SōRSE Producers Series: Pink Cloud Beverages

For the 8th post of our Producers Series, we spoke to Sierra Thomas, founder and owner of Pink Cloud Beverages, which produces two tropical, CBD-infused sparkling beverages perfect for summer sipping – and every season! Pink Cloud offers two flavors that will transport you to the beach and ocean – Pining for Pineapple (Pineapple, Yuzu, and Lime) and Lounge Chair Lilikoi (Lilikoi and Guava). In our interview, Thomas shares what inspired her to start a beverage company after working in the music and media industry for many years, the significance of the Pink Cloud name, why she chose SōRSE as her water-soluble emulsion provider, and events where you can find Pink Cloud.

Can you start by sharing your background with us, and what inspired you to create Pink Cloud?

I am a native Oregonian who appreciates musicians, filmmakers, chefs and all the beautiful places to explore in the Pacific Northwest. I moved an ocean away to attend Hawaii Pacific University where I fell in love with the island and the music industry as I interned at Hawaii’s #1 reggae station. It only made sense to continue my journey in the music industry once I moved back home. I worked in the media and music industry for 15+ years. I was living in a fast-paced world full of temptations and distractions in my twenties while attending concerts, events, and launch parties in the majority of my week. I was entertaining and drinking a lot. I hit a point in my late twenties where I was tired of letting my well-being take a back seat and I was tired of the status quo: Short, boring lists of non-alcoholic options; very caloric, sugar-packed virgin drinks in pint glasses that screamed, “I am not drinking!”; or the regret-hangover-repeat lifestyle when I imbibed.

My career took off while I was trying to navigate sobriety in an industry that was not equipped to embrace a sober curious movement. My anxiety about what to order at the bar was real. That’s when a friend suggested I try CBD to help with the anxiousness and to get better sleep. I was apprehensive at first, due in part to the lack of education around CBD. I also wasn’t sure if it was accepted in recovery, and my brain was conditioned from all those old-school “Just Say No” anti-drug ads. When I did try CBD, it was like a switch went off; I felt balanced, chill, and all those little things that used to bother me did not anymore. Most importantly, I was sleeping again. It was a game-changer. 

Once CBD began part of my daily routine, I spent a lot of money buying wellness drinks, CBD beverages and tinctures. I joined monthly memberships and would constantly be mixing my homemade mocktails. After an epic NYE in Bend on the drive home, my husband Brian said to me, “You spend enough on products yet always add to more to them. Why don’t you make your own NA hemp beverage line?”  At first I laughed, as I had no firsthand experience in CPG, but then the entire ride home, I could not stop thinking about what I would do if I had my own beverage line: What would I do differently, what would the brand look and feel like, how would it taste, what ingredients would I use, and how could I create an inclusive community around it. I did not realize it then, but that was the day Pink Cloud Beverages was born.   

Pink Cloud is a wellness alternative to alcohol, transporting you to a tropical state of mind with a swell of real fruit juice/purees, the sunshine vitamin, a natural/clean custom sweetener blend, low calories, and 30 mgs of Broad Spectrum Hemp. It was created specifically for other modern, health-conscious females like myself.  

What is the significance of your company’s name?

Pink Cloud has a lot of significance for many in the NA community and me. It is a term commonly used to describe a stage of early addiction recovery that involves feelings of euphoria and elation. When you’re in this phase, you feel confident and excited about recovery. When I close my eyes, I go back to that place feeling “euphoric” or on a cloud where everything looks rosy. I wanted to create that feeling of euphoria and elation for others to enjoy, which is when I started to write a list of things that brought me elation — hearing my favorite song while driving, paddle boarding while the sun hits my face, good company and conversation over an amazing meal.

Who do you envision the Pink Cloud consumer to be? What benefits do you hope they gain from drinking your beverages?

Pink Cloud is for a growing group of non-drinkers who want to enjoy the social side of drinking without anxiety or the negative effects alcohol has on our mind and body. Our goal is to create inclusion and welcome individuals who are sober or simply want the option to choose, to question or to change their drinking habits for health-conscious reasons.

One of the first steps was creating a persona to target. “Sloane” is an urban millennial with disposable income, college educated, tech savvy, and an early adopter; she’s health conscious and active. She pays attention to consumer trends and branding and is loyal to companies that are transparent or give back to the community. She is a heavy subscriber to services like IPSY, FabFitFun, and Instacart; she can tell you all the new trendy restaurants in town; and she is in-the-know on emerging artists. She craves life on her terms and strives to live in the moment. 

How do you educate your consumers on CBD and how (and why!) to incorporate your beverages into their daily routines?  

Education is vital, as the cannabis industry is growing at a rapid pace. It can be tricky as you cannot make medical claims when marketing your product on why to incorporate CBD into your daily routines. I spend a lot of time sharing my experiences with CBD through storytelling or consumer reviews.

