Thank you for Subscribing to Cannabis Business Insights Weekly Brief
Cannabis Business Insights: Specials Magazine
When the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill, passed, it legalized the cultivation of hemp and opened a door Chris Oppenheimer had been waiting to walk through. He had battled addiction and depression for years before finding the path through hemp. In 2018, he saw a chance to build something that challenged the system he had once felt trapped in. “In rehab, they handed me antidepressants and anxiety medication; something I had never taken before,” Oppenheimer recalls. “I had come in expecting to detox, and the pills just didn’t sit right with me. So, each day, I would spit them out. It felt like I was being asked to rely on the very kinds of solutions that had contributed to the situation that got me here in the first place.” It wasn’t just the medication that felt misaligned; it was the entire framework. Why were people taught to numb their pain instead of learning to understand it? Why was a plant that offered clarity and reconnection still shrouded in stigma? Those questions became fuel as Oppenheimer began exploring the science, history and potential of hemp as a true wellness tool. In 2019, he founded Botany Scientifics, a holistic wellness company. The name signaled a commitment rooted in science and soil. Its logo—a cross with a leaf—spoke to a guiding belief that real recovery starts beneath the surface, where most people never think to look. That belief was put to the test almost immediately. Botany Scientifics’ first batch of products tested positive for contaminants. The team discovered that minor impurities from the hay, used on the crop by its farm partners, had compromised its quality, forcing them to restart sourcing and production from the ground up. Instead of sinking into grief, Oppenheimer took a defining lesson from that devastating loss. “At that moment, one thought kept coming back to me: soil first, plant second, community always,” he says. Today, that early lesson shapes how Botany Scientifics chooses its harvest partners. It works in an FDA-compliant facility and vets the farms it sources from. If the results don’t meet the standards, the team walks away, even if it means rejecting an entire harvest. Once raw material arrives, Botany’s team formulates products with scientific precision, ensuring every dose is consistent and reliable. A Mission Rooted in Experience Botany Scientifics supports health like a system. The health of the soil directly affects the potency and balance of the plant. That awareness shaped his respect for careful sourcing, but his focus today is on delivering precise, consistent doses every time. “I knew that for hemp to truly make a difference, we had to get dosing right,” Oppenheimer says. “When people take our products, they know exactly how much they’re getting every single time, just like they would with medication.” Once the plant reaches full maturity, full-spectrum extracts are processed to preserve the natural harmony of cannabinoids and terpenes. Each formulation is precisely dosed, third-party tested and accompanied by a certificate of analysis, ensuring customers know exactly what they’re getting and why it works.
Top Cannabis Dispensary Company 2025
Too often, cannabis is sold like a product, not presented as a possibility. Dispensaries stock their shelves and speed through transactions, offering abundance but little insight. What’s missing isn’t supply; it’s intention. For those seeking calm, clarity or relief, the guidance isn’t always there. This is precisely where The Bakeree is making its mark in the rising cannabis domain. Situated in the heart of Seattle, this award-winning dispensary is built around cannabis being treated as a tool for wellness, not just a retail product. “While many associate cannabis with recreation, the reality is far more nuanced,” says Anna Shreeve, founder and managing member. “Our customers are looking for better sleep, relief from anxiety or simply a gentler close to the day. Our job is to understand that intention and guide them with purpose.” That starts with conversation. The Bakeree’s budtenders are trained not just in cannabinoids and terpenes, but in the art of listening. They ask thoughtful questions to uncover the deeper reason someone walks through the door. Whether it’s a tech professional decompressing after work or a retiree from a nearby cruise terminal managing chronic pain, every recommendation is tailored to the individual’s lifestyle, needs and level of experience with cannabis. First-time visitors often return with more specific needs, having gained a clearer understanding of what works for them. As product knowledge deepens, so does interest in higher-quality, better-formulated options, a progression that The Bakeree supports through education and consistently informed service. “Our customers don’t just walk in asking, ‘What’s the cheapest thing you’ve got?’ As they learn more, they start asking, ‘What’s new?’ That shift, from price to curiosity, comes from consistent education and trust. It’s also why so many premium producers choose us to debut their brands,” adds Shreeve. That clarity is made possible by rigorous in-house training. Every team member is taught to evaluate product quality, understand extraction standards and explain health-impacting variables like residual solvents and ingredient sourcing. In the vape category, where low-cost cartridges can mask questionable formulations, staff help customers understand what’s inside. Products with water-based terpene additives or high residual solvents may appear harmless, but over time, they can degrade and irritate the lungs, a risk that The Bakeree actively steers its customers away from. When patients coping with conditions like cancer visit, the guidance goes well beyond THC and CBD. Staff are trained to discuss the role of lesser-known cannabinoids for mood support, and how combinations like CBD-CBG-THC can offer daytime pain relief without sedation. These formulations give customers more than comfort; they help restore confidence during physically and emotionally taxing treatments.
