Marijuana Business Magazine October 2019

Marijuana Business Magazine | October 2019 106 Technology Behind the Beer Two Roots offers a handful of different styles of canned craft beers—lager, blonde, wheat, stout and IPA—infused with 5 milligrams of THC. Its brewers make the beer in the typical manner, then de-alcoholize it before infusing it with cannabis. The beers are available at dispensaries in California and Nevada. According to the company, the technology used to infuse the beer—nanoemulsion—breaks the cannabinoids into smaller particles. That speeds up the absorption process, evenly distributes the THC and CBD and helps to mimic the effect of drinking alcohol. “Beer is a product that everyone is familiar and comfortable with, and as smoking begins to decline in popularity, (consumers) are looking for healthier experiences, ideally those that don’t carry social stigmas,” said Maikel van de Mortel, Cannabiniers’ executive vice president of marketing. “Two Roots can be consumed both discreetly and in social settings, which captures the interest of both the beer consumer and cannabis consumer.” Pinpointing and Targeting Consumers Rather than dissecting and seg- menting target customers based on demographics, Van de Mortel prefers to view Two Roots’ core consumers as those who consider themselves “cannabis curious.” He describes “cannabis curious” as people “who want to try cannabis but might be hesitant based on past experiences or the negative social stigmas they may be fearful about.” Two Roots has identified that its customers favor craft beer, but they’re also seeking alternatives to the downsides of alcohol—think hangovers and extra calories. According to Van de Mortel, market research and careful observation led his team to home in on an audience that’s health conscious and wants to consume an infused product while still meeting daily responsibilities and maintaining a balanced life. When marketing to such consumers, Van de Mortel said Two Roots aims to exemplify the following three attributes: • Authenticity • Transparency • Relevancy “Consumers are looking for products and companies that hold Ron Angelo, left, and Austin Maass clear grain from the Mash Tun during the early stages of making Two Roots infused beverages. Photo by Thomas Kelsey Russell Clements places child safety caps on Two Roots cans at the Sorrento Valley Road facility in San Diego. Photo by Thomas Kelsey Business Strategies | Infused