Let's Talk Hemp

Tag: marketing

  • Is CBD Isolate Losing Its Appeal?

    Is CBD Isolate Losing Its Appeal?

    By Tim Gordon, Chief Science Officer, Functional Remedies

    As full-spectrum hemp products are being recognized as the best options for our bodies, CBD and cannabinoid isolate products are trending differently. In the ever changing cannabis industry, we have witnessed the rise and fall of isolated cannabinoid products. In 2015, at the start of the legal hemp industry, the emerging CBD market began to take hold. Through 2016 and into 2017, isolated CBD was selling for upwards of $5,000 per kilogram and the market was on the rise. CBD extraction companies were setting up shop across the country in hopes of joining the emerging industry and seeing large financial returns.

    At the same time, multiple companies in the pharmacopeia world were conducting research on the CBD molecule. The research being conducted was specific to certain conditions or ailments but within that specific research, between the lines, were some very telling facts about how CBD works and its potential toxic and damaging effects on the body.

    As the CBD industry entered into its third and fourth years of maturity in the United States, the tell-tale signs of an industry on the brink self-imploding began to rise. The commoditization of CBD began to show itself across the country. Large CBD companies began massive layoffs, farmers were told their contracts could not be fulfilled, some companies began closing and filing for bankruptcy. We watched as the market flooded with product and the price began falling below $1,000 per kilogram for CBD isolate.

    Research in the world of pharma continued to thrive with more details as to potential side effects of a CBD molecule. GW Pharma’s research has been used in reference by the FDA on its findings of their CBD-based drug Epidiolex, which showed promising signs for certain disorders but also potentially compromising signs of liver toxicity and reproductive issues.

    As the hemp-cannabis industry continues into its fifth year of growth, many factors will influence its further development. Regulations from the USDA and multiple federal agencies will be put into place. Pharma will continue research and development with isolated CBD and mixed isolated cannabinoid products. More education as to why CBD alone is not the best for our bodies will emerge. Where that will leave CBD extraction and isolate companies is unknown.

    Tim Gordon has the honor of serving as founder and Chief Science Officer for Colorado-based Functional Remedies, a leading manufacturer of hemp-based cannabinoid products in the United States.

    Photo Credit: Unsplash

    Hemp and cannabinoid expert Tim Gordon, founder and Chief Science Officer of Functional Remedies, explains why full spectrum cannabinoid products may be safer – and sell better – than products made from CBD isolate.

    News Briefs

    USDA Issues Report on Economic Viability of Hemp

    By USDA

    Meet the Hardest Working Plant on the Planet

    By Natural Awakenings

    Renewable Hemp-based Packaging Finds New Uses

    By Merry Jane

    Hemp, Cannabis Businesses Bolster Real Estate Market

    By UPI

    Pre-Order Your Copy of Doug Fine’s New Book, American Hemp Farmer in Time for NoCo Hemp Expo!

    American Hemp Farmer, the sixth book from author Doug Fine, follows the rigors and pleasures of an entire hemp season from soil preparation and genetics acquisition through harvest and regenerative marketing. It’s immersive. It’s wildly funny. The follow up to Doug Fine’s bestselling Hemp Bound, American Hemp Farmer pulls no punches, and because it is written by an actual hemp farmer and entrepreneur, it tells you what you need to know if you want to join the hemp renaissance.

    “As a hempcrete homeowner, American Hemp Farmer is the must-read book on hemp I’m proud to keep on my shelf. Someday we may even see NBA arenas built from hemp. But for now, Doug should be prepared to lose more money at the poker table that sits on the hemp floor in my hemp-paneled card room.” – Don Nelson, NBA Hall of Fame Inductee

    Pre-order American Hemp Farmer now. Use code EXPO and you can also pick up your copy, signed by Doug Fine, at the upcoming NoCo Hemp Expo, March 26-28, 2020, in Denver.

    Pre-Order American Hemp Farmer Here
    https://www.tatteredcover.com/pre-order-american-hemp-farmer

  • The Opportunity for Hemp Brands

    The Opportunity for Hemp Brands

    Doing it the Right Way, from the Ground Floor Up

    By Will Carr

    Where is the hemp industry headed? What are we doing and why are we doing it? How does CBD fit into the marketplace? How does branding contribute to the evolution of hemp-derived consumer product goods? We have an incredible opportunity to do things the right way from the ground floor up. From the very beginning, we can make an impact in niche markets. We can steer the course of mass-retail products, forever changing the landscape of the marketplace. We can piece by piece, little by little, create a future with a better world and improve the lives of people everywhere.

