Marijuana News Today: Cannabis-Infused Beverages on the Way, Market Ready to Expand

Marijuana News Today

The marijuana news today is continuing on a positive trend as Molson Coors Brewing Co (NYSE:TAP) announced that the company would be bringing cannabis-infused beverages to the Canadian market within a year.

The company expects to “secure a meaningful share” of the cannabis-infused beverage market when edibles are legalized in Canada, according to CEO Mark R. Hunter. (Source: “Molson Coors readies to sell cannabis-infused beverages in Canada next year,” CTV News, October 31, 2018.)

“We will be in a ready-to-go position and, you know, one of the first on the playing field as the market opens up,” Hunter said.

While Canada has legalized recreational marijuana, edibles are still a year away from becoming legally available to Canadian consumers.

Estimates suggest the cannabis market could be valued somewhere between $7.0 billion and $10.0 billion, Hunter said, with about 20% to 30% of that coming from cannabis-infused, non-alcoholic beverages.

Of course, Molson made waves earlier in the year after it partnered with Hexo Corp (OTCMKTS:HYYDF, TSE:HEXO), making it just the second of the “Big Alcohol” partnerships with public marijuana companies.

“We decided as a business that we did not want to be a spectator as this new market opened up and we clearly wanted to be a participant,” Hunter explained.

And the company certainly will be.

Molson and Hexo recently announced the formation of Truss, a joint venture that will produce cannabis-infused beverages.

“With the backing of two partners with deep Canadian roots, proven success, and market-leading experience in the respective beverage and cannabis industries in Canada, Truss will hit the ground running,” said Brett Vye, Chief Executive Officer at Truss. (Source: “Molson Coors Canada and HEXO Launch Truss,” Molson Coors Brewing Co, October 4, 2018.)

“When consumable cannabis is legalized in Canada, Truss will be ready to make its mark as a responsible leader in providing high-quality beverages for the Canadian consumer.”

There is huge potential in the cannabis-infused beverage market.

This segment of marijuana has yet to be tapped, with the drinkable form of cannabis being a palatable entry point to first-time marijuana triers. By removing the stigma of smoking pot, cannabis will be able to expand more broadly and increase its reach into the Canadian market with the inclusion of cannabis-infused beverages.

Furthermore, Hexo is gaining the first-mover advantage in the market, both by receiving a steady dose of capital by virtue of its Molson partnership and increasing its sales numbers by offering a diversified range of products.

It’s a win-win that will only further increase interest in the market as a whole.

HYYDF Stock

Since Hexo Corp featured so prominently in the above section, why not now focus on the future of Hexo stock?

The company is looking very strong moving forward. Hexo stock rose by about three percent in early-morning trading, primarily motivated by the Truss announcement bolstering the already bright future of HYYDF stock.

Aside from its foray into the lucrative and raw cannabis-infused beverage segment, Hexo stock has been making a lot of other very savvy moves that put it in a powerful position.

The next big event on the horizon is a potential listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

As we’ve seen before, these moves open up companies to wells of capital previously denied to them by virtue of their being listed on Canadian markets.

While we may not see an immediate boost with its shift due to the marijuana correction, as a long-term play, this is solid.

The company also recently expanded its presence into Greece, further impressing with its global initiative in untapped markets.

OrganiGram Stock

Another one of the better performers today, OrganiGram Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS:OGRMF, CVE:OGI), is in a similar position to Hexo stock in many ways.

First, both are marijuana penny stocks, which gives them a lot of potential for future growth.

Next, we have both companies rising today despite many other pot stocks remaining flat or falling, with OrganiGram stock jumping about three percent in early-morning trading.

Then we have the company’s global interest. OrganiGram recently purchased a 25% stake in alpha-cannabis Pharma GmbH, giving it a foothold in what will eventually be one of the largest marijuana markets in the world in Germany. (Source: “Organigram to Take 25% Stake in German Cannabis Company,” New Cannabis Ventures, October 17, 2018.)

I’ve long been a proponent of a global mindset for marijuana stocks. OrganiGram stock’s willingness to pursue these ventures, coupled with its relatively small size, makes it a strong pick moving forward.

HYYDF & OGRMF Stock Performances

The HYYDF stock (black line) and OGRMF stock (blue line) performances from the past week are seen in the chart below:

Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com

Analyst Take

It’s easy to forget that the marijuana industry is still so young. The marijuana news today constantly barrages us with new developments and exciting numbers, but there’s still so much of the market that has yet to be explored.

Cannabis-infused beverages are just one of many interesting and lucrative applications of cannabis, which will only continue to develop as the industry matures.

Companies that are able to take advantage of these untapped segments are going to be the ones with the largest gains as the industry pushes forward.