Guest Post from Natural Effex Founder and CEO
- Alan Brochstein, CFA
- Jul 31
- 2 min read
Why Raising the Bar for Hemp Derived CBD Beverages Starts With Trust
By James Carbone, Founder & CEO, Natural Effex™
Madison - Connecticut - July 31st 2025
When I first stepped into the CBD space, I knew the world didn’t need another try to be trendy brand or unverified claim. What it did need was trust — built on science, compliance, and a clear commitment to doing things the right honorable way.
That’s the foundation of Natural Effex™.
We’re not trying to ride the wave — we’re reshaping it.
Our latest innovation is a CBD beverage reformulated with real fruit purées, lab-tested water-soluble CBD, and zero artificial shortcuts. No BS ingredients.
Just clean, functional formulations crafted to actually deliver what the label promises.
To back that up, we pursued and secured an International NSF Certification — making us 1 of only 5 CBD brands globally, and 1 of just 2 in the beverage category, to earn the mark. That NSF milestone is bigger than just our brand — it’s a signal to the industry. We’re preparing now to move into full NSF Certified for Sport®, which means every batch will be tested for over 280 substances banned in professional sports.
We manufacture everything in a GMP-certified facility, with full third-party lab testing, QR-code transparency, and compliance-first operations from top to bottom. Whether it’s our product, our team, or our retail strategy, the mission remains the same: to create something athletes, consumers, and regulators can trust — without hesitation.
We’ve kept our roots strong — sponsoring real athletes from the UFC to ongoing conversations with talent across the NFL, MLB, and NBA. We’re focused on building long-term credibility, not chasing trends. Everything we do is designed to elevate the standard — not just for hemp derived CBD beverages, but for the entire wellness category.
Thank you to Alan and the THC-Shopping team for giving founders like me space to share our truth, not just our taglines.
We’re building something special. And we’re just getting started.
If you’re reading this and resonate with what we’re doing — I’d love to connect.
My inbox is always open.
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James Carbone
Founder & CEO, Natural Effex™