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Columbia Business Monthly

#YeahTHATAgenda: Hemp Beverage Maker Kona Gold Moving Distribution Center to SC, Brewery Flooding, New Michelin NA Chief In, African-American Museum Head Out

Jun 12, 2019 04:41PM ● By Chris Haire
Hemp Energy Drink Company Kona Gold to lease Greer warehouse: Over the past few years, South Carolina has seen an explosion of hemp and CBD-oil shops, a retail phenomenon made possible by the passage of a 2014 law legalizing CBD oil in the Palmetto State. Last month, however, brought with it other big news: the Melbourne, Fla.-based hemp beverage maker Kona Gold will be moving into a warehouse in Greer.

According to a report from Yahool Finance, Kona Gold has signed a letter of intent to lease 15,000 square feet of warehouse space in order to meet the growing demand for its products

Founded in 2015 and distributed in 30 states, Kona Gold makes all-natural hemp-based energy drinks -- all of them free of THC, the psychoactive chemical found in marijuana. The beverage's star ingredients are caffeine, taurine (the key component of Red Bull and other energy drinks), and hemp seed protein powder. 

In 2018 Kona Gold launched its two most popular flavors: the sugar-free, zero-calorie cotton candy and cherry vanilla. The duo joined previous offerings Kona Gold Sugar Free and Kona Gold Platinum, which contains pure cane sugar.

Following on the success of cotton candy and cherry vanilla, the company introduced two more sugar-free, zero-calorie flavors: bubble gum and candy apple. 

“With the extension and high demand of our product lines, we are now producing 100 to 150 pallets each month, exceeding what our current warehouse in Florida can accommodate,” Robert Clark, CEO of Kona Gold Solutions, Inc., said in a statement. “We made the strategic decision to lease warehouse space in South Carolina, which will become our distribution hub for all Kona Gold products. Shipping lanes are very expensive out of Melbourne, Fla., and the expense saved by shipping to our 40 plus distributors from South Carolina, will come close to offsetting the new monthly lease. I am very excited by the Company’s continued growth and success and this move positions us to continue on that upward path.”

Although the Federal Drug Administration has noted that it is currently illegal to add CBD oil to food products intended for human or animal consumption, the FDA has approved the use of hulled hemp seed, hemp seed oil, and hemp seed protein powder, which is found in Kona Gold. 

As for CBD oil, the Upstate's Greenwood Genetics Center will soon begin a clinical trial studying a CBD gel that is believed to help those suffering from Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that causes "intellectual disability, behavioral and learning challenges and is also the most common known single gene cause of autism spectrum disorder," according to trial's website.

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