Target’s decision to start selling hemp-derived THC beverages marks a major milestone for the cannabis industry and a reality check for brands hoping to follow. Selling into mass retail is not just about scaling production or packaging appeal. It requires proving that your product meets the same safety and manufacturing standards as food, pharma, and cosmetics.

As Darwin Millard, Technical Director at CSQ Certification, explains, “Retailers like Walmart and Target protect their liability by only buying from GMP-certified producers. That certification is their shield.” Without an accredited Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification, cannabis brands may not make it past the first round of vendor qualification.

The cannabis industry has traditionally operated in a silo, selling B2B to other licensed operators that rarely demand third-party certifications. Mass retailers operate differently. They rely on accredited certification programs to verify every layer of the supply chain, from ingredient sourcing to packaging. This mitigates risk and ensures traceability if something goes wrong.

Many hemp brands rely on co-manufacturers already bottling for alcohol and alternative beverage industries, but those manufacturers are often not GMP-certified for cannabis products. Existing food safety schemes, such as SQF or BRC, do not yet recognize cannabinoids as approved ingredients. Target may have overlooked this gap when approving its current selection of hemp beverages, but this is likely to be addressed going forward.

Target’s move could push the entire cannabis supply chain to adopt GMPs to protect consumers and ensure consistent quality. As Millard warns, “It could be the thing that gives our industry its biggest black eye if something goes wrong, or the moment that raises the bar for safety and quality once and for all.”

What It Takes To Get GMP Certified

GMP certification is a rigorous, multi-step process that demonstrates a company’s commitment to verified quality and safety standards. While companies may perform internal audits or have business partners review their processes, the most widely recognized and trusted method is third-party certification.

Third-party certification involves an independent organization auditing every aspect of your operation to ensure compliance with established GMP requirements. This provides a clear, objective verification that processes, documentation, and product handling meet global standards.

Not all third-party certifications carry the same weight. Accredited certifications are independently verified by an external authority and recognized internationally as meeting stringent standards for quality and safety. Unaccredited certifications, in contrast, may offer internal assurance but generally do not hold the same credibility with regulators, retailers, or international partners.

For brands targeting mass retail or global trade, third-party certification serves as proof that safety, traceability, and quality standards are adhered to.

What Compliance Looks Like

Not only does the cannabis industry need to embrace standards for scaling to mass retail, but it also needs to embrace standards for global trade. That includes accredited GMP certification rather than a certificate from an unverified auditor.

Cultivation falls under Current Good Agricultural Practices (GACP), ensuring that every stage of plant growth and harvest meets rigorous safety and quality benchmarks.

Effective cultivation standards cover both indoor and outdoor grow environments and include strict protocols for:

• Water quality and irrigation management
• Equipment sanitation and maintenance
• Crop protection and propagation materials (including clones, seeds, and tissue culture)
• Temperature and atmospheric control during drying and curing

Once plants are harvested, the process transitions from GACP to GMP standards, marking the shift from cultivation to manufacturing. “Harvest is the hard line,” says Millard. “Once you start to process the plant in a controlled environment by trimming, curing, or packaging, you’re operating under GMP.”

The CSQ Cultivation program also covers flower handling, grinding, and pre-roll production, but stops short of infused or extracted products. When it comes to post-harvest remediation techniques like irradiation, CSQ doesn’t explicitly prohibit them but requires detailed, documented procedures.

“We treat drying and curing like refrigerated or frozen food storage,” Millard explains. “There are specific temperature and environmental conditions that must be maintained to preserve product safety and quality.”

In the extraction process, standards define best practices for processing and handling cannabinoid materials. Standards cover everything from raw extracts, such as live resin or rosin, to refined materials, including distillate or purified cannabinoids. They also include formulation, risk assessment, and allergen implications for products intended for inhalation, ingestion, or topical use.

The Last Mile: Warehousing and Distribution

Once cannabis products leave the manufacturing facility, maintaining safety and quality becomes the responsibility of distributors and warehouse operators. Mass retailers will expect vendors to follow the same high standards throughout storage and transit as they do during production.

Controlled storage environments are a requirement for ensuring product preservation. Temperature, humidity, and atmospheric conditions must be monitored and documented to preserve volatile compounds in concentrates, infused products, and THC beverages, similar to perishable food or beverage items.

Proper warehousing protocols also protect against contamination, degradation, and liability. Companies that can prove systems for handling, tracking, and storing products across the supply chain will have a competitive advantage with mass retailers.

Retail Responsibility: Preserving Quality and Mitigating Liability

Once cannabis products reach the retail shelf, the responsibility for maintaining safety and quality shifts to the retailer. Like perishable foods, cannabis products can degrade if not stored under proper temperature, humidity, or lighting conditions. For high-end concentrates or infused products, even minor lapses in any of these factors can significantly impact potency, consistency, and the overall consumer experience.

If products degrade, retailers could face legal liability or incur costly recalls. In some cases, manufacturers may prove that products left the facility compliant with Certificate of Analysis (COA) standards, but without proper storage at the retail level, those standards cannot be maintained.

Standardized operating procedures (SOPs) for storage, handling, and temperature monitoring remove liability from the retailer and make sure consumers receive the quality product they are promised. Batch records, documented storage conditions, and adherence to best practices allow them to demonstrate that they took all reasonable steps to maintain product integrity.

High-end extractors and other manufacturers often worry that retail infrastructure is not yet equipped to handle sensitive products. Improper storage can result in financial losses and reputational damage. Embracing certifications and best practices will become increasingly essential as the industry matures and customers demand higher quality.

Consumers expect cannabis products to be safe, consistent, and accurately labeled. Maintaining quality throughout the supply chain ensures that products match what is promised. Otherwise, what reaches the shelf may be nothing more than THC content with degraded flavor, aroma, or texture, far from the intended experience.

Raising the Bar For Cannabis Quality

Target’s entry into hemp-infused beverages marks a turning point for the cannabis industry. Success in mass retail requires rigorous quality standards, including GMP and GACP practices, temperature-controlled storage, and documented SOPs, to protect consumers and retailers while preserving product quality. These practices position brands for mass retail and prepare the industry for international trade, where standards are even more stringent.

The post Target Just Opened the Door — Is Your Brand Compliance-Ready for Mass Retailers? appeared first on Cannabis Industry Journal.