US Company Completes First Ever Commercial Export Of Retail CBD Products To Mexico

Commercial CBD products are headed from the United States to Mexico, via a partnership between Green Lotus and Mexican consumer packaged goods brand CBD Life SA.

"This represents the first commercial shipment of retail products that can be distributed in Mexico through regular distribution channels, requiring no additional government approvals or medical certifications," the companies said in a press release.

Carlos Frias, CEO of Green Lotus’ parent company Freedom Leaf Inc. FRLF has been a player in the hemp and cannabis industry for 16 years.

"We wanted Green Lotus to be a first-in-class brand, and we succeeded. The Mexican market is prime territory for CBD products," he told Benzinga. "We’ve been working on this deal for three years."

The July 31 shipment of $600,000 of CBD topicals to Mexico represents another high point in Frias’ career.

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“When I started in this business, I started with one plant in my closet -- then my garage, then my whole house,” he told entrepreneurs at an event in Dallas, Texas. “Fast forward sixteen years, and now I run Freedom Leaf. It wasn’t easy.”

Frias credits his brands’ agility for Freedom Leaf’s cross-border success.  

Despite the challenges posed by a new permit regime in Mexico and the uncertainty caused by trade tensions, Frias said this initial shipment is just the beginning.

“We’re following up our topicals with tinctures, edibles, gel caps and beverages. Green Lotus is a premium brand with the strictest testing and the highest quality products, so we think people in Mexico will love our products.”