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What You Need To Know When Evaluating Water-Soluble CBD Emulsions

For those who are not familiar with emulsions, they are defined as transformations and dispersions of minute droplets from one liquid into another that are not soluble. A great example of an emulsion is salad dressing. The oil in the dressing is lighter than the vinegar, which is why it rises to the top. To get the oil to mix with the vinegar, agitation in the form of vigorous shaking will get the two ingredients to mix – but they will eventually separate. Similarly, oil and water do not play well with each other, which is why using a cannabinoid emulsion for food and beverages is great option for companies producing infused products.  

While it is common for product developers to use emulsions when working with tricky oil-based ingredients, not all emulsions are created equal. While emulsion technology has improved, there are still challenges working with cannabinoids such as negative sensory attributes, shelf life, homogeneity, scalping, and the ability to scale. Here are some tips for the evaluation process. 

TIP #1: Know Exactly What You Are Looking for in Your Emulsion 

When you start evaluating emulsions, you should already know what desired effect and qualities you want, as well as the services you need to get your product to market.   

Do you want your flavor profile to be clean or earthy? Are you looking for the Entourage Effect, where the cannabinoids and the terpenes work synergistically? In terms of dosage, will your product be micro-dosed or offer a high milligram count? What product certifications are important to you – organic, vegan, or kosher? Lastly, how and where will your product be produced, and what kind of support will you need through the process?  

Throughout the evaluation process, keep your requirements front of mind so you get the right emulsion for your product.  

TIP #2: Consider Sensory Profiles – Taste, Smell, Appearance, Texture 

Whether you are producing a food, beverage, or personal care product, the consumer’s sensory experience is an important consideration. With food and beverage, if the product doesn’t smell, taste, or look good, they won’t buy it. With personal care, if the product doesn’t feel or smell good, they won’t put it on their body. There are some negative sensory attributes associated with cannabinoids; how you work with those attributes depends on your target consumer and what sensory experience they are looking for.  

Some consumers want their product to taste like the flavor that’s on the label without any hint of cannabinoid flavor, while others like the sensory attributes cannabinoids carry. Knowing this will help a product developer decide if they want to use an emulsion featuring an isolate which will have clean flavor profile or a broad spectrum emulsion which will feature grassy, earthy, herbaceous notes. It also important to remember that organic, all-natural, kosher or other certifications also impact flavor profile, shelf life, production timeline as well as cost.  

 Tip #3: Evaluate Ingredients, Stability, Homogeneity, and Shelf Life 

Getting your infused product on a store shelf is the ultimate goal, but you also need to look at the quality of the emulsion, which includes ingredients, stability, homogeneity, and shelf life. These attributes are critical for providing the consumer with a consistent experience. A top quality emulsion begins with high quality raw ingredients. Ask your emulsion supplier about their active and non-active ingredients and review the Product Data Sheets, the Safety Data Sheets, and the Certificate of Analysis (COA) with them. Ask how they test inbound and outbound material, if they utilize internal and third party testing.  

When working with cannabinoids, it’s essential that the emulsion you choose is stable and homogeneous, meaning that the cannabinoids do not separate from the water over time and are evenly dispersed in the emulsion. Proven stability and homogeneity are critical because it will ensure accurate label claims. Your emulsion supplier should be able to verify stability and estimate the shelf-life of their ingredient. Ask how they test for stability, and make sure they provide documentation that verifies the potency on the COA.  

 Tip #4: Discuss How Packaging Impacts the Emulsion 

Packaging should be considered at the beginning stages of product development because it will play an important part in working with a co-man for production and scale up. Make sure your supplier understands how your selected packaging will interact with the cannabinoids in the emulsion.  

 Cans are a popular and  familiar packaging solution, but any product developer knows that where there are cans, there is scalping. Scalping is when an ingredient gets absorbed into the can lining, resulting in potency loss.  Scalping and other factors such as manufacturing processes that result in potency loss can be mitigated by careful planning on behalf of your supplier and production partners.   

To achieve accurate dosing that matches your label, you need to factor in potency loss early on.  Most producers will overdose their product and account for loss when they begin production. Guidance should be provided by your production partner.   

