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Fresh Thyme Farmers Market boosts CBD product lineup

Rollout to bring 65% more CBD items to stores in 10 states

Russell Redman

January 7, 2020

2 Min Read
Fresh Thyme Farmers Market store.png
CBD products made their debut in Fresh Thyme Farmers Market stores in late 2016.Fresh Thyme Farmers Market

Specialty grocer Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is ramping up its CBD product selection with nearly 100 new items.

Fresh Thyme said Tuesday that it’s rolling out 99 new CBD (cannabidiol) products to its current lineup of 152 CBD items. To be available at Fresh Thyme stores in 10 states, the products being added span the health and beauty, supplement and pet categories.

“As we continue our commitment to promoting healthy living, we are excited to announce the expansion of our CBD items in the health and beauty, supplement and pet product categories,” Jonathan Lawrence, senior director of grocery and natural living at Fresh Thyme, said in a statement.

Fresh Thyme introduced CBD products at stores in November 2016. The Downers Grove, Ill.-based chain said that it has since rapidly expanded its CBD assortment in response to shopper demand and input, as the initial two-shelf CBD space grew into an eight-foot display.

The new CBD offerings — which will expand the number of CBD products at stores by 65% — include 52 topical health and beauty items, 31 supplements and 16 pet products, carried at Fresh Thyme locations in Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Through educational efforts ranging from offsite training hosted by CBD vendors to in-store events, Fresh Thyme noted that it “goes above and beyond” to make sure its store associates are well-trained, knowledgeable and able to help customers select CBD products that are right for them.

Related:Southeastern Grocers rolls out CBD products to stores

“We pride ourselves on providing our customers with a wide product selection and in-store employees who can help educate them on the benefits of CBD,” Lawrence added.

Fresh Thyme said it consults with industry experts to ensure all CBD products meet state and Food and Drug Administration rules and regulations. To that end, the retailer emphasized that it engages in a “thorough and rigorous” review of each CBD vendor and item put on shelves.

For example, all supplements must be manufactured in a cGMP facility and have a Certificate of Analysis (COA) on every lot number, according to Fresh Thyme. The company said it also requires all CBD manufacturers to include a QR code on their labels so customers can access a CBD product’s COA, which provides information on cannabinoid content. Federal law requires that hemp-derived CBD must contain less than 0.3% THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

Overall, Fresh Thyme operates 77 stores in 11 states, primarily in the upper Midwest.

Related:More Whole Foods stores to carry topical CBD products

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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