Splash Beverage Group has entered into a joint venture with BAAD Ventures, establishing the company's strategic entry into the fast-growing hemp-based THC beverage category. The partnership gives Splash a 51% ownership stake in the venture while BAAD retains 49%, formalizing more than three months of coordinated work between the companies.
The joint venture combines complementary strengths to accelerate growth in what both companies describe as one of the most dynamic segments in the beverage industry. Splash brings established distribution networks, brand-building expertise, and proven beverage innovation capabilities to the partnership. BAAD contributes Nimbus, a high-performing hemp-derived THC beverage brand already succeeding in market, along with growth capital, secure production capacity, and specialized experience navigating the regulatory nuances of the THC beverage category.
At the center of the venture is Nimbus, a 10 mg hemp-derived THC flavored seltzer that has demonstrated exceptional early performance across multiple retail formats. The brand has shown strong sales velocities, repeat purchase patterns, and compelling consumer pull-through in its launch markets. William Meissner, President and Chief Marketing Officer at Splash, described Nimbus as "a standout trademark, light, airy, and evocative of the product's core functional benefit" that is "already a top performer in its launch markets."
The growth plan for Nimbus is already underway, with immediate expansion into six additional states planned, followed by broader rollouts in states permitting direct-to-consumer shipment of hemp-derived THC beverages. This expansion strategy leverages Splash's established distribution networks and brand development expertise to scale the Nimbus brand rapidly across multiple markets.
BAAD Ventures highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, noting that "Nimbus exceeded expectations from day one" and that "partnering with Splash brings the scale and category expertise needed to unlock its next phase of growth." The companies view Nimbus as the first of several anticipated assets within the new venture, with plans to build a vertically integrated platform that expands supply-chain efficiencies and deepens manufacturing capabilities.
The joint venture represents a significant development in the evolving beverage landscape as traditional beverage companies increasingly move into the hemp-derived THC space. This partnership signals the maturation of the THC beverage category and the growing acceptance of hemp-derived products within mainstream distribution channels. The move positions Splash to capture market share in a category experiencing extraordinary growth rates while leveraging BAAD's specialized expertise in navigating the complex regulatory environment surrounding THC beverages.
Together, the companies plan to bring forward new brands across key sub-categories of the growing THC beverage landscape, indicating their intention to build a comprehensive portfolio within this emerging market segment. More information about the companies can be found at https://www.SplashBev.com and https://www.nimbuschill.com.
