The CannabisNewsAudio Podcast

The growth of vaping has led to the emergence of a new sector.

• Vaping is tied to the tobacco and cannabis industries but has become popular as a healthier delivery system for both products.
• Investment and mergers are fueling the industry’s expansion.
• Working smarter in the competitive market may be savvy strategy.

Many companies are jockeying for position in this new space. Interestingly, some of the more successful companies may not necessarily be the big players but those that work smart with what they have. Among these smaller smart companies is VPR Brands LP (OTC: VPRB) (VPRB Profile), which has used innovative products and marketing tactics to expand its customer base. At the opposite end of the spectrum is Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO), a tobacco giant that has invested heavily in vaping. Greenlane Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: GNLN) works on the distribution side and has impressive reach, supplying nearly 10,000 stores and two major online outlets. KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: KSHB) has moved successfully from packaging into cannabis. Thanks to cannabis-based medicines such as those created by GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH), vaping may even develop a place in medical care.

Projections for the cannabis markets are staggering, yet there’s evidence that the lofty estimates may be understated.

• Cannabis projections often fall far short of actual sales growth.
• Cannabis-infused beverages looks to be next area of explosive upside.
• Beverage and cannabis companies striking deals to gain market access.
• New technologies could snag significant market share.

Once viewed as wild conjecture for the future of cannabis markets, forecasts in 2015 fell severely short of actuality. At that time, consensus was that Canada could reach CA$2.8 billion in legal sales by 2020. Sage prognosticators now say that the market may exceed CA$7 billion in 2019. Catering to the tastes of market demographics, intense interest is now focused on the cannabis-infused beverages market. Not even legal in Canada until this fall, the infused beverage market is already pegged to reach a mind-boggling CA$4.4 billion within five years.

Joining the ranks of the majors to meet this titanic demand, Sproutly Canada Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (SRUTF Profile) announced a joint venture with Moosehead Breweries, the largest and oldest independent beer company in Canada. Cannabis colossus Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) announced a research partnership into infused beverages and is bringing in executives with backgrounds in the beverage industry. The maker of Corona and Modelo beer increased its stake in Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) to 38%, spurring speculation of cannabis-infused beverages to come. HEXO Corp. (NYSE American: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO) entered a joint venture with Molson Coors Canada to produce CBD-infused beverages. And New Age Beverages Corp. (NASDAQ: NBEV) is anticipated to begin roll out of Marley+CBD-infused drinks in four targeted U.S. states.

The cannabis industry presents a rare opportunity to profit from spectacular growth in a virtually untapped market.

• Legal marijuana market projected to reach $146.4 billion.
• United States and Canada current epicenter of cannabis growth.
• Brand recognition and retail reach imperative for market share.

Capturing market share and creating long-term success in this explosive market will require brand recognition and retail reach. Shortly after posting its tenth consecutive quarter of increased revenues, Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile) announced intentions to further expand its footprint with the acquisition of premier licensed cannabis retailer, City Cannabis Corp. A finalized accretive acquisition will add significant revenues to Wildflower, providing access to several valuable cannabis licenses in lucrative premium locations. Other companies in the sector are looking to grow in the market through other promising ways. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) recently acquired Natura Naturals Holdings, boosting capacity to supply cannabis products across Canada. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) bought hemp company AgriNextUSA to accelerate entry into key American jurisdictions. Medmen Enterprises Inc. (OTCQX: MMNFF) (CSE: MMEN) announced the purchase of two vertically integrated operations, which include retail locations and 25,000 square feet of cultivation and production capacity. And only two weeks ago, Curaleaf Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: CURLF) (CSE: CURA) completed the acquisition of Eureka to provide access to California’s wholesale market through a large greenhouse facility.

Ever since the Farm Bill was signed into law, farmers across the United States have rushed into hemp cultivation, driving demand for the supplies needed to grow the crop necessary to meet surging CBD use.

• Global hemp industry to reach $22 billion in 2022.
• CBD market could increase 40 times in the next four years.
• Hemp farming skyrockets to meet demand.
• Serious squeeze on hydroponic and cultivation supply products.

