Klaus approved.
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Klaus infused cocktails
Klaus, a canned cannabis cocktail, is crafted for flavor chasers by mixologist Warren Bobrow. The intense flavor of their THC drink is absolutely cocktail-like and ideal to serve over ice, though you can enjoy it straight from the can as well. The tart, tangy, and ginger flavors would likely appeal to those who usually order margaritas or daiquiris. With 10 milligrams of THC in each can, it was fast-acting and provided me with a potent — but not overwhelming — high. Currently available in one flavor, the Mezzrole, with two more flavors coming soon, each $12 can is priced like a craft cocktail.
You can find Klaus cocktails at two Solful locations in Northern California: Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. So if you’re in Sonoma County, be sure to check them out.
Available: Northern California
Warren Bobrow interviews Eli Melrod of Solful
I love what (full of boundless energy) Eli Melrod has achieved in the craft cannabis retail space. His esoteric and craft-oriented dispensary, Solful embodies my somewhat educated image of what a well-curated cannabis experience should look like. The environment is not overwhelming when entering the shop and the sophisticated, yet somewhat older clientele demands a deeper understanding of the plant. This is much different than the experience at most high-volume dispensaries. They seem to focus on getting the guest in and out, quickly and without much thought to the well-being of the customer.
More than just an allegory is how I describe the experience of visiting Solful. From the first time that I visited this dispensary several years ago, to the present day, I can honestly say that Solful offers a very wine store-esque, cannabis transactional experience right in the center of wine country. And I believe that the terroir of the cannabis mimics that of fine wine. It’s uncanny to taste a Sonoma Chardonnay, then inhale some cannabis, grown in Sonoma. Their terroir is very similar to each other.
Please allow me the honor of introducing you to my friend and fellow entrepreneur in the cannabis space, Eli Melrod, who is the CEO and Co-founder of Solful, award-winning cannabis dispensaries in Northern California
Eli Melrod is CEO and Co-founder of Solful, award-winning dispensaries in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, California, widely recognized for its broad selection of high-quality, locally-sourced cannabis products, as well as industry-leading in-store experience, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact in the community.
Under his leadership, Solful is dedicated to selling only 100% sun-grown flower purchased directly from small craft farmers in Northern California. A frequent visitor of partner farms, Eli and company directly manage Solful’s supply chain to ensure that every cannabis product sourced is planted, grown, nurtured, trimmed, and packaged according to the highest standards of care.
Eli has been an entrepreneur in the California cannabis industry since 2015. His interest in the health and wellness benefits of cannabis began in 2006, when his father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and discovered the power of cannabis to help him manage pain, nausea, appetite, anxiety, and sleep. Inspired by his father’s experience, Eli dedicated himself to bringing cannabis to people whose health, wellness, and happiness could be improved by its responsible use.
Today, Solful is known for its emphasis on cannabis bringing customers health and happiness. Focusing on training, education, and culture, Solful is reinventing the cannabis retail space. Their goal? For all customers – from experienced users to the cannacurious – to walk into their doors feeling comfortable and confident they will find the product they are looking for with the help of a long-tenured team that abides by the highest values, known as the Solful Standard.
WB: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from originally? Live now? What do you think about terroir in cannabis? Does “biodynamic” mean to you? What about Terpenes?
Eli Melrod: I was fortunate to be born and raised in Northern California. I spent my younger years in San Francisco and ultimately went between SF and Sebastopol as a teenager after my dad bought property up here. Since then, Sebastopol and Sonoma County have always been home. My interest in cannabis began when my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I saw firsthand the power of the plant and how it helped him manage pain and anxiety from the awful illness.
At the time, I was studying economics at Wesleyan University. Inspired by recreational cannabis use becoming legal in California and being a believer in its health and wellness benefits, in 2014, I left school and dedicated myself to bringing cannabis to people whose lives can be improved by its responsible use. I first worked for an established cannabis testing lab to understand the science of cannabis, and it was during this time that I started to build personal relationships with industry influencers, many of which included farmers. In 2015, I connected with a family friend and entrepreneur, Peter Dickstein, to launch Solful. Since we opened in 2017, Solful has been a destination cannabis retail brand with a focus on educating the community, offering personalized customer experiences, and sourcing the best craft sun-grown cannabis.
