For many consumers, CBD served as their introduction to hemp. It helped transform hemp from a niche category into a mainstream wellness conversation and introduced millions of people to cannabinoid-based products. Yet according to Jenna Zwagil, founder of Divine Earth Theory, the industry's most significant developments may still lie ahead. She believes the next chapter of hemp will be shaped less by awareness and more by advances in cultivation, extraction, and scientific understanding.
The growth of consumer interest suggests that hemp has moved well beyond its early adoption phase. The global CBD consumer health market was valued at $23.94 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach approximately $84.94 billion by 2035, indicating sustained consumer interest in hemp-derived wellness products.
According to Zwagil, that growth has created an opportunity for the industry to ask a different set of questions. Rather than focusing exclusively on whether consumers are aware of hemp products, she suggests the conversation is increasingly turning toward how those products are cultivated, processed, and formulated.
"CBD played an important role in introducing consumers to hemp," Zwagil says. "But hemp contains a much broader range of naturally occurring compounds, and I believe the industry is beginning to appreciate the value of understanding the plant more completely."
From her perspective, the industry's next challenge centers on quality. Consumer awareness has expanded significantly, but as the category matures, sourcing practices, production methods, consistency, and transparency are becoming increasingly important considerations. Zwagil notes that consumers today often want greater visibility into how products are made and where ingredients originate.
That shift mirrors trends seen across broader wellness categories. As markets evolve, Zwagil notes that purchasing decisions frequently become more sophisticated, with consumers paying closer attention to manufacturing standards, ingredient quality, and scientific validation. According to her, hemp is following a similar path.
She believes some of the most important innovations in hemp are occurring behind the scenes. "Advances in controlled cultivation environments are creating new possibilities for consistency and quality," she says. "One example is aeroponic cultivation, a method that allows plants to grow without soil while receiving nutrients through a controlled system." According to Zwagil, these types of environments may offer greater control over growing conditions and support more standardized production outcomes.
"Hemp is an extraordinary plant, but how it is cultivated matters," Zwagil explains. "As technology improves, producers have more opportunities to create controlled environments that support consistency and purity throughout the growing process."
Zwagil also points to advances in formulation technology as another area shaping hemp's future. One example, she notes, is micelle technology, which has historically been studied in pharmaceutical applications and, more recently, has attracted interest within cannabis and hemp research. According to Zwagil, the growing exploration of micelle-based formulations reflects a broader industry movement toward applying scientific innovation across every stage of product development, from cultivation and extraction to delivery systems and formulation design.
Extraction technology is also becoming an increasingly important area of development. Zwagil notes that conversations within the hemp industry have traditionally centered on ethanol and CO2 extraction, which have long been among the most widely used approaches. Today, she believes the discussion is expanding beyond extraction efficiency and toward how effectively a process preserves the plant's naturally occurring compounds throughout production.
One emerging example is Full Cryosonic Extract, or FCE, which utilizes cold temperatures and sound-wave-based processes during extraction. According to Zwagil, approaches such as FCE reflect a broader industry trend focused on preserving more of the plant's naturally occurring compounds throughout production. Whether any single extraction method becomes widely adopted remains uncertain, but she views the trend itself as significant. She notes that the Full Cryosonic Extract (FCE) patent-pending technology is the future for extraction.
The evolution also reflects growing interest in whole-plant thinking. Hemp contains a diverse profile of cannabinoids and other naturally occurring compounds. As research continues and consumer knowledge expands, Zwagil believes more attention will be directed toward preserving that complexity rather than narrowing the conversation to a single ingredient.
"The future of hemp involves understanding the plant as a complete system," she says. "The more we learn, the more we see opportunities to explore the broader profile that hemp naturally provides."
Scientific credibility may ultimately become one of the defining characteristics of the industry's next phase. As regulations continue evolving and consumers become more discerning, transparency and evidence are likely to play increasingly important roles in shaping trust. Industry participants that invest in cultivation standards, quality control, and scientific validation may be better positioned to meet rising expectations.
For Zwagil, the future of hemp remains closely tied to innovation. She believes the first wave of hemp demonstrated strong consumer interest and helped establish the category's foundation. The next wave, she argues, will focus on how effectively the industry can advance cultivation methods, improve extraction technologies, and deliver consistent products supported by transparency and scientific rigor.
"CBD opened the door," Zwagil says. "What happens next will be shaped by the industry's ability to keep learning, innovating, and expanding our understanding of what hemp can become."