TIP #5: Choose an Emulsion Made for Scaling 

Just like any other ingredient in your product, the emulsion should be easy to incorporate into the manufacturing process. This will allow for integration into almost any product format, a seamless transition from small batch to commercial scale production, and ease of use for co-manufacturers, which leaves less room for error. The bottom line is that an emulsion that is easy to incorporate into a production process will also be easy to scale.  As you evaluate emulsions, don’t be afraid to ask what support you will need to scale as well as how future FDA rulings might impact your finished product.  

Selecting the emulsion to infuse your product with will be the single-most important decision you make during formulation because it impacts the entire product development process as well as the consumer’s experience with your product. Taste, stability, product consistency, dosing and scalability are all incredibly important attributes in any emulsion. Throughout this evaluation process, remember that you are not only looking at the quality of the emulsion; you are also choosing a strategic partner that can support you from concept to commercialization.  

The team at SōRSE offers liquid and powder emulsions designed for easy integration into food, beverages, and personal care products as well as guidance through every stage of product development. If you are looking for a high-quality emulsion powered by a team of experienced food scientists and product developers to get your product to market fast, come to the SōRSE. 

 

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Functional Ingredient Trends: Restoring Protein, Balancing Gut Health, & Boosting Immmunity

SoRSE Functional ingredients

 In Part 1 of Functional Ingredients Trends, the focus was on adaptogens more commonly incorporated into food and beverage products for the health benefits they bring. Beyond adaptogens, there are other key functional ingredients that developers are beginning to integrate into their products to meet consumer needs. 

 Calling on Collagen to Restore Protein Levels  

Collagen is the most prominent protein our body produces. It is in our skin, bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments – even in our teeth! As we get older, our bodies produce less collagen, resulting in rougher skin and weaker joints. The health benefits of taking a collagen supplement or consuming products featuring collagen as an active ingredient are undeniable. These include improving skin hydration and elasticity, providing relief for aching joints, and supporting the development of muscle. 

Probiotics and Prebiotics: The Foundation to a Healthy Gut 

Probiotics: Most consumers are familiar with Probiotics, the live yeasts and bacteria that help maintain and support a healthy gut and aid in digestion. Doctors often recommend a probiotic supplement to restore balance to the body’s bacterial system after taking antibiotics.  They are also used to treat lactose intolerance, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and Diarrhea.  

 Prebiotics: For those of you who have never heard of Prebiotics, you are not alone. Although not as well know, they are just as important. Prebiotics are plant fibers and carbohydrates that the body cannot readily digest. When they move through the lower digestive tract, they feed the healthy bacteria that promote gut health. Prebiotics are found in a variety of different vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, such as bananas, cocoa, garlic, leeks, and flaxseeds. 

Boosting Immunity with Vitamin C (and Zinc!) 

Now more than ever, consumers are hyper-aware of their immune systems and are looking for natural ways to strengthen its ability to fight off illness. Vitamin C, also known as L. ascorbic acid, can be taken in many different forms to ward off the common cold as well as fight infections. Where to get your supply of Vitamin C? Whether it be in raw produce such as strawberries, citrus, and spinach or in the plethora of food and beverage products featuring the immunity–boosting vitamin, the resources are abundant. When combined, Vitamin C and Zinc are a particularly powerful duo for improving immunity. Grapefruit and elderberry offer high levels of both! 

Improving Sleep Quality with Melatonin 

Most consumers are familiar with Melatonin as a supplement used for sleep issues including insomnia. Melatonin is a hormone our brain produces, letting us know when it’s time to go to sleep and when it’s time to wake up. Typically, our bodies generate more melatonin at night when the amount of light we are exposed to diminishes. Melatonin supplements come in liquid, pill or chewable form and are either natural or synthetic; the natural form sourced from animals or micro-organisms. Beyond taking Melatonin for better sleep, consumers also take it to manage jet lag and post-operative pain.  