For me, terroir means the expression of time and place. All plants are going to be influenced based on where and how they are grown. What I love most about sun-grown and regenerative farmed cannabis is that the plant embodies that specific region and harvest. At Solful we work with farms that have a number of strains that they have developed over the years for their specific region. You can see and taste the variation of that strain each year, showing that the growing season no doubt impacts the end result of the plant. I’ve found that as I get to know our farming partners better when I smoke their cannabis, I feel the expression of their farm and the vibe of that region. It’s an intimate and special relationship that no other plant can offer.
With biodynamic farming, there’s a strict seven-year certification process by Demeter needed in order to use the term on labeling. That said, there are plenty of farms that use biodynamic practices, but don’t go through the official certification process. Biodynamics is a part of regenerative farming, which focuses on working with the land’s ecosystem – the farmers work with the land to help build a stronger, healthier system.
We are learning more and more about the plant and terpenes show there’s a lot more contributing to cannabis’s effects and medicinal uses than just cannabinoids. The science around terpenes is early and as an industry, it’s important that we are thoughtful in how we talk about the subject. We still have a lot to learn. What we do know is that terpene-rich cannabis tends to be more enjoyable to consume and has a more robust effect, compared to one that is lower in terpenes. Think of terpenes as the fingerprint of that specific strain and harvest. A strain’s terpene profile can act as a guide to help the consumer figure out what they like. As the industry evolves, I think it is great that we are shifting the conversation beyond just cannabinoids, especially for medicinal use.
WB: So many cannabis companies are hung up on high THC levels. Why is this flawed science? What are you doing to change this marketing into something more appropriate for the plant?
Eli Melrod: At this point, it is clear that higher THC doesn’t mean higher quality or potency. The overreliance on this number is misleading to consumers.
At Solful, understanding each strain of cannabis and product we sell is really important to us. We spend a lot of time educating our team to then educate consumers about where the farm is located, how the plant was grown, and the difference in strains. It’s all of this information that should ultimately play into the buying decision. At our stores, we display full terpene and cannabinoid profiles for each strain we carry. It’s a priority that our team members get to know the farmers we work with so they can speak to them as people.
An important lesson we have learned is that if you don’t train your team on how to translate industry knowledge into practical information for consumers, you aren’t educating them. We believe in meeting the consumer where they are – and we have built a program around this method so our team can offer more of a hospitality experience for everyone who walks through our doors.
WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals? How do you anticipate removing obstacles to cannabis? Who is your mentor/s?
Eli Melrod: We are excited to continue to expand Solful’s retail footprint. We opened our second location in Santa Rosa earlier this year and have a third location opening in an incredible community and neighborhood in San Francisco in the coming months.
Illinois Women in Cannabis (IWC) will be partnering again with Cannabis Drinks Expo to host a rock solid session on the subject of Developing a Female-Led Cannabis Beverage Brand.
IWC has assembled a powerhouse panel of female executives who will discuss women as consumers of cannabis-infused beverages and drinks, and the implication of portability, palatability, and sociability on product development, branding, and marketing.
The panel will be moderated by Amor Montes De Oca, Executive Director at Illinois Women in Cannabis and will be featuring:
- Meagen Anderson, Director of Wholesale, Highway Horticulture, a Midwest vertically integrated cannabis production facility and wholesaler.
- Lisa Hurwitz, President of Happi, Michigan’s first THC-infused beverage.
- Wendy Berger, Illinois Women in Cannabis Co-Founder and Board Member & Founder of WBS Equities, LLC.
(From left to right: Meagen Anderson, Lisa Hurwitz,Wendy Berger).
Established in 2014, Illinois Women in Cannabis has grown into the leading cannabis industry networking organization in Illinois, and is steadily advancing its mission to empower women to build strong cannabis industry relationships, networks, and careers. Its Cannabis Drinks Expo panel of experts are all women and include the chief revenue officer from the beverage category’s leading cannabis-infused brand, the product development advisor for a just-launched cannabis-infused seltzer, the partner and business strategist of a buzzworthy national cannabis brand and shopper marketing agency, and a food and beverage trend-spotter for the nation’s restaurant industry. You will want to join us for this informed and focused discussion on what women want from their infused beverages.
Where and When
August 2, 2022 – Midwest Conference Center 401 W Lake St, Northlake, IL 60164, USA (11 am to 5 pm)
Expo Floor Hours: 11 am to 5 pm
Conference Hours: 9 am to 5 pm
Cannabis Drinks Expo, a super hit b2b trade show returns in July, providing the cannabis and drinks industry a unique platform to do business, learn about the category and source amazing brands.
Cannabis Drinks Expo is a b2b event that happens in San Francisco and Chicago annually.
