Author: Lorraine Mullaney
European ingredient popularity drives cannabinoid sector’s latest M&A action
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 18th June 2021 || Business briefing |
Appetite for European ingredients producers appears to be driving the latest round of merger and acquisition (M&A) action in the cannabinoid sector ...
CBD startups exceeding all fundraising expectations as investors leap aboard
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 15th June 2021 || Business briefing |
CBD and cannabis startups from Scotland to Florida are attracting increasing numbers of investors as they scale up their businesses and break crowd-funding records in the process ...
Wave of e-commerce and retail store purchases keep High Tide on the rise
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 1st June 2021 || Business briefing |
Canadian cannabis retailer High Tide is continuing its advance into the US market with the $26m acquisition of 80% of CBD e-commerce platform Fab Nutrition (FAB CBD) ...
Canopy spreads, while Sundial purchases Canada’s largest cannabis retailer
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 31st May 2021 || Business briefing |
Merger and acquisition activity remains high in the industry and two major Canadian firms – Sundial Growers and Canopy Growth – have made acquisitions this month ...
Tilray closes deal with Aphria and turns to lobbying for cannabis reform
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 21st May 2021 || Business briefing |
The boss of the world’s new largest global cannabis company has likened the industry’s potential to that of the alcohol business before the ending of Prohibition in the early 1930s ...
Trulieve Harvest merger billed as largest in US cannabis
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 13th May 2021 || Business briefing |
US cannabis firm Trulieve has bought Harvest Health and Recreation in a $2.1bn deal that aims to create the US’s most profitable cannabis company in what is being billed as the largest US cannabis transaction to date ...
Covid helps fuel cannabis acquisitions by Greenlane and Dutchie
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 11th May 2021 || Business briefing |
Two US firms, Greenlane and KushCo, have merged in a deal that aims to create a major manufacturer and distributor of cannabis accessories in the US ...
Growing medical market prompts expansion in New York and Pennsylvania
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 7th May 2021 || Business briefing |
When Biden won the US election in November 2020 the stock market value of cannabis firms soared in expectation of a more lenient political climate under the Biden administration ...
Heading south: Valens and Canopy increase presence in US CBD market
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 6th May 2021 || Business briefing |
Various business deals across the US and Canada see cannabis and CBD companies expanding their portfolios and growing their brands in a series of acquisitions, investments and partnerships ...
Cann Group teams up with Emyria to develop pharmacy grade CBD capsules
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 21st April 2021 || Business briefing |
Australian medicinal cannabis firm Cann has moved quickly to maximise the benefits of its CBD Gelpell capsule technology by entering into a collaboration deal with healthcare technology firm Emyria ...
Jersey well placed to become Europe’s major growing hub for medical cannabis
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 20th April 2021 || Business briefing |
Jersey could become “a cannabis hub for Europe” after Northern Leaf successfully completed a second round of funding that will enable it to complete its pharmaceutical cannabis cultivation facility on the island ...
Tilray expands its influence Down Under, moving on New Zealand medical market
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 15th April 2021 || Business briefing |
Canadian cannabis firm Tilray is moving in on New Zealand’s market for medical cannabis and has received the necessary approvals to launch Tilray medical cannabis products across the country ...
US and Australian cannabis companies see great profit potential in Europe
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 2nd April 2021 || Business briefing |
There are profits to be made from selling cannabis in Europe, according to US company Curaleaf after it signed an agreement to acquire Europe’s largest vertically integrated independent cannabis company ...
Canopy happy to put the US fate of its CBD sparkling water drink in the stars
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 24th March 2021 || Business briefing |
Cannabis giant Canopy Growth has defended its decision to use a celebrity astrologer to promote the US launch of its CBD-infused sparkling water drink Quatreau ...
UK Food Standards Agency relaxes the rules slightly on novel food submissions
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 15th March 2021 || Regulatory briefing |
Companies now only to have submitted an application to the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) in order for their edible CBD products to stay on the market after 1st April ...
