Bevnet: Levia, Hi5 Seeding Growth for Cannabis Seltzers in New England
It may not be California just yet, but New England is growing as a center for cannabis.
In the years since Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine became the first states to lift restrictions on adult-use cannabis sales, cannabis seltzer startups like Hi5, Cantrip, Levia and SIP have all entered the market seeking to be weed’s answer to White Claw. For two of those brands in particular – Levia and Hi5, each owned by vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operators – this year is poised to be a critical one for growth, as the former completes its takeover by Florida-based Ayr Wellness, and the latter aims to tackle pricing while preparing to debut an innovative new product.
Hi5: With Product Working, Cutting Prices Is Next
Having established a solid foundation in two states for its line of low-dose seltzers, Hi5 isn’t looking to shake up the uncomplicated approach that has served it well so far.
The brand, a division of multistate operator Theory Wellness, has ticked along well since launching in Massachusetts, where it is manufactured at the company’s Stoneham-based facility. Promising a faster-onset high than edibles (five minutes, per the brand name), Hi5 is sold in five flavors — Black Cherry, Pomegranate, Peach Mango, Lime and Lemon — at dispensaries in the Bay State and, as of this fall, in Maine.
