Tag: skunk magazine

Categories
5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

Getting Deeply Granular With Jim Sanfillipo of VIST™ Labs


cannabis world news image oi cannabis plant
The Reclassification of Cannabis Marijuana Tour Explores Vermont

Ilove learning about diverse people in the cannabis industry, and Jim Sanfilippo is such an interesting person. He has taken his inquisitive mind and pivoted into a technology-forward role within the cannabis industry. To say he is smart is a vast understatement. When I read that his specialty is aseptic packaging, I knew we had something in common. My own beverage uses aseptic technology, too! So, we have a starting point. And that is his bio to follow. I think Jim is very intriguing, and I hope you enjoy this interview. Cheers! WB

Jim Sanfilippo is a visionary leader with more than 30 years of experience in the packaging industry; Mr. Sanfillippo is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of VIST™ Labs and VIST Franchise Systems. Mr. Sanfilippo is credited with developing more than 100 patents representing major advances in flexible and forming film packaging materials for fresh and processed foods, healthcare products, and other packaged goods. Under his leadership, VIST has developed proprietary technology designed to naturally clean cannabis and aseptically packaged cannabis products to ensure the preservation of cannabis quality.

Previously, he was President of Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based Sonoco Elk Grove, Inc. from Aug. 2017 until Jan. 2020 after its acquisition of Clear Lam Packaging, Inc. At Clear Lam, he served as President and CEO starting in 1999. He guided Clear Lam to become known as a front-runner in modified atmosphere packaging technologies, films, and structures that improve food safety and extend shelf life.

cannabis world news business image of Jim Sanfilippo
Jim Sanfilippo

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. When did you discover cannabis? How old were you? Do you remember who you were with?

Jim Sanfilippo: I first encountered cannabis back in high school during the late 70s and early 80s. At the time, I didn’t give it much thought. However, as my career progressed and I became involved in high-tech packaging systems for the food, pharmaceutical, and medical industries, I gained expertise in packaging, including extended shelf-life packaging. This led me to recognize the unique challenges and needs within the cannabis industry, specifically regarding pasteurization, decontamination, and long-term storage of the product. Addressing these challenges is crucial to meet future FTC and FDA labeling requirements.

WB: Please tell me about your company. What do you do that sets you apart from your competitors?

JS: Our approach to the cannabis industry is rooted in the high standards we’ve adhered to in the pharmaceutical and medical packaging sectors. We developed a platform technology called cryogenic pasteurization, which uses cryogenic vapor to sterilize cannabis with exceptionally high efficacy rates. When combined with our aseptic-modified atmosphere technologies, this creates a powerful solution for producing stable, pathogen-free cannabis.

WB: What are your six and twelve month goals? What obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing them?

JS: Our 12-month goal is to expand our footprint in North America into Europe and other geographies. This involves obtaining the necessary certifications to enter the European market. Additionally, we aim to continue expanding our service centers across the United States, giving smaller cultivators access to our cryogenic pasteurization and aseptic packaging technologies to ensure the stability and safety of their products.

One of the main obstacles we face is the ongoing challenge of inadequate capital available among many players in the cannabis industry. The inability for companies to not utilize banking channels to get debt and equity capital has significantly hampered investment in the cannabis space. This creates challenges for most companies in the industry and makes it difficult for cultivators to invest in effective yet expensive technology like ours.

WB: Tell me about the process you created.

JS: Cryogenic Pasteurization (CryoPasteurization) is a natural and effective decontamination process designed to ensure the purity and safety of cannabis. This pharmaceutical-grade protocol eliminates microbial contaminants to meet EU Pharmacopoeia 5.1.4 Compliance Standards while preserving the plant’s terpenes and cannabinoids without using irradiation or harmful chemicals. Our innovative cryogenic vapor technology, known as Vapor-Induced Sterilization Technology (VIST), allows us to precisely control exposure and prevent degradation during the pasteurization process. This unique approach purifies the product without compromising its integrity and is protected by several patents, making it a groundbreaking technology in the industry.

Follow online: https://vistlabs.com/

Getting Deeply Granular With Jim Sanfillipo of VIST™ Labs
Categories
5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

FIVE CRISP QUESTIONS WITH TEDDY BANG, CEO: CALI FLWR FARMS

The other day, I was perusing through some emails that I hadn’t dug into yet- and I saw one from a guy named Teddy Bang. It was quite forward, actually… He was asking me to interview him.

I replied that it had been a while since someone asked me to interview them… Usually, it’s the other way around, with me doing all the pitching. And that’s ok because it’s nearly impossible for me to find all the best… Because I’m seeking something intangible.

“Sir Warren,

My name is Teddy Bang, and I’m a cannabis owner and operator in SoCal. It’d be great to chat and maybe do a 5 question article or fun piece. There are lots happening, developing, and market patterns and insights I could share that could interest you and your audience- like how we can make something work or happen.

Teddy Bang | CEO and Operator
Cali Flwr Farms MHPC | Distribution + Manufacturing
Cali Flwr Farms | Dope Town | Viva Sativa | Sofa King”

This was the letter; how could I resist?

