Dive Brief:
- An Alimentation Couche-Tard franchisee has partnered with THC beverage maker Varin to bring its energy drinks to select franchise Circle K locations in Texas, the companies announced on Wednesday.
- The deal will make the energy drinks, which come in flavors like Blue Razz Bombsicle and Pink Strawburst, available in dozens of Circle K locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area operated by DFW Oil & Energy. Some stores will hold tastings throughout 2026.
- Cannabis-infused drinks are currently facing an uncertain regulatory situation. While a law changing the legal definition of hemp is scheduled to take effect in November, President Donald Trump has also signed an executive order directing the government to expedite rescheduling cannabis, which could ease sales restrictions.
Dive Insight:
While energy drink consumption is still strong and growing, an increasing cohort of those consumers are looking for items with additional benefits, like the inclusion of TCH and other hemp-derived compounds. Couche-Tard has kept its hand in the space for years, and DFW Oil & Energy’s deal with Varin puts its Circle K locations at the forefront of experimenting with cannabis and hemp-derived products.
In addition to between 10 and 30 milligrams of hemp-derived THC, Varin’s drinks include select nootropics, like theobromine, L-theanine, lion's mane and B-12. The drinks also have no caffeine, sugar or calories.
The Varin news comes about three months after Couche-Tard announced that select Circle K locations in the Carolinas and Florida would carry Viola’s cannabis craft soda, Iverson, produced in partnership with wellness company Horticulture.
Couche-Tard has also experimented with co-locating dispensaries alongside c-stores through partnerships with Fire & Flower in Canada and Green Thumb in the U.S., though both of those deals have stalled out.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to reflect that Varin’s deal is with franchisee DFW Oil & Energy.
