Kenny Morrison on CQ Drinks and Navigating the Rise of Cannabis Beverages as an Alcohol Alternative

Kenny Morrison, CEO and Co-founder of CQ , is positioning his brand at the forefront of the burgeoning cannabis-infused beverage market. CQ aims to offer a mainstream alternative to alcoholic drinks, providing consumers with potent mixable shots and ready-to-mix beverages designed to be as socially acceptable and easy to share as beer or wine. The brand is capitalizing on evolving consumer trends, including the "California Sober" movement and Gen Z's reduced alcohol consumption, by offering a controlled, predictable, and hangover-free experience. CQ's product line, which includes various potencies and flavors like spritzers and shots, is expanding its availability from traditional dispensaries into liquor and convenience stores in states such as California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Washington, Michigan, Arizona, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Minnesota. Morrison highlights the significant shift in consumer interest towards cannabis beverages as they become more accessible outside of dispensaries, noting this as the "beginning of the beginning" for the category.