C&C Group grows CBD drinks offering with new partnership

CBD drinks brand Trip has announced a partnership with distributor and manufacturer C&C Group, in a bid to grow the offering of CBD drinks in the UK market with a particular focus on the on-trade.

C&C Group is set to distribute Trip’s CBD products nationwide, catering to the growing demand among consumers for functional, alcohol alternatives.

According to a study by the Association for The Cannabinoid Industry, the value of the UK CBD market was estimated at £690 million in 2021, and is expected to grow to £1 billion by 2025.

Olivia Ferdi, co-founder of Trip, said: “Trip has proven success in the UK nationwide as an elevated and truly functional alcohol alternative. As the category leader with 89% of the market share of UK CBD drinks, C&C are the natural partner to deepen our work in the on-trade partnering with their best-in-class expertise and reach.”

The global cannabis drinks market is set to grow by a value of $8.3 billion in 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37.3%, according to Future Market Insights.

Clara Shand, commercial director at C&C group, added: “Our new partnership with Trip CBD is an exciting next step in increasing our range of no and low partners. TRIP has revolutionised the low and no space as the leading CBD brand in Europe. Its stylish packaging and innovative marketing campaigns have led to fantastic growth in the UK, and we can’t wait to work together to drive distribution of Trip.”

Other international markets are proving harder to crack for CBD products. A ban may even be on the cards in Hong Kong, as the government adopts a “zero-tolerance” policy to cannabis. Hong Kong authorities proposed banning CBD products within the year, with the Security Bureau submitting a paper to this effect to the Legislative Council in June. Read more on that here.