An ambitious initiative we have is to build an online resource directing people to scientific-based research, cutting-edge articles/medical literature, podcasts with professionals in the industry, commonly used terminology, cannabis testing, details on the Endocannabinoid System, Entourage Effect, efficacy and so much more. 

One of your company’s core values is social responsibility. Can you tell us more about that?

Nonprofit alignment is very important to Pink Cloud Beverages; it is part of our company DNA.  We have followed companies like Patagonia, Miir, Aloha Collection, Slowtide, and June Shine which are committed to building a healthier planet, and we strive to follow in their footsteps.  When looking for non-profits to partner with, we analyze the need, the transparency, and the impact, as well as the future goals to evolve.  It is also important to know if the nonprofits are agile, always focused on their mission, donor-centric, and always striving to learn and listen.

When we launch July 1st, we’ll be sharing exciting news around how we will help make an impact tackling our planet’s most pressing environmental issues, especially around oceans, waters, and beaches we love so much. I have an eight-year-old daughter who loves to paddle board, hike, camp, swim, and bike, and I want to leave this world in better shape for her!

How did you find SōRSE, and why did you choose SōRSE’s emulsion solutions over other providers (factors might include safety, flavor, consistency, stability, ease of integration in production, testing, bioavailability)?

My closest friends would describe me as a lover of first-class food, noteworthy beverages, and high-quality ingredients (just look at my grocery bill, LOL). When it came to Pink Cloud R&D, those factors acted as my north star making decisions. I wanted to set the bar high.  This is why we focused on a swell of real fruit juice and not concentrates, clean/natural sweeteners (not stevia), and functional ingredients (based on efficacy and testing).  

We spent a long time searching for the perfect broad-spectrum hemp. We experimented with a ton of water-soluble CBD emulsion solutions, and after many months of testing, we narrowed it down to two.  We chose SōRSE for a multitude of reasons, number one being an ingredient that easily integrated into our formula without altering the taste, followed by transparent testing and support from a collaborative team who truly treats your company as if it was their own. 

Why did you choose to put “Powered by SōRSE” on your product?

 I chose to put “Powered by SōRSE” on our cans because not all CBD is created equally. SōRSE is first-class in the industry, sets the bar for functional ingredients, and is constantly evolving. Pink Cloud is proud to have broad-spectrum hemp Powered by SōRSE in all of our beverages. 

Any big plans for Pink Cloud this summer – events you are participating in or plans for formulating other flavors?

We have big plans this summer! We debuted at the Good Food Mercantile this past April and recently have selected events that align with “Sloane’s” lifestyle and desires. These events could blend food, music, culture, and outdoor adventures with our premium non-alcoholic functional hemp beverage. You might see us at a new pop-up restaurant,  tasting at a premier collection of inspiring hotels in downtown Portland (i.e., Hotel Lucia), offering an NA option at Dinners in the Field (a farm to table event), hanging at the Portland Night Market and SnackFest, jamming at an outdoor concert, or hydrating Marathon runners. If there is a lifestyle event that delivers elation to our core customer, Pink Cloud wants to be a part of it.

Can you share a lesson you’ve learned about starting and owning your own business?

Purpose is vital. Take calculated risks, ask lots of questions (and truly listen), and realize early on that failure is not a step backwards but a step closer to success.

Prior to launching Pink Cloud Beverages, I was successful in the media and music industry for over a decade. I had no aspirations to become a founder in the CPG industry and was very comfortable solving clients’ problems, developing strategic campaigns to address those challenges, all while making a good income doing something I truly loved. In 2010, I checked myself into outpatient rehab on my own terms. I attended weekly out-patient groups after leaving an eight hour day at the office plus attended weekly meetings.  In one of those meetings, a lady I admired talked about her recent relapse.  She emotionally shared how in a simple moment after over a year sober, she found herself sipping a cocktail without even thinking twice.

That moment I realized sobriety was not going to come easy, and I would continually have to work for it and create an environment I could thrive in, and at that time there was not many NA beverages or ones that even tasted good…. Fast forward to that NYE drive home from Bend, and it all clicked. I was going to create my own premium non-alcoholic functional hemp beverage, as CBD had been a game-changer for me in my sobriety journey. It eased my anxiety, helped me sleep, and left me feeling more balanced to live life on my terms in the moment without future tripping.

I had a stream of consciousness during that drive home, and I knew in that moment I had to dedicate myself to creating an inclusive alternative to alcohol that nourished both mind and body. I learned how vital it is to live, work, and breath with purpose.  I would need to take risks, ask a ton of questions, listen, and be ok with failing all while staying true to my purpose.

What excites you most about being in this industry? What is your prediction for the cannabis-infused product space?

Is it cliché to say this entire industry excites me!?  I am excited to see all the innovative products that will come to market to satisfy consumers, the research being done on the impacts that cannabinoids like CBD have on our minds and bodies, and to continue working on our new product which reflects two things I love very much – cannabis and beauty products.