Cannabidiol (CBD) oil in food and drink, continues to grow as a trend. One business in Reno was selling products with the oil added. But it has hit a snag.
Pianissimo Coffee And More coffee shop is located in South Reno.
The owners put more than $100,000 into remodeling. That includes the kitchen, so they can make CBD chocolate. But because of what they say is a federal ruling, it's had to take the chocolate off their menu and change how they do business.
As Cheryl Appel made her latest batch of chocolate, there is one thing missing. “There is no CBD in it,” said Pianissimo Coffee and More co-owner Appel.
Teaming with her business partners, they bought the shop’s location for its commercial kitchen and turned it into Pianissimo Coffee And More coffee shop.
“The whole Reno/Sparks area is growing so fast you can't find idle kitchen space,” said her husband and business co-owner Larry Appel. The goal of buying the location was to sell the chocolate and other cannabis related CBD products.
“I wanted to sell the chocolate to the veterans. I wanted to give it to people who wanted an edible,” said Cheryl Appel. With the chocolates accentuating the coffee, the owners thought they had created a promising new business. But then something came up. “It was a hiccup. Last Thursday the health department came in,” said Appel.
The Appels say the diagnosis of the business was not good. “They said I could not sell my chocolates because of the FDA ruling that CBDs are not regulated for edibles,” said Cheryl Appel.
In a similar manner, they found that they could no longer add CBD oil to coffee and tea to create specialty drinks. A loophole however is solving that problem.
“They say the customer can put it in the coffee. So what I do is hand the customer the CBD. Give them their coffee cup. They literally pour it into their cup and then we finish adding the rest of the coffee,” said Appel.
The Appels explained that there is a difference between the regulation of dispensaries and food establishments like their own.
“Apparently the dispensaries are under Nevada state law. Our coffee shop under Washoe County and federal law,” said Appel.
The Appels say they will continue selling the other CBD products in accordance with the law. As for the chocolates, they will sell those, just without the CBD oil ingredient.
