Beverage Startups
Sweet Reason To Slow Things Down
Is there a way to stay calm during endless tasks and plans these days? Yes, there is! Sweet Reason is a CBD-infused sparkling water brand with four different flavors to choose from. Refreshing taste and sustainable packaging is something we have been looking for. Today, I have the pleasure of talking with Hilary McCain, Founder of Sweet Reason.
Let’s start at the very beginning. How did you come up with the idea of Sweet Reason?
In the summer of 2017, I became obsessed with cannabis beverages. As someone who struggles with the day-to-day anxiety of a fast-paced lifestyle, I fell in love with the therapeutic benefits of hemp CBD. Fast forward to today, Sweet Reason exists to bring the health benefits of hemp and cannabis to people through beverage. We launched with CBD sparkling water, which is hemp-derived and non-psychoactive. It helps you feel calm and focused throughout the day. CBD is just the beginning – there are over 100 cannabinoids that you can extract from hemp or cannabis, many of which have promising health benefits. People are looking for alternative ways to deal with stress and anxiety and the sober-curious movement is REAL. Hemp and cannabis beverages have so much potential to make us a healthier society.
The brand has 4 different flavors. Can you tell us more about each? Which one is the most favorite among consumers?
We have a flavor for everyone – Grapefruit, Cucumber Mint, Strawberry Lavender and Lemon Rhubarb. Grapefruit is that classic staple that never disappoints. Cucumber Mint gives you that “spa day” feeling. Strawberry Lavender is for people that love a more contemporary flavor profile. And our most recent addition to the family – Lemon Rhubarb – is quickly becoming a fan favorite. It’s for people who love lemon beverages but with a twist. The best part is that Sweet Reason has no sugar or sweeteners, five calories, and three simple ingredients, so you really can’t go wrong. It’s as clean as it gets.
The creation of the CBD-infused beverage line is quite a challenge. What difficulties did you face during the development of Sweet Reason?
It was really difficult to create a CBD beverage without sugar or sweeteners because CBD is naturally bitter. When we were developing the recipe, I was adamant about not using sugar or sweeteners and sticking with simple ingredients. I wanted to create a product that I would personally drink all day, everyday, and could really get behind selling. Thankfully, we landed with a recipe that people love and can feel good about consuming everyday.
These days there is a ton of new CBD-infused brands emerging in the United States. What makes Sweet Reason differ in the market?
We’re the best tasting, healthiest and most effective CBD beverage on the market. We use no sugar or sweeteners, have only five calories, and three simple ingredients. Our CBD is C02-extracted from organic, Colorado-grown hemp and we use a micelle technology to make it absorb better in your system.
The year has almost come to an end. What is the biggest milestone planned for 2020?
In 2020, you’ll see us grow our distribution, our team and our product offering. We want Sweet Reason to be available to consumers across the country.
In your opinion, what are the biggest misconceptions regarding CBD-infused beverage and food products?
I think the biggest misconception about CBD products is that they can get you ‘high’ and therefore can’t be part of a productive day. CBD is non-psychoactive so it can be consumed during your workday. Sweet Reason calms the mind and allows you to focus on the task at hand.
What advice would you have given yourself before you started out in the beverage business?
As with any business, it’s all about the people, and the beverage space is a pretty tight-knit community. Hire people that have worked in beverage sooner rather than later.
For more information visit Sweet Reason’s website.
