Hong Kong Launches First CBD Cafe
Sitting in a cafe, you watch someone go up to the counter. They order. “CBD, please.” This may seem strange. And yet, according to the owner, that happens frequently at Found, Hong Kong's very first CBD cafe.
Inside is a full range of CBD products for sale. Each product promises to deliver herbal remedies to alleviate sleeplessness, reduce pain and inflammation, and so on. A cozy seating area in front of Found's beverage counter offers customers a space to relax with a beer or coffee, both tinged with just enough CBD to take the edge off of the drinks.
Currently in its soft-opening phase, the owner, Fiachra Mullen, hopes to fully open next month with a facelift and full cafe menu.
Educating the Public
Still standing in front of the counter puzzled about just what this CBD stuff is? The Found staff are there to answer any questions. Mullen himself is often found detailing the virtues of CBD in person.
The message of CBD is certainly spreading in Hong Kong. It is growing in popularity among both the healthy (there's a CBD yoga lounge called Yoga Bam Bam) and the hedonistic (there’s a craft brewer, Young Master Ales, offering a range of CBD beers). Still, Mullen is not satisfied.
Fighting the Stigma
"There's a large part of the population that I'm not reaching," says Mullen.
You may be thinking, “But doesn’t Asia have a deeply ingrained history of relying on herbal remedies (Eastern Medicine)?” Yes, cannabis had its place in traditional asian therapies, but over the years, criminalization of the plants has led the public to shun its usage in any form.
"My dream profile customer is a 65-year-old Hong Kong woman," confesses Mullen. "If I can have her and her husband walk in and learn about, or even just hear the word 'cannabis,' and not run a mile, then it's mission accomplished."
Company Update
One thing to note about this story, THC is entirely illegal in Hong Kong. In the United States and Europe, CBD products can carry up to 0.3% -- a trace amount -- of THC, but even that is not acceptable in Hong Kong.
Any CBD product sold here must have entirely undetectable amounts of THC. Sounds easy enough to get around -- just use a pure form of CBD.
If you are looking for CBD isolate, that will do the trick. But you also, lose out on some of the benefits of the “Entourage Effect.” That is why BDX, also provides THC free distillate, giving a full range of cannabinoids with undetectable amounts of THC. If you would like a sample of any of our products or would just like a consultation about how CBD can be used in your business, please call us at 317-741-5173 or email us at info@bdxco.com.