USA – Sträva Craft Coffee, a U.S. manufacturer of hemp infused specialty coffee has unveiled that it is taking preliminary steps to obtain regulatory approval for its products to be marketed in the United Kingdom and European Union (EU).

Andrew Aamot, co-founder and CEO of Sträva, says the company is submitting novel food applications for its ‘Peace & Wellness’ line of premium CBD infused coffee products.

As part of its committed to delivering safe and effective products worldwide, the company reiterated that it will be following the regulatory pathway set forth by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament provides guidance to EU members to ensure “free movement of safe and wholesome food.” 

Though it is not required until March 31, 2021, Aamot observes that obtaining approval from the FSA and EFSA can be a lengthy process and requires the submission of detailed product information.

The approval requires companies to submit information regarding product safety, manufacturing practices, ingredients and product labeling, among other supporting data.

Sträva’s management team appreciates that FSA and EFSA regulations set a high standard for product quality, reliability and transparency and are confident the Sträva brand will live up to these benchmarks.

“Sträva has been on the forefront of the hemp industry in the U.S., and is now seeing strong demand emerge within the UK and European Union for high-quality CBD infused food and beverage products,” Aamot says. 

“International interest in Sträva’s CBD coffee products is at an all-time high and we’re continually evaluating new market opportunities. 

“We believe Europe and Asia are the most exciting emerging CBD markets for 2020, 2021 and beyond, and are positioning Sträva to be the market leader with CBD infused specialty coffee in these markets.”

Aamot also revealed that the company is in active discussions with investment and distribution partners to bring the Sträva brand to coffee consumers worldwide.

With more consumers demanding access to hemp and CBD products, many countries are implementing programs to study and appropriately regulate how hemp products are manufactured and marketed. 

Sträva maintains that it supports such efforts and believes they will lay the groundwork for the hemp industry to thrive in the years to come. 

“The long-term success of the hemp industry will require leading brands to step up and guide the way forward in cooperation with regulatory authorities, to ensure safety and integrity throughout the entire supply chain,” Aamot adds.

The company anticipates submitting its novel food applications in Q4 2020.