The Future of CBD = CBD + (Insert Functional Ingredient Here)  

Most consumers want to minimize the number of products in their daily health routine, yet still get the nutritional value of all the vitamins, minerals, supplements, and other functional ingredients. The best way to achieve this is to pair functional ingredients in food or beverage products. In this next wave of infused food and beverage products, CBD will likely share the spotlight with some of the functional ingredients described above, and that ingredient will be dependent on the product’s purpose and the consumer’s needs. 

Combining ingredients is not as simple as it looks. The R&D Team at SōRSE  understands the challenges and nuances of pairing various cannabinoids with other functional ingredients. Leveraging our current CBD emulsion portfolio combined with our formulation and technical expertise, we can create a blended solution tailored to your needs. If you are considering adding another functional ingredient to your product or product line, get in touch with the SōRSE team today! 

 

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Functional Ingredient Trends: All About Adaptogens

Functional Ingredient Trends

With health and wellness being front of mind for many consumers, the food and beverage industry creates language to describe the different qualities an ingredient brings to a product. A “functional ingredient” can best be defined as one that provides some sort of health benefit to the consumer.   

“Adaptogens” is a word the consumer is seeing a lot of these days in the realm of functional ingredients in food and beverage, but they may not know exactly what they are and that familiar herbs fall into this category of functional ingredients. Adaptogens come from plant material, namely herbs and roots, that help the body manage and combat different stressors. They are used to bring balance back to the body. Here are a few adaptogens that are either featured prominently on grocery store shelves today or are becoming more widely known given their beneficial health properties.  

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a succulent that thrives in tropical climates. Most consumers are familiar with it because its gel is typically marketed as a way to treat sunburn, acne, psoriasis, and surface-level wounds. Due to the high concentration of water in its leaves, Aloe is a great source of hydration, flushing out toxins and impurities. It also provides a healthy dose of Vitamins B, C, and E. The result of these healing properties is that consumers are seeing more aloe vera juice drinks on the shelves.  

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a small shrub that grows in India, parts of Africa, and the Middle East that has been used medicinally for hundreds of years. Its roots and berries are said to boost energy levels, reduce stress and anxiety, improve brain function, lower blood sugar levels, and increase fertility. What more could you ask for? 

Ginseng

Ginseng is a root which has long been used in Chinese medicine. There are two types on the market today: American and Asian. Despite being from the same family of plant, the two offer different health benefits. American ginseng is used for its antioxidant properties and to boost the immune system. People with Type 2 Diabetes can also use it to lower blood sugar levels. Asian ginseng (also known as Korean red ginseng) is can mitigate the possible onset of the cold or flu, promote heart health, improve physical endurance, and minimize symptoms of menopause. 

Mushrooms

When consumers typically think about mushrooms, they picture them as an ingredient in a savory culinary dish like Stuffed Portobellos or Crimini and Leek risotto. While it’s true that these fungi are a staple in many diets, certain mushroom varieties like Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Shitake and Maitake have notable medicinal qualities. Mushrooms have been used to treat infection, boost the immune system, alleviate stress, and improve sleep. They are also used to treat heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.  

Rosemary

Rosemary is an extremely fragrant herb that many consumers are familiar with because it’s a key ingredient in Mediterranean food. The evergreen shrub is a member of the mint family, as are many of the other herbs like Thyme, Basil, and Oregano. Rosemary is used for its anti-inflammatory properties, improving circulation, aiding in digestion, and improving focus and memory.   

 Turmeric

 Turmeric is best known for its place in Indian cooking. It is the main spice in curry that gives it its golden color and its bright, slightly bitter taste. Turmeric comes from the stem of the Turmeric plant, which grows in India and South East Asia. Beyond its role in cooking, Turmeric, powered by curcumin, the substance responsible for the spice’s bright hue, has notable anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, Turmeric has been used for thousands of years to treat various illnesses and health problems, including inflammation, arthritis, heart disease, high cholesterol, and allergies.  

Today’s consumers are shopping for products based on the role they play in promoting good health and reducing the risk of disease, resulting in an increased demand for items that taste great AND deliver added health benefits. If you are considering adding an adaptogen to one of your products to meet your consumer’s needs, the SōRSE team is eager to consult with you to find a great match for our emulsion.   

