Mary Jones Expands to Cannabis Market in Michigan, Debuts 100mg Shooters in California

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Aug 13, 2024, 07:15 ET

Jones Soda's Rapidly Growing Crossover Brand Continues to Ramp Up Market Presence

SEATTLE, Aug. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jones Soda Co. (CSE: JSDA, OTCQB: JSDA) today announced two key expansions of its crossover Mary Jones cannabis brand with the launch of its first products in Michigan – the largest U.S. legal cannabis market by sales volume – and the introduction of a new line of cannabis-infused shooters in California. Both initiatives build on the strong performance of Mary Jones' THC- and HD9-infused products, including sodas, syrups, tabs and gummies that feature popular Jones craft soda flavors adapted for the exploding cannabis edibles market.

In Michigan, where legal cannabis sales hit nearly $3 billion in 2023, Mary Jones is entering the market through a manufacturing and distribution partnership with Emerald Canning Partners (ECP), a driving force in state's legal recreational cannabis industry. Mary Jones THC-infused mixing syrups will be available in Michigan dispensaries in September, with the full product portfolio to follow.

In California, where Jones' reputation for flavor innovation and distinctive brand persona helped make Mary Jones the fastest new cannabis brand launch in the state in 2022, dispensaries are now adding new portable, shareable Mary Jones 100mg Cannabis-Infused Shooters to the brand's existing lineup of beverages, syrups and tablets. Other cannabis-legal states will carry the line in the future.

"Mary Jones ranks as one of our top growth drivers, so continuing to increase our footprint and penetration in the cannabis space is as important to maintaining and accelerating our current strong growth rate as the new products, channels and partnerships we're implementing in our mainline soda business," said David Knight, CEO of Jones Soda. "In a category where most brands are startups without our nearly three decades of flavor science expertise, we are setting the standard in cannabis beverage taste, and that's combining with rising consumer interest in alcohol alternatives and new cannabis consumption formats to invigorate and grow the business."

Michigan Market Launch

Jones' partnership with Emerald Canning Partners in Michigan aligns the company with one of the premier cannabis product manufacturers in the state. ECP's joint venture production facility in Mt. Clemens' historic Gibraltar Trade Center pairs premium craft beverage knowledge with high-quality cannabis to produce premium cannabis-infused beverages. ECP is led by beverage industry veteran Matt McAlpine, former COO at Blake's Hard Cider, one of the top brands in the hard cider category.

The Mary Jones THC-infused mixing syrups that are launching the partnership feature the same pure cane sugar formulation and cult-favorite Berry Lemonade, MF Grape, Green Apple and Orange & Cream flavors as mainline Jones Soda. Each 4 fl oz glass bottle contains 200mg of THC for multiple servings that can be sipped, added to cocktails and desserts, poured over waffles for 420-adult brunches and more.

ECP also will manufacture and distribute Mary Jones cannabis sodas, including 20mg THC bottled sodas designed for single servings and 100mg THC canned sodas intended for sharing or consumers who prefer a higher dose. Available in eight flavors, the Mary Jones soda line has received multiple accolades in California's L.A. High Spirits Awards for cannabis- and hemp-derived beverage products, including Best Cannabis Soda honors for its THC-infused 10mg Berry Lemonade in both 2023 and 2024.

"We share a pioneering spirit with Mary Jones as trailblazers in new and emerging markets. Jones was the first non-alcoholic mainline beverage company to crossover into cannabis with Mary Jones, while Emerald Canning Partners was one of the first cannabis beverage companies in Michigan," said McAlpine, President of Emerald Canning Partners. "Mary Jones brings national brand expertise, product innovation and flavor science to cannabis, combined with our depth and knowledge of production and Michigan's legal cannabis market."

Cannabis Shooter Launch

The new Mary Jones 100mg Cannabis-Infused Shooters launching in California this month add a new easy-carry/easy-share option for cannabis consumers. Each 2 oz Mary Jones Shooter bottle contains 10 servings infused with 10mg of THC for sipping, splitting with friends, or mixing into other drinks like seltzer water or mocktails.

Each shooter is non-carbonated and contains an average of 15.75 calories per shot, significantly reducing the sugar intake associated with same dose of cannabis in a 100mg cannabis soda product. Like Mary Jones syrups, the new shooter line is available in Berry Lemonade, MF Grape, Green Apple and Orange & Cream flavors.

The shooter format offers the advantages of portability, shareability, discreet consumption and dosage control aided by demarked lines on the label. These benefits make shooters one of the fastest-growing categories in regulated cannabis products. The pocket-sized form factor also reflects the rising interest in smaller packaging formats in the mainstream CPG beverage market.

Mary Jones cannabis products are sold in more than 1,200 dispensaries in California, Washington, Canada and now Michigan, with ongoing expansion into other cannabis-legal markets. Mary Jones also sells hemp delta 9 (HD9) craft sodas, gummies and shooters through liquor stores and other brick-and-mortar retailers across the country as well as online at GoMaryJones.com.

About Jones Soda Co.

Jones Soda Co.® (CSE: JSDA, OTCQB: JSDA) is a leading developer of sodas and cannabis-infused beverages known for their premium taste, unique flavors and unconventional brand personality. Launched in 1997 as the original craft soda brand, the company today markets a diverse portfolio of sodas, mixers and wellness beverages under the Jones® Soda brand as well as a line of award-winning cannabis beverages and edibles leveraging Jones' trademark flavors under the Mary Jones brand. For more information, visit www.jonessoda.com, www.myjones.com, or https://gomaryjones.com

SOURCE Mary Jones