Jones’ decision to divest the Mary Jones brand and the remainder of its cannabis business enables the Seattle company to concentrate its limited resources on categories with greater growth potential. Cannabis contributed approximately 8% to its $4.6 million in sales during the first quarter of 2025. “The sale of our cannabis beverage division represents a significant step in our initiative to align our resources with areas that promise the strongest long-term growth and profitability,” stated Scott Harvey, CEO of Jones. “While we take pride in the innovation behind the Mary Jones brand, I believe this divestiture allows us to refine our strategic focus and accelerate investments in our core soda, functional beverage, and adult beverage segments.”
Jones had entered the cannabis market as part of its strategy to diversify beyond its unique soda flavors. In recent years, the company has also launched a prebiotic drink, a beverage enhanced with caffeine, and a hard craft soda. Over the years, many companies have viewed cannabis as a potentially lucrative business opportunity in the U.S. However, these aspirations have frequently been thwarted by the lack of national legislation to regulate cannabis in food and beverage products. As the national landscape for cannabis legalization remains unclear, businesses have concentrated on states where recreational use is legal. Nonetheless, penetrating these markets is neither simple nor inexpensive, as the logistics of state launches differ significantly.
Recently, Tilray Brands has shifted more of its focus toward beer, with its CFO noting a diminished likelihood of cannabis regulation in the U.S. Molson Coors exited a joint venture three years ago, citing “no near-term pathway to federal legalization” and “market uncertainty” regarding cannabis products. Moreover, Constellation Brands, the distributor of Modelo, has marked down a substantial portion of its nearly $4 billion investment in cannabis producer Canopy Growth.
Jones has indicated that it will retain its rapidly growing line of hemp-derived THC products (HD9), which includes Mary Jones sodas, shooters, and gummies. Launched in early 2024, this segment has achieved four consecutive quarters of revenue growth. Unlike cannabis-infused beverages, which are limited to a few states, hemp-based drinks can be sold across most of the U.S. In a related health initiative, the company is also exploring the addition of calcium citrate & vitamin D3 tablets to complement its beverage offerings.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Jones will continue to offer its line of hemp-derived beverages, alongside its exploration of calcium citrate & vitamin D3 tablets.