Tilray and AB InBev to release CBD drinks by December

Fluent Beverage Company, a joint venture between AB InBev and cannabis company Tilray, will release CBD-based soft drinks on the Canadian market by December, subject to possible regulatory delays that depend on the provinces.

The joint venture between one of the world's beverage giants and one of Canada's major cannabis producers was aimed at developing CBD and THC beverages for the Canadian market. The two companies each invested $50 million.

Fluent has thus determined a formulation for creating beverages containing cannabidiol (CBD) which stabilizes the active ingredients and their effects throughout the product's life cycle. For THC, the company will need more time, as the molecule is much more unstable.

«When you put CBD or THC in a drink, it tends to degrade over time ... We've figured out how to do that [for CBD], but we haven't figured it out yet for THC,» he declared in an interview.

«The plan to commercialize CBD-infused soft drinks across Canada is an exciting development in our partnership,« the two companies said in a statement.

The products and their dosages are not yet precisely known.

«Fluent intends to sell CBD-infused beverages to adult consumers in Canada as early as December 2019, subject to regulatory timelines put in place by Health Canada and provincial regulators. Fluent will then continue its ongoing research into non-alcoholic beverages containing THC.»

The announcement comes as the Canada legalizes as of today cannabis-infused foods and beverages, as well as concentrates. Due to a mandatory 60-day period for Health Canada to analyze the products, they will not arrive in stores until December.

Tilray and AB InBev aren't the only ones interested in infused drinks. Molson Coors has formed a partnership with Canadian cannabis producer Truss. HEXO will also develop infused drinks. And Constellation Brands, American distributor of Corona, invested $4 billion in Canopy Growth, with the wider opportunities needed to make the most of your investment.