Not a CBD brand. A drinks brand that happens to use CBD.
US Entry Strategy — California · Colorado · New York · Q3 2026
$500KBudget
ThreeEntry states
90-dayPlan
Taste-ledPositioning
02 — The Problem
The US CBD market is fragmented, trust-deficient, and obsessed with wellness claims. That's an opportunity.
$7.1B
US CBD market 2024
68%
Consumers say they've bought a CBD product and didn't feel anything
UK Origin
Trip's single most defensible trust signal in an untrustworthy market
Most US CBD brands lead with wellness claims. Trip leads with taste and occasion. In a market where consumers have been burned by bad product and misleading marketing, a British brand with a clean shelf presence and a consistent product is a category disruptor by default.
03 — The Positioning
We are not entering the CBD category. We are ending our association with it.
"TRIP is a premium soft drinks brand. The CBD is the quality signal, not the category badge."
01
Taste-led
Every piece of communication leads with flavour and occasion. Never with milligrams, never with wellness claims.
02
UK Origin as Quality Mark
The British provenance is a differentiator in a market full of domestic brand noise. Use it.
03
Occasion over Benefit
After work. Gym recovery. Sunday morning. Moments, not mechanisms.
04 — State-by-State Entry
Three states. Three different market conditions.
California
Most permissive regulatory environment. Highest concentration of premium wellness consumers. DTC + premium grocery (Erewhon, Whole Foods). Influencer-led launch.
Colorado
Origin state for CBD culture. Sophisticated consumer base. Regulatory clarity is highest here. Outdoor/active lifestyle positioning.
New York
Premium urban consumer. Off-premise liquor channel is key. Non-alcoholic drinks category is booming. Highest media value.
Each state requires individual labelling compliance review. FDA regulatory position on CBD in food and beverages remains unresolved at federal level — state-by-state strategy is the only viable approach.
05 — The 90-Day Plan
90 days. Three cities. One consistent story.
Phase 1
SEED
Days 1–30
DTC launch, PR seeding to US drinks and wellness press, influencer product drops in LA and NYC.
Phase 2
STORE
Days 31–60
Premium grocery placement in CA (Erewhon, Bristol Farms), CO (Alfalfa's, Lucky's), NY (Whole Foods, specialty).
Phase 3
SCALE
Days 61–90
Media campaign in NY. Event presence in CO (outdoor/festival season). Reorder data review. State-specific ad spend activated based on phase 1 DTC signal.
06 — The Brief
One brief. Repeatable across all three markets.
Core message
TRIP is the drink for people who want to feel good without feeling worse tomorrow.
"Feels good. Tastes real."
California
"Finally, a drink that's as considered as your grocery shop."