    There’s a lot of fluff in CBD and hemp right now. Hundreds of new brands and businesses are started every month with the idea that they’re going to sell CBD and make lots of money. Many of these same companies put little thought into the actual quality of their products, where the market is headed, and how their products will impact the environment. Where is the social responsibility? Where is the effort to market something truly better to the consumer?

    Brands are the answer to this problem. Brands that actually care. Brands that don’t just talk the talk, but truly walk the walk. Branding and marketing are often demonized as evil with the intention to trick the consumer into purchasing. This doesn’t have to be the case, though.

    What if brands provided more value than the cost of their products? When a brand markets itself as sustainable, as making an effort to provide healthy, nutritional products that genuinely supply a consumer good to the market that changes the game and makes a positive impact for Earth and all of us living here, then marketing becomes a beautiful thing.

    It becomes a connection between the brand, product, and consumer that is real. This type of synergy lasts because it’s all based in truth. The brand is creating positive change for the world and the customer gets a product they can feel happy about supporting. When done with honest and genuine intentions, branding and marketing become a catalyst for the hope of a brighter tomorrow and the opportunity for that change to become reality.

    As CBD exits the “fad” stage it’s currently in and the snake oil approach of “CBD cures all” gradually disappears, we are going to see many more dietary supplement and functional food CBD products come to market. As we recognize the true benefit of CBD for overall general health and wellness, to be treated like a dietary supplement and essential nutrient rather than a magical cure for everything, CBD will be in products sitting on the shelves of every aisle in the grocery store.

    The benefits of CBD are best noticed when paired with other nutritional ingredients, not as a stand-alone product. Will there still be a place for tinctures, oil drops, and gummies? Absolutely. They will just no longer be the “norm.” Instead, the products you’re already consuming will have CBD infused into them. That’s the approach we’ve taken at Genesee with our protein bars, plant-based protein powder, and wellness shots. We’re ahead of the curve and I think that’s a really fun and promising place to be.

    Where will the hemp industry be in 2, 5, 30+ years? I have my thoughts, but I can’t say for sure. The one thing I can tell you though, is that the people within this industry have inspired me, motivated me, and given me a new perspective on what it means to be a business owner and member of a community. As I’ve submersed myself in this space, the people I have met and the personal connections I have made have truly changed my life.

    As business leaders, it is our responsibility to take action, holding ourselves accountable to sustainable and ethical practices. It is also upon the consumers to research and support brands that are doing things the right way, following up their claims with actions to support them. To name one person or brand would do so many people a disservice, but you know who you are. I see you at shows and conferences tackling your ambitions. We are friends on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn… I see your daily life, personally and professionally, and I’m able to get a sense of who you are as a person. We look each other in the eye, shake hands (maybe hug), and I see your pure intention to do your part in making the world a better place.

    The slogan for the infamous hemp trade show, NoCo Hemp Expo, is “One Louder.” I like this because it’s true. If every one of us, one at a time, can make the mental shift and practice what we preach, we can start a movement with enough momentum to be unstoppable. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. In the hemp space, we’re making true change in the world. One action, one day, one year at a time, we are all making a difference. We are making an impact.

    So, if I have one last thing to say, it’s Thank You! All of you making this space and industry so incredible, meaningful, and fun to be a part of. Thank you for bringing your best selves to your work, to your businesses, and to the brands you support. One person at a time. One louder at a time. Let’s keep the momentum rollin’!

    See you out there.

    Will Carr

    Founder – Genesee

    Will Carr is the Founder of Genesee, a CBD Health & Wellness Brand based in Evergreen, CO. After graduating with a degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering, Will traveled to South America where he played basketball professionally. In the summer of 2017, Will had his first encounter with the amazing benefits of hemp and CBD. Recognizing the potential use within athletics and sport, Will founded Genesee and made it his goal to develop a line of dietary supplements geared for the fitness focused, active lifestyle individual.

