An East Tennessee hemp processor is set to cut 121 jobs as it prepares to shift major pieces of its business to North Carolina, according to a newly filed Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification. The WARN notice lists eight sites across the region and pegs July 13 as the separation date for affected employees. Company leaders told local media they are heading across state lines because recent changes to Tennessee's licensing rules for hemp‑derived cannabinoid products have sharply limited how they can operate.
According to WVLT, Greenbean Ventures, LLC, the parent company of Gold Spectrum CBD, filed the WARN notice that identifies 121 workers and states that roughly $750,000 in payroll will be moving to North Carolina. The filing covers eight East Tennessee locations in the company's network and lists July 13 as the final day for those employees. Company spokesperson Zack Green said the business is preparing to relocate operations and payroll to North Carolina, pointing to the regulatory shift as the driving factor.
Layoffs tie into a wider statewide trend
From January through April, WARN filings show that 3,377 Tennesseans were covered by such notices, the highest four‑month tally since 2021, as reported by WSMV. Workforce officials say the steady drumbeat of WARNs is putting pressure on local job centers and stretching retraining programs across the state.
Licensing changes at the center of the move
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture notes that oversight of hemp‑derived cannabinoid products shifted to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission on Jan. 1, 2026, and that existing TDA licenses will expire on June 30, 2026. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture says the transition period was designed to give businesses time to apply with the new regulator. Some operators, however, have described the schedule as creating compliance and distribution headaches, and company leaders pointed to those pressures when announcing their relocation plans.
What workers can expect
Under Tennessee rules, employers must provide 60 days' notice before mass layoffs, and the state's Rapid Response team is tasked with organizing outreach and transition help for affected staff. Tennessee's Rapid Response program says coordinators will aim to hold an initial meeting within 48 hours of a WARN being processed and can connect workers with unemployment insurance, American Job Center services, and retraining opportunities. Local partners say they will work to arrange information sessions and job‑search assistance in the coming weeks.
Next steps and local reaction
The company's WARN filing outlines the positions and worksites that will be affected, and local officials say they are reviewing the documents and gearing up for outreach to employees. WVLT also reported a separate WARN notice involving Tsubaki Nakashima that references plans to cut about 110 jobs in Unicoi County by the end of 2026. County and workforce leaders say they plan to coordinate with state Rapid Response staff to schedule meetings for both employees and employers.
Affected workers are being directed to Jobs4TN and their local American Job Centers for details on benefits and retraining options, and state and county officials say more information will roll out as transition meetings take place. This story will be updated as additional public filings, company statements, or agency guidance become available.
