Made in New Jersey: Kalo expands beyond dispensaries as THC drinks reach liquor store shelves
Hillsview Farm has been operating for 60 years and is known for traditional agricultural products that end up in supermarkets around the country.
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More THC-infused drinks are starting to appear in liquor stores this spring and summer under a new state law.
State legislation signed earlier this year allows THC drinks to be sold in liquor stores until November, in addition to dispensaries.
One of the brands entering the market is Kalo, which is made at a longtime farm in Morris County.
Hillview Farm has been operating for 60 years and is known for traditional agricultural products that end up in supermarkets around the country.
Since 2020, the farm has expanded its operations into the cannabis industry.
CEO Ken Vanderveen said the company began using its farming experience to grow hemp and produce THC drinks.
Kalo is a low-calorie drink made from hemp and is marketed as an alternative to alcohol, Vanderveen said. He said changing regulations now allow distribution through beer distributors and dispensaries in New Jersey.
The farm grows cannabis plants from seed to harvest in about 75 days.
More than 30 employees care for the plants, which are later used to produce Kalo. The drinks are bottled locally.
Vanderveen said the company has evolved from growing tomatoes and petunias to hemp and cannabis while remaining an agricultural business.
If consumers try THC drinks under the new regulations, Kalo will be one option made entirely in New Jersey.