  • How to Influence through the Net: Getting Your Hemp Brand Attention on Social Media

    How to Influence through the Net: Getting Your Hemp Brand Attention on Social Media

    By Cait Curley

    How can a consumer products company specializing in CBD and other industrial hemp-derived products market its brand in a cloudy regulatory and advertising environment – despite the fact that hemp is now legal under the 2018 Farm Bill?

    One way has been to get others to talk about your brand in publications, blogs and social media. When Facebook and Google won’t let hemp and CBD brands advertise, many companies are turning to public relations and influencer marketing. It’s a new twist on word of mouth in a digital age, yet it still works.

    A huge piece of the cannabis movement’s story has been built on social media. It gives the community, like any other industry, a sense of connection and like mindedness. It’s a platform to learn, create connections and promote your brand. I don’t know a “top brand” that doesn’t have social media. It doesn’t mean it’s an A+ social media platform, but at least they have one.

    Here are some basic but essential tips for hemp/cannabis companies to keep in mind when pursuing social media and influencer marketing and communications strategies:

    First Things First:  Even if it’s a simple landing page, make sure you have a website with contact info and your social media links included. Include an email signup form so visitors can sign up for newsletters. Creating and populating a blog page on your website is also recommended, as it provides original content for you to share and potentially boost across social media platforms.

    What Social Media Should I Be On?:  A brand should create an account on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and LinkedIn, to start. When creating a handle, use your company’s name, and if it’s not available, make it as close as possible.

    Don’t Skip:  You may spend more time on one over the other, but it’s a mistake to skip a social media platform based on where you “think” your audience is. Especially in the cannabis/hemp industry. Focus on quality content over quantity.

    Stay Active and Engaged:  You don’t need to be a social media expert or even tech savvy, but you do need to go in at least once a week for an hour to post and engage with the community. I say once a week, because I understand that many companies, especially startups, have one person wearing many, if not all hats within the business. Many brand owners (farmers, for example) may be new to social media with no idea how to manage/post/engage on their feed. With that, you can find at least an hour a week to learn the platforms, post and engage. My ultimate recommendation would be at least an hour a day. It’s not as difficult as you may think. Once you begin doing it, you’ll find a flow and recognize the importance to carve out time to engage with your followers.

    Organize Your Social Media Profile:  Synchronize all of the profile and cover photos. Make sure at least one email contact is available. Be short and simple with your mission, what your product is, and where to buy it.

    Take Advantage of Hashtags:  Include your company’s hashtag in every post possible. Using tags related to your product like #fullspectrumhemp or #hempfarmers for a hemp oil brand (for example) is very helpful, too.

    Check Out What Others Are Doing, But Be YOU:  Research the competition, find inspiration and be genuine. Tell YOUR story, be you/unique, not your competition.

    Relationships Count:  Build relationships vs. asking for a sale. That’s what builds loyalty and trust over time.

    Know Your Audience:  What do they want to learn? Keep track of what posts have been most successful, e.g., the most likes, comments or shares.

    A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words:  Make use of captivating visuals, including original photography, licensed photography, and photos and graphics used with permission. If possible, high quality video about your brand, mission, activities, events or lifestyles and related interests, short and sweet, are sure to generate attention and shares.

    Educate But Avoid Health Claims:  Educate on a simple level to the public while avoiding health claims about products. To learn more about what you can and can’t say under the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act, visit here.

    E-Newsletters and Blogs:  Make sure you have an email signup form on your website to collect emails of customers and constituents. Before you know it, you’ll have a growing email contact list to whom you can send e-newsletters and other email announcements and promotions. Blogs provide original content that can be shared as articles in your newsletters and as social media posts, which can help bring readers back to your website.

    Build Brand Awareness:  Social media is growing so rapidly. Having multiple influencers out there (even if micro with 1K followers), allows your brand to have multiple tentacles, reminding or introducing people to your brand.

    Influencer Advantages:  Even after the legalization of hemp, so many cannabis/hemp companies still are not able to advertise on social media. Tree Free Hemp for example, a hemp paper and printing company, has been flagged for years because it attempted to boost a hemp paper poster – it turns out that poster was the Declaration of Independence; oh the irony! For this reason, influencers and other creative forms of marketing are needed for hemp/cannabis than for any other industry. Consumers trust information and product recommendations from influencers. They feel it’s an honest opinion from someone that knows what they’re talking about. They’re a trusted voice.

