The standards and expectations of packaged food are in a constant state of evolutionary development, racing to keep up with ever changing societal standards. Hemp first showed its face years ago as a braggadocious, protein affluent superfood in the form of hemp seeds, protein bars, hemp milk and oil. Although deriving from the same raw ingredient, cannabis, the difference here is the missing element of CBD.

Euromonitor International expects global sales of CBD packaged foods to double over the next two years, as consumer awareness grows of the ingredient’s benefits.

Now, food products will not only be marketed on a nutritional level, but also in a way where food will also be sold for specific conditions that CBD can assist in. Here, we will see the market becoming dominated by outcome-based products, where food will also be seen as medicinal, blurring the line between food and consumer health.  Presently, CBD food products are purely sold in the form of confectionary, but as the normalisation of cannabinoids in mainstream food ubiquitously become an active ingredient, cannabis will become prevalent in a whole range of food categories, such as bakery products, pasta, soups and any other savoury goodies you can think of.

Just as vegetarian and vegan brands were barely even conceptual a decade or so ago, plant-based foods have now disrupted the entire packaged food industry – look towards Linda McCartney, VioLife, and all those other delicious, animal-free brands we see on supermarket shelves on a daily basis. Equally, cannabis will play its role in bringing a brand new, medicinally beneficial edge to mindful consumption. Consumers will not only look for food that will boost their body, but also their minds – Who would have thought?