Recreation or wellness? At Canna River, they’re the same.
Canna River spills all on their approach to legal and medical cannabis and what makes them stand out in the industry.
Canna River prioritizes both cannabis health and recreation with their unique approach to the plant.
When states began legalizing cannabis, it was a huge gain for everyone who consumes it—no matter the reason. The same can be said for the 2018 Farm Bill. However, the legalities of cannabis also created divisions that don’t exist beyond the law. For instance, hemp and marijuana are the same species of plant, except hemp contains less than .3% THC. Their names are a legal distinction, not a scientific one.
Similarly, laws formalized the distinction between medical and recreational cannabis. Now the assumption is that if someone consumes it for fun, it is not supportive. Hemp wellness brand Canna River would argue this reasoning does not reflect the big picture, and they are doing their part to break down this division with their affordable selection of high quality Farm Bill compliant delta 8, delta 10, and HHC products.
CBD beginnings
Canna River started out with a handful of low-cost, high potency full spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD tinctures. Their goal was to make premium lab tested CBD affordable.
“During the initial mainstream CBD boom, it seemed like people had two choices: buy something of questionable quality cheap from a fly by night or buy expensive products with barely any CBD in them from vetted brands. I wanted to do things differently,” said Canna River co-founder Grant Boatman.
“Instead of a few hundred milligrams a bottle for $75 to $200, our CBD tincture strengths start at 1000mg for $35. That’s full price, and we still do lots of sales.”
The brand grew quickly, expanding tincture flavors and adding CBD products like topicals and capsules within the first few months of launching in 2019. Early adopters remember their rustic earth tones. These days, Canna River has colorful branding and over 100 SKUs, including hemp-derived alternative cannabinoids.
“Our messaging stayed the same, but our new look was huge for us. It helped make our vibe more reflective of the diverse products we carry,” said Boatman.
High-Potency delta 8
The Canna River Delta 8 Tincture was the first alternative cannabinoid product to hit their site. They make it at their state-of-the-art facility in Southern California using the same premium materials in their CBD tinctures—organic MCT oil and food grade flavoring like berries, strawberry lemonade, guava, and their best-selling lemon raspberry. They are lab-tested, sugar-free, vegan, and non-GMO.
At the time of the tincture’s release, they didn’t think of delta 8 in terms of recreational use. “We’re big proponents of the entourage effect, and delta 8 just felt like the latest and greatest in hemp support. But everyone who tried our tincture said ‘Whoa. This is strong!’ It was hilarious.”
For context, their premium delta 8 tinctures come in impressive 1500mg and 3000mg bottles for just $35 and $65, respectively. “We discovered when it comes to delta 8, our love of crafting high-potency products meant a powerful experience people weren’t getting elsewhere.”
For Canna River, this discovery also meant expanding product offerings to be more inclusive of their customers’ needs. “Some people want a mix of CBD and alternative cannabinoids, but others only want delta 8 or only want THC-free broad spectrum CBD. The same goes for the type of product. Some people love capsules but hate tinctures, don’t like to vape but love gummies. We say there’s no wrong way to get hemp support.” On a mission to let people do hemp their way, they added delta 8 gummies and cartridges.
The Canna River Delta 8 Gummy comes in 20 piece 500mg bottles (25mg delta 8 per gummy). They are available in six delicious flavors, including Blue Razz, Dragon Berry, Hazy Apple, Caramel Pear, Island Splash, and Major Melonz. The edibles secured their place as a top stop for delta 8, but their Delta 8 Cartridges were the brand’s first real gamble on the expansion. “Even though our delta 8 tinctures are powerful, they’re still tinctures. The connotations are different from vape,” said Boatman. “Once we introduced carts, it was a new day.”
Their 1 gram cartridges come in classic strains like Blue Dream, Banana Split, Cherry AK, Hawaiian Snowcap, Sour GMO, and Watermelon Zkittles for just $35. They also sell them in discounted boxes of 10 and 60 units. Although the cartridges launched as faithful strain replications, they have evolved into proprietary terpene blends inspired by their namesakes. This transition is all thanks to Canna River’s latest leap into the alternative cannabinoid game—their ultra-popular Highlighter pens.
Game-changing disposable pens
In the hemp-derived alternative cannabinoid space, pens reign.
“It isn’t easy to sell it and CBD under the same roof, just from a regulatory red tape aspect. CBD is in department stores, while laws and attitudes toward stuff like delta 8 or HHC are constantly changing,” said Boatman.
“But despite our low prices, we spare no expense in manufacturing compliant goods. People can trust they are getting a quality product.”
Canna River Highlighters are disposable rechargeable neon-colored 2.5 gram vape pens. They cost $40 and are currently available in HHC and a delta blend. The HHC Highlighter comes in Blue Dream, Mango, Lemon Raspberry, Green Crack, Dragon Berry and Watermelon Zkittles. The Delta 8 + Delta 10 Highlighter comes in Blue Dream, Cherry AK, Green Crack, Hawaiian Snowcap, Sour GMO, and Watermelon Zkittles.
While the effects are notable, the flavors also set them apart. These are not direct strain copies. The Green Crack is a bold caramel apple. The Hawaiian Snowcap? It tastes like a slushie.
“How it tastes is part of the experience,” said Boatman.
“I wanted our terpene profiles to be memorable and stand out from the crowd, even if that meant straying from tradition.”
Why not both?
With so many recreation-friendly products, it may be hard for some to believe that Canna River is still the same support-centric brand it was when it first launched with a few CBD tinctures. They are, and they are proud of it.
“Our mission hasn’t changed. We believe in the power of hemp and craft everything we carry using the highest quality materials then sell them at low prices. We don’t take shortcuts, no matter which cannabinoids we’re working with,” said Boatman.
So how does a company that sells Broad Spectrum CBD Multivitamin and Immunity gummies also sell powerful delta 8 edibles with ease?
“Our slogan is: Hemp Wellness Redefined. It is about taking care of yourself and feeling good, not just physical support. Many people enjoy cannabis recreationally as a form of self-care in a chaotic and stressful modern world. How is that not wellness?”