Wrigley’s heir goes public with $1.9bn plan to ‘transform US cannabis industry’
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 9th March 2021 || Business briefing |
The heir to the Wrigley’s chewing gum fortune, Beau Wrigley, has entered into a deal he claims will accelerate the growth of his multi-state cannabis company, Parallel, and change the landscape of the US cannabis market ...
Hexo buys Zenabis ‘for accelerated domestic and international growth’
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 8th March 2021 || Business briefing |
Canadian cannabis brand Hexo has acquired medical and recreational cannabis producer Zenabis Global in a CAD 235m deal that will boost its cultivation capacity and secure a footprint in the European market ...
Tobacco giant Altria calls for US federal legalisation and regulation of cannabis
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 1st March 2021 || Business briefing |
Marlboro cigarette manufacturer Altria has stated its support for the federal legalisation of cannabis – with a view to Cronos, the Canadian cannabis company in which it has a major stake, thriving in a legal US market ...
US state regulators’ association calls for joined-up federal thinking on cannabis
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 24th February 2021 || Regulatory briefing |
A US association of cannabis regulators has written to Congress urging the modernisation of cannabis policy at federal level ...
BAT looking ‘beyond nicotine’ as Big Tobacco turn its attention to CBD
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd February 2021 || Business briefing |
British American Tobacco (BAT) is looking “beyond nicotine” to alternative sources of revenue, and has described CBD as an “exciting growth area for our business for the future” ...
CBD health and wellness subcategory sees advances on a global scale
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 5th February 2021 || Business briefing |
CBD firms are making further advances into the health and wellness subcategory of the market with new product launches, distribution deals, and clinical studies underway ...
Supply chain hopefuls stay cheerful despite $150m investment fund flop
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 27th January 2021 || Business briefing |
Texas-based Collective Growth is remaining positive despite failing to find the right partners for a $150m investment fund raised to develop the US hemp market ...
Financial investments suggest a mood of optimism around CBD and cannabis
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 26th January 2021 || Business briefing |
Renewed interest in financing of CBD and cannabis businesses could signal that investors are starting to be positive again about the future after companies seemingly weathered the worst of the storm in 2020 ...
CBD drinks – ‘a superior option for those traditionally alcohol-driven occasions’
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 19th January 2021 || Business briefing |
Health and wellness appear to be the primary marketing position for new cannabinoid beverage launches ...
Tilray set on becoming the ‘weed giant of the world’ with Aphria merger
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 29th December 2020 || Business briefing |
Canadian cannabis firms Aphria and Tilray have announced a merger that will create “the world’s largest weed company”, operating under the Tilray name ...
I’m a celebrity – get me into quality cannabis, hemp and CBD brands…
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd December 2020 || Business briefing |
Increasing numbers of celebrities are endorsing CBD products, with names as big as will.i.am, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Gwyneth Paltrow among those investing or launching their own brands ...
Bio-synthesis fermentation of minor cannabinoids continues to grow
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 15th December 2020 || Business briefing |
Californian “cellular agriculture company” Cellibre has closed a round of funding that will enable it to accelerate the production of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids via fermentation ...
Trials and research into the healing potential of cannabinoids continue
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 11th December 2020 || Business briefing |
Pharmaceutical firms continue to invest in research into the healing potential of cannabinoids, launching clinical trials to investigate their ability to treat a range of conditions ...
Newer brands perform better in labelling accuracy for edibles, report finds
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 30th November 2020 || Business briefing |
More established brands performed worse than their new upstart rivals in the latest report on CBD labelling accuracy ...
Thoughtful Brands pulls out of German psychedelics to focus on American CBD
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 24th November 2020 || Business briefing |
Canadian cannabis and psychedelic medicine firm Thoughtful Brands has dissolved its German subsidiary Verrian to focus on its core business following the acquisition of Kentucky-based American CBD Extraction ...
Celebrities speak out in anger as CBD companies take famous names in vain
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd November 2020 || Business briefing |
Sir David Attenborough, Olivia Newton-John and Clint Eastwood are among the latest in a line of celebrities who have spoken out against their names and images being used without their permission to promote CBD oils ...
