Unilever’s Ben & Jerry’s plans cannibidiol ice cream
Unilever-owned Ben & Jerry’s says it plans to launch cannibidiol-infused ice cream as soon as the U.S. government approves CDB (Ben & Jerry’s).
Key points:
- “We’re fans of all things groovy — think: Half Baked and Dave Matthews Band Magic Brownies”
- “We are committed to bringing CBD-infused ice cream to your freezer as soon as it’s legalised at the federal level”
- “We’re doing this for our fans. We aspire to love our fans more than they love us and we want to give them what they’re looking for in a fun, Ben & Jerry’s way.” – CEO Matthew McCarthy
CBD's hot – and corporations are spending billions to secure their supplies.
Alongside big tobacco, beverage companies are going large on marijuana-infused drinks, a market predicted to be worth up to $1.4bn by 2023 in the U.S alone. No surprise then that Constellation Brands spent $4bn last year to take its stake in market leader, Canopy Growth, to 38%. Some believe the drinks maker may buy the cannabis firm outright by 2023.
While the cannabis market looks ripe for further M&A, Ben & Jerry’s plans to get high on its own supply, “we want to use sustainably-sourced CBD from our home state of Vermont”, stated the company.
If the U.S. government gives CBD the nod, as looks likely, Ben & Jerry’s will be among the first of many brands piling into the next mega growth industry – a huge marketing opportunity is on its way.
