Trust & Traceability Most Important to Consumers When It Comes to CBD Products
CHICAGO — Trust and traceability are among the most important issues related to food and beverage products made with cannabis ingredients, a new study from Culinary Visions found.
Forty-five percent of those surveyed said they would trust products that are commercially made to be safe. But, despite the trust of commercial cannabis products, 42 percent said they would prefer to buy from a small-batch producer vs. a big food company.
Only 29 percent of consumers would trust the quality of cannabis-infused products bought online, and half of those surveyed said they would feel more comfortable buying cannabis-infused products if they had the opportunity to speak with a knowledgeable sales representative.
"With the momentum for legalization of cannabis, we felt this was the perfect time to explore interest in specific food and beverage products with cannabis ingredients. We believe the global interest of consumers in functional ingredients and the cachet of adventure that has long been associated with cannabis is fueling this trend," said Sharon Olson, executive director of Culinary Visions.
"Some of the characteristics associated with product concepts that appealed to consumers were the same characteristics that appeal in gourmet retail and restaurant venues. Small batch production, knowledgeable staff, and great taste are examples of these attributes," she added.
The top four cannabis-infused products consumers would be interested in are:
- Baked goods (48 percent)
- Candy/gummies (45 percent)
- Snacks (44 percent)
- Non-alcoholic beverages (41 percent)
Although 47 percent of consumers said that they would choose to consume cannabis for the effect, not the taste, taste is still important. Fifty percent said they would prefer not being able to taste the cannabis flavor in a cannabis-infused product and 48 percent would expect cannabis-infused products to taste good.
The Culinary Visions survey explored consumers' interest in various cannabis-infused products and cannabis-related experiences in retail and foodservice venues, while also gauging consumer knowledge and motivations. It is part of the Culinary Visions Cannabis Products Project, which was created to anticipate product development trends and reveal insights on the future of cannabis in the food industry by surveying 2,000 consumers.
Chicago-based Culinary Visions is a food-focused insights and trends forecasting practice that studies a wide range of culinary topics important to consumers and food industry professionals. Culinary Visions is a division and registered trademark of Olson Communications Inc.