Cannabis Drinks Expo in Chicago and San Francisco

The cannabis beverage market is among the fastest growing industries and now there are events that represent this rapid growth. Hosted by the Beverage Trade Network, Cannabis Drinks Expo 2022 will kick off next month and will shine a spotlight on the legal cannabis market and provide insights into its true business potential, according to a June 20 press release.

Expo themes will include expanding the overall category list by showcasing successful exhibitors, creating networking opportunities and exploring current “multi-state bottlenecks”.

So why all the fuss? The global cannabis beverage market is projected to grow from US$503.58 million in 2020 to US$2958.60 million in 2028, at a CAGR of 24.5% over the forecast period 2021-2028. These include the psychoactive beverages as well as hemp-infused beverages. Beyond cannabis, the beverage industry is undergoing a radical shift with a trend towards wellness drinks with natural ingredients.

The show will have an international and national focus, offering multi-state operators synergistic opportunities to do business with each other.

Cannabis Drinks Expo provides a unique platform for the cannabis and beverage industry to grow business, explore the category and find amazing brands. The theme of the 2022 show is “Growing the Category”.

Beverage manufacturers could use the visibility in a competitive environment. You will probably find the entire range of brands at the fair.

“Cannabis Drinks Expo offers brands like mine a glimpse of a very early stage waltz,” celebrity master mixologist Warren Bobrow told the High Times. Bobrow is also known as “the cocktail whisperer” behind the cannabis-infused drink Klaus. “Two steps forward. one back. Two forward, one back, and networking with those you can’t meet on [LinkedIn] nor Instagram.”

While other cannabis beverage brands focus on sweet ingredients, Bobrow is instead more interested in the refined ingredients that make up his terpene drink, Klaus. Ingredients on its drinks menu like Picketts™ ginger syrup and fine fruit extracts from France. It is also designed to be quick onset, making it a viable alternative to other recreational delivery systems.

The fair also attracted the attention of local media. “From hemp-based sports drinks to cocktails that get you high, science has finally cracked the code to making cannabis drinks that don’t taste awful,” reported Jonathan Bloom for NBC Bay Area News.

The world of cannabis beverages can get confusing quickly, so part of the program is dedicated to making things easier to understand. At the show, experts will be on hand to clarify and explain the process of infused edibles, while industry panels will discuss facts to demystify the cannabis-infused beverage process. Top names in the cannabis industry are offering a full day of presentations, all of which have not yet been announced. Attendees can also browse the exhibition space and connect with companies that are at the cutting edge of the industry.

Exhibitors include medicinal cannabis manufacturers, breeders, cannabis producers, product developers, processors, distributors/transporters, wineries, breweries, distilleries, branded beverage companies, beverage manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, equipment and service providers, CBD manufacturers, edibles providers, testing and laboratory services, Logistics and supply chain operators, beverage distributors/wholesalers, beverage importers, lobbyists/public affairs companies and political advisors.

Fortunately, the expo will be offered with two events in California and Illinois. Below you will find the times and locations of the individual events.

San Francisco: July 28, 2022, South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport Boulevard, South San Francisco, California 94080.

Chicago: August 2, 2022, Midwest Conference Center, 401 W. Lake St., Northlake, Illinois 60164.

Visitor registration is open, so get your passes now to save on tickets. Click below to register as a trade fair visitor:

San Francisco tickets

Chicago tickets