But getting back to Teddy’s story. It’s pretty clear that he’s doing what he loves: working with the plant. In ways that seem to fly in circles, I’ve not yet surveyed in my path. And no, I hadn’t heard of him, not yet anyway. But I think that’s going to change… Thank you, Teddy, for reaching out to me and putting your creativity and craft on my radar. I can’t wait to do a ‘tasting’. Cheers! WB

cannabis world news interviews caricature of Teddy Bang, CEO: Cali Flwr Farms

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Where are you located now? What have you been working on? How did you get to where you are today?

Teddy Bang: Highly educated and have a medical degree- but I sell weed and build brands in Southern California. Born and raised LA, California boy- all the licenses and warehouses are in the Valley or North LA, I live down in South OC- on a beach in San Clemente. I am building a team and culture that can stay calm and positive in a super volatile unknown marketplace- high level. Low level, we’re always trying to stay net profitable and especially create new customers- that’s a big problem. There are too many licenses and not enough consumers. Always looking to learn and get better every day- I’ve found surrounding yourself with good quality people and no bitching or complaining, just focusing on what you want. You are defined by the problems you can solve.

WB: Why cannabis? What did you initially want to be “when you grew up”?…. Tell me about your company (s). What do you do that sets you apart from your competition? What makes you better?

TB: This is personal. For years, I would tell my teenage daughter you have to be passionate, and you have to be purposeful and live the truth of your soul- and one day, she flipped the script and asked if I thought selling medical devices was my passion and purpose, and the answer was no. The things I loved were surfing and cannabis. I reached out to Kelly Slaters’, a pro surfer, wave pool company and got knee deep and realized shit, this isn’t passion, you aren’t surfing that wave every day. It’s emails, meetings, and ex-corporate guys. So, the second one, cannabis- it was going legal in California, and I decided this was it, I’m going for it. Growing up, I wanted to be a playboy photographer, for obvious reasons, or bongo rockstar, because growing up in LA in the 70s, being a rockstar was that bitchin lifestyle- playing by your own rules.

cannabis world news interviews black man with hands handcuffed behind back, with cops arresting him, and business logo

Our companies are dope; we have a lot of fun, a lot of respect, and a great crew. We’re building brands, integrating with the farm, making the whole operation net profitable and reproducible. We don’t pay too much attention to our competition; we just go out to the marketplace and talk to our customers and dispensaries- we hear what problems they have and build solutions around that. We have boots on the ground every day and strong pulses on the market. My partner, Antione, and I will spend 30+ hours a week on the road delivering and talking to dispensaries and customers, what other company has their head operators in the stores, on the ground like that every day. It’s just old-school hustle paired with some serious soul. This is hard to beat.

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals? How do you anticipate getting there? Do you have a mentor? Did someone teach you?

TB: We are so in the moment, we have some big visions but its fluid. Ultimately, we want to be net profitable, have fun, make sure everyone is passionate and the culture is tight, and bring as much reproducibility as we can- just solve problems over and over. Our team is the vehicle to get there; it’s all about the culture, communication, love, and kindness. No one gets irritated when someone makes a mistake. The team just jumps in and helps- no blame. Tik Tok is my 2024 mentor, the algorithm knows what I wanna hear and when I want to hear it. But overall, I have always been a slow learner and have to figure it out myself- still, till this day, I like to figure out the problem or system before handing it off to someone, just because I don’t ever want to ask someone to do something that I am not willing to dig into or do.

cannabis world news interviews Cali FLWR Farms logo on indoor cannabis cultivation operations

WB: What is your favorite kind of food? Restaurant? Where? Do you cook? What do you eat for lunch?

TB: I eat basic whole food, nothing in boxes with weird chemicals that I don’t know what they are. I cook lots of steak, chicken, lettuce, carrots, vegetables- real basic foods and just add salt and pepper. Sugarfish is the go to celebratory spot, sometimes Miley Cyrus meets me there… Okay, only one time we were there at the same time…
https://sugarfishsushi.com/

WB: What is your passion?

TB: My passion is passion. I am a very soulful person; I love what I do. I love to listen to people talk about things they love and see the world through their eyes, and build a connection with people built on genuine acceptance. I also have two beautiful dogs, and a passion project is to make sure they just have the most dope, peaceful life possible. Which usually includes daily beach trail walks, ocean swim sesh’s and many, many fetch hours in the park.

For more cannabis industry insights and breakdowns, follow cali_dopecrew on Instagram

Photos credit: The black and white cityscape, sunset swing photo, LA mural, and arrested photo; Norman Schwartz 

Share Skunk Magazine With Your Friends

Facebook Twitter Email

Categories
5 Questions Reviews Skunk Magazine Tasting Notes

LEX CORWIN OF STONE ROAD CANNABIS: HIS SUCCESS FROM PASSION

To say that I’m a fan of Lex Corwin’s success is a huge understatement. From the very moment that I met Lex out in Los Angeles, I knew that this was a man who is following his own dreams. And what vivid dreams they are. From Connecticut to La La, the land of dreams! And what a trajectory he has achieved. While others with formidable provenance have crashed and burned, Lex continues to open new markets and persevere in his chosen art. The art of gorgeous cannabis that smokes just like his personality.
Deeply ebullient!

When Lex got into weed it was still illegal in the East coast. I know, because I’m a tad older and I’ve struggled with this illegality since the early 1970’s. Not only was cannabis illegal, but it was and still is, deeply stigmatized by the old school who run things in the suburbs. Lex has transcended this stigma by developing his own path in life, away from this stifling environment of suburban suburbia. In the vividly glowing sunshine of California and now New Mexico, Lex is achieving success that he probably envisioned in “High” School and now it’s the thing that drives his life. Gourmet Cannabis that tells a deeper story. A story of personal success, individual entrepreneurship, and intricate passion. Cheers! WB.