The theme for the 2022 show will be ‘Growing The Category’. The 2022 show will focus on helping anyone looking to get into the category learn and develop new products, it will help existing brands expand into other states by meeting other state manufacturers. It will help retailers and distributors develop their store own brands, it will find new ways cannabis beverages can be marketed and sold. It will find new ways cannabis beverages can be developed to grow end consumer market share.
The 2022 show will focus on increasing the overall category by showcasing exhibitors who can help do that and by creating networking opportunities and focusing on multi-state bottlenecks that are in place. The show will have an international and national focus instead of a state-based focus. This is where multistate operators will come to find synergies and do business with each other and help the category grow.
Hosted by the Beverage Trade Network, this expo will shine a spotlight on the skyrocketing legal cannabis market and provide insight into its future brimming with opportunity.
If you would like more information, please contact Sid Patel at info@cannabisdrinksexpo.com or call +1 855 481 1112
Website: https://cannabisdrinksexpo.com/en/
The Apothecarium, with two locations in New Jersey, is open for business! That means fully recreational for those who are twenty-one years old or older. What are they like? Well, they are a study in simplicity, but two vastly different experiences completely.
Phillipsburg, NJ was my first stop of the day. Standing stout against the former industrial foreground, framed by an active freight line and the Delaware River beyond, The Apothecarium has a stately position in the town. The reinvigoration of the former bank building represents brilliant re-use of the space. With soaring three-story ceilings, one gets the feeling of being in a very important place, where the business of the day was commerce.
After waiting in the short line for just a little while, the security guard allows just three people into the space at any given time. You never feel disregarded though, the line moves along quickly, and people seem to enjoy talking to each other about what strains are in today and the like. Once inside the cavernous space, you check in with the security guard and pass into a series of roped-off lines toward the consultation space. This is a long counter with CSRs- customer service representatives- instead of budtenders, meting out advice along with possessing truly genuine smiles when discussing the individual strains. Medical cannabis is meted out from a different window within the operation, with no one feeling left out, or ignored. The wait time once inside is very short, maybe three minutes or less. The entire experience is very California-like as opposed to Denver-like, probably because Denver’s experience can be described as, somewhat overwhelming… New Jersey is just right. Just the right amount of flowers with just the right amount of vape carts, just the right amount of concentrates, and just the right amount of hardware.
Phillipsburg, NJ needs to have a consumption lounge, preferably down along the railroad tracks or the river, watching the freights lumber past on their way between here and there. I’d drive there to enjoy this entertainment and smoke cannabis in a nice environment. Phillipsburg has been described as a town, down on its luck, but I see it differently. Sure, there is little in the way of industry, but with the introduction of cannabis to the local economy, value will rise in the marketplace, and cannabis tourism may be introduced to a rough and tumble town. After all, Amsterdam was a pretty rough place before cannabis hit the scene and added much-needed capital to a generally cold-rain-soaked backwater in a place nearly forgotten by history. Consumption offers canna-tourism! There are historic train tracks nearby and the rich history of the Pennsylvania coal mines is very close to the whiskey business, which had roots in regard to rye whiskey and the Whiskey Rebellion, making cannabis another vice to enter the community. This time in a legal and tax-generating fashion.
Just on the other side of the bucolic Summit, New Jersey is the quaint town of Maplewood, New Jersey. Long a feeder community for residents from Newark, East Orange, and Elizabeth, Maplewood offers safe streets and unlimited growth opportunities for entrepreneurs. My father’s family came from Newark originally, then they moved to Maplewood, before moving to Verona. My trip to the Apothecarium in Maplewood was less like a visit to a new building within a familiar town, and more like a trip into my family’s history. Pretty nifty stuff for me.
Entering the low-slung building you come into a space reminiscent of Short Hills Mall boutiques. The style is very bougie, with sophisticated wallpaper and not overwhelming lighting. Staff members look crisp, more like people who work in banking for insurance over those who are bud-tenders. It’s remarkable for me to be able to purchase cannabis in New Jersey and The Apothecarium offers a truly unique retail experience within its four walls.
Onto the flowers. Because of a mix-up with my medical card, I did not purchase any cannabis in Phillipsburg, but I did in Maplewood, and what kind of herb it is truly wonderful plants.
Apples and Bananas- “Cookies Branded” grown in Boonton by talented, young growers, this strain offers bursts of citrus zest and black loam in every puff. When I think about the cannabis that I smoked as a young person, this was nothing like that ditch weed.
