A Brand Of Cannabis-Infused Seltzers To Expand Throughout Missouri’s Medical Cannabis Marketplace
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Monarch Supply Company (Monarch), a cannabis consumer products company and licensed Missouri medical cannabis manufacturer, has announced that the first cannabis-infused seltzer to originate in Missouri will be available to medical cannabis patients statewide by early 2022. The locally crafted, low-dose infused seltzer is named “Society,” the namesake and inaugural brand from Monarch Supply Company’s Society Beverages portfolio.
Society’s statewide distribution follows November’s limited St. Louis region rollout. Society is currently featured in a quarter of the medical dispensaries in the Greater St. Louis area.
The brand’s seltzers are crafted from citrus and tropical ingredients, infused with a tasteless, micro-dosed extract of 5 milligrams of THC, are fast-acting and contain 15 calories. Society comes in a stylized painted and resealable,12-ounce can, with a price to consumer of $7.
Society seltzers are initially available in three flavors: Cherry Blossom, a refreshing subtle sweetness of cherries, balanced by a fresh floral aroma; Blood Orange + Yuzu, a subtly sweet orange flavored seltzer, with the citrusy, tart flavor of Yuzu; and, Ginger and Lime, featuring classic notes of ginger spiciest with the zest of lime.
Monarch is based in St. Louis and is owned and operated by a local team with 70 years of combined experience in both legacy beer leadership and craft brew brand building, and in cannabis business-building and dispensary experience.
“Our combined beer and cannabis experience gives our Society beverage portfolio an edge and an advantage,” said Monarch Chief Operations Officer, Doug Mars, adding, “Society Beverages is committed to fueling growth and transforming innovation in the category.” Prior to Monarch, Mars evolved a 26-year-long career with Anheuser-Busch. More recently he was general manager of a local, high-producing independent craft brewery, and managed the first licensed medical retail dispensary in the Midwest’s early adopting state of Illinois.
Monarch leadership said that “beverage” is the consumer product format most capable of broadening usage occasions for the medical cannabis patient, and ultimately, introducing cannabis to the mainstream. “Drinking is a consumption format people are familiar with, and Society seltzers deliver a better taste and gauge of dosing—among the benefits many cannabis consumers want,” Mars said. Society also appeals to consumers interested in “better-for-me” products, he said.
Monarch Chief Executive Officer, Corey Christanell, says Society also appeals to broader trends, including as an alternative for millennials and baby boomers who are abandoning sugar drinks and drinking less alcohol. Christanell is an accomplished senior-level sales and marketing executive who spent over 20 years with Anheuser-Busch in several senior management roles. He also is among the Missouri medical marijuana program pioneers, having served as a founding board member of the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association (MoCannTrade). “Society represents a game changer as it offers a transformative way to consume cannabis and seamlessly incorporate the plant into our lives,” Christanell said.
“Seltzer sales have dramatically increased because people, especially women, are wanting to make healthier choices and decrease the amount of sugar and alcohol they consume,” said April Hatch, R.N., co-founder of Cannabis Care Team, a cannabis nurse education and training company active in Missouri. “Cannabis is medicine for Missourians.” Hatch said, adding, “Overconsumption is not as likely to occur with an option like this, and that’s the number one reason why people who try cannabis never try again.”
The name “Society” recognizes how sociable an infused beverage is, reflecting the brand’s commitment to make cannabis socially acceptable. Because “purpose” is a core value of Monarch, the Society Beverage portfolio features a social impact initiative called Support A Purpose. Support a Purpose is designed to advance the cannabis community’s collective efforts to destigmatize the plant, while simultaneously enabling customers to fund donations in partnership with their hometown dispensaries for their hometown charities.
(This information is primarily sourced from Monarch Supply Co. Highly Capitalized has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Read our Disclaimer here).