Target will soon begin selling THC beverages, reported CBS News. “The Minneapolis-based chain confirmed to CBS News that it is testing the sale of THC beverages at certain Target liquor stores in Minnesota. While other retailers, such as Total Wine & More, already sell cannabis beverages, Target is the first big-box player to explore the THC beverage market,” the report said.
"At Target, we're always exploring new ways to meet our guests' evolving preferences and needs," a spokesperson said.
THC beverages can be legally sold in 44 states, 37 of which allow sales outside of the marijuana dispensary systems, wrote CBS.
Whitney Economics estimates there are 500 to 750 brands marketing cannabis drinks. Of those, roughly 30 are “sizable labels with national distribution,” while the rest are regional and local brands.
At the 2025 NACS Show in Chicago last week, there was a spotlight on THC beverages. In the Education Session “Cracking Open the Potential of THC Beverages,” Rebekah Stevenson of Circle K, which recently began selling the products in its Georgia and Florida locations, and Diana Eberlein of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives, shared insights for retailers interested in the burgeoning category.
The state of Minnesota serves as a test case for THC-infused beverages, which have been allowed in stores since 2022. THC-infused beverages are currently, in most states, more about advocacy than merchandising. A mission for retailers is to connect with advocacy groups and become champions for the products, Eberlein said, noting that advocacy is much more effective with retailers at the table.
If a retailer starts selling THC-infused beverages, education is a key part of the mission. THC-infused beverages are “not for the faint of heart,” Stevenson said. But the promise makes them worth the investment.
Read more about the cannabis retail market in the October 2025 issue of NACS Magazine: “Cannabis: Green Rush or Green Bust?”