Read Part 2 to Functional Ingredients Trends, where we cover functional ingredients for restoring protein levels, balancing gut heath, improving sleep, as well as the benefits of cannabinoids being paired with functional ingredients. 

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Trends in Flavors: Consumers Seek Comfort, Novelty, & Functionality

Trends in Flavors: Consumers Seek Comfort, Novelty & Functional Health

Who drives flavor trends — chefs? Food writers? Product designers? Flavorists? The answer is the consumer. If the past two years have taught us anything, it is that the consumer is ultimately the arbiter of what flavors will be successful, what trends will become mainstays, and what trends will be short-lived. The impact of consumer preference and behavior is evident in the flavor trends we saw emerge in 2020, the trends we’ve seen in 2021, and the predictions for 2022.  

Nostalgia with a Twist

When looking at flavor trends, it’s important to consider how consumer habits have changed in the past two years due to the pandemic. There’s been a major shift in how much time we’ve spent cooking in our own kitchens versus dining out. It’s natural for people to gravitate towards flavors that are familiar to them – flavors from their childhood or from their favorite travel destination – and create an eating experience that evokes a sense of nostalgic comfort. That said, younger consumers have shown they’re not afraid to balance their comfort food with flavors that are new, exotic, or something they might experience in a foreign country.  

Food with a Function

In the wake of COVID 19, many consumers have sought out natural, holistic ways to improve their health through nutraceutical benefits, particularly in terms of boosting immunity, finding relief from stress and anxiety, and improving quality of sleep and gut health. Consumers are researching CBD and other cannabinoids, adaptogens, probiotics, prebiotics, and botanicals and are looking for products that not only provide benefits but also taste good. Most consumers would prefer to get their daily dose of functional ingredients in as few items as possible, as opposed to taking multiple pills a day. 

Consumer demand for functional ingredients impacts a product’s flavor profile. Take, for example, products built to boost immunity – they will likely feature Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Ginger, Turmeric, or Ashwagandha. Because Vitamin C occurs naturally in citrus, it is relatively easy to pair with other flavors, whereas an ingredient like Ashwagandha has a very unique flavor profile in that it is earthy and bitter, which pairs well with the flavors of nuts, chocolate, and honey.

Enthusiasm for Fermented Foods

Today’s consumers are gravitating towards natural, healthy products that are processed without little to no additives and preservatives. A food category that emerged in 2020 and gained traction in 2021 for its floral, tart, slightly sweet, and robust flavors were naturally fermented products such as drinking vinegars, kombucha, and kimchi. Today, you can purchase products such as apple cider vinegar gummies, kombucha tea, and kimchi-flavored potato chips, and even kimchi-flavored sodas. Fermented products particularly resonate with younger consumers who have been exposed to international flavors and are not afraid of new tastes and textures.

Tested, Tried, and True Flavors

There are some flavors that consumers can’t get enough of and that never seem to go out of style, like berry, citrus, apple, and mint. Most people have been consuming fruit products since they were young; hence, these flavors are familiar to us and we know what to expect from a product featuring that flavor. In the confectionary world, strawberry remains very popular with consumers worldwide. Today, we are also seeing more of these flavors combined with botanicals to give products an added level of complexity – for example, basil paired with strawberry, mint paired with cucumber, or lavender paired with lemon. In line with consumers seeking functionality, botanicals offer their own health benefits. Basil is a great source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as Magnesium; mint offers antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and lavender has been used to treat insomnia and nausea.

Up and Coming Fruit Flavors

There is no shortage of products on store shelves featuring citrus and berry, but there are some varieties to pay attention to, including Marionberry, Huckleberry, Yuzu, Blood Orange, and Makrut Lime.   

Marionberry

Marionberries are a variety of blackberry grown mostly in Oregon; they are both sweet and tart with a rich, earthy flavor – similar to eating a raspberry and blackberry in the same bite. In terms of product development, products featuring marionberries are mostly found on the west coast, because the berry itself is too delicate to ship.  

