Schnucks’ EatWell store adds CBD product sales kiosks

Schnuck Markets’ EatWell specialty grocery store served as the launching pad for a new CBD product sales kiosk from NatuEra, a cannabinoid producer and hemp-derived CBD wellness brand.

Miami-based NatuEra said the first units were installed this month at EatWell, a natural food store concept launched in Columbia, Mo., by Schnucks last year. Aimed at consumers who prioritize health and wellness and natural products, the NatuEra Smart CBD Kiosk sells CBD tinctures, gummies, creams and capsules, including the company’s Relax and Relief & Recovery lines, and the new Rest product collection is slated to be added in early 2022.

NatuEra said the digital kiosk sells CBD tinctures, gummies, creams and capsules under its brand lines.

The NatuEra Smart CBD Kiosk sports a 42-inch touchscreen that displays an image of a hemp plant in a pair of hands to alert shoppers to its wares. A tap on the screen pulls up product information plus educational content, with topics ranging from the relationship between hemp, cannabinoids like CBD and wellness to NatuEra’s plant-based purpose and GMP-certified quality management systems. Videos atop each screen also keep users engaged, NatuEra said. The kiosk comes in four sizes, including for use on endcaps, as wall-mounted units and as freestanding floor units.

Related:EatWell gives Schnuck Markets ‘a great learning platform’

“While two out of three Americans have heard about CBD, we know most people are confused about what CBD actually is, what it does and whether it’s safe to consume,” according to Allison Primo, manager of health and wellness strategy at St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets, which operates 111 stores overall in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. “The NatuEra CBD Smart Kiosk provides a vital educational component to help our customers understand how CBD products can support their wellness needs, while providing full transparency on origin, content and quality.”

Supermarkets have paid more attention to the market for cannabidiol (CBD) products amid escalating consumer demand for these items.

A naturally occurring, non-intoxicating compound in hemp plants, CBD has become a popular remedy for a range of everyday health issues. But even as various CBD offerings — mainly topical products — have rolled out to stores, many retailers remain uncertain about the regulatory framework regarding the sale, labeling and safety of hemp-containing products.

The federal government reclassified cannabis in December 2018, removing hemp from the list of controlled substances. However, the Food and Drug Administration prohibits CBD from being added to food or marketed as a dietary supplement. This past spring, legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate to enable FDA regulation of CBD use in supplement, food and beverage products.

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NatuEra noted that the CBD Smart Kiosk addresses regulatory, category management and other pain points that have discouraged many large retailers from tapping the $6 billion CBD wellness market, where more than 90% of sales occur in specialty stores like dispensaries and vape shops or via online sellers.

“Over one-third of Americans and half of Millennials have purchased a CBD product, but until now major traditional retailers have had little access to this revenue stream,” explained Nicolas Nannetti, CEO at NatuEra. “We designed the NatuEra CBD Smart Kiosk to specifically mitigate retailers’ regulatory risk and liability, as well as to provide a turnkey category management solution that brings CBD-based wellness products to consumers at the retail locations they trust.”

Connected to NatuEra’s proprietary regulatory database, the CBD Smart Kiosks ares continually updated with legally verified information and messaging. NatuEra said it can update text, video and audio content through the cloud, safeguarding retailers from liability related to regulatory issues and product claims. An age verification system also requires customers to scan their driver’s license or state ID to prove they are 18 or 21, depending on state requirements. NatuEra monitors, replenishes and updates product stock as needed, and the company noted that the kiosk reduces the risk of shrinkage by providing a safe and secure way to sell CBD products.

The top reasons U.S. consumers buy CBD products are pain management (52%), to reduce stress or anxiety (50%) and to aid sleep (43%), according to a Consumer Brands Association report cited by NatuEra.