If you had any doubts as to how prosperous the CBD industry was, I invite you to read my recap of the CBD Expo in Miami Beach, Florida. This expo was a one for the ages, bringing out the “A Game” of every company in the space who dared to ante up and make an appearance at what ended up being a very well-done exhibit hall in the humidity that only Miami brings every Summer.
CBD Expo Miami Beach 2019 Review
Held this past weekend, August 2-4, I was able to make it down and get to shake hands with some of the biggest players in the industry as well as check out what was in the pipeline for many of the companies that I have been working with in our CBD reviews section of The 420 Times. Let me say this, it’s an exciting time to be in the industry, despite any doubts that may be cast by people not knowing the legalities of cannabidiol, or people who clearly just don’t understand it’s natural healing powers.
Everywhere you looked, there were jars of infused gummy candies stacked high, thanks to the over 700 brands that showed up to exhibit at the USA CBD Expo, the first of it’s kind.
Probably the most eye-opening thing I saw all weekend was a group of dancers who were decked out in Spandex sporting the brand “Stoked,” an energy drink infused with CBD. While there was a sign that said “No smoking, no vaping,” at the entrance of the exhibit hall, it was hard to miss the companies who were showing off their CBD vape cartridges to anyone looking for information, puffing small hits of vapor, not to be confused with the massive clouds given off by the world’s most powerful electronic cigarette devices.
There was even an entire eating and drinking area inside the conference! I’ve been to large industry shows for technology, marketing, and even the adult entertainment industry, and I’ve never seen such organization in such a niche show. It was very impressive and well done by the Miami Beach Convention Center.
If you were looking for anything with CBD, you were in heaven at this expo. There was everything from facial creams and serums, to cocktails, to supplements, all featuring, you guessed it, CBD. According to information, the next CBD Expo will be held next February in Las Vegas, home of my favorite dispensary.
For those not in the know, CBD, or “cannibinoid oil,” is non-euphoric and is extracted from the hemp plant. It’s among the most trending topics in the health space.
Why Is CBD So Popular?
The main thing that is a catalyst for the growth in demand for CBD is that last December the Farm Bill passed. This bill removed the prohibitions that were in place since 1937 on industrial hemp. Hemp was classified as an agricultural commodity and subsequently removed from the federal controlled substances list.
According to cannabis researchers, the market for CBD sales in the USA will be north of $20 billion by the year 2024. (Source: Miami Herald.)
Florida’s Growth
I noticed there were many brands local to Florida upon my visit to the Expo. Green Roads, Funky Farms, and many others that I came across were all based in South Florida and taking advantage of the platform to get the word out about their products.
According to the Miami Herald, Florida leads the nation in the production of bath bombs, oils, lotions, and other hemp-based CBD products, even without having any legal hemp plants in the state.
While we still wait for approval of CBD by the FDA for medicinal use, there is a lot of waiting going on with people in other states. For example, Wana Brands, who makes edibles in Colorado, has distribution in six states and already has partners in Florida, is currently waiting to launch it because edibles are still illegal in Florida.
One brand not to be shown up was Ignite, the brand with social media icon Dan Bilzerian as their front man. Like usual, he made a grand entrance and let everyone know he was in the house with a flock of lovely ladies representing the brand.
All in all, the CBD Expo was a conference that brought together many CBD and hemp brands from around the world. I met vape manufacturers, health food producers, pet care brands, holistic brands, and many others. In subsequent updates I’ll be sharing a lot more experiences that stemmed from this show, since I have a lot more companies sending samples, pitch decks, and other interesting fodder that everyone here will love to learn about. Until then, please feel free to comment if you were at the show and share your thoughts with everyone.
