Whole Foods CEO Wants to Sell Cannabis Products

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]W[/dropcap]hole Foods Market CEO John Mackey said on Feb. 28 that if cannabis is legalized, his stores will start selling cannabis products. Selling cannabis products would fit neatly into the company’s modus operandi, as it focuses on selling natural and herbal health and food products.

Marijuana Moment reports that the executive responded to audience questions during a conversation hosted by The Texas Tribune. “If cannabis is ever passed in Texas, chances are good that grocery stores will be selling that too,” he said. “You just never know what happens over time with markets. They change and evolve.”

In the past, Mackay spoke out frequently about climate change, the resurgence of fascism in the United States and his unwavering support for cannabis legalization. The CEO has been vegan for over a decade, and normally takes a progressive approach to politics and the environment.

If you’ve been to just about any Whole Foods Market franchise, you’ve probably noticed dozens of hemp products that are widely available. Hemp products have been sold with varying success, so long as companies don’t make any health claims and that they are labeled as purely dietary supplements, or else product companies could receive warning letters from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

For the company’s Top 10 Food Trends for 2019, hemp products the fourth most-anticipated item, according to the list. In addition, the company isn’t shy about announced its intent to explore cannabis products in the future. “Hemp hearts, seeds, and oils are nothing new to food and body care lovers — they’re in everything from waffle mix to dried pastas,” the company wrote. “But a new interest in the potential benefits stemming from other parts of hemp plants has many brands looking to explore the booming cannabis biz.”

Given the latest Farm Bill with the inclusion of hemp-derived CBD products, it should be easier to get away with selling hemp products. It’s only a matter of time until cannabis products make their way onto shelves in grocery stores like Whole Foods Market.