Warren Bobrow: It’s been a while since we’ve come across each other professionally. Hope all has been well. From the looks of it, your company is growing exponentially. That’s good! Always proud of your success, being an East Coast person. What have you been working on? I’ve always been a fan of your flower; how do you maintain your demand for excellence?

Lex Corwin: Always a pleasure Warren. We were due for a catch-up!
We have been busy! We are working on a ton of exciting projects – this week we launched in New Mexico (our fifth market) and solidified our partner for our launch in NY.
Sabrina, my coo, and I are also working on bringing an edible to market in CA. Exciting but challenging times. Besides that, we are working on a few other states – Missouri, Montana, and Mississippi. While of course continuing to expand and improve our farm and products in the ever-changing CA marketplace.

WB: Please tell me about your new project in New Mexico. I love the cannabis there, btw. I’m a huge Albuquerque cannabis fan. I believe there is real benefit in growing cannabis in natural soil, at altitudes over six thousand feet. And the cannabis tastes so good in this zero-humidity environment! What are you looking for in your pheno hunts to make your New Mexico flowers the best you know? Any pro tips for my readers?

LC: We are so pleased to finally launch in New Mexico. It’s been a wild ride! We partnered with our Oklahoma partners, Stashhouse Distro, to bring the brand to NM in our first revenue-sharing deal. We are excited about this deal structure because it gives us a lot more control over the products we bring to market and our supply chain in general. We know exactly what is coming to market and when, rather than our prior structure of a purely licensing deal where we had little visibility into the products going to market.
I agree the flower is fantastic in NM and there are some really talented growers based there. In terms of our pheno hunt – we stuck with what we know – strains that are bright, fruity, sour, and delicious. We have a formula we like to follow in CA and all our states and didn’t want to deviate from the genetics we knew people loved and expected from us.

WB: What are your six-and twelve-month goals for Stone Road in New Mexico?

LC: We really hit the ground running in NM – considering this is our fifth market we knew exactly how to approach this launch. In other states, it took us 2-3 months to get product to the market whereas in NM we had fresh products hitting the shelf in less than a month after our last packaging components arrived. Record time for us!
So, in six months we’d love to be in 50 stores considering our supply chain is fairly mature and developed. I think we can handle it. And then in 12 months we’d love to be in over 100 stores. A large number indeed – but with our fantastic partners I believe this is attainable.

WB: Do you have a favorite city in New Mexico? Maybe a favorite restaurant? Where? Food type?

LC: I love Santa Fe. It’s so special. It’s so spiritual and just drop-dead stunning. The food is also amazing and the locals warm and friendly. Fun fact: it’s also the oldest capital city in the US.
My aunt lived there for 9 years so I was lucky enough to visit a few times. We had a great time visiting all the local galleries and walking the trails by the river.
We had a number of sensational meals, but I vividly remember Arroyo Vino. They have a large garden on site, so the produce is top-notch. Plus, the hospitality was so warm and welcoming – I look forward to going back!

WB: I know this is a broad reaching question, but what is your passion?

LC: My passion is finding joy in life. I love my job, surfing, and just hanging out with friends and family. In this tumultuous industry – finding and holding joy is extremely important. While I work pretty much 24/7, I always find time to take trips and explore the world. I figure as long as my job is crazy stressful, I might as well enjoy the journey!!

Tasting Notes for a pre-roll joint from Stone Road in California

Birthday Cake and THCA Diamonds and Hash

Nose: Tangles of tangy/sour oven roasted fruit lead into the aroma of freshly sliced, California fruit salad, laden with citrus zest and sea salt slicked shells. Crushed minerals in the nose bring the anticipated results, laughter ensues and the deeper experience of hash and the rush from the THCA Diamonds make this not your usual pre-rolled joint. It is a thing of rare beauty.

Mouthfeel: Brown Butter, sizzling hazelnuts, and crunchy French Toast soldiers dripping in steaming hot dark maple syrup. Truly patient curing at work here, no coughing at all!

Stone: This is not your beginner’s cannabis, so plan accordingly. You can smoke the entire joint or share it with friends- it’s up to you. The indulgence of smoking a one gram joint alone, by yourself…., well that is best left to the studied professionals. Cannabis as elegant and carefully nurtured as this brings pleasure and craft to the forefront and teaches us a little bit about the humility of Lex Corwin’s success in every meted puff.

Follow online: https://stoneroad.org/

Feature photo credit: Morgan Leigh English

Read More Here At Skunk Magazine: https://skunkglobalmarijuanaculture.com/ungategorized/lex-corwin-of-stone-road-cannabis-his-success-from-passion/

Categories
5 Questions Interviews Skunk Magazine

THE ARTIST TREE: THOUGHTFUL CANNABIS RE-IMAGED IN FIVE QUESTIONS


Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. What are you striving for in your professional career? What differentiates your dispensary from others?

Courtney Caron: I am a co-owner of The Artist Tree – Fresno. I am also the Founder of Adamant Law Group, a cannabis centered boutique law firm focusing on the representation of cannabis retailers, which led to me meeting the founders of The Artist Tree and co-owning The Artist Tree Fresno!

