Weller, best known for its brand of CBD sparkling water W+, has announced the addition of Dale Katechis to its leadership team as it prepares to launch its latest innovation in wellness-focused, functional beverages: a lineup of THC sparkling waters meant for multi-state distribution.
Katechis is founder of Oskar Blues Brewery.
“Dale’s experience scaling Oskar Blues from a disruptive small business into one of the world’s largest and most distributed craft brewery brands is an analog to Weller’s ambition of becoming a leader in cannabis beverages,” says John Simmons, co-founder of Weller. “Dale’s experience successfully building a new category, educating consumers and guiding innovation into the mainstream make him the perfect complement to our team.”
Says Katechis, “The beverage space is in the beginning stages of a shift toward accepting THC and CBD beverages as mainstream, available to and enjoyed by people from all walks of life.”
“We’re going to see parallels to the trajectory of craft beer two decades ago, and Weller’s consistency and approachable brand will positively impact the industry as a whole,” he adds. “Cannabis beverages will be widely adopted and quickly become the largest growth driver for cannabis.”
Weller will launch its THC sparkling waters in Colorado this April, with plans to reach additional states in Q3 2022.
The THC lineup will include three flavors, each containing a 1:1 ratio of 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD per 12-oz. can, with zero sugar and zero calories.
“We’ve been in the cannabis industry for four years now with our CBD products and have developed a deep understanding of how to ensure consistent potency and reliability all the way through consumption,” says Matt Oscamou, co-founder of Weller. ”The water-soluble technology we utilize allows for fast-acting, rapid onset of THC to make sure you get a consistent experience.”
- Tropical Peach features 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD, along with terpenes derived from the sativa cannabis strain Maui Wowie
- Blackberry Hibiscus features 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD, along with terpenes derived from indica cannabis strain Northern Lights
- Starfruit Lime features 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD, terpenes derived from hybrid cannabis strain Blue Dream
“We believe we can help elevate the category with products that taste amazing and are otherwise very similar to the selection of better-for-you functional beverages you can purchase at your local grocery store,” says Simmons. “We are confident that we’re on the path to significant growth in the THC category with cross-channel brand recognition.”
