It’s becoming more and more common to see CBD products at mainstream stores, including everything from local coffee shops to fast food chains to Walgreens.
Now, the massive company behind snacks like Oreo, Chips Ahoy cookies, Nutter Butter cookies, and more is eyeing the CBD market.
In particular, the snack company said it may introduce a new line of CBD-infused foods in the relatively near future.
Mondelez Thinking About Entering the CBD Market
Mondelez is one of the world’s best-known snack foods company. Along with cookies like Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Nutter Butter, it also makes snacks including Cadbury chocolate, Nilla Wafers, and more.
Now, the company could be looking to expand its product line. And interestingly, that expansion could very well come by entering the CBD market.
As reported today by CNBC, Mondelez executives are seriously eyeing CBD. In particular, they are considering creating new snack products that are infused with CBD.
For now, it does not sound like the company wants to make CBD-infused versions of its current snacks. Instead, Mondelez might use CBD to launch an entirely new product line.
Alternatively, the company said it might add CBD to other products, just not its most well-known, family-oriented products.
Although the company is now openly talking about its interest in CBD, it is unclear when Mondelez might actually launch a CBD product.
In large part, that’s because the legality of CBD remains confusing. That is especially true for food products.
In many cases, non-food CBD products, most notably topicals, have been more explicitly cleared for the mainstream market. But things remain a bit murky when it comes to food products containing CBD.
“Yes, we’re getting ready,” Mondelez CEO Dirk Van de Put told CNBC. “But we obviously want to stay within what is legal and play it the right way.”
He added: “The space is not clear. It’s a bit clearer in non-food products. In food products, I’m hoping that the FDA will bring some clarity in the coming months.”
CBD’s Legal Status
In recent months, there have been some important developments when it comes to CBD’s legal status.
Most notably, the Farm Bill of 2018 was signed into law at the end of last year. Among many other changes related to agriculture in the U.S., the bill made some significant changes to laws about hemp and hemp-derived CBD.
As far as cannabis is concerned, the most important changes introduced by the Farm Bill are:
- Hemp is now authorized as a supplemental and alternative crop. This makes it possible for farmers to receive various forms of support to cultivate hemp.
- Hemp is no longer considered a Schedule I illegal substance.
- The interstate commerce of hemp, which also includes hemp-derived CBD, is now allowed.
Of course, the key here is that the changes all have to do specifically with hemp plants. Even more, hemp plants that contain CBD and other cannabinoids, but a minimal amount of THC—if any at all.
Despite these changes, some confusion persists. For example, authorities at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport have been arresting people traveling with CBD.
And, as voiced by Mondelez’s CEO, there is still some uncertainty surrounding food products that contain CBD.
But, at least in theory, the Farm Bill of 2018 should open up legal paths that make it easier to produce and sell any type of CBD product.