Professionally, I wear many hats. Whether engaging in the practice of cannabis law in California, consulting out of state, or checking customer IDs at our Fresno location (my favorite pastime), I strive to promote the normalization of cannabis use. As a retail store co-owner my main objective is to ensure that each customer, we welcome through our doors is provided with a unique retail shopping experience that is free from pressure and stress. Our ultimate goal is to provide an environment where all of our customers feel welcomed, appreciated, and safe. Because our business model is so unique and truly a community benefit in itself, I would love to see an Artist Tree retail store in every major city across the state of California and the US, giving artists one more platform to present their creations.

Fresno Exterior. Photo Courtesy of the Artist Tree

Warren Bobrow: What kind of research did you do to establish an interior design? Did you work with an architect? What kind of materials did you utilize?

Courtney Caron: The Artist Tree’s original concept was created in 2018 for the city of West Hollywood’s retail application process. Founders Lauren Fontein, Avi Kahan, Mitch Kahan and Aviv Halimi understood that West Hollywood celebrates the arts in so many ways, and we felt that the first cannabis retail store in West Hollywood should too. Unlike the lackluster, windowless dispensaries of days past, focused solely on cannabis, The Artist Tree is as much an art gallery as it is a store. It highlights and enhances the vibrant art community by showcasing a carefully curated mix of local artwork from established and up-and-coming artists.

Our design aesthetic was created by renowned architectural firm Retail Design Collaborate (RDC). Materials incorporated in our design include glass display cases, light colored wood flooring and shelving, custom metal flower tables, custom metal art easels, bright but soft lighting and an open floor concept. Most notably, at both the Fresno location and West Hollywood location we feature a large glass cube where clones are grown and sold.

Fresno Joan Sharma Easel. Photo Courtesy of the Artist Tree.

Warren Bobrow: What are your six and twelve month goals? What kind of obstacles do you face along the way? How do you anticipate removing those obstacles?

Courtney Caron: Within the next 6 months, The Artist Tree plans to open their Oxnard location and their El Sobrante location. Additionally, we hope to bring more awareness to cannabis consumers of our West Hollywood consumption lounge.

Within the next 12 months, we hope to find additional opportunities for retail in California and start to expand beyond the CA borders. We’d love to celebrate art and cannabis across the US.

Obstacles we typically encounter include slow moving municipalities, community push back related to cannabis in general, and more recently, the recession. We tackle slow moving municipalities by being extremely organized and prepared to hit the ground running on all of our projects. We are typically the first retail store to open in most jurisdictions where we hold a license. We try to keep a wide open line of communication, and always welcome dubious municipalities and community members to visit one of our galleries across the state. Tackling a recession can be a bit trickier. The Artist Tree always offers daily deals on top quality products for our customers. This helps even the most budget conscious consumer purchase safe, tested, quality cannabis.

Fresno Joanna Chrys Art. Photo courtesy The Artist Tree.

Warren Bobrow: Do you work with local artists? Who are they? What are their mediums?

Courtney Caron: In each Artist Tree location, we showcase art created by artists from the community where the store is located. Artists may submit their art for any of our locations on our website here.

In our Fresno location, our first art installation featured paintings and photography by Joan Sharma, Nicolas Rattaire, and Lance Anderson.

Fresno Art Portrait. Photo Courtesy of the Artist Tree

Warren Bobrow: What is your passion?

Courtney Caron: I am extremely passionate about serving the local communities where we operate. Developing and implementing Community Benefit Plans in each community brings both me and my partner Lauren Fontein great joy. Whether donating funds, conducting in-kind donation drives, or volunteering our time with deserving non-profit organizations, we are passionate about improving the lives of others in a meaningful way. At the core of The Artist Tree is the celebration of the arts. Whether performing arts or fine arts, we are passionate about promoting the creativity present in each of our communities.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/the-artist-tree-thoughtful-cannabis-re-imaged-in-five-questions/
Categories
5 Questions Interviews Skunk Magazine

FIVE CRISP QUESTIONS FOR SARA STEWART- THE FOREMOST EXPERT ON CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LOUNGES.

For those of you who don’t know my own professional background in Food and Beverage, all you have to do is spend the better part of several decades working your way from the bottom up. In my case, that meant starting as a pots and pans “engineer” better known as a pot-scrubber, then graduating to the exalted place known as the dish sink. After languishing in front of a soapy sink full of greasy dishes for a couple of months, my path to the line… (That’s what we call the actual place where cooking is done in the professional kitchen…) And then, if that wasn’t enough education after college, I took it upon myself to become a bartender, from bar-back on up. Thank you to Chris James for seeing to my education become something actually tangible.

To really learn the food and beverage business, it’s essential to make yourself as well-trained as possible so you can do anything that needs to get done. From taking out the trash to making drinks, this is the way that you become essential to your employer. Otherwise, you’ll be washing dishes for the remainder of your restaurant career. And no… When you graduate from culinary school you are not a chef. Period.

The grunt labor thing in a restaurant was not where I wanted to be for very long. Fortunately, the dish sink was a short-lived adventure into doing really hard work. Manual labor if you will. Which framed the next forty or so years of my life into the person I am today. Working hard, doing something I love. That’s the key to life in my opinion. But that’s just my path, the one of Sara Stewart is quite succinct and I know she is going places. Read her words, Sara is a success story waiting to be discovered, yet again.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell us about your journey into cannabis and how you got into cannabis hospitality. 

