Luxury players rush to CBD
Far from the underground neighborhood shops, the cannabis derivative is changing face and is making its way into upscale hotspots, from select boutique hotels to Parisian department stores and the most cutting-edge wellness clinics.
Globally, CBD is estimated to have generated 2.8 billion euros in 2021, according to Grand View Research, with a growth forecast of 21.2% per year until 2029. A colossal market whose potential has been sensed by luxury players. Whether sipped as a herbal tea, smelled in a sauna or spread on during a massage, cannabidiol, more generally known as CBD, is on the rise and attracting new consumer profiles.
According to a survey by uWeed and the Swiss Cannabis Industry Association, more than 30% of enthusiasts are women, 41% have a university degree and 56% are under 40. Exit the harmful image of its sulphurous cousin, THC, known for its psychoactive properties. Cannabidiol appears as the new El Dorado of a luxury in search of renewal. From cheap rasta imagery to the height of chic, full beam on a stunning repositioning.
Parisian department stores
An elegant vape pen from the marijuana brand Beboe, designed by a former Dolce Gabbana employee, pre-rolled joints in a refined case in the emblematic orange color to choose according to the desired effect – calm, creativity, connectivity – from the Canndescent label or even boxes worth nearly $9,000 including the smoker's it-accessories by Devambez, lovers of cannabis made in California have plenty to enjoy.
While recreational joint use has not yet become commonplace in Europe, CBD, a legal substitute for THC, is gaining ground, openly flirting with the world of luxury, thanks to new labels inspired by the Californian model. This is the case of the Parisian start-up Huages.
"In New York and California, CBD is part of a healthy lifestyle routine where we eat a balanced diet, practice yoga and exercise excessively."
Hélène Aubier, co-founder of Huages
“We launched a year ago,” says Hélène Aubier, co-founder of the brand. “I lived in New York for four years and often had the opportunity to stay in California. There, CBD is part of a healthy lifestyle routine where you eat a balanced diet, practice yoga and exercise excessively. The luxury-positioned products are aimed at a CSP + population that is concerned about their health. It is in this spirit that we created Huages.”
We have opted for designer packaging, sophisticated flavors and, above all, a premium distribution network, with corners at Bon Marché, Merci, Galeries Lafayette and the Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal.
With its 10% oils and matcha tea as bestsellers, the label is booming and reaching a target far from caricatures. "Our customers are mostly women, senior executives, 50% of whom are aged between 25 and 34 and 27% are Parisians," confirms the business leader.
Cannabis in the skin
A craze that can be found in the wellness industry, always looking for new experiences to offer its customers. The Seven Hotel or the Hoy Hotel in Paris offer CBD treatment rituals, ranging from massages with infused oil to tasting scented teas. The Chi, at the Shangri-La, a prestigious 5-star hotel in the 16th arrondissement, provides a holistic massage with the miracle ingredient, releasing "stress and anxiety, for a perfect zen attitude."
“The gamble of launching a CBD spa in the middle of Covid was a bit crazy, but the enthusiasm goes beyond our expectations”
Alex Perrin, owner of the Schloss hotel
More extreme, the Schloss hotel in Zermatt launched a brand new spa entirely dedicated to CBD in 2020. "It was an immediate success," says Alex Perrin, the daring owner of the Valais address. "Many press articles covered the opening." On the menu of the 630 m2 establishment, a 60-degree sauna to breathe in the vapors of the thousand-year-old medicinal plant, a treatment with Alpine herbs applied in a CBD pouch or a cannabidiol wrap in a floating bed to glide as if in zero gravity. "We tripled our staff to meet demand. The gamble of launching a CBD spa in the middle of Covid was a bit crazy, but the enthusiasm goes beyond our expectations."
The same story is true in cosmetics, with a boom in brands riding the wave, both among established luxury players, such as Chantecaille, recently bought by the Beiersdorf group to expand its prestige division, and among new entrants, such as ID Swiss botanicals, a neuro-cosmetic label launched by Babylon Sciences, a major player in CBD in Switzerland.
Food and drink
Praised for its cosmetic virtues, CBD is also used in all sauces in the gastrosphere, from chic herbal teas from Divie to soda signed by the stylist Jacquemus to Cirrus, a cake by pastry chef Philippe Conticini.
A substance to be enjoyed with your eyes closed? Despite its growing popularity, CBD remains controversial. Last February, cantonal chemists screened around a hundred foodstuffs containing cannabis extracts or bearing the CBD label. 85% of the products analyzed were deemed non-compliant.
"From a health perspective, the democratization of CBD does not, in my opinion, pose any risk, on the contrary... provided that the standards of quality, purity and production are strict."
Dr Guénolé Addor, medical director of Reset treatments at the Nescens Clinic
Should we give up our nighttime fix? Dr. Guénolé Addor, a specialist in anesthesiology and medical director of the new Reset treatments at the Nescens Clinic in Genolier (VD), tempers concerns. “The science is solid regarding the virtues of CBD. THC and CBD have the same basic molecular structure, with subtle differences in the arrangement of atoms that make all the difference. Massive daily doses can affect liver metabolism and fertility, but it takes a lot of CBD to do that.”
In the wellness programs that the expert has set up, cannabidiol can be prescribed to clients in the form of sublingual drops, herbal teas or balms as needed. "There are many indications for improving sleep, reducing anxiety, pain or inflammation." While the use of CBD as part of a treatment orchestrated by doctors is not up for debate, Dr. Addor is in favor of wider use. "In terms of health, the democratization of CBD does not pose any risk in my opinion, on the contrary... provided that the standards of quality, purity and production are strict." A word of advice to enthusiasts...
