Vermont-based Upstate Elevator has introduced what it positions as the first dual kanna-and-kava beverage line — a three-SKU collection of zero-proof functional spritzes and sodas that sits outside both the alcohol and THC categories. The launch marks a deliberate diversification by a brand built on cannabis products, and it reflects a broader industry pivot toward botanically driven, non-intoxicating functional beverages that are gaining traction at retail and on-premise alike.
Two SKUs are available now — Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz and Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda — with Lychee Blood Orange Uplift Spritz arriving later this month. Each can is formulated with Zembrin® kanna (a clinically studied extract), noble kava root extract, and L-theanine, all organic ingredients with no preservatives or artificial additives. The Uplift Spritz carries 50 mg Zembrin® kanna, 20 mg kava extract, and 90 mg L-theanine at 40 calories. The Unwind Soda flips the ratio, leading with 100 mg kava extract and 15 mg kanna for an evening-oriented relaxation profile.
Why the Category Matters
For retail buyers and on-premise operators, the kanna-kava segment is one of the faster-moving corners of the functional beverage market. Kava-forward brands have already secured shelf space in natural grocery, specialty beverage, and wellness-oriented hospitality venues. Adding kanna — an African botanical with mood-supporting properties — as a co-ingredient differentiates formulations in a set where kava-only products are becoming crowded. The use of Zembrin®, a branded and clinically studied kanna extract, gives buyers a compliance and quality-assurance handle that generic botanicals don't offer, a point that matters increasingly as FDA scrutiny of novel ingredients intensifies.
Dylan Raap, Founder and CEO of Upstate Elevator, framed the launch as a direct response to category uncertainty in hemp: "The hemp industry has experienced significant change and uncertainty the past year, but our commitment to innovation and quality remains constant." The pivot to kanna and kava lets the brand operate in a less regulated and more retail-accessible lane than THC, while keeping its plant-based wellness positioning intact.
Retail Rollout and Operator Signals
Both available SKUs are live at upstateelevator.com with a nationwide retail partner rollout underway. For operators evaluating the functional beverage shelf — whether in hospitality minibars, wellness-oriented food-and-beverage programs, or specialty retail sets — this launch signals that established cannabis brands are actively replatforming their distribution and innovation pipelines around botanical alternatives. That trend has procurement implications: expect buyer decks from this category to arrive with clinical ingredient credentials and clear dosing language rather than the vague wellness claims common two years ago.
Upstate Elevator's new beverages also complement a recently launched kanna-and-kava gummy line, suggesting the brand is building a multi-format platform around these two botanicals rather than treating this as a one-off SKU test. Operators sourcing for wellness-forward menus or curated non-alcoholic beverage programs should watch how the retail rollout performs before committing to on-premise distribution agreements — but the category trajectory and the brand's existing distribution infrastructure make this worth tracking in Q3 planning cycles.
For more on the functional beverage category as it intersects with operator procurement, see our coverage of non-alcoholic beverage trends and brand launch readiness for emerging beverage brands.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
