HARRISON, N.Y. – Vending company One Step Vending Corp. has agreed to place 15 cannabidiol (CBD) vending machines in convenience stores throughout New York, the company said. The dispensers will offer CBD-infused candies, capsules, shots and more at stores in Queens and Brooklyn.
The company said it will place the first five machines in stores during the third week of December. It did not name the c-stores.
CBD is a main component of the cannabis plant, also known as marijuana. It is a nonpsychoactive compound of cannabis, meaning it doesn’t give consumers the “high” feeling associated with the drug.
“Our vision in 2019 is for a national rollout of our branded CBD Kiosks,” said David Garfinkel, president of Kosk, the One Step subsidiary that owns the CBD Kiosk logo to be printed on the machines. “We’re initiating Kosk’s pre-rollout phase in the greater New York City region because of the potential to influence other major metropolitan regions around the USA. With the federal Hemp Farm Bill that legalizes CBD unanimously passing on Monday, we firmly believe that we are positioned for explosive national growth and expansion.”
Cannabis has become a budding category in convenience retailing. Beer and beverage companies such as Heineken USA, Constellation Brands and the Coca Cola Co. have expressed interest in cannabis-enhanced drinks, while others have even begun pushing for CBD candies in c-stores. On Dec. 12, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate-approved version of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill, which, if approved by President Donald Trump, would allow the industrial farming and state-regulated production of hemp, another nonpsychoactive element of cannabis.
“Although we have been quiet for several months, we have been busy and making significant progress,” Garfinkel said. “Today’s announcement is the first of many more to come.”
Harrison, N.Y.-based One Step Vending grows through acquisitions and cooperative agreements with companies that have high potential and capabilities of achieving sustainable growth. The company works with businesses in the food and beverage, self-checkout and mobile vending sectors.
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