“TRIP was designed to help people find calm in the chaos”

Co-founders of the UK-based CBD drinks company TRIP, talk to Cannabis Health about leaving successful careers in law and finance to start their own brand and the impressive rise of the young company since its launch in 2019. 

Olivia Ferdi and Daniel Khoury discovered CBD just a few weeks before their wedding day after Daniel sustained a serious knee injury playing football.

Having torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Daniel’s doctor told him that he would be unable to walk down the aisle and dancing at the reception would be out of the question.

Meanwhile, Daniel’s brother, who was living in the US at the time, was witnessing the surge in popularity of CBD across North America. He suggested to Daniel that he try the supplement to help reduce the pain and inflammation in his knee.

At this point, CBD was still relatively unknown in the UK and the couple knew nothing about the supplement. But they were willing to try anything to get Daniel back on his feet before their wedding day.

Seven weeks later, Daniel was walking down the aisle without his crutches and “danced all weekend”, Olivia said.

Impressed by the effects of CBD on his recovery, Daniel and Olivia set out to learn more about the supplement. After returning from their wedding abroad, they started researching and discovered the myriad of different health conditions that people were using CBD for.

Olivia then began using CBD to manage her stress and anxiety. Working as a lawyer in London, she found that incorporating CBD into her daily life helped alleviate the stress that came with her job.

“Whether that was taking a few drops on my morning commute or in moments of anxiety to help me reset, CBD quickly became an important part of my routine,” Olivia said.

“We both began using CBD daily after [experiencing] the fantastic everyday benefits for ourselves.”

It wasn’t long before the couple saw an opportunity to bring something different to the market. At the time, CBD hadn’t yet taken off in the UK like it had in the US and the couple struggled to find a product that aligned with their lifestyle and values.

“What was available back then was so inaccessible, whether due to pricing, quality, confusing instructions, off-putting packaging or bitter tastes,” Olivia continued.

“We wanted something convenient and inclusive; a product we could have on our desk at work, grab after a workout or enjoy with friends in the evening.”

The couple took a bold leap, leaving their successful careers in law and finance to launch their very own CBD company, TRIP, with a mission to make CBD more accessible.

TRIP launched a range of high-concentration CBD-infused drinks with flavours and branding that would appeal to young professionals.

Taking a holistic approach to wellness, the drinks contain natural botanical extracts like ginseng, chamomile, Lemon Balm and L-Theanine, which the company says help stabilise physiological processes in the body and alleviate stress.

Since launching at the end of 2019, the company has experienced rapid growth, which Olivia describes as a “whirlwind”. The company got off to an impressive start, working with high-profile brands like Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Planet Organic and Equinox Gyms.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit a few months later the company was quick to respond, launching a partnership with Deliveroo to become the first CBD store on the platform.

TRIP went on to be accepted by Sainsbury’s as one of its ‘Future Brands’ and embarked on a partnership with Soho House, the company behind the members-only club that caters to young creatives in major cities across the world.

The brand has also had its share of viral hits on social media with a number of celebrities endorsing the products, including Ellie Goulding who picked up a can of TRIP from her fridge during an interview with Vogue.

“TRIP was designed to help people find calm in the chaos,” Olivia said.

“In 2020 we wanted as many people as possible to experience the amazing benefits of CBD, especially at a time when the need for self-care was at an all-time high. Consumers were reaching for CBD more than ever before, looking for something to ease their worries.

“During this time, we were lucky to experience huge growth and collaborate with some amazing partners in the wellness sector.”

TRIP has already expanded into the European market and plans to announce a number of further global launches in the coming year.

However, despite its big ambitions, Olivia believes it is important not to become “obsessed with lofty goals”. Instead, she says TRIP’s focus on providing the “best experience possible” will lay the groundworks for its future success.

“We are incredibly proud of and thankful for the culture we have cultivated within the TRIP community and we are really excited to keep building our community,” Olivia added.

“We created TRIP so that as many people as possible could experience the benefits of CBD and we plan on continuing in that mission.