Huckleberry

Huckleberries are smaller than blueberries and have dark purple skin when ripe. They are tarter and juicier than blueberries, which means their flavor packs a punch in food products or beverages. Huckleberries are not a domesticated fruit; they are mostly picked by foragers in the northwest, which makes them somewhat harder for a product designer to access. 

Yuzu

Hailing from China and used widely in Japan, Yuzus are about the size as a tangerine. The rind is highly aromatic and sweet with floral notes, while the juice of the fruit is extremely sour and tart. Products on the market featuring yuzu are varied, from marinades to marmalades, beers to flavored sparkling water. 

Blood Orange

A blood orange is slightly smaller than a navel orange with slightly thicker skin. What makes the blood orange unique (and subsequently products that feature its juice) is the deep red, maroon color of the interior flesh. Flavor-wise, blood orange juice is a bit sweeter and less tangy than classic orange juice.   

Makrut Lime

Makrut (aka kaffir) are in the lime family and derive from Southeast Asia; they are a staple of Thai cooking. The texture of the rind is bumpy, and when ripe, it’s yellow as opposed to green. The zest of the rind is often used in curry paste, and its leaves are added to dishes for fragrance. Makrut lime juice is quite bitter and sour, so it needs to be paired with other flavors that can stand up to it and balance it out. 

Beyond Pumpkin Spice — Fall Flavors to Savor

As summer comes to a close, as the days get shorter, and the weather starts to cool, the flavors of the season begin to shift as well. Fall flavors not only reflect what types of products are available but the season’s holidays as well.  

One fall fruit flavor that never goes out of style is apple, which is incredibly versatile in terms of what it can be paired with. It’s a terrific match for another fall favorite, cranberry. An apple’s sweetness and crispness provide a nice contrast and balance to the cranberry’s tartness and tang. Apple and another fall fruit, pear, match well with a variety of spices, such as cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and ginger, all of which offer health benefits. 

Caramel is a flavor consumers associate with childhood and Halloween – think caramel apples, caramel in candy bars, and caramel swirled into ice cream. A popular flavor today is salted caramel, where the savory and texture quality of the salt play against the sweet, sticky, chewy qualities of the caramel. 

While Chai is popular year-round, it is the perfect flavor for fall because of the warmth the aromatic spices in it evoke. Chai is comprised of cinnamon, cardamom, and clove; these spices are added to black tea and then typically blended into milk. Beyond tea-based beverages, Chai pairs well in dishes featuring winter squash-like pumpkin.  

2022 Flavor Trend Predictions

Today’s consumers continue to feel the impact of COVID, are seeking a balance between familiarity and novelty, and learning more about ingredients that improve one’s health. Product producers can anticipate that functional ingredients including CBD will be top of mind when people look for new products to add into their daily routines that not only deliver nutrition and health benefits but also taste great.  

Flavor researchers predict that in 2022, consumers will seek out spice and heat in their food and beverages (from peppers to chili to mustard), as well as notes of smoke and wood. They will also gravitate towards tropical, fruity flavors, that are paired with other functional ingredients, particularly in beverages, and seek out spirit flavors in their confections, such as a chocolate bar infused with whiskey or bourbon. 

If you have an idea for a product to bring to market in 2022 featuring functional ingredients, the team at SōRSE can help you create a flavor profile that will resonate with consumers. Book a call with our team today to get the conversation started and your product to market! 

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5 Steps for Taking Your CBD Edible from Concept to Commercialization

5 Steps for Taking Your CBD Edible from Concept to Commercialization

In the past few years, consumers’ curiosity and interest in CBD has grown at a rapid rate, and a result of that is an influx of food items and beverages infused with the cannabinoid. From marshmallows to protein bites, from fruit-flavored gummies to popcorn, the array of sweet and savory edible CBD products on the market is ever-expanding. For consumers who are curious about incorporating CBD into their daily routine but don’t love the idea of ingesting a tincture, CBD edibles offer a great alternative. 

If you have a great idea for an edible and are wondering how to turn it into a viable product that will land in the hands of the consumer, here are 5 Steps to Building an Infused CBD Edible from the producers themselves.  