Sara Stewart: My initial journey into cannabis started in 2019 at Lowell Cafe, the first true cannabis restaurant in America, serving cannabis alongside food, coffee, juice, etc. I had been in the restaurant, nightclub, and event space for almost 15 years, working for some of the most successful companies in Los Angeles, and I was ready for a change. Although I had been a cannabis consumer for most of my adult life, I was unfamiliar with the legal market. I learned METRC from a hospitality viewpoint, which was incredibly unique. I had also been documenting several of the pain points this kind of business underwent, and I wanted to help others avoid some of these headaches in the future.

Upon leaving Lowell Cafe, I started Highspitality to consult for other lounges and eventually joined Green Thumb Industries full-time as a lounge specialist. My time with GTI opened the door for me to help lobbyists and public officials create some of the regulations in new markets, such as Las Vegas. In October of 2021, I opened my second lounge in Mundelein, Ill., making it the first licensed cannabis lounge east of the Mississippi River.

Sara Stewart
Photo: Sara Stewart

Warren Bobrow: Why do you think consumption lounges are the future of cannabis?

Sara Stewart: We know Americans are consuming more cannabis than ever before, and taxes from the sales of Cannabis are surpassing alcohol in many legal states. As someone who is incredibly passionate about hospitality and customer service, I believe that what we are experiencing now is prohibition 2.0.

In my opinion, cannabis lounges will play an important role in normalizing cannabis use, just as bars did for the reintroduction of alcohol post-prohibition. They will provide a social place for safe cannabis consumption and educational opportunities for curious consumers. Although cannabis usage looks much different than alcohol, I hope onsite consumption will elevate the cannabis industry by implementing hospitality-driven operations that create a familiar environment replicating a social club or lounge.

Warren Bobrow: What concepts do you think will define cannabis hospitality and lounges?

Sara Stewart: I believe the defining concepts in lounges will be hospitality-driven first and cannabis second. Most cannabis companies buy retail buildings with additional square footage and assume they can just “build a lounge” attached to it. Imagine buying a liquor store and then trying to build a cafe or restaurant out the back — you simply wouldn’t do that.

Many lounges that aren’t open yet are grappling with how to make money, struggling to build out unique customer experiences, and aren’t working with their local governments to create and implement appropriate and necessary regulations. This is a major issue, and in my opinion, the concepts that will win won’t just focus on cannabis as their main offering.

Warren Bobrow: What do you want people to know about visiting a lounge for the first time?

Sara Stewart: Start low and go slow — you can always take more, but you can never take less.

If the rules or process seems unnatural or different, it’s most likely a regulation that the company has to comply with (for example, we don’t want to charge cannabis and food on separate checks, but we have to).

Lastly, do some research on the lounge you’re visiting. Every lounge is different; some allow you to bring your own products while others prohibit it and require reservations, so you should know what to expect upon arrival. Keep in mind these models are new and destined to change often.

Warren Bobrow: What are your top 3 favorite cannabis products and why?

Sara Stewart: I love flower, and I’m typically a Sativa diva, so I have to say Lemon Trill by Lumpy’s in California. I also can’t live without the Snoozeberries Chocolate Bar from Incredibles and my long-time love, Cereal Milk by CBX.

—

Feature photo credit: Sara Stewart

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/five-crisp-questions-for-sara-stewart-the-foremost-expert-on-cannabis-consumption-lounges/
Categories
Reviews Skunk Magazine

THE APOTHECARIUM: GOURMET CANNABIS COMES TO NEW JERSEY


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.

Photo Credit: The Apothecarium

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.

Photo Credit: The Apothecarium

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.

Photo Credit: The Apothecarium

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.

Photo Credit: The Apothecarium

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

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/the-apothecarium-gourmet-cannabis-comes-to-new-jersey/?v=7516fd43adaa
Categories
5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

FIVE GRATIFYING QUESTIONS WITH MARIANNE CURSETJEE, MBA, CEO AND COFOUNDER OF ALIBI CANNABIS

BYWARREN BOBROW 04/20/2022

Here was my pitch. I included it here because the framework for this intriguing piece is in the pitch, a beautifully written one, I must add. Thank you, my friend, for sending this my way, appreciated deeply.

Hi Warren – Alibi Cannabis is about to announce its first line of premium pre-rolls curated for Oregon’s discerning cannabis consumer.

Made with 100% handcrafted flower, Alibi’s new Mariposa pre-rolls celebrate empowered, fierce females with the sexy NFT, Mariposa Takes Flight, on the packaging. (She is on their homepage!)

Alibi Cannabis is a woman-owned craft cannabis farm founded in 2017 by Marianne Cursetjee.

With an MBA and a high-powered tech career, Marianne did not expect to become a cannabis entrepreneur. Then she got cancer. Her career changed when a cannabis product eliminated the need for over ten drugs to combat side effects from chemo prescriptions. Marianne bought property in Oregon, started a cannabis farm, and became a cannabis expert. Alibi has earned recognition for growing some of the best flower in Oregon.

Can I interest you in speaking with Marianne about Alibi, the new pre-rolls, and her journey?

*YES*

Photo courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about your inspiration for the brand? Where did the name come from? Is this your first cannabis venture?

