Cannabis based beverages will now be distributed in all major markets across Texas

HOUSTON’S BAYOU CITY HEMP COMPANY AND CRAFT BEER DISTRIBUTOR FLOOD INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTION TEAM TO BRING CANNABIS BEVERAGES TO TEXAS CONSUMERS

WILDLY POPULAR NON-ALCOHOLIC, CANNABIS-INFUSED SELTZERS TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN MAJOR MARKETS ACROSS TEXAS

Houston, TX (May 9, 2023) – Today, the visionary leaders behind three esteemed companies in the Texas beverage industry unveiled their plans to produce and distribute cannabis-infused beverages across traditional sales channels throughout the state. Bayou City Hemp Company (BCHC), the most respected Cannabis Operator in Texas, will join forces with Houston’s award-winning 8th Wonder Brewery, Distillery, and Cannabis to develop a captivating line of cannabis-infused products. These offerings will be distributed by Flood Distribution to bars, restaurants, liquor stores, convenience stores, and grocery outlets in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Houston.

Drawing upon a meticulously curated portfolio of established cannabis-infused beverage brands from around the country, Bayou City Hemp Company aims to introduce this emerging category to Texas consumers in a sophisticated and responsible manner. Teaming up with craft beer darlings 8th Wonder Brewery, Distillery, and Cannabis, BCHC will formulate and manufacture these beverages, offering both experienced and curious Texans an elevated and familiar introduction to this exciting new category. Bayou City Hemp Company and 8th Wonder have enjoyed a close partnership since 2021, having pioneered the first hemp-infused seltzer in the state of Texas.

The initial selection of cannabis-infused beverages will include nationally distributed brands such as Happi, brands that have been available locally, such as Wonder Water, Trillionaire and Lil Bit by 8th Wonder Cannabis, Good Feels from Massachusetts, California’s Drippy, and HoBuzz among others. The portfolio will also feature several brands under the Bayou City umbrella, including HOWDY, offering the first THC-infused Ranch water and Paloma seltzers in the country.

"The partnership between Bayou City and Flood Independent Distribution marks a historic milestone in the Texas beverage industry, providing brand partners with a direct route to market, while giving consumers access to these low-dose products at the retail locations and establishments they already know and love," said Joel Canada, Chief Revenue Officer at BCHC.
"Thanks to Flood’s statewide presence and industry connections, combined with the sterling reputations of Bayou City Hemp Company and 8th Wonder, we can introduce this exciting new category to Texans through traditional markets in a trustworthy and reliable way," added Josh Samples, VP of Distribution at BCHC.

The full set of beverages are compliant with both the 2018 Federal Farm Bill and Texas HB 1325 allowing for legal sale and distribution throughout most of the Nation and across the state of Texas. The beverages are infused with Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC derived from hemp, extracted and formulated using Bayou City Hemp Company’s innovative CO2 extraction and proprietary nano-emulsion technologies.

"Our Houston-based R&D lab has enabled us to develop some of the most delicious and effective beverage formulations available on the market today. At Bayou City Hemp Company, we have the expertise to formulate a wide range of functional and flavorful beverages that meet the needs and preferences of today’s discerning consumers," said Stephen Horton, Chief Innovation Officer at BCHC.

Previously exclusive to 8th Wonder Brewery, Distillery, and Cannabis in Houston, the beverages will now be available across Texas thanks to Flood Distribution, a highly respected distributor known for carefully curating outlets and products, which include popular and high-quality beverages. This announcement represents an important advancement in the state’s cannabis-derived product space and has the potential to make a significant impact on the national beverage industry.

"Our collaboration with 8th Wonder and Bayou City Hemp signals an exciting chapter in Drippy’s story, as we expand our brand presence nationwide. It was key for us to join forces with allies who are equally committed to upholding the high level of customer satisfaction we’ve achieved in California’s adult-use cannabis market," says Drippy co-founder, Michael Thale.

"It’s a huge milestone for Happi to not only become the first national cannabis beverage brand with local distribution in Texas, but to also launch our unique functional seltzers Happi Glow and Happi Nightcap with this team," said Lisa Hurwitz, president and co-founder of Happi. "Collaborating with these partners to locally produce Happi really makes us feel at home in Texas."

“National trends increasingly indicate that now is the time to get into this industry," said Kyle White, Flood Distribution co-founder. "THC-infused beverages are safe, delicious, and offer clients the opportunity to be at the forefront of this industry and steer the direction it will head in the future."

“From the moment we launched 8th Wonder, we have utilized a focused, artisanal approach to absolutely everything we do,” said Ryan Soroka, co-founder of 8th Wonder Cannabis. “When we met the team at Bayou City Hemp Company, we realized they shared the same meticulous, craft-focused approach to cannabis extraction and infusion. We were proud to collaborate on our initial line of products, and the quality and popularity of the beverages we created surpassed all our expectations. Now, thanks to Flood Distribution, we are thrilled to be able to offer these beverages across Texas. It is an incredibly exciting development, and we are proud to be Texas pioneers in this important space.”

The introduction and state-wide distribution of legal cannabis-infused beverages represents a major milestone in the beverage industry and the cannabis space, at a time when the industry is achieving astronomical growth. As the most explosive category in the recreational, therapeutic and health and wellness beverage space, Seaport Research Partners, conservatively projects that the cannabis beverages market in the U.S. will grow at a CAGR of 55% and reach $14 billion in 2030.

For many, the decisive factor in the success of cannabis beverages will be the quality of the product and the safety and efficacy of the extraction process. Merging the artisanal creativity and beverage professionalism of 8th Wonder with the scientific rigor of Bayou City Hemp Company’s extraction and formulation techniques has already created a sell-out product at the Houston location. Now, with the strength of Flood Distribution’s network across the state, the strategic partnership could prove to be a seminal and decisive moment in the Texas beverage industry, and the important role cannabis-infused products will play in it.

Available in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas, consumers will see this portfolio of beverages on store shelves and restaurant menus this month and can start requesting them now.

###

ABOUT BAYOU CITY HEMP COMPANY

Launched in 2019, Bayou City Hemp Company is Texas’ leading vertically integrated cannabis company with a world-class facility and team that is scaled to ensure the highest standards, services, and goods are met from seed-to-shelf. The company has produced award-winning consumer packaged goods for its customers including seltzers, nano-shots, gummies, edibles and vape pens. With a science-based approach, Bayou City’s nano-emulsion technology is the core of their products’ innovation. The organization’s nano molecules are 1000x smaller than traditional cannabis distillate, which results in better taste, efficacy, and faster onset. Bayou City is focused on being the trusted source in creating and providing the highest quality and most reliable cannabis-derived products in the world, while maintaining a commitment to innovation, quality, and collaboration with its partners. As leaders and stewards of the cannabis industry in Texas, Bayou City strives to normalize and legitimize the industry through education and awareness. For more information, visit www.bayoucityhemp.com.

ABOUT 8TH WONDER CANNABIS

8th Wonder Cannabis is changing the way Texans understand and access cannabis. The groundbreaking new brand formed by 8th Wonder Brewery and Distillery and Bayou City Hemp Company offers hemp, hops, beverages, and more as a brick-and-mortar dispensary, premier producer, and consumption lounge. 8th Wonder Cannabis’ first brick-and-mortar dispensary and lounge is housed inside 8th Wonder Distillery at 2201 Dallas Street, Houston, TX 77003. Additional storefronts are planned in cities throughout the state, while 8th Wonder Cannabis will also produce pioneering cannabis products to sell via partners nationwide. For more information, visit https://8thwonder.com/cannabis.