Presented as its grand return, the Cannabis Expo 2021 was a four-day event that took place at the Sandton Convention Center from November 18-21.
The exhibition hall had a lot of exhibitors representing the whole spectrum of the cannabis industry.
The Cannabis Expo is the largest cannabis event in Africa, a market that has attracted large investors from around the world.
Silas Howarth, the director of the Cannabis Expo, said this was the first major public exhibition, as things continue to open under the Covid-19 blockades.
The exhibition is an opportunity for companies to work together and for urban farmers to grow their market. The medicinal benefits have been widely marketed and cannabidiol (CBD) is just one part of the more than 100 components of cannabis, Silas says.
He said his partnership with JuicyFields helped create a private smoking area where people could legally consume and smoke cannabis.
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The Citizen visited the food market of the exhibition and we tried food, cannabis infusion drinks and learned more about CBD oils.
SEE: Cannabis Expo 2021
Tristan Dias is the owner of Billy’s Booze and Biltong and started his CBD business in 2019 with a craft store in Modderfontein, Johannesburg.
With extensive experience in the alcohol industry, he opened the business with the help of his brother, a food specialist who developed recipes for biltong.
“We marinate the biltong in alcohol. The marinating process is about two or three days. We have [collaborated] with smaller local distilleries ”.
One of these distilleries belongs to Afrikaans rapper Jack Parow. They use their brandy for biltong.
Another brand they use is Vok Off Lager, for its biltong slice, and tequila in its chilli bites. Once cured, there isn’t much alcohol left, but what you get is a wet biltong, Dias says.
The worst dry, known as their “worst highs,” have CBD and Tristan says the process of making their products is expensive because CBD oil is expensive.
“There’s a slight hint of CBD flavor in dry breasts, but there’s enough CBD.”
Gins with CBD infusion are also a hot property and Billy’s offers Norweed Gin, which is a cannabis spirit with natural infusion.
In search of the best bites of CBD, what caught my eye were the burgers, wraps, coffees, beans, and vegan cannabis-infused foods.
HuntaHerb is a herbal restaurant in Johannesburg and meals are infused with different CBD oils.
The Rosti-farian burger is a bean and beet burger served on a light ciabatta charcoal loaf, with wild arugula, pickled red onion, grilled pineapple, grandfather and sweet pineapple mayonnaise.
When we ordered, the Elixir Africa CBD oil range was the choice. The Elixir goes from repair to relaxation, which helps with anxiety, concentration and energy. Put a few drops of oil on the burger.
We chose the repairing oil. It is difficult to know if there was any effect on mood or body. The burger was juicy and quite satisfying.
Elixir’s representative, Bala, says his products also include cannabis groceries such as jelly beans and chocolate spreads, which contain 20 mg of CBD per jar. The products only have CBD and other traces of cannabinol oils.
THC was a hot topic at the show as it has higher traces of cannabis and is much stronger to create a high feeling.
A very limited number of products had this option on display and THC is still considered illegal to consume in public.
It is recommended when trying these products to be in the comfort of your home.