    Influencers help increase SEO by building and creating unique content. They drive traffic, convert leads and open brands to new markets and networks. Most influencers, if treated and paid correctly, will be loyal to your company for life. They will continue to promote and recommend your brand.

    # # #

    Cait Curley is an educator, entrepreneur, social media influencer, marketing and communications specialist, and content creator with a passion for all things hemp and cannabis. Visit www.caitcurley.com, @caitcurley on Facebook, and @caitcurley_ on Instagram and Twitter

     

  • SOUTHERN ACCENTS: Wildly Successful NoCo Hemp Expo Puts Down Roots in Tennessee

    SOUTHERN ACCENTS: Wildly Successful NoCo Hemp Expo Puts Down Roots in Tennessee

    Loveland, CO – July 10, 2018 – On the heels of its sold-out, over-capacity show drawing more than 6,000 attendees and 150 diverse exhibitors, the Colorado-based NoCo Hemp  Expo is taking the party south and east, launching the Inaugural Southern Hemp Expo (SHE), Sept. 28-29, 2018, at The Fairgrounds Nashville in Nashville, TN.

    “The South is a leader and will continue to be a leader in hemp production, and we are very excited to bring this dynamic gathering of industry movers and shakers to the region,” said Colorado Hemp Company co-founder Morris Beegle, producer of NoCo Hemp Expo, who also noted the theme of the inaugural SHE event is “Bringing Balance Back to Mother Earth.”

    “The 2018 NoCo Hemp Expo was far and away the biggest and best hemp event we have produced yet,” Beegle continued. “The interest level for this plant and all that it can do is overwhelming. We are excited to launch this expo in the Eastern U.S. With the first annual SHE event in Nashville in September and NoCo6 in Denver in March, our shows are firmly grounded in the country’s strongest regions for hemp production.”

    With rising acceptance and popularity of hemp for food, fiber, and its therapeutic nonpsychoactive cannabinoid CBD, domestic production of hemp, or cannabis sativa, is reaching new heights. U.S. hemp-based product sales grew 16% to reach $820 million in sales in 2017  nd is expected to surpass $1 billion in sales in 2018, led primarily by hemp-derived CBD, food, personal care and industrial products, according to the publication Hemp Business
    Journal – a number not lost on politicians. This past spring, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which would remove hemp from the federal list of controlled substances and allow it to be sold as an agricultural crop.

    The Feminine Touch

    SHE – feminine acronym intended – will offer networking opportunities, presentations and workshops by pioneers, innovators and activists including the leading women and business professionals in industrial hemp. The fifth annual NoCo Hemp Expo in Loveland, Colo., in April, featured keynote speaker, activist and hemp entrepreneur Winona LaDuke, who illuminated hemp’s value in driving a new economy for rural and Native American communities. Other keynotes featured were Nature’s Path Foods founder Arran Stephens, who discussed why he’s been investing in farmland to cultivate organic hemp.

    “I was amazed at the buzz of the show,” said Arran Stephens, co-founder and co-CEO of Nature’s Path Foods and a keynote speaker at the recent NoCo 5 event. “In some ways, it reminded me of the spirit of the early organic food trade shows. This is really the beginning of a strong new movement.”

    “Hemp production is taking off so fast, and law reform is so close” Beegle said. “There’s never been a more exciting time in this industry, and SHE provides a festive and effective forum for expanding crucial dialogue about the latest developments and opportunities in the commercial hemp products market.”

    Exhibit Space and Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available

    Exhibit space and sponsorship opportunities for the Southern Hemp Expo are now available online at www.southernhempexpo.com.

    About the Southern Hemp Expo

    The Inaugural Southern Hemp Expo is produced by the Colorado Hemp Company, a division of WAFBA LLC (We Are For Better Alternatives), based in Loveland, CO, and producer of NoCo Hemp Expo, the world’s largest and most comprehensive trade show and conference for industrial hemp. WAFBA is founder of TreeFreeHemp paper and printing services and the Colorado Hemp Company. Areas of focus include product and brand development, event production, consulting and advocacy. Learn more at SouthernHempExpo.com, and find us on Facebook and Twitter.

