A few days ago, it was the first anniversary since we revealed Cannasa to the public. We were planning a small party to commemorate this, but then Corona struck, and Matt got stuck in LA (yes, long distance is working for us), so all festivities have been postponed.
Naturally, this would be the time for celebration – surviving the first year for any start up is quite a milestone and while our debut was not all rock and roll, it was not insignificant either. We won the best new drink award and we are listed in some amazing places, such as Harrods, Booths, Revital, VeganKind Supermarket, John Bell & Croyden. Solid beginning of a long and exciting journey.
While the focus at the moment is all about how to get to the other side and adapt to a post-Corona world, it is good to remind ourselves why we embarked on this journey and what makes us different to ensure everything we do is rooted in what we believe in.
With Cannasa we did not just want to create a great tasting CBD drink that helps people feel they have found their oasis of calm and bring hemp into every fridge, we wanted to make an impact and contribute to a better world. We believe that Cannasa can be a force for good and we believe that by doing things differently we can create a brand that is good for people and good for the planet. Aspirational words for a small brand, but one needs to aim high.
To make a difference, we are creating products that are innovative, sustainable and all natural.
Cannasa is innovative
We decided to push the boundaries and find a unique CBD rather than using a generic one. Yes, not all CBD oils used in drinks are created equal.
We are the only drink where the CBD does not degrade with time and is not affected by oxidation and UV light (yes, we can use a clear glass bottle!). Our CBD also does not suffer from the ‘salad dressing effect’ (lingo for when CBD separates from the drink leaving an oily stain on top of a drink). Our CBD also does not have any preservatives or allergens. And Cannasa does not taste of hemp.
No other CBD drink tastes good, smells good and looks good. All of this is thanks to encapsulation, which protects CBD the way an egg-shell protects the egg. Microencapsulation is also a superior and more effective technology that enhances bioavailability.
Cannasa for the planet
Matt and I have been working in sustainability and we recognise how sustainable plant hemp is. Not only did we want to put it at the centre of the brand (our name Cannasa is derived from the Cannabis Sativa), but we wanted sustainability to be part of Cannasa’s DNA. This has guided us in selecting packaging and ingredients as well as where we bottle Cannasa.
We said no to plastic and yes to a 100% recyclable glass bottle and to go an extra mile we even paid attention to our label, which is partially made of hemp and fully compostable.
We try to source things locally. For that we reason we are using British Farmed Beet Sugar to support local farmers (beet sugar also has a lower carbon footprint compared to sugar cane). We bottle in the UK, in Birmingham.
There are a number of things we are planning to implement to further reduce our environmental impact. Because we have little influence on how we make things we have decided to partner with Offset Earth to offset our current carbon emissions. We do aim to become carbon neutral by the end of 2020 and have ambition to be net zero. We need to make sure we have a planet at the end of the day!
Cannasa is all natural
We also believe drinks should be good for people. So, there are no artificial flavourings, no preservatives or sweeteners in our drinks. The drink is also vegan friendly.
These are the principles that we stand behind and are part of our products. By following them we happened to create an award-winning drink. If you’re passionate about the planet and drinking something that tastes great and makes you feel good, give Cannasa a try!