The better-for-you snack producer announced the launch of its CBD Wellness line in February, touted to be effective in relieving stress.
“NatureBox has always appealed to millennials who seek healthier, delicious snacks, so the strong demand for our CBD Wellness line is no surprise,” said John Occhipinti, CEO of NatureBox.
Launched in 2012, the California-based online brand has made a name for itself for producing healthy snack options, claiming to have chalked up over two million customers to-date.
It said its pivot towards CBD and adaptogenic snacks was a natural step in its mission to promote wellness and stress reduction.
The new black
CBD-infused everything is fast becoming the new normal, with producers racing to get involved. Consumer spending on CBD related goods has grown over $300m in the past year alone, and is expected to reach $1.8bn by 2022, attracting forward-thinking startups and even majors like Mondelēz, who announced it was exploring the idea of adding CBD to its products – or creating new CBD-infused lines.
Big Food is just waiting for the right regulatory environment.
Grey area
In the US, the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and hemp-derived products on a federal level – those containing no more than 0.3% THC by weight – although the Food and Drug Administration still prohibits adding the non-psychoactive compound CBD to food and drink products.
CBD is classified a ‘novel food’ in the EU – which covers any food or ingredient that has not been in widespread use to 1997 – making it subject to the specific regulation of each EU member state.
Inside out
NatureBox’s Wellness collection was launched in the direct to consumer channel and initially includes four flavors of hemp-derived CBD fruit snacks, including Pineapple, Passion-Berry, Watermelon-Lemonade and Grapefruit.
Aligned to the company’s mission, it only uses ingredients that promote positive wellbeing from the inside out, including whole fruit, a botanical extract from American-grown hemp plants and no added sugar. The snacks are also gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO.
All batches are tested by third party laboratories to ensure purity, potency and 0.0% THC content.
According to the company, its customer is ‘typically a young adult that cares deeply about her wellbeing and the mind-body connection. She knows that reducing stress is as important as the food she eats.’
