CBD News

National grocery chain Kroger adds CBD products to Dallas shelves

Topical CBD products are available in some Texas Kroger stores.

Photo courtesy of Perle

In a move that illustrates just how mainstream CBD — or cannabidiol — has become, mega grocer Kroger is now selling hemp-derived CBD topical products in its Texas stores, including 74 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The CBD offerings, which have been in stores since late July, include lotions, balms, oils, and creams.

Texas becomes one of 22 states in which the Kroger chain will sell the topical products, according to a release. The change comes after a bill authorizing the regulated production and sale of hemp and hemp-derived products was passed and signed in early June by Texas lawmakers.

Kroger operates a total of 110 retail food stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Along with Texas, Kroger stores in Georgia, Montana, Utah, and Virginia will be the latest to add the topical products to store shelves. Products containing the legal limit of 0.3 percent or less of THC will be clearly labeled, per the store.

It's no surprise that grocery chains are adding CBD to their carts, as the surge in the marketplace has been nothing short of smoking. Cannabis industry analysts the Brightfield Group estimates that the hemp-CBD market could hit $22 billion by 2022.

As the non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis, CBD is said to help with issues ranging from anxiety to epilepsy. Once only available in specialty stores, CBD products are now common in beauty aisles and cafes. As CultureMap previously reported, country legend Willie Nelson even boasts his own line of CBD products.

“Like many retailers, we are now offering our customers a highly curated selection of topical products that are infused with hemp-derived CBD,” said Sparkle Anderson, Kroger Houston division’s corporate affairs manager, in a statement. “Our selection of CBD topical products are from suppliers that have been reviewed for quality and safety.”

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Innovation highway

Amazon's Zoox robotaxis steer into Dallas, revving up rivalry with Waymo

Photo courtesy of Zoox

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Ride-hailing robotaxis operated by Amazon-owned Zoox will soon hit the roads in Dallas, alongside those operated by chief competitor Waymo.

Zoox is expanding its test fleet to Dallas and Phoenix after launching pilot projects in Austin, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

Zoox says in a blog post that Dallas and Phoenix are “rapidly growing metropolitan areas with high demand for ride-hailing and first- and last-mile connections. Expanding into these cities allows us to test in sprawling environments, differentiating this … from our testing in other dense metro areas like San Francisco.”

In Dallas and Phoenix, Zoox vehicles will be on the streets of centrally located neighborhoods, the company says.

“Dallas provides a valuable testing ground to refine our AI against diverse weather and complex road networks,” Zoox adds.

The Zoox test fleet, which comprises retrofitted Toyota Highlander SUVs, has been traveling on public roadways since 2017, starting with the San Francisco Bay Area and Las Vegas. Amazon bought the company in 2020 for $1.3 billion.

When Zoox tests its robotaxis in a new market, it initially focuses on mapping streets before moving on to autonomous driving.

“There is always a safety driver behind the wheel who can take over at any time, disengaging the AI if needed,” the company says.

After finishing its tests with SUVs in Dallas and Phoenix, Zoox will start testing its box-shaped, purpose-built robotaxis.

In the San Francisco Bay Area and Las Vegas, their vehicles have traveled more than one million miles and served more than 300,000 ride-hailing passengers.

Zoox joins Waymo in introducing self-driving taxis to Dallas. Last month, Waymo announced its entry into the Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando, Florida, markets.

Waymo, owned by Google’s parent company, says it has logged more 20 million ride-hailing trips in 10 cities, including Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio.

“Dallas is excited for Waymo to launch operations in our city, providing Dallas residents and visitors with new, innovative transportation options,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in February. “The availability of Waymo’s fully autonomous ride service further cements Dallas’ reputation as one of America’s most innovative and dynamic cities.”

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