Gimme A Hi5

They’re happy little cans, aren’t they?

I spotted them the moment I walked into legendary Berkshires dispensary Theory Wellness’ busy Great Barrington, MA location. There, almost as if they were smiling at me, these smartly designed and packaged small cans of joy, had me at hello; well, “hi,” to be precise.

Theory Wellness’ popular flavored cannabis-infused drinks are elevating the seltzer game, no question. One way is alluded to, again, smartly, in the name: The all-natural, gluten-free, hangover-free, zero-calorie concoction actually “works” in five minutes (avoiding the “I don’t feel anything; I’ll have another” trap). You feel the effects of either the regular (4.4 mg THC) or light (1.8 mg THC) offerings fast—Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote fast.

The question is, “How does it do that?” Theory Wellness credits its nano-emulsification process that allows them to bind THC to water (previously not possible since most edibles are fat-soluble), resulting in a faster onset of the effects, which takes the waiting game out of edibles. No wonder they’re flying off the shelves.

Within six months of its debut, the dispensary had sold more than 700,000 cans of Hi5 in all six flavors—including two seasonal flavors of pineapple (Summer) and cranberry (Fall)—and they’re also available in 45 dispensaries across Massachusetts.

“The Hi5 brand has been an incredibly fun project,” says Thomas Winstanley, Theory Wellness’ Chief Marketing Officer. “A lot of the development happened during COVID where we were longing for interaction, social connection and missing the good times with friends. That comes through on the brand, and I think consumers enjoy it because it’s the perfect product for social consumption as we all begin to reconnect with one another.”

What better way to reconnect than to give (or receive) a Hi5? Hands up, people!

This story was originally published in issue 42 of the print edition of Cannabis Now.