For one day only this Saturday, a huge American fast food chain is dipping its toe into the extensive trend of hemp products with a hamburger for the pot holiday.
The international fast food chain, Carl’s Jr., announced Wednesday that they would serve a new burger with a special CBD-infused sauce on Saturday, April 20th as a test run for whether or not to expand their hemp menu options in the future.
According to CNN Business, the new burger will be called the Rocky Mountain High School Cheese Burger Delight and will only be on sale for one day. [1]
CNN Business reports that the company had been thinking of a hemp experiment since early 2019, in January. "It is something that feels right for the brand," Senior Vice President Patty Trevino told the site. "We are all about innovation.” [1]
The move by Carl’s Jr. may surprise those following CBD news closely, as hemp in food and drink products is still an area where regulatory uncertainty reigns.
The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly asserted its ability to govern food and drink products that contain CBD, but has failed to offer a solid regulatory framework to please business owners, customers and legislators alike.
USA Today reported that only one location of Carl’s Jr. — in Denver, Colorado — which may be the work-around for the FDA confusion. Colorado’s friendly weed culture may make the event far more welcome. [2]
The burger itself will feature Carl’s Jr. Santa Fe Sauce made with CBD from Bluebird Botanicals in Colorado, on top of two patties of burger, waffle fries and pickled jalapeños with pepper jack cheese. [2]
Carl’s Jr. will be the first fast food chain to offer any CBD products after Saturday, and company officials said the move will give valuable information into the hemp market and how much demand exists.
According to CNN Business, Carl’s Jr. also recently tried a plan to introduce a vegetarian version of their highest selling burger with a company called Beyond Meat earlier this year. [1]
Bluebird Botanicals, the company Carl’s Jr. is relying on for their CBD content in the new burgers, is one of many hemp companies that uses third-party lab testing to ensure quality. Their website contains a database of these test results, where those interested can see the chemical compositions of the products they’re eating with their fries. [4]
Carl’s Jr. is just one fast food chain, but if others follow suit, this could be a huge step forward for the American population’s adoption of CBD oils and related products. The greater interest and demand for products like these, the harder it will be for federal regulators to get between ordinary people and the hemp products they’ve come to rely on.
Sources
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/business/carls-jr-cbd-burger/
[2] https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/04/17/rocky-mountain-high-carls-jr-has-new-4-20-burger-infused-cbd/3500412002/
[3] https://twitter.com/CarlsJr/status/1118510679932059648
[4] https://bluebirdbotanicals.com/
