Minneapolis-based Target Corp. is making a major move in Minnesota’s fast‑growing hemp beverage market, securing state licenses that allow the retailer to sell lower‑potency hemp edibles—including THC drinks—at all 72 of its Minnesota stores, according to MarijuanaMoment. The expansion follows a successful pilot last year in 10 locations and makes Target the single largest holder of lower‑potency hemp edible licenses in the state, according to a review of Office of Cannabis Management data. The new licenses took effect April 1 and run for one year.
The timing is notable. A federal law signed late last year is set to ban hemp‑derived products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container beginning in November. Bipartisan efforts in Congress to delay the ban have stalled, leaving retailers and manufacturers navigating a rapidly shifting regulatory landscape.
Minnesota’s own rules remain more permissive. State law allows licensed retailers to sell products with up to 5 milligrams of THC per serving and 50 milligrams per package, with beverages capped at 10 milligrams per container. Target’s initial lineup included brands such as Cann, Wyld, Indeed, Surly, Birdie, and Trail Magic. The company has not said whether its expanded footprint will include additional product types beyond beverages.
Consumer interest appears strong. A poll from cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD found that 50.5 percent of marijuana consumers said Target’s entry into THC beverages made them more likely to shop at the retailer.
Minnesota has been a national leader in mainstreaming hemp beverages since 2022, when Gov. Tim Walz signed legislation allowing hemp‑derived cannabinoids in food and drinks. The category has continued to grow even as federal policy remains unsettled.
(Source, plus list of store locations, here.)
Leave a Reply