Marianne Cursetjee, MBA, CEO and Cofounder of Alibi Cannabis: At Alibi, we imagine a beautiful place where you can be the best version of you. The joy that comes from cannabis enhances our relationships, our bodies, and our spirits. The word “Alibi” is simple, but the idea can be whatever you dream. We hope people take a moment, enjoy the smoke, and look for the beauty around them.

We bought the land for our cannabis farm when I was just finishing up treatment for breast cancer. I had a vision of building a fabulous weed farm. Now, here we are seven years later, thriving in a tough market and looking forward to continued growth. The business has grown from an idea to a commercial-scale craft farm with a compelling story and beautiful imagery.

WB: Who is your mentor? When did you discover cannabis? How old were you? What are your six and twelve-month goals?

MC: I was raised in a very conservative Christian environment, so cannabis was not part of the culture. I was 45 years old when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Going through chemotherapy and radiation, managing side effects is a whole cascade of pharmaceuticals. A friend gave me some cannabis and said that it might help with nausea and pain. It was amazing! I was able to eliminate a whole host of pharmaceuticals and replace them with just cannabis. My dad is currently battling brain cancer, and I’m giving him cannabis to help with that. He tells me his head is all whirly, and some nice 1:1 chocolates make him feel better. Love that the industry is now better able to support those in medical need and also those who just love how cannabis makes them feel.

Our goals for the business are continued growth, more unique cultivars, and delivering amazing quality cannabis products. Having grown in Oregon since 2017, we’ve learned that Oregonians are weed connoisseurs constantly looking for new and unique products and flavors.

Our signature branding, “Mariposa Takes Flight,” is based

Photo courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

on an NFT we purchased. Figuring out how to utilize blockchain, NFT’s and the metaverse in cannabis is an exciting new frontier.

We just launched Mariposa pre-rolls to celebrate empowered, edgy females with the sexy NFT on the packaging. Made with 100% handcrafted indoor flower, the pre-rolls have received rave reviews. We are in discussions to launch this brand into other states and plan to introduce a line of gummies soon in Oregon. I’m pleased that we have found some fabulous companies to collaborate with. Also, this year, we are launching a merch shop featuring Mariposa. Look for amazing merchandise over the coming few months at Alibi.shop

WB: What kind of obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing these obstacles?

MC: We face the challenges common to all cannabis companies, such as restrictions on marketing and advertising, limited tax deductions, and the high cost of regulatory compliance. The challenges specific to us are a flourishing unregulated market and an oversupply of product in the regulated market. It has been said that if you can survive Oregon, you can survive anywhere!

We are known for our top-shelf handcrafted flower. We will continue with new genetics and improved quality while also looking at more products and new states. There are so many opportunities available across the US; finding the right partners is key to long-term success.

WB: What is your favorite food to savor when you have smoked Alibi minis? Do you have a favorite restaurant? What is the name? Where? Indoor or outdoor-grown cannabis? Why?

MC: Portland is such a food haven! So many good things to eat! If I’m trolling for munchies at home, I love Bordeaux Cherry Balsamic vinegar on vanilla ice cream. Sweet and sour, oh my! Seriously, it’s totally the bomb! Our Lava Cake cultivar is really a heavy munchie strain, so stock up before you toke. For restaurants, I love Thai and Indian, but my favorite restaurant in Portland is a Lebanese restaurant called Nicholas. Their baba ghanoush, cauliflower, caramelized onions, yum! Spicy food really goes well with our GMO Glue cultivar — it’s a totally old-school hitter with garlic notes.

For cannabis, I like the consistency and freshness of indoor flower. I’m a little bit spoiled since we grow such amazing weed at our farm. I like knowing that what I’m smoking is fresh and clean. When you buy your bud at dispensaries, look at the harvest date. I’m surprised how much old stuff is on the shelf. Look for something harvested within the last 2 or 3 months. Older than that, and it just isn’t quite as nice. Get to know the farms and their growing practices and ethics.

Photos courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

WB: What is your passion?

MC: So many things! I love training Krav Maga. I started training when I was going through chemotherapy. It’s great physical exercise, and the “never give up” mentality is huge. Feeling and being strong physically is wonderful. Of course, Covid took a toll on my training, but I’m back in the gym now and kicking ass! I also love scuba diving. Diving is an activity my daughter and I do together. We just got back from diving in Mexico. The world under the sea is so amazing! We have seen strange creatures in the water, but my favorite is the mantis shrimp. It’s a bizarre creature with some freaky traits. You can read more about this underwater nightmare at https://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp.

What brings me real joy is knowing that my efforts at work and in the community are improving lives. Alibi is founded on the philosophy of doing the right thing. We treat our customers, vendors, and employees right.

The last couple of years have been really rough, and it’s important to find the little things that can change the day from gloomy to bright. This is the essence of Alibi’s Mariposa line — find the beauty, take a moment, appreciate life. What’s your Alibi?