The cannabinoid drinks market is getting crowded – but it still takes a lot of bottle
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 19th November 2020 || Business briefing |
Current lack of success in Canada and unsupportive regulations in the US have not stopped cannabinoid companies from exploring the beverages sector ...
Troubled Aurora facing class-action lawsuit by ‘misled’ shareholders
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 16th November 2020 || Business briefing |
A group of shareholders has filed a class-action lawsuit against Aurora Cannabis, alleging the company “made materially false and misleading statements” about its business, operational, and compliance policies ...
‘Fraud’ action against Canopy Growth halted as plaintiff files for bankruptcy
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 8th October 2020 || Business briefing |
A legal action against Canopy Growth has been halted now that Canadian cannabis cultivator PharmHouse has filed for bankruptcy protection from the Ontario Court while it restructures its business ...
Psychedelic substances for therapy? It’s an idea whose time may be coming
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 7th October 2020 || Business briefing |
Although still illegal in the US and Canada, psychedelic substances such as fungus-derived psilocybin are becoming increasingly acceptable, research suggests ...
Mushrooms may be good for you – and firms hope that can be good for them too
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 6th October 2020 || Business briefing |
Commercial interest in mushrooms as active ingredients is on the rise – despite legal issues that severely curtail commercial opportunities ...
Ambitious firms defy the times by expanding operations into new markets
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 5th October 2020 || Business briefing |
Turbulent times and the ongoing challenges caused by COVID-19 are not stopping some CBD businesses from doing deals and making major investments as they seek expansion into new markets ...
Wellness trend pushes multiple launches in CBD space
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 2nd October 2020 || Business briefing |
Increasing numbers of CBD businesses are marketing products that chime with the wellness trend and now even Playboy is launching a line of CBD products in the US that promise physical and mental benefits ...
Deals and new products launch CBD further into the wellness field
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 7th September 2020 || Business briefing |
CBD firms are expanding their reach into the wellness market via company acquisitions, distribution deals and new product launches ...
Pharma gets bigger with approval for new cannabinoid-based treatments
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 3rd September 2020 || Business briefing |
The pharmaceutical side of the cannabinoid industry continues to grow, with several major announcements expanding treatments and blurring boundaries ...
Closures, bankruptcy and rescues – cannabinoid firms battle for survival
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 2nd September 2020 || Business briefing |
The bankruptcy stories continue for cannabinoid firms in the US and Canada as businesses struggle to survive in turbulent times ...
Canopy Growth takes stride into sports nutrition with NFL superstar tie-up
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 19th August 2020 || Business briefing |
Canadian cannabinoid firm Canopy Growth has signed a multi-year deal with NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes as part of its advance into the sports nutrition market ...
Irish trade body criticises the government’s approach to hemp and CBD
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 14th August 2020 || Business briefing |
The trade body for hemp and CBD in Ireland has accused the Irish government of working in silos and said its lack of intra-governmental communication as well as consultation with stakeholders could lead to the end of the...
HempFusion completes NDC registration for CBD topical products
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 31st July 2020 || Business briefing |
Registration in the US FDA National Drug Code (NDC) Directory conveys significant benefits even if the FDA does not specifically approve these items as over-the-counter products, according to a CBD company ...
Firms restructure and recapitalise as revenues continue to decline
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 27th July 2020 || Business briefing |
As tough market conditions continue for cannabinoid firms in the US and Canada, struggling companies are continuing to pursue a range of survival strategies ...
Distribution deals show faith in future of European CBD retail
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 22nd July 2020 || Business briefing |
Firms from Israel and South America are showing faith in the European CBD market, and its bricks-and-mortar retail, with distribution deals to place their products in a growing number of outlets ...
Cuts, restructuring and bankruptcies as firms navigate troubled waters
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 8th July 2020 || Business briefing |
Hard-hit cannabinoid firms in the US and Canada are reassessing their market strategies, restructuring, and downsizing – in some cases with significant job cuts – as the market remains volatile ...
Ocean Spray’s move into CBD drinks may make a path for others to follow
Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd June 2020 || Business briefing |
A new line of sparkling CBD drinks is to be launched in the Colorado market in what may be an indication of how high-profile companies approach the CBD market during its continued period of uncertainty ...