Seth Rogen Expands Indoor Plant-Based Cannabis Lifestyle Brand With THC-Infused Beverage

Five years after its launch, Seth Rogen and his Houseplant The lifestyle brand is now entering a new chapter in its business by launching its first consumable product in the United States that will lift your spirits. Co-founders Rogen and Mikey Mohr tell me that Houseplant is launching a THC-infused Delta-9 hemp-derived sparkling water with four flavors: black cherry, blackberry, citrus, and pineapple.

“We have always been a firm believer in drinks as an amazing format for THC. (This moment) is like you’re shooting a film and it goes well… The drink speaks about me and my personality, my sensitivity, my aesthetic and my tastes, literally and figuratively,” Rogen said. “Even though I smoke weed, I’m not always in a place where I can smoke weed easily. This is where these came in very handy for someone like me.

Each large 12 oz can contains a low dose of THC, 3 mg. The drink format works faster than other cannabis edibles, which can take over an hour to feel the effects. Like many other cannabis drinks, you feel this effect within minutes. “We believe this is the right entry point,” says Mohr, who is also CEO of Houseplant.

Given Rogen’s decades of advocating for the benefits of cannabis, the launch of this product comes as no surprise; in fact, it seems a bit late. While the group (including co-founders Evan Goldberg and James Weaver) had been talking about a business like this for over a decade, Houseplant took off in 2020 selling THC-infused drinks in Canada, which are not more on the market. . The pair started from square one for this new American iteration several years ago. “These taste profiles are completely formulated from scratch,” says Mohr. “Emulsification technology has also improved.” While they were ready to bring this product to market some time ago, they felt the cannabis industry was not. “Going through regulated marijuana channels was almost impossible. »

Since then, Houseplant has been primarily associated with Rogen-designed ceramic homewares aimed at cannabis enthusiasts, earning the brand a loyal base of weed enthusiasts. “We knew the best way to do this was to destigmatize weed and show the culture and the world that weed is for people who appreciate beautiful things…and don’t want to put ashes in a can of tuna,” says Rogen. Earlier this year, Houseplant entered the beverage business with Coffee Houseplant in partnership with frozen coffee technology company, Comet. Houseplant coffee does not contain THC.

Now, the duo believes the time is right to launch a consumable THC product in the U.S. market. This is largely because this product is not derived from marijuana. Instead, it is derived from its cousin, hemp, which became legal at the federal level following the 2018 Farm Bill, and legally strengthened in 2022. In practice, the difference is almost zero. But legally, since hemp and marijuana are different plants, Houseplant could move forward with mass producing the beverage. “We started to see the market for hemp-derived THC start to exist,” says Mohr. “We didn’t rush. We watched patiently. » North America cannabis beverage industry reached $1.83 billion in 2023 and is expected to exceed $81 billion by 2032.

The flavors are really what sets Houseplant apart from other THC-infused drinks. The bold flavor profiles make it almost taste like fresh fruit inside. “Zero calories, zero sugar, the dosage and the flavor, I think, puts us in a totally different category,” Rogen says. Houseplant worked with a flavor house to formulate the taste and fizzy texture of each strain, an emulsification plant to extract the Delta-9 THC from the hemp plant, and then manufacture and can the product in Minnesota , considered the most progressive state when it comes to cannabis. , with Surly Brewery.

“Living in a world where we could sell consumable products was always a goal we worked towards,” says Rogen. “…and trying in our own way to culturally normalize this lifestyle to the point where something like this would be possible and a major chain of liquor stores would carry this type of product.”

It refers to Total wine and morethe retail launch partner of Houseplant’s THC beverage, which is beginning the rollout of Houseplant in its stores in Texas, Florida, Arizona and Indiana. “The integration of Seth and the well-established Houseplant brand continues to add relevance to the category,” a Total Wine & More spokesperson tells me. “(The beverages) demonstrate our commitment to providing exceptional products that match evolving consumer preferences in the hemp beverage space.”

Total Wine & More, the nation’s largest independent wine retailer, has been a leader in introducing THC-infused beverages to the masses since launching the category in its stores just a year ago . Despite having a turnover of 6 billion dollars last year, alcohol sales are down at the retailer, according to its co-owner, Robert Trone. However, it says its sales of adult soft drinks, which typically include THC-infused drinks, are up 30% year over year and expected to grow, showing dynamic consumer demand for these products. “Even in their more mature markets, (Total Wine) is moving more and more product,” Mohr says. “They had a huge summer and they thought maybe it could peak and they haven’t found the peak yet.”

Rogen, Mohr and the entire team are committed to normalizing and bringing attention to the benefits of cannabis through Houseplant. “Weed is less dangerous than alcohol, period, hands down, period,” Rogen says passionately. “When I’m excited about something, I work really hard to execute it.”