White-label hemp beverages live in a unique regulatory lane created by the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed “hemp” (≤0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight) from the federal Controlled Substances Act. That reclassification opened interstate commerce for compliant hemp ingredients and products, including drinks. Yet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration still says CBD and THC cannot be added to foods or marketed as dietary supplements under existing pathways, creating a patchwork environment where states fill the void with their own rules.

In practice, brands employ multi-channel distribution strategies that match local regulation:

• Beverage-style DSD and beer distributors in permissive states. In markets such as Minnesota—where lawmakers explicitly regulate low-dose, hemp-derived THC beverages—brands can sell through mainstream alcohol channels like liquor stores, taprooms, and bars (no alcohol commingled). This enables classic route-to-market tactics: cold-box placement, on-premise sampling, and chain authorizations.
• Conventional retail & e-commerce. Grocery, convenience, and specialty wellness retailers stock compliant hemp drinks in some states; online sales are common where state rules allow age-gated shipping and local fulfillment. Growth in hemp-derived THC drinks has attracted more general-market distributors and retailers.
• Dispensaries (selectively). Some dispensaries carry hemp drinks, but many prioritize state-licensed, marijuana-program beverages (with higher THC and different tax/track-and-trace rules). Market trackers show beverages are a growing dispensary category, but hemp drinks compete with regulated THC SKUs that deliver stronger effects and higher margins.

Why white-label brands face added hurdles with dispensaries:

1. Buyer expectations & brand equity. Dispensary buyers often prefer established, licensed THC beverage brands with proven velocity and marketing support. White-label hemp drinks can look “generic” without a clear story or demand signal, making initial POs harder to land.
2. Regulatory friction. Dispensary operators must ensure any hemp-derived item also meets program-specific potency, labeling, testing, and age-restriction standards—requirements that differ from general retail rules. Rapidly evolving state actions and enforcement add risk; recent crackdowns and proposed federal changes aimed at intoxicating hemp compounds make buyers more cautious.
3. Category positioning & margins. Licensed dispensaries rely on cannabis-program beverages to drive basket size and tax revenue; hemp drinks with lower potency can dilute average retail and may not integrate cleanly into seed-to-sale systems.
4. Compliance documentation. Dispensaries typically demand exhaustive COAs (per lot), QR-linked batch data, and child-resistant, state-compliant labels. The FDA’s current stance (no lawful CBD/THC food pathway) further incentivizes operators to scrutinize claims and packaging to avoid misbranding risk.

What works for white-label hemp drink distribution:

• State-by-state go-to-market maps aligned to specific rules (e.g., Minnesota’s low-dose structure), then leveraging beer/bev DSD partners already calling on liquor and on-premise accounts. Major beer sellers have moved into THC seltzers using these networks.
• Data-led sell-in decks showing velocity from general retail and e-commerce, with compliant claims, tight QA, and scan-ready labels (serving size, total THC, warnings).
• Targeted dispensary pilots where hemp drinks fill a use-case gap (e.g., low-dose social occasions) and don’t cannibalize high-THC beverage sales.

Bottom line: white-label hemp drinks can scale fastest by playing to mainstream beverage routes in states that explicitly permit them, while treating dispensaries as selective, compliance-heavy placements rather than the primary channel.