CBD-infused beverages are a fast-rising category today—but back in 2018, the industry was new, with few roadmaps to follow. That’s when Matt Oscamou and John Simmons, co-founders of functional food and beverage company Weller, connected with us at Caliper Ingredients help them develop a new line of CBD-infused sparkling water.
Today, Weller’s sparkling water line—powered by Caliper CBD—has become the #1 brand of CBD Sparkling Water in the US, according to SPINS data 2019-2021 YTD. A “valuable relationship with Caliper” was key, says Matt.
The clinically proven integrity of Caliper’s products synched well with the Boulder, Colorado-based company’s commitment to highest quality ingredients—and ultimately translated to a consistently performing product line that won consumers’ trust.
As described in a recent article at BevNet.com, Weller was able to establish the credibility of its brand early on—a key advantage in what has now become a crowded category. Caliper’s emphasis on backing its ingredients with scientifically validated research “gave Weller a proven quality product for its brand, and helped differentiate it from others on the shelf,” says Caliper Ingredients Account Manager Ben Addington.
Caliper’s emphasis on backing its ingredients with scientifically validated research gave Weller a proven quality product for its brand, and helped differentiate it from others on the shelf.”
A recently published Colorado State University (CSU) study found that Caliper Ingredients were absorbed significantly faster—up to 424 times faster than isolate and up to 64 times faster than tinctures, within the first 30 minutes. Similarly, a 2020 CSU study found that Caliper was absorbed 650% more in the first 15 minutes compared with oil-soluble CBD, and had 450% more absorption overall.
“Clinically proven quick onset and higher overall absorption means that Weller can offer its consumers a desirable experience in a great-tasting beverage,” explains Ben. Rather than the “too little, too late” experience that turns customers off lower-quality CBD beverages, he notes, “Weller’s consumers know what they’re getting. They can count on absorbing the benefits on time, every time.”
Another key driver in the enduring Caliper-Weller partnership has been Caliper’s expertise in cannabinoid ingredient science, says Weller’s Matt Oscamou. “Working with water-dispersible CBD is challenging,” he notes. “Caliper’s team was always available to dig in with us at the scientific level to maintain CBD accuracy and potency in our products.”
Matt thinks the recent Caliper research is “groundbreaking. It inspires us to educate our retail partners on how cannabinoids can be exceptionally beneficial to consumers. We continue to witness our customers’ experience first-hand—and they’ve come to rely upon our products’ reliable CBD potency and the efficacy of our products, which is directly related to our valuable relationship with Caliper.”
[Our customers have] come to rely upon our products’ reliable CBD potency and the efficacy of our products, which is directly related to our valuable relationship with Caliper.”
“It’s been exciting to see Weller’s trajectory, as they’ve become the leading CBD beverage,” adds Ben. “Their success is a great example of what we’re all about.”