The Soap Flower, another – decidedly soapy on the nose, but what a luscious high… I was thinking Irish Spring soap with a touch of gas added for humor, this hybrid strain offers a mind/body high that covers the awake and sleepy parts of getting stoned with aplomb. I like this stuff. How did they get it to taste as cilantro does to some people?
Kind Tree Slapz Flower- Gas upon Diesel gas, upon ammonia and more petrol…and sour skunky gas. the kind that says truck stop weekend. This is the kind, and it does the trick on my brain. I got pretty stoned, right away. Definitely as good as some of the good stuff from Denver or Oregon. The gorgeous nug in the mylar bag was just huge!
Gary Payton Flower- Gary Payton from Cookies speaks to the original New York Diesel I remember smoking in the late 90s. You remember it, because all the snowboarders had it up in Vermont during the winter, and you could smell it in the air around Madison Square Garden, especially when the Grateful Dead came to town.
New Jersey cannabis has really grown up. I’m definitely impressed.
I wish New Jersey offered home-grow, and I especially wish New Jersey allowed edibles and beverages. The cannabis program is basically backward in this regard, which makes me naturally less than optimistic for the future. But that’s not the point of this article and the argument for or against home-grow or edibles is so stigmatized that I cannot even strike a balance in my brain over the entire topic.
My suggestion is to visit the bank-like branch of The Apothecarium in Phillipsburg, NJ, or the high-style and sleek, Apothecarium in Maplewood, NJ. Both offer the same high-end products, shared in a fashion that introduces over-sells, some of the finest strains of cannabis around these parts of the country.
Thank you.
WB
Discover fast growing cannabis drinks brands at the 3rd Annual Cannabis Drinks Expo on July 28 in San Francisco and on August 2 in Chicago.
Cannabis Drinks Expo, a super hit b2b trade show returns in July, providing the cannabis and drinks industry a unique platform to do business, learn about the category and source amazing brands.
The theme for the 2022 show will be ‘Growing The Category’. The 2022 show will focus on helping anyone looking to get into the category learn and develop new products, it will help existing brands expand into other states by meeting other state manufacturers. It will help retailers and distributors develop their store own brands, it will find new ways cannabis beverages can be marketed and sold. It will find new ways cannabis beverages can be developed to grow end consumer market share.
The 2022 show will focus on increasing the overall category by showcasing exhibitors who can help do that and by creating networking opportunities and focusing on multi-state bottlenecks that are in place. The show will have an international and national focus instead of a state-based focus. This is where multistate operators will come to find synergies and do business with each other and help the category grow.
Hosted by the Beverage Trade Network, this expo will shine a spotlight on the skyrocketing legal cannabis market and provide insight into its future brimming with opportunity.
Dates and Location:
San Francisco: July 28, 2022 – South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport Boulevard South San Francisco, CA 94080, United States
Chicago: August 2, 2022 – Midwest Conference Centre, 401 W Lake St Northlake, Chicago IL 60164, United States
The cannabis entrepreneur who attends will be offered precious information on everything from the planning stages of crafting a cannabis-infused drink brand to formulation, regulations and compliance, branding, marketing, and the distribution of a cannabis drink product. We have outstanding experts in their field to clarify and explain the whole process. No stone will be left unturned. Cannabis-infused drinks are not just the ‘newest cannabis craze’. Studies show that in the US, consumers are steadily moving away from alcoholic choices.
Meet awesome brands and suppliers at both Chicago and San Francisco locations.
Browse the extensive expo floor, and connect with companies that are on the cutting-edge of the cannabis industry. Connections and partnerships are key in this endeavor. The panel of experts will be presenting intriguing and vital information that will demystify the whole procedure of cannabis-infused beverages. There will be a full day of presentations that comprises some of the top names in the cannabis industry.
Visitor Registration is now open, and you can get your passes now to save on tickets.
Here are the links to register yourself as a trade show visitor:
San Francisco Tickets | Chicago Tickets
If you would like more information, please contact Sid Patel at info@cannabisdrinksexpo.com or call +1 855 481 1112. Website: https://cannabisdrinksexpo.com/en/
Klaus infused cocktails
Klaus, a canned cannabis cocktail, is crafted for flavor chasers by mixologist Warren Bobrow. The intense flavor of their THC drink is absolutely cocktail-like and ideal to serve over ice, though you can enjoy it straight from the can as well. The tart, tangy, and ginger flavors would likely appeal to those who usually order margaritas or daiquiris. With 10 milligrams of THC in each can, it was fast-acting and provided me with a potent — but not overwhelming — high. Currently available in one flavor, the Mezzrole, with two more flavors coming soon, each $12 can is priced like a craft cocktail.
