Target, one of the largest retail chains in the U.S., is expanding its distribution pilot program for hemp-derived THC beverages, even as a federal ban on the products looms later this year.
According to BevNET, the company will begin selling intoxicating hemp beverages at all stores in Florida, Illinois and Texas, local regulations permitting. The next step comes after Target first began selling the products at its stores in Minnesota. Products including Cann, Wynk, Trail Magic, Stigma, Gigli and Daizy’s are expected to be featured.
“At Target, we’re always exploring new ways to meet our guests’ evolving preferences, grounded in our merchandising authority and focus on thoughtfully curating a relevant assortment,” a spokesperson said in a statement obtained by the publication.
The pilot expansion at Target comes at a time of uncertainty around the future of the hemp-derived THC market that sprung up after the 2018 Farm Bill. Congress last year approved government funding legislation and tucked into that appropriations bill is language that could effectively kill the country's $28 billion hemp-derived THC industry.
The bill "prevents the unregulated sale of intoxicating hemp-based or hemp-derived products, including Delta-8, from being sold online, in gas stations, and corner stores, while preserving non-intoxicating CBD and industrial hemp products."
