
Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Description

As the cannabis-infused beverage category explodes—forecasted to reach $30 billion by 2035—on- and off-premise operators face the opportunity and responsibility of navigating this new frontier thoughtfully. With varied state regulations, consumer confusion around dosing, and concerns about safety and branding, this session provides a comprehensive guide to responsibly introducing cannabis- and CBD-infused beverages into your beverage programming.

Led by industry leaders and advocates, this guided tasting experience will spotlight compliant, consumer-trusted brands within a framework aligned with the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives (CABA) and the Hemp Beverage Alliance. You’ll learn how to evaluate products based on dosage transparency, third-party testing, packaging integrity, and regulatory clarity—ensuring you can confidently select and promote these beverages in your venue.

Session Type
Tasting Seminar
Tasting Component?
Tasting Session
Learning Objectives
Understand compliance standards and best practices, including dosage caps (≤10 mg THC per serving/100 mg per container), clear labeling, age verification, and testing per CABA and Hemp Beverage Alliance guidelineshempbeveragealliance.org+8adultbeveragealternatives.org+8hempbeveragealliance.org+8.

Evaluate beverage flavor, onset, and efficacy, differentiating aroma-first cannabis botanical drinks, CBD wellness tonics, and low-dose THC seltzers—while learning to explain onset timing and effects to guests.

Build consumer confidence and operational readiness, with insights into supply-chain consistency, packaging challenges (e.g., can liners and potency loss), responsible staff training, retail placement considerations, and marketing compliance .

Explore practical applications in hospitality, including non-alcoholic cannabis cocktails and culinary pairings, to incorporate these beverages into tasting menus, pairing flights, or wellness-driven programming.