What Award Winning Means to Us

Legacy Cup 2026 is officially in the books, and we’re still riding the high of it — the music, the field full of familiar and new faces, the whole day of celebrating a community we’re proud to be part of. And this year, we walked away with something extra: Best Beverage – Seltzer, for our Black Cherry Seltzer.

We’ll be honest — winning never gets old. But it’s worth taking a second to talk about what it actually means to us, because it’s not quite what you’d think.

It’s not about the trophy. We didn’t build Black Cherry Seltzer — or anything else in our lineup — with an award in mind. We built it the same way we build everything: real ingredients, no cal, no shortcuts, and a genuine question of “would we actually want to drink this?” before it ever made it to a can. The award is a nice validation of that process, but it’s not the reason for it.

It’s proof that the people judging actually noticed. Legacy Cup awards are voted on by people who show up, taste dozens of products across a massive field, and pick what actually stands out. That’s a different kind of recognition than a marketing claim — it’s real people, tasting real products, choosing ours. That’s the part that actually means something.

It’s a reminder of who we’re doing this for. We’re a small, family-owned Minnesota brand. Every can that goes out the door represents actual decisions made by actual people who live here, care about this state, and care about doing right by the community that’s supported us since day one. A win like this isn’t just a brand accolade — it’s a genuine “thank you” reflected back at us from the people we built this for.

And it’s not the first time. This win joins a growing shelf for us. At Legacy Cup IV, we took home Winner – Best THC Tincture, People’s Choice – Favorite THC Product, and People’s Choice – Favorite Cannabis Brand. Seeing Black Cherry Seltzer join that list this year isn’t just another trophy — it’s proof that the standard we’ve held ourselves to since day one is consistent, not a one-time fluke. Different products, different years, same care going into every single one.

Mostly, though, it’s about the day itself. Trophies aside, Legacy Cup 2026 was just genuinely fun — the kind of day that reminds you why you do this work in the first place. Pouring cans for strangers who became friendly faces by the afternoon. Watching people discover Stigma for the first time, right there on the field. Standing under that big painted sun mural, surrounded by a community that’s fought hard to get hemp and cannabis the legitimacy it deserves. That’s the real win, every year, awards or not.

So — thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth, cracked a can with us, and voted with your actual taste buds. Thank you to Legacy Cup for building a space where a small Minnesota brand can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the Midwest. And thank you for reminding us why we started this in the first place.

Here’s to Black Cherry Seltzer, to the whole team that made this day happen, and to next year’s Legacy Cup already being circled on our calendar.