How to Scale THC & Functional Beverage Brands with Strategic Supply Chain Integration
Free Spirits: Insights on Functional BeveragesShow Notes
Doug Fulton discusses strategies for scaling THC and functional beverage brands to navigate the complex beverage landscape. Doug Fulton, Co-CEO of Emergent Beverages and founder of the Brand Accelerator, joins us to break down how cannabis and functional beverage brands can scale with strategic growth, smart distribution, and vertical integration. From his early days in international media to building the largest cannabis beverage facility in California, Doug brings deep insight into the hemp market, THC beverages, and what it takes to launch and exit successfully.
We cover:
Why most founders scale too fast—and what to do instead
How category-first brand strategy can drive retailer adoption
Why distribution contracts can make or break your acquisition
The real cost of chasing “shiny objects” in cannabis beverages
Why 5mg dosing is the smart play in the 2025 hemp regulatory landscape
If you’re a founder, operator, or investor in the cannabis beverage or functional drink space, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons from the front lines.
📌 Follow Doug: https://www.emergentbeverage.com/ 📨 Subscribe for more: https://herbal.beehiiv.com
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