Austin Stevenson has worked inside some of the most rigorous quality infrastructures.

He spent time at Eurofins Scientific, a pharmaceutical-grade testing lab, was one of the co-founders of Vertosa, a leader in cannabis infusion technology, and now leads revenue at ACT Labs.

We talk about why labs are critical R&D partners in beverage development, not just compliance checkpoints, and what can go wrong when they’re brought in too late. Austin breaks down the science behind emulsions, stability testing, packaging considerations, and the unique challenges of maintaining cannabinoid consistency and stability in water-based beverages over time.

He also shares insights on overlooked factors like can liners, oxidation, nitrogen flushing, and how added cannabinoids and functional ingredients can complicate formulation and shelf life.

https://actlab.com

Melissa VonderHaar Peretz, Managing Director of Tradeworks, is a veteran in the convenience store channel.

Tradeworks helps brands navigate distribution channels, develop in-store marketing materials tailored to each channel, and build brand kits for pitching to buyers and distributors.

Melissa brings sharp insight into the mainstream marketplace and what beverage brands need to understand to compete. She drops nuggets!

https://www.iseetradeworks.com/

After nearly two decades helping build Jones Soda into a recognizable beverage brand, Eric Chastain decided to shift gears and enter the hemp beverage space. He recently partnered with Kevin Smith, Willie Nelson's guitarist, to launch ⁠Stir the Pot.⁠ A selection of THC-infused flavored syrups you can add to coffee, tea, or other beverages.

Eric joins us to share his strategy for entering the infused beverage market.

https://www.stir-the-pot.com

Before entering cannabis in 2019, Joe Bayern spent more than 25 years in C-suite leadership across some of the biggest names in beverages, helping drive major turnarounds, global strategy, and brand-building at Snapple, Cadbury Schweppes, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, and Voss Water.

He entered cannabis after recognizing the potential of early CBD beverage trends, initially helping take a California operator public before joining Curaleaf, where he led the company through explosive expansion from roughly $250 million in revenue to more than $1.2 billion in just over two years.. After leaving Curaleaf, Bayern set out to pursue what he sees as cannabis's long-term future: an asset-light, brand-focused business model.

Most recently, he brought BellRock Brands out of receivership and is now leading its revival.

Today, we talk with Joe Bayern about how he plans to bring legacy brands like Mary's Medicinals and Dixie Elixirs back into the marketplace.