Rapid Expansion Into Malls for New Wave of Hemp-Derived Wellness Products

FN Media Group Presents Potstocknews.com market commentary

NEW YORK, June 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cannabis' mainstream appeal continues to grow, Wall Street has taken notice of the marijuana industry's potential for quintupling, at minimum, in worldwide cannabis sales through 2029. Much of the increase in appeal is coming through the availability of cannabidiol (CBD) products, namely in the retail space. Major retailers and retail property owners are opening their doors to selling hemp-derived products from companies including Green Growth Brands (CSE:GGB) (OTC:GGBXF), Green Thumb Industries Inc. (OTC:GTBIF) (CSE:GTII), iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. (OTC:ITHUF) (CSE:IAN), Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (OTC:CURLF) (CSE:CURA) and MedMen Enterprises Inc. (OTC:MMNFF) (CSE:MMEN).

Leading the charge into malls across the United States is retail-oriented Green Growth Brands (CSE:GGB) (OTC:GGBXF) who just announced another major mall deal with prominent mall operator Brookfield Property Partners. Through the deal, the company's Seventh Sense Botanical Therapy brand of CBD-infused products will be sold in GGB-owned stores starting with over 70 prime shop locations in Brookfield's malls—and is in negotiations for additional stores to come.

The deal follows up a series of other mall and retail arrangements from Green Growth Brands and others, such as Tilray and iAnthus, including GGB's previous deal with another mall magnate, Simon Property Group.

Key to mainstream acceptance is the surging popularity of CBD over its psychoactive cannabinoid cousin, THC. Since the green light to grow hemp was given late in 2018 with the approval of the US Farm Bill, expect more CBD-infused products to hit retail shelves everywhere.

As of late 2018, market research firm The Brightfield Group published a market overview and analysis on hemp-derived CBD. The report predicted the market would annually grow by 147%, from $591 million in 2018 to an estimated $22 billion by 2022.

Green Growth's CBD products appear now in 10 Abercrombie & Fitch stores in Massachusetts, California, Colorado, and Nevada, and even more impressively in 96 US-based DSW stores—for a whopping 54,960 units.

Not to be outdone in terms of retail footprints, Curaleaf Holdings signed a deal with pharmacy giant, CVS to sell its own non-intoxicating hemp products in more than 800 CVS stores.

On the more ritzy side of the retail scene, Green Thumb Industries has broken through into the upper echelon through a deal made with Barneys New York. Through the acquisition of premium brand Beboe, Green Thumb products will be featured in the new locations for the Barneys version of a dispensary, titled "The High End".