1. GENERATE A CULINARY CONCEPT 

Mainstream vs Unique Concept 

The first thing that you need to know when building a successful infused edible is that a simple, mainstream concept will be easier to execute than a unique concept that is not on the market. That said, if you are determined to create a product that no one has seen before, try to find its mainstream, CBD-free equivalent so that you can understand what it will take to execute production. The process of taking an edible from concept to commercialization typically takes nine to twelve months, so thinking through your timeline from start to finish and being realistic when setting expectations is extremely important. 

Needs & Challenges 

In the early stages of planning, it’s also advisable to identify your needs and potential challenges. Aside from having a great concept, you’ll need ingredients, including CBD; production equipment (like forms or molds); a production facility; packaging; and marketing materials. If you have never created an edible before, some of the challenges you might foresee could include: A key ingredient not being available; a piece of equipment being expensive to purchase; figuring out how your packaging will impact shelf life; or working with a co-manufacturer. 

What’s Important? 

Any product will be more successful when you are excited about the idea and believe the item will add value to a consumer’s life. Your product should reflect what is important to you — clean label, flavor profile, quality of ingredients — and what you can bring to the marketplace. Think about what your niche is, and how you are going to differentiate your product while reaching as many consumers as you can.  

2. PINPOINT YOUR TARGET CONSUMER

When developing your culinary concept, you will need to identify your audience — who is going to buy your edible, why they want to buy it, and where they will buy it. The profile you create of your target consumer should be as specific as possible. You should be able to picture what that person is like in your head, from what they do for fun to the clothes they wear. 

To develop an infused edible that will bring your customer back time and again, you have to do a lot of research on consumer behavior to find out what the buyer is looking for in a company and in a product. You’ll need to consider what the consumer will find appealing about your product, what they might be doing when they are eating your edible, and who they might be with. The better you understand what your consumer wants and needs, and how the product will fit into their lives, the more successful you will be. 3.

3. DETERMINE IF YOUR PRODUCT IS GOING TO BE SWEET OR SAVORY, AND WHAT FORMAT IT WILL COME IN

When it comes to edibles, there are a variety of options on the market. In the “Sweet” category, we have gummies, chocolate bars, energy bars and cookies, to name a few. In the “Savory” category, you can find crackers, jerky, chips, amongst others. As you think about where your product will fit in, you need to continue circling back to these key questions – What does my consumer want? Are they looking for a discrete consumption method? How much do they care about the sensory experience? Is this something they will eat on-the-go or in the comfort of their home? How much does the consumer care about a product’s visual appeal? 

When thinking about where your product will fit in in the marketplace, examine other items your consumer might purchase and what the packaging looks like. Packaging and labeling is the first level of engagement a customer has with your product, so visual appeal is key. Is your consumer drawn to natural products? Do they avoid plastic packaging because they are concerned about the environmental impact? Do they like to be able to see the product through the packaging? Your label and packaging should reflect your company’s culture and values and what makes your product unique.  

4. EXPERIMENT WITH FLAVORS AND CHOOSE THE DOSING

The next step is to create your formula, including its flavor profile and CBD dosing. Some of the current trends in the consumer marketplace are: Global flavors like espresso, tropical fruit, and coconut; natural ingredients; earthy flavors like mushroom; sugar alternatives such as agave, maple syrup, honey, and stevia; herbs and spices; and tart and sour tastes. 

When considering your product’s flavor, you also need to think about how the flavor of the CBD will work with the other ingredients, especially if your product is in a small format like a tablet or gummy. An isolate would be a good choice if you want an edible with a clean, specific flavor profile. If your consumer appreciates botanical, herbaceous products, a Broad Spectrum CBD might play well with the other flavors. Some consumers specifically seek out Broad Spectrum products because of the terpenes (aromas and flavors) that accompany the CBD.   

