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Stordeur, who was previously the chief sales and customer officer at Molson Coors Canada, said traditional industries like alcohol and consumer packaged goods could be taking a look at cannabis because of the challenges they face in growing their own businesses.

“I think they’re looking at cannabis as a way to diversify, and I think it would be absolutely silly for them not to given that growth is so hard to come by these days, certainly in those industries,” he added.

The alcohol industry is already seeing some of its growth curbed, even without legalized marijuana to compete with.

Greg McLeish, analyst at Mackie Research Capital Corp., said there has been some data showing that alcohol sales have declined in U.S. states where marijuana has been legalized, and mentioned Diageo Plc as a company who may be interested in tackling the cannabis quandary. BNN Bloomberg reported Friday that the U.K.-based liquor giant was “pursuing a deal” with a Canadian cannabis company and had held discussions with at least three producers.



“The most logical ones are always alcohol, tobacco and pharma, but we could see a consumer products company come in and sort of say this is a growing market space beyond potential drinks, including CBD and other cannabinoids,’” McLeish said.

From my perspective, it is literally only the beginning Andrew Stordeur, chief commercial officer, Sundial Growers

McLeish also said there have been some signs that CBD, the non-psychoactive compound derived from the cannabis plant, could be a good fit for sports recovery drinks, as it has some anti-inflammation and pain-reducing properties.