Hemp is booming across the country, and nowhere more so than in Kentucky, where the applications to grow hemp are expected to increase fivefold, and acreage dedicated to growing the crop is set to more than triple this year. At the forefront of this explosive market growth, Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) recently inked a strategic supply contract with Hempistry Inc., a leading Kentucky-based cultivator of high CBD content hemp. Since passage of the farm bill, other major Canadian producers have also been making deals to expand hemp and CBD operations south of the border. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) announced the acquisition of a large hemp foods maker, and Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is making substantial investments in New York state. Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) temporarily withdrew from the U.S. market while fighting off a hostile takeover bid. And after a $1.8 billion investment from a U.S. tobacco giant, Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) is expanding globally with eyes to the U.S. markets in the future. Even the largest Canadian licensed producers are betting on hemp CBD, underscoring titanic market growth.

The CBD market is seeing strong growth and a move towards the mainstream.

• The North American CBD market, worth more than $9 billion in 2017, is projected to be worth $47 billion by 2027.
• Growth is possible partly through mainstream acceptance, with pressure on a variety of institutions to accept medical CBD.
• Leaders are emerging within the CBD and cannabis markets, as leading voices gain recognition for their work.

Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile), which focuses on health and wellness products, is benefiting from this growth through the establishment of strong distribution deals. Focused on the organic market, Green Organic Dutchman (OTCQX: TGODF) (TSX: TGOD) has significantly increased its output to meet demand. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) has earned its CEO industry-wide recognition through strong growth and a powerful place as a market leader. HEXO Corp. (NYSE American: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO) is pushing CBD and cannabis toward the mainstream through connections with food and consumer product companies. Significant developments in science and agriculture, where Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: CWBHF) (CSE: CWEB) is making great steps forward in developing low-cost high-quality hemp, is also strengthening the plant.

The U.S. Farm Bill that recently passed into law is a game-changer for the CBD space. While it is unknown when nationwide cannabis legalization may occur, incredible opportunities exist right now for CBD-focused companies that can deliver products to the marketplace.

• Demand is growing for organic CBD products in markets where such products are legal.
• Youngevity has made a series of strategic acquisitions to help establish the company’s position
• Companies ready to deliver CBD products to market at scale are in ideal position to capitalize on growing demand.

Passage of the latest U.S. Farm Bill marked a watershed moment for CBD producers in the United States. Not only does the new body of law allow these producers to commercialize existing CBD products, the door is now open for a new generation of research into what CBD can do for consumers. Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile) is a leading producer of consumer-focused CBD products that is expanding its reach into other areas of the CBD supply chain. It joins companies such as CV Sciences Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI), Isodiol International Inc. (CSE: ISOL) (OTCQB: ISOLF), GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) (OTC: GWPRF), and Curaleaf Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: CURLF) (CSE: CURA), which are all working to commercialize CBD products in both the consumer and pharmaceutical sectors.

A surge in hemp production means big business for hydroponic suppliers.

• Hemp production set to massively increase in the United States this year.
• Increased production driving high demand for hydroponic supplies.
• Hydroponics companies are responding with expansion and acquisitions.

Sugarmade Inc. (OTC: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) has strategically acquired several companies to meet demand and expand its foothold. Canadian-based Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) has expanded production in both Canada and Europe while Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is developing projects in the United States, and Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) has received massive outside investment to fuel its growth. Companies such as Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) are enlarging their indoor grow operations as they too rush to meet demand.

Analysts at Brightfield Group see CBD (cannabidiol) gobbling up a sizeable chunk of a projected $100 billion nutraceuticals 2022 U.S. market.

• $22 billion-plus CBD market could eclipse broader cannabis market
• Growing consensus about health benefits backed by clinical work, personal endorsements
• CBD found in everything from beverages and dog treats to pharmaceuticals and wellness products

The opening of the CBD floodgates represents a huge opportunity for plant-based wellness and health-product developers such as Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile) and Green Growth Brands Inc. (OTCQB: GGBXF) (CSE: GGB), a lifestyle-oriented developer of cannabis and CBD consumer products. Similarly, some of the fastest-growing producers in the industry today, such as Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB), Green Organic Dutchman (OTCQX: TGODF) (TSX: TGOD) and HEXO Corp. (NYSE: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO) all stand to benefit as the rising tide of the CBD market continues to see tremendous growth for a number of reasons.