Hottest Dining Trend for 2019? Cannabis
Top chefs say adding CBD to food and drinks will be showing up on menus.
Jan 14, 2019
DENVER – Coming to a plate or glass near you—cannabis-infused food and beverages. U.S. chefs say adding CBD, the non-psychoactive compound extracted from marijuana plants, to milkshakes, olive oil and donuts, among other menu items, is a top dining trend for 2019, USA Today reports.
“I’m telling you, 75% of my clientele is doctors, nurses and lawyers," said Josh Schwab, who runs Glazed & Confuzed, a doughnut shop that offers a CBD-frosting and a candied hemp leaf. “You get all the relaxation without the head high. It kinda just takes the edge off.”
Jonathan Eppers launched CBD-infused Vybes beverages in Los Angeles a year ago, and now distributes the drinks in 19 states. Customers have snapped up more than a million bottles in flavors like blackberry lavender and blueberry mint.
The National Restaurant Association survey of chefs found that 77% identified CBD beverages as the number one trend for 2019, followed by CBD foods. However, Hudson Riehle, senior research director for the association, cautioned that it’s early days on whether CBD is a fad or is here to stay. “Ultimately, what the consumer wants comes to fruition,” he said.
Because CBD often comes from hemp, cannabis-infused menu items could show up in all states. Greenwave Advisors predicted that the CBD industry could hit $3 billion within two years. Many analysts forecast that the new Farm Bill, which allows hemp to be grown in the United States, will drive CBD industry growth.