Currently, there are a wide range of CBD dosages in the products available. Here are some of the average dosages currently on the market:   

  • Gummy: 10-25mg 
  • Mint/tablet: 5mg 
  • Chocolate bar (1.7oz-2.11oz): 80-200mg 
  • Cracker or pretzel: 2mg 

 To determine dosage, consider when the consumer will be eating your product, identify the desired effect you want the consumer to have after eating the product, and also think about how many pieces they might be inclined to ingest. For example, some people can eat a whole chocolate bar in one sitting, while others might only want a portion of the bar.  

When adding active cannabinoids to your product, you will also need to know what parts of the process create waste or evaporation, because both need to be factored into dosing. When you’re doing trial batches of your product, you may need to initially overdose the recipe/formula to achieve an accurate final dose.

5. PREPARE FOR SCALE-UP: CHOOSE YOUR CBD SUPPLIER & PRODUCT MANUFACTURER

Once you’ve tested your formula, determined dosing, and chosen packaging, it’s time to prepare for scaling up and production. The key to a successful scaling up is identifying and securing your strategic partners in this process, such as your suppliers and a manufacturer. 

Consumer safety should be your #1 concern when making an infused edible, To ensure the highest quality CBD for your product, make sure the CBD supplier that you work with shares documentation like a Certificate of Analysis, Product Data Sheets and Safety Data Sheets. For more information on what to look for when choosing a CBD supplier, please reference Section 4 of our blog entry, “5 Things You Need to Know to Create an Infused CBD Beverage.” 

Next, find a co-manufacturer who understands CBD as an ingredient and has experience producing other CBD edibles will know how to work with it. Being able to do batch testing is critical because it will let you adjust your formula if you need to. It’s also worth noting that the scale-up process may take a few runs over a few months’ time, as at that stage, there can be changes in the equipment that can affect the product. Ideally your producer will allow you to be on-site for the first few runs so that you can feel confident in the process of how your edible is being produced. 

If you want to sell to an audience in a specific state and there is a manufacturing center in that state, you’ll save a lot of money by producing it as close as possible to your target market area. Also, if there is a facility producing a product similar to yours and it’s considered a turnkey process for them, you will be more successful commercializing your product because they already have experience making something similar.   

The journey you will take bringing a CBD-infused edible to market will be an exciting one – especially if you really believe in your concept; just know that the process will require planning, patience, flexibility, out-of-the-box thinking, problem-solving and collaboration. As you try to get your product to market, you might be thrown some curveballs along the way, but if you work with a CBD supplier and co-manufacturer who has experience working with cannabinoids, they will be able to partner with you throughout the process. 

At SōRSE, our R&D team of 30+ employees is well-versed in edible production from concept to final product and welcomes the opportunity to help bring your dream to life and your product to market. Schedule an exploratory call today with SōRSE to get started on your infused CBD edibles journey! 

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Webinar: How to Build a CBD Edible

SoRSE webinar

Presented by SōRSE Technology’s Director of Culinary, Stacy Primack, and Director of Technical Services, Hilary Brown

Learn everything from culinary conceptualization through commercialization from the culinary masters themselves!

 

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Webinar: 5 Things to Know When Creating a CBD Beverage

SoRSE webinar

Co-hosted by SōRSE Technology and Prepared Foods

Presented by Michelle Sundquist, Director of Product Development

CBD has been the hottest beverage trend of the past decade, and the demand for CBD and other cannabinoids has continued to soar in 2020. CBD has also proven to be a tricky functional ingredient when added to a beverage. Before you rush a beverage to market, learn 5 pro-tips from SōRSE!

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SōRSE on Bon Appétit: How To Find a CBD Product That Works

SōRSE on Bon Appétit: How To Find a CBD Product That Works

Imagine this scenario—you’re scanning the beverage aisle at your local grocery store. Between the cold brew coffee and sparkling waters, a new drink catches your eye with “CBD” emblazoned on the front. You remember hearing a lot about it and the purported health benefits. You’re curious, but you don’t really know where to start when it comes to understanding why or how you should be using CBD.

If you need some guidance, take a look at our feature in Bon Appétit on “How to Find a CBD Product That Works.”

SōRSE on Bon Appétit: How To Find a CBD Product That Works