Real cannabis imbibing intellects are the ones who dispel the notion that all cannabis smokers are still living in their parent’s homes, having failed to apply themselves in life. Nothing could be further than the truth. The popular culture paints cannabis smokers as unable to do anything but do bong hits all day. This is unfortunate, but a stark reality in many places in the world, especially in places like New Jersey, where I grew up. The very fact that I’ve used cannabis since the age of twelve- and I’m certainly much older than that now, made my parents practically livid with rage. It’s far too late now to change my misguided cannabis-fueled ways.
One of the things I learned from smoking cannabis is that it unlocks the creative side of my brain. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that cannabis made me an intellectual, that was already so… It just allowed me to think differently than my non-cannabis smoking peers.
When I recognize real thinkers, it’s usually through gatherings of other folks who do deep dives into their existence, usually with every puff of the finest cannabis in the world.
The Hall of Flowers is one such assemblage of like-minded heads. Aengus Cawley is one of the shining-star intellects that gathers with his peers in opening the minds and hearts of others through his ebullient smile. He truly has learned the secret and it unlocks the deep creativity that cannabis offers.
May I please introduce you to Aengus. He’s going to change the world, one perfectly curated cannabis experience at a time!
WB: Please tell me what you’re working on right now? What are your six-month and twelve-month goals?
Aengus Cawley: We’ve put an extensive amount of time, effort, and R&D into launching BEED, and we’re thrilled to have come to market in such a holistic, 360-degree way. Every detail and nuance of the customer exploration, discovery, and acquisition phase has been meticulously thought through from end to end on our part.
We recently launched our DTC ecommerce site, continue to work with key retail partners like MedMen, The Artist Tree, Grassdoor, Green Qween, Double Eye, and now have our eyes set on further inserting BEED into the larger cultural narrative. We have participated in many cannabis-oriented events like Smoker’s Club, Hall of Flowers Palm Springs, and Napa’s BottleRock, and see our trajectory as a technology meets cannabis brand to continue to evolve and innovate in lockstep with our consumers’ preferences and needs.
We are already working on expanding the BEED Capsule line so we can grow with the ever-changing cannabis consumer to ensure brand longevity. We initially launched with six effect-based capsule offerings (ranging from a 1:1 THC / CBD blend to a hash-infused, 40%+ THC option) and are keen to add strain-based and flavor-focused options in the near future. Another avenue we’re actively exploring is retailer-specific and brand-specific BEED Capsule collaborations. There is so much brand loyalty amongst cannabis consumers nowadays, and it’s the logical next step to reach these untapped consumers via branding cross-pollination.
Growing and diversifying our retail partnerships over the next year is a big priority for us. With each new retailer comes seemingly infinite possibilities for collaboration and innovation. We are most excited and inspired by the unexpected and love the notion of BEED popping up in unusual settings and environments for ‘surprise and delight’ moments. Our end goal and hope through the simplicity of BEED are that we further destigmatize the plant by leveraging technology and in turn, help break through cultural divides and barriers. We want BEED to help bring cannabis to the masses.
WB: Please tell me about your company. What is your technology? What makes you unique?
Aengus Cawley: Inspired by the ease and accessibility of making a cup of coffee, BEED aims to elevate and streamline the cannabis experience by producing fresh, mess-free pre-rolls at the push of a simple, single button. BEED is the first capsule-based appliance for cannabis in the California market and allows consumers to enjoy the freshest, fastest, and most fun rolling experience, all in an environmentally friendly and economically conscious way.
The BEED Machine is the first and only fully-automated appliance to produce a single cannabis joint in 20 seconds. Our fully recyclable aluminum BEED Capsules are nitrogen sealed and contain .5g of premium cannabis that will stay fresh and maintain the full spectrum properties of the flower for up to one year.
We are stewards of the Earth and strive to help our consumers lead a more eco-conscious life. It’s part of our brand DNA. Each individual aluminum BEED capsule and the exterior packaging tube they are sold in are fully recyclable, and we’re constantly challenging ourselves to design and engineer novel ways to be more environmentally friendly.
From a pricing perspective, the BEED Machine and Capsule line surpasses the typical cannabis consumer’s expectations in all the right ways. Currently, the most affordable 0.5g California pre-rolls hover around the $5.50 mark. In contrast, our capsules are sold in 8-packs of single-serve 0.5g Capsules for $32, meaning that if you enjoyed one fresh BEED joint every day for an entire year, on average you would save over $500 based on this industry standard.
What’s more, you’ll enjoy a wholly consistent, fresh smoking experience each and every time with our capsule technology to reap all the benefits of the plant.
WB: Do you prefer indoor to outdoor grown? Why? Terroir?
Aengus Cawley: I am personally (and likely as a result of my upbringing in rural Vermont) partial to outdoor, sun grown cannabis. There’s just something deeply special, even magical, about experiencing the plant in the most natural way. Unfortunately, it is not the most scalable option to provide consistent and fairly priced flower.
I’d be remiss not to acknowledge how indoor-grown cannabis has helped propel the industry into the $5.6B powerhouse it is today. It’s undeniable that indoor cultivation safeguards against external environmental elements and other hypothetical risks often out of growers’ control entirely. We at BEED have struck a happy balance between indoor and outdoor cannabis with the help of our partners at Glasshouse Farms. They believe the future of cannabis is greenhouse-driven, where high-quality, premium plants can be grown, nurtured, and cultivated using sustainably minded cultivation practices and in turn, sold at an accessible price point.
WB: Who is your mentor?
Aengus Cawley: It is less of a who has mentored me, and more of a what and where has inspired me.
First and foremost, I believe that physically disconnecting from society is essential to forming original (aka creative) thought. Getting out into nature and away from it all is the best way to ensure that your ideas are wholly your own. When you intentionally stop streaming, stop scrolling, and spend some time with just yourself, the universe tends to reward you with the clarity to create something unique and deeply impactful. Nature is a beautiful teacher.
My personal library is also a prized possession. Despite its physical weight and cumbersome nature, my library has been the perfect complement and often the driving factor of much of my personal and professional experience on this earth. Whether struggling through comprehending quantum physics by way of “The Dancing Wu Li Masters,” maximizing efficiency through pop culture phenomenon, Tim Ferris’s “4 Hour Work Week” or doubling down on the importance of having purpose beyond financials as I finish the inimitable Tony Hsieh’s “Delivering Happiness,” which was actually a recommendation from BEED’s CEO and a current mentor of mine, Ofer Kahana, literature has been a continual resource for further education.
WB: What is your passion?
Aengus Cawley: Making people smile. Bottom line. Whether it’s through art and approaching life from a uniquely creative lens, simple human interaction, or critical business decision making, bringing happiness to others is the most important thing to me at the end of the day. It’s actually what drew me initially to the cannabis industry and what ultimately led me to BEED.
First and foremost, cannabis is plant medicine and one that is essential to so many of the most important people in my life. The plant is so communal and it’s the shared experience of cannabis that brings people together in a positive way time and time again.
BEED’s technology helps democratize the plant in an approachable, lifestyle-centric way, and in turns helps further remove the cultural stigma of cannabis. When someone uses the BEED Machine for the first time, whether they were initially skeptical or are a cannabis veteran, consumers are always wowed by the simplicity of the process and are equally in awe when their freshly rolled joint is dispensed in a matter of seconds. … and after they take the first hit, well that’s when the real smiles set in.