    Contact

    Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, tel 303.807.1042,  steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com
    Morris Beegle, Colorado Hemp Company, tel 970.581.5049, hemp@coloradohempcompany.com

  • Presenting Sponsor PureHemp Technology Announced for Fifth Annual NoCo Hemp Expo

    Presenting Sponsor PureHemp Technology Announced for Fifth Annual NoCo Hemp Expo

    Loveland, CO (January 30, 2018) – The Fifth Annual NoCo Hemp Expo (NoCo5) announces Fort Lupton, CO-based PureHemp Technology as this year’s Presenting Sponsor for the two-day gathering of industrial hemp thought leaders, speakers, entrepreneurs, and exhibitors taking place April 6-7, 2018, at the Ranch Events Complex in Loveland, CO.

    Featuring an expanded Hemp Summit, new Farm and Agricultural Symposium, a Global Hemp Village and two interactive exhibition halls, this year’s NoCo5 is set to be the largest on record. Recognized by the Hemp Industries Association as the “Hemp event of the year,” sponsors for this year’s event span across market leaders in production, manufacturing, and distributing of industrial hemp related products.

    Nearly three-dozen states have passed legislation in recent years allowing research or commercial production of industrial hemp, the non-psychoactive cousin to marijuana. From hemp extract products now being sold online and in a growing number of natural products stores to food, fiber, cosmetics, textiles, paper, animal feed and construction materials and more, industrial hemp sales totaled $688 million in 2016, led by hemp food, body care and hemp extract rich in cannabinoid compounds, or “CBD” products.

    PureHemp TechnoloyPureHemp Technology is this year’s NoCo5 presenting and leading sponsor that has been an innovator in the production, branding and marketing of industrial hemp products. PureHemp’s sister company, Pure Kind Botanicals, produces and markets a growing line of premium, full spectrum, cannabinoid-infused products for the wellness industry.

    “We at PureHemp are proud and honored to represent the entire hemp community at the Fifth Annual NoCo Hemp Expo,” says Ed Lehrburger, Founder and Executive Manager of PureHemp Technology and Pure Kind Botanicals. “All of us in the greater domestic hemp community can honestly say we are successfully growing the U.S. hemp industry.”

    PureHemp Technology has been advancing a patented hemp refinery technology that rapidly converts hemp stalks into pulp, lignin, and sugars that can be used to manufacture thousands of unique hemp-based products. Based on years of R&D and favorable results, PureHemp has a rich history partnering with other companies and advancing unique hemp initiatives.

    For example, PureHemp was approached last year by a Canadian company looking for a technology company capable of producing sugars from hemp stalks that can be fermented into a high-quality beer. In 2017, PureHemp successfully completed a Phase I proof-of-concept program and is currently engaged in a Phase II program to refine specific recipes for producing a high quality, 100% hemp beer product. Hemp and beer enthusiasts, stay tuned!

    Other Sponsors

    Additional sponsors for this year’s NoCo5 include: Sub-Zero Extracts, Palmetto Harmony, Lilu’s Garden, and the Hoban Law Group, the nation’s premier cannabusiness law firm.

    Tickets and Registration; Call for Speakers, Sponsors and Exhibitors

    Tickets and registration are available for the NoCo Hemp Expo, Farm & Ag Symposium, Industry B2B Day, the Hemp Summit, and to the general public at http://nocohempexpo.com/ticket-sales/. For speaker, sponsor, exhibitor and volunteer inquiries, visit http://nocohempexpo.com/registration-noco5/.

    About NoCo Hemp Expo

    Now in its fifth year, NoCo Hemp Expo – NoCo5 – is produced by the Colorado Hemp Company, a division of WAFBA LLC (We Are For Better Alternatives), based in Loveland, CO. Established in 2012, WAFBA is also founder of TreeFreeHemp paper and printing services, and Colorado Hemp Company, “supporting all things hemp.” Areas of focus include product and brand development, marketing, printing, production, events and advocacy. Learn more at NocoHempExpo.com, and find us on Facebook and Twitter.

    Contact:

    Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, tel 303.807.1042, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com

    Compass Natural
    Compass Natural