WB: I love your flowers, as they are smiles in every pull. The GMO Glue is true to the name with aromatics of freshly raked loam, orange oil, dried morel mushrooms, and shavings of bitter chocolate. The high comes into view, right in front of my forehead, offering pain relief and optimism; a talkative conversation ensues into deeply relaxing metaphors for sleep and renewal. Lucky is the person who will enjoy such evocative experiences. Oregon offers that in their wines and their cannabis. The taste of the place, the terroir- it sets Oregon into a realm of conscious cannabis.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/five-gratifying-questions-with-marianne-cursetjee-mba-ceo-and-cofounder-of-alibi-cannabis/?v=f24485ae434a
Categories
Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

Five Questions With Raw Garden’s Khalid Al-Naser: Head of Product

Khalid Al-Naser

Raw Garden represents to me a certain coherence with the plant. The highest possible quality flowers are extracted through technology into each of their brilliant products.

Now, Raw Garden is offering a new education program for budtenders. Each session raises the bar on the sense of superiority and their taste of the place or terroir.

Raw Garden’s portfolio of experiences offers a timely and tangible vision into the healing art of cannabis.

These are some of the best examples of what your money can buy in the art of cannabis concentrates.

Warren Bobrow=WB:

Please tell me about yourself and your passions. What are you working on right now?

Khalid Al-Naser=KAN:

I am currently the Head of Product at Raw Garden but have worn many hats since the company’s inception.  Whatever hat I have on, the passion has always been about constant process improvement and delivering the best Cannabis products we can. This is the driving force behind the entire team at Raw Garden.

WB: How are you training budtenders? Do you talk to them about terroir? What about aromatics/terps?  

KAN: Raw Garden has launched The Raw Garden Social Club which is an interactive trade education program designed to champion budtenders and build community.

We love engaging with budtenders and letting their questions and curiosities guide the conversation. When it comes to training, it usually revolves around aromas and getting the audience in tune with how we do what we do, and what makes Raw Garden different. We want to convey that controlling the process from seed to finished product allows for greater quality control. The result is a more consistent product for the consumer.  

The conversations about quality and supply chain usually center around cultivation, our drive to perfect cultivation, and our push to innovate with the ingredients the Cannabis plant provides. This is one place where I often talk about aromatics and terroir. I like to highlight the fact that we depend wholly on the Cannabis plant to provide our product ingredients.  For instance, we are one of only a few companies that do not use non-cannabis flavor additives to their vape oil. We depend solely on the natural aromatics that come from the plant we grew.  

Aromatics are an important part of what the Cannabis plant produces, and just like other agricultural commodities, the terroir and growing process impact the outcome. With higher value goods, like wine, those outcomes are usually enhanced by the recording of vintage and provenance (or location).

One of our goals is to help guide budtenders and consumers toward entirely Cannabis based products, and away from the mass of non-Cannabis flavored THC products in the market today. We want to elevate the experience through using nothing but the plant’s natural aromatics. These aromatics drive the cannabis connoisseur, and by association, the budtender is expected to be that connoisseur.  

WB: What was your inspiration for this path in cannabis training?

KAN: The inspiration comes from my love of craftsmanship, artistry, food, and aromas!  You pair that with a hunger to learn about the things I enjoy –like getting high and providing great products to the consumer– and the training just happens naturally and with serious pleasure. The Cannabis plant truly facilitates the joys of learning. 

I think there are a lot of similarities between cannabis and wine, and cannabis and food. When you consume something and form a close relationship with it, the “art” of consumption (in part) becomes about the critiquing of that “thing” and the willingness to slow down and assess it, savor it. 

I believe this awareness enhances the experience and I want the consumer and the budtenders to have the best experiences possible.

WB: What is your favorite food? Made by whom? What’s your favorite wine?

KAN: Right now, I am really enjoying the food made by Chef Budi at the Gathering Table, which is a great little place at the Ballard Inn in the Santa Ynez Valley. — They make dishes inspired by the Chef’s experiences and likes. He often leans into Asian infusion creating incredible dishes that are unique, fresh takes on traditional dishes. Everything from the Hamachi to the Pan Fried Noodles, the Sliders with Pork Belly and Quail Egg or the Lamb Chops are all winners! Everything on Chef Budi’s menu is great! I usually like to go with a group and order as much of the menu as possible. I always recommend the Chef’s Caramel Budino to anyone looking for a real treat at the end of the meal.

(Wine) I would have to say more broadly, the Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in the Santa Ynez Valley (where we farm) has been where I have spent most of my time recently. I have found that I really like the medium bodied pinots with notes of date and caramelly raisin. I also really enjoy the diversity of the grape; it offers lots of different experiences.  — I have also been enjoying drinking and learning about Tokaji. It’s a Hungarian dessert wine with a long and storied history that inspires me to want to learn more about its process and history. 

WB: What is your favorite, indoor or outdoor grown?

KAN: Outdoor and indoor grown THC is the same molecule.  One method may produce slightly more or less of this active ingredient within the same plant.  However, the biggest differences in the two methods can be recognized by the richness of the aromatics produced.  Anecdotally, most of my favorite aromas have come from the plants we’ve grown outdoors.

Read More Here at Skunk Magazine!

Categories
Reviews Skunk Magazine Tasting Notes

Getting High With Dear Old Dad On Father’s Day

My dad wasn’t thrilled that I smoked cannabis. At all… It’s a “Jersey” thing.

It’s my hope that you have a cool dad, because mine certainly was not. He was completely and utterly stigmatized. Really too bad, it may have steered my life differently. Oh well.

Should this really cool dad who is your dad smoke weed, well then you are the luckiest daughter or son in the world. I’m jealous!

