NEWBURYPORT – Four years after co-founding LEVIA, a cannabis-infused seltzer company, Forrester Street residents Troy and Kaitlyn Brosnan began shipping their adult beverages to 36 dispensaries last month. And business has been so good, they said, that 39 other dispensaries across the state have been put on a waiting list.
“Sales are insane,” Troy Brosnan said.
Sales are so good, the Brosnans said they will be adding as many as six more employees to the 20 they already have and starting a second shift at their Georgetown facility on Tenney Street.
Using cannabis flowers purchased from Nature’s Heritage in New Bedford and other sources, cannabis oil is extracted and then added to water and mixed. Each calorie-free batch is sent out for testing and packaged on site. The entire process takes about 12 days, according to the Brosnans.
“We really built an amazing team here, everyone loves coming into work,” they said.
The company, co-founded by Eric and Kristin Rogers, and Matt Melander, was conceived as a healthier way of consuming cannabis. Their inspiration came during trips to the Pacific Northwest and California, where the cannabis seltzer market has been racking up sales over the last few years.
“We really thought it was the future of cannabis,” Troy Brosnan said. “People are going to adopt that method pretty quickly, especially on the East Coast.”
Kristen Rogers said it was “thrilling and humbling” to be the first cannabis-infused seltzer manufacturer in Massachusetts.
“The cannabis industry is so dynamic, fueled by those with an entrepreneurial spirit, including our female-led, social equity-focused company,” she said.
Kaitlyn Brosnan said their products are being bought by young parents, baby boomers and those looking for an alternative to alcohol.
“It really appeals to multiple markets,” she said.
Once consumed, it takes between five and seven minutes before the effect kicks in. With each 12-ounce can containing 5 milligrams of THC, results are fast and predictable. Cans are $7 each and available in six-packs.
Flavors include: Achieve, a sativa blend with hints of raspberry and lime; Celebrate, a lemon-lime hybrid blend; and Dream, a jamberry-flavored indica experience.
“Our dream was to bring the first cannabis-infused seltzer to Massachusetts, and that dream has come true,” Kaitlyn Brosnan said. “We are confident in the all-natural products we’ve created and can see that the market is ready for LEVIA.”
She acknowledged that sales may be amplified because people are spending more time at home due to the pandemic. But she said there is every reason to believe sales will continue to rise even when people start going out more.
“We are feeling that this going to continue,” she said.
Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.
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