The company famous for turning pineapple slices into roses is now slicing into an entirely new industry. Edible Brands, the parent company of Edible Arrangements, is officially stepping into the cannabis space.
The new venture, announced Thursday, will operate under Edibles.com—a delivery-based service offering hemp-derived gummies, infused drinks, and wellness supplements. Yes, the same folks who delivered chocolate-dipped strawberries on Valentine’s Day are now offering cannabinoid-infused treats at your doorstep.
From Fruit Bouquets to Functional Gummy Bears
The pivot isn’t just quirky branding—it’s a deliberate move into a lucrative but volatile space.
Edible Brands has spent over two decades becoming a household name for gifts. Now, they’re leaning into wellness culture and trying to tap into the growing appetite for plant-based stress relief. According to Thomas Winstanley, EVP of Edibles.com, the brand is doubling down on health-conscious consumers looking for legal cannabinoid products that don’t require a trip to a dispensary.
“We’ve already built a national distribution network. That’s half the battle,” Winstanley said in a press release. “We’re focused on delivering quality, safety, and convenience.”
And yes, “delivering” is the keyword. The products won’t be in stores. This is a direct-to-door model, using Edible Brands’ existing logistics power to scale quickly.
Hemp Market Is Still Booming—But Under Pressure
The hemp edibles market saw a wild boom after the 2018 Farm Bill made hemp (and its byproducts) federally legal. It opened the floodgates for everything from CBD oil to Delta-8 THC gummies—products that could get you relaxed or, in some cases, mildly high.
But the regulatory landscape? Messy, to say the least.
Some states have since cracked down, particularly on psychoactive hemp products like Delta-8 and Delta-10. While these compounds are technically legal under federal law, state legislators have been scrambling to regulate or ban them due to safety concerns and lack of oversight.
Even Congress is circling. A bipartisan push is underway to close the loopholes that let intoxicating hemp products sneak through under current legislation.
Still, the consumer base is there. Millions of Americans are buying hemp gummies for sleep, stress, and pain—many of them preferring it over prescription drugs.
Why Edible Brands Thinks It’ll Work
This isn’t a case of a brand chasing trends without a plan. Edible Brands already owns the infrastructure for high-volume, quick-turn delivery. They’ve handled perishable goods across all 50 states for years.
Here’s what sets them apart from your average hemp startup:
- Nationwide delivery infrastructure already built and tested
- Brand trust from existing customers used to gifting and quality assurance
- Product overlap with existing health trends, including low-sugar and vegan options
That’s a trifecta most cannabis companies can’t match. While many hemp brands operate from single-state licenses or rely on third-party shipping, Edibles.com will plug straight into a national network.
“One of the biggest barriers in this space is logistics,” said Lisa Flores, a cannabis consultant who advises CPG companies on market expansion. “If Edible Brands can leverage what they already have, they could scale faster than anyone else in this category.”
Risks Are Real—And So Is the Uncertainty
This is still a tricky industry, though. The hemp sector exists in a grey zone, legally speaking, and it doesn’t take much for a product to cross from “CBD-infused wellness aid” to “schedule-one drug,” depending on its chemical makeup.
Some states treat hemp-derived cannabinoids like THC analogues, which means more red tape and potential bans. Others don’t regulate it at all, leading to wild inconsistencies in product safety and consumer trust.
The FDA, for its part, still hasn’t provided a clear regulatory framework for CBD products. They’ve issued warnings, but stopped short of formal guidelines. It leaves brands like Edibles.com in limbo, relying on third-party testing and transparency to build consumer confidence.
One industry insider put it bluntly: “It’s not for the faint-hearted.”
Still, the potential rewards are big. A report by Brightfield Group estimated the U.S. hemp-derived cannabinoid market was worth $5 billion in 2023—and expected to grow, albeit slower than in past years.
New Name, Familiar Taste?
At first glance, this might look like a head-scratching move for a company better known for bananas than botanicals. But the logic is there. Consumers trust what they know—and Edible Arrangements is already in homes nationwide.
The branding plays on that recognition. “Edibles.com” is clean, catchy, and possibly a domain name worth millions on its own. It’s bold but simple. Just like their signature fruit skewers.
And while it’s unclear whether the two brands will cross-promote, you can probably expect some product overlap. Think fruit-flavoured CBD gummies. Maybe even chocolate-covered hemp bites. Stranger things have happened.
Winstanley’s statement hinted at more to come: “This is only the beginning. We’re building something that consumers can grow with.”
Time will tell if consumers are ready to bite.
