Photograph courtesy of Edibles.com
Operating under a slogan of “Health, not high,” Edibles.com opened its first retail brick-and-mortar on April 9 in Inman Park. The boutique aims to offer a more approachable entry into hemp-derived products.
It’s coming from a somewhat unlikely source: Edibles.com is a division of Sandy Springs-based Edible, also the parent company of gifting brand Edible Arrangements. When Thomas Winstanley, the executive vice president and general manager, was approached by Edible two years ago to launch the concept, he was impressed by the vision.
“It was very clear they wanted to do this the right way,” says Winstanley. “This is a functional wellness category, and we have built a brand by being very acute in the products we choose and how we help consumers engage with them.”
About six THC lifestyle brands are available in the cozy store, with closer to 10 on the website, which debuted a year ago. Those familiar with the category will recognize brand names like Cann, Wlyd, and Atlanta-based Scofflaw Brewing. “It’s a curated offering,” says Winstanley, who says the opportunity to educate curious customers was as important as the product range. The intention was not to make it feel like a dispensary, but rather a lifestyle outpost. Knowledgeable staff can ask customers about desired outcomes and suggest products for sleep, relaxation, and more.
Customers can choose from products such as gummies and drinks that range from 2 mg to 10 mg of hemp-derived THC. They do not sell vapes or other inhalable forms. Customers must be 21 to purchase the products in accordance with state law.
The complexities around THC and regulations are often hard to understand and ever-changing. Hemp-derived products are currently legal in Georgia, but federal legislation with heavy restrictions was passed last year and could go into effect in November to revise the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp cultivation as long as the plants do not exceed a certain concentration of delta-9 THC.
Winstanley hopes that Edibles.com’s new store can be a pathway forward, demonstrating how hemp commerce can be done responsibly. He hopes to influence lawmakers before November. “We want to be a signal to what we think the industry can become,” he says.
In a press release, CEO Somia Farid Silber echoed his sentiments. “We believe hemp retail can and should operate with transparency, education, and consumer protection at its core. This store reflects our long-term commitment to building this category the right way—for consumers, communities, and the industry,” she said.