Your nonchalant dad should be celebrated for his open-minded approach to the plant. But first, what kind of cannabis to buy for your dad on Father’s Day?

If he enjoys the finest wines, you can buy him wine.  I can help you in this regard, but this article is not about wine. Far from. It’s about the three choices you should make for Father’s Day if your dad smokes weed.

The first cannabis product that I think your dad will just go crazy over, is a mini-pre-roll joint named Dog Walkers Pre-Rolls. They come in a small, handsomely designed tin and are intentionally sized. What does that mean? Well, they aren’t an entire gram. Most pre-rolls are at least a gram or more, which may cause you to forget that you were walking the dog in the first place.

The idea of a dogwalker mini-pre-roll is having just enough weed to enjoy while you walk your dog around the block. No more than a healthy pinch!

Each mini dog pre-roll is perfect for an evening promenade while the larger big dog is ideal for those lengthier walks with your special pup. (You see the correlation here, right? The Mini Dog pre-roll and Big Dog pre-roll… Hence the name, Dog Walkers!)

I loved the little tin that I sampled. They really got me stoned in four words or less.

(I got really stoned!)

A portion of proceeds goes back to deserving animal shelters across the country.

The second weed that I sampled lately is medical. From Rythm in New Jersey (It’s Medical Cannabis!) their Rythm “Brownie Scout” Flower is flower elegantly elevated; skillfully urbane and fastidiously cured. Rythm’s premium flower offers peak potency, opulent aromatics and complex flavors of deep loam and bursts of rich stone fruit compote. Brownie Scout is one of Rythm’s most popular Indica strains that crosses Platinum Girl Scout Cookies with Stardog Guava. I tend to move towards Indica strains later in the afternoon as the day slips way from bright to dark. Rhythm is gourmet cannabis that offers a languid experience that doesn’t weigh you down. Quite the opposite in fact. Although my body is relaxed with Brownie Scout, my mind is crystalline and razor sharp. Lovely!

Of course, you want to do more for your dad than buy him just another necktie or plonk bottle of Merlot wine. With the stay-at-home workday being a thing of the present rather than of the past, your dad is working harder to pay your bills. It’s your time to reward him for his best efforts.

After all, he took care of you even when he wasn’t feeling up to snuff. You want to impress him!

I think one of the best ways to astound your father is by smoking some really great California cannabis with him. My opinions on which variety to choose from varies broadly on this regard, but for your dad may I please suggest the really cool, pre-roll flight from Canndescent.

Canndescent Pre-Roll Flight is in my opinion, the most suitable way to test-drive each of Canndescent’s luxury effects in their own proprietary, craft cannabis cultivars: Calm, Cruise, Connect, Create and Charge. Each perfectly fashioned pre-roll is stunningly presented using their own 100% ultra-premium flower. I am a massive fan of Canndescent cannabis because of the flavors that their talented growers coax out of the plant. Each puff deeply excites my palate. They are bright and vibrant against my tongue and lips. They get me comfortable with the present tense. Last year I was tasting through some recent purchases and Canndescent was amongst those brands that consistently fascinate me. The overall effort they put into each plant at Canndescent is truly brilliant. You should get some for your dad. He appreciates your good taste.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/getting-high-with-dear-old-dad-on-fathers-day/

Categories
Skunk Magazine Tasting Notes

FlowerShop “Functional Flowers” Mindful Inspiration

WARREN BOBROW

My mood today is comfort and what better way to examine this theory then by enjoying a lovely pre rolled cannabis joint from FlowerShop. Framed by a glass tip, reminiscent of Murano (Italian) glass, this hand rolled joint immediately charms the attentive smoker. One toke at a time.

This joint is truly a luxury experience. The backbone of this deeply pleasurable circumstance is formed by deep inhalations. Deeper than that. You know the experience of tasting really find cannabis. This is one of those brands that speak a language, in this case the terminology is comfort.

The peaceful enjoyment (smoking) of Indica flower is one of my favorite ways to slip into the early evening. I’ve been enjoying Indica strains for this purpose as long as I can remember. In the couch is the understood wording. After a couple hits of the FlowerShop Indica, I know what the words really mean. The feeling of being enveloped in warmth and relaxation. An acceptance of slumber. The ability to finally rest. Focus will come later, after a well-deserved nap. All these descriptions mean something after smoking a couple hits from the FlowerShop’s mini-pre-rolled Indica joints.

I’m very impressed by their candor and humor. Yes, I’m stoned but it’s not overwhelming, nor incapacitating. But I’m very, very calm. And peaceful. This is exactly what the experience should be. If I’m as euphoric as I think I am, this would be my professional recommendation, smoke less than I did. You can always take more.

Their Comfort strain is pretty strong stuff, so be patient and smoke ½ of a joint first. Or less if you are a neophyte. Taking fewer hits are more in this case.  Patience weed-hopper.

Wow. I’m feeling no pain.

Although not true “medical” cannabis, FlowerShop would like for you to feel better. Nothing is more rational right now, because I do feel better, inside and out.

I believe these well-woven, mini-pre-rolled joints are a class act.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A dollop of sweet lemon curd melting over brioche toast points

Palate: Touches of petrol and wood smoke come into view leading to droplets of lemon oil

Flavor/Stone: I got really stoned on just a couple hits from the blue-glass tipped mini-pre-rolled joint

Read More Here At Skunk Magazine!