You can find Klaus cocktails at two Solful locations in Northern California: Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. So if you’re in Sonoma County, be sure to check them out.
Available: Northern California
Ever since I traveled to Holland as a boy, and saw how they grew flowers for the world, I was inspired by the concept of Dutch Greenhouses. Enter the current day — the concept of growing cannabis under the sun is more than just a possibility, it’s the reason companies like POSIBL exist in the first place. POSIBL is the cannabis farm of the future and engine for several of California’s leading brands. POSIBL is redefining what it means to produce the highest quality cannabis. Leveraging a state-of-art system that uses less to do more, POSIBL brings the best greenhouse technology and expertise from traditional agriculture into cannabis and pairs it with the best possible genetics to produce the perfect flower — grown in an ethical, sustainable, free of pesticide and cost-efficient way, year-round. The technology is as old as the greenhouses that I saw in Holland back in the 1970s. Growing cannabis in a greenhouse, using a mixed light supplemental system, is more than just intriguing, it’s the kind of cannabis that really gets me stoned. Not that I’ve tried the POSIBL brands yet, maybe I’ll have the chance when I’m out west again. It’s like that for me, making a laundry list of haves and have-nots. That is the question. And now, without further ado, may I please introduce Jesus Burrola, Chief Executive Officer of POSIBL. Cheers. WB
WB: Please tell me about yourself, what do you do for work? Where are you from? Live now? What did you want to be when you grew up?
Jesus Burrola: My name is Jesus Burrola, and I am the CEO of POSIBL, a grower and co-packer out of Salinas, CA. We operate a 12-acre mixed light greenhouse, and power 15 large brands in CA. I was born and raised in Mexico and lived there until I was 18. I grew up around distribution, since my father owned a distribution business, and was interested in how to streamline logistics and operations. This led me to pursue a career in supply chain management, and I ended up working for the largest building materials distributor in North America for 15 years prior to joining POSIBL. The desire to help be a part of this new industry and help shape its direction of it and help destigmatize the plant led me to join POSIBL two years ago.
WB: What are you working on right now? Do you have a six and twelve-month goal? What makes your company different from its peers?
Jesus Burrola: We have 2 big priorities.
1) The launch of our first B2C brand Humo, which is focused on representing the Latino community. Being Latinos in the space, we felt there was no brand in existence that really catered to our community, which makes up over 30% of the California population and a huge portion of the participants in the industry. We see this as an opportunity to help reduce the stigma of cannabis in our community.
2) The buildout of our new state-of-the-art greenhouses and processing facility. For the past few years, we have been working on getting a high-tech greenhouse project designed and permitted for expansion. We are, thankfully now, at the point where we kicked off construction. This project will take 14-18 months to be fully built out, but once it’s done it will be one of the most sustainable and tech-forward cannabis projects in the state.
WB: What obstacles stand in your way currently, and how do you anticipate removing them? Do you have a mentor or teacher who is valuable in your path?
Jesus Burrola: The largest challenge is the broken regulations and taxes that exist in California for cannabis operators. These in turn have created a very difficult market, where the heavy tax burden and added costs of the regulations make it extremely difficult to transition consumers to the legal market and have led to extremely low pricing for growers.
WB: Greenhouse, indoor or outdoor grown cannabis? Favorite strain right now? When you enjoy cannabis, do you have a favorite food that you prepare? What about your favorite restaurant?
Jesus Burrola: I am biased, but I would have to say greenhouse. I feel greenhouses with supplemental light are the best of all worlds, since you can incorporate the full spectrum of the sun and natural elements, but at the same time control the environment to give the ideal conditions for the plant to thrive and produce year-round. Sustainability is also important to us, and growing in a greenhouse environment allows us to reduce our carbon footprint.
My favorite strain right now has to be the Limonada. It is an energetic sativa with a citrus and sweet terpene profile.
To me, there is no better meal than authentic carne asada tacos. Being from Sonora, we take big pride in our claim to having Mexico’s best carne asada tacos. There is not a trip or visitor that doesn’t involve bringing freshly made tortillas to pair with some nice ribeye tacos and a cold beer.
WB: What is your passion?
Jesus Burrola: Apart from my family, I would say my passion is learning. I am naturally curious and coming into cannabis from the grower side has been an incredible experience. Cannabis is a fascinating plant. I get to work with a team that is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the plant, and I learn new things every day. I am extremely grateful to be able to work with such a great group of people that truly care about growing the best possible flower.
—
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.