Cannabis Business Insights: Specials Magazine

Across industries, QR codes have quietly transformed how we access, verify and engage with food, fashion or finances. They’ve turned packaging into portals, unlocking new levels of transparency, connection and consumer empowerment. That same potential is now making its way into the cannabis industry, changing the way trust is built for all stakeholders. At the center of this shift is Anthea, enabling direct communication between producers and consumers while offering product authentication for licensed cannabis producers across North America. Its flagship service, Trumarks, currently holds the tag as the only drop-in solution for product integrity, combining B2C communication tools with pharmacy-grade authentication and anti-counterfeit measures. Developed by four industry veterans with deep expertise in pharmaceuticals, product authentication, cannabis operations and corporate security, Trumarks addresses a key disconnect in the cannabis industry: the lack of consumer engagement. While producers are legally required to label all the products with state tracking codes, those codes were not meant for the consumers. They were complex, with no consumer information, and worst of all, easily duplicated. Consumers had no way of knowing an authentic cannabis product from a knockoff. “We wanted to create something that protects the product, empowers the producer and actually engages the consumer without making anyone jump through hoops,” says F. Boero, general manager. Anthea today bridges the divide between manufacturers and end-users through Trumarks, its cloud-based authentication system. It offers unparalleled simplicity, where each product gets a unique, secure QR code, scannable with any smartphone. Consumers can authenticate their product, access lab test results, read usage tips or even explore a recipe catalog—all with one scan. Instead of being a closed secret, Trumarks codes are front-facing and instantly scannable. On the flip side, producers get access to anonymized, real-time consumer insights including when and where products are being engaged with, how often and what marketing content works best. Being fully cloud-based, it eliminates the need for new equipment, costly holograms or delivery delays—seamlessly integrating with existing labeling, marketing and production systems. Producers simply sign up; upload product details and links to their current marketing programs. When ready to label product for sale, the processor requests unique Trumarks QR codes through a secure portal. Trumarks instantly generates industry standard files for easy label printing.