Top Non Psychoactive Hemp Products 2025
For many exploring hemp-based wellness, the goal isn’t to get high; it is to finally find relief where conventional options have fallen short. Chronic inflammation, sleep disturbances, joint pain, and anxiety are deeply disruptive that interfere with daily life. At Four Winds Farm in Iowa, a significant number of customers encounter cannabis-based wellness for the first time. For many, it is not just a new experience but a last hope before giving up on relief entirely. “Many people in Iowa aren’t very familiar with cannabis or cannabinoids,” says Megan Booher, Owner and Operator of Four Winds Farm. “We wanted to bring our skill set home and introduce people here to a very non-psychoactive cannabinoid that was very helpful.” Megan and her husband, Scott Booher, discovered Cannabigerol (CBG), a nonintoxicating cannabinoid naturally low in Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and immediately saw its therapeutic potential. Unlike CBD, CBG interacts more directly with the body’s endocannabinoid system. “CBG helps harness and uplift anandamide for longer, helping people through stressful and anxious situations,” explains Scott. This functional distinction makes it ideal for first-time users seeking safe, stigma-free relief. However, introducing hemp in Iowa, a state with limited cannabis familiarity, requires more than just good products; it demands active education. Megan and Scott serve as cultivators, formulators, and educators, meeting customers at farmers' markets, through email consultations, and in-store, where they explain cannabinoids, dosing, and formulation in a digestible and compassionate manner. Herbalist-Formulated, Customer-Tested With over eight years of making topical products at a lavender farm and training as an herbalist, Megan takes a multi-ingredient therapeutic approach. Scott, a seasoned grower, tends the fields with a grower’s precision, cultivating hemp and companion herbs in sync with the local climate and soil. Once harvested in the fall, the hemp flowers are dried, decarboxylated, and gently infused into carrier oils, a slow and controlled process that avoids the use of harsh solvents. Customers can visit the farm, walk the rows, and talk to the product manufacturer firsthand, an experience that builds trust and demystifies hemp wellness.
Top Recreational Cannabis Wholesale Service 2025
Consistency has become the quiet currency of competitiveness in Colorado’s wholesale cannabis market. It’s not just about product quality anymore, but also steady supply and dependable delivery. For dispensaries, that reliability matters more than bulk supply because it ensures every jar of flower and every pre-roll on their shelves meets the same trusted standard week after week. That is exactly where Bonsai Cultivation stands out. Known as one of Colorado’s most consistent and quality-driven wholesale providers, Bonsai gives clients confidence by eliminating the need to juggle multiple vendors or risk miscommunication across the supply chain. With cultivation, manufacturing, packaging and distribution all under one roof, dispensaries gain a single trusted partner they can depend on. Robust inventory from large-scale cultivation flows directly into automated pre-roll systems under its white-label program, guaranteeing compliance, while in-house decontamination safeguards quality at every stage. That efficiency becomes real savings on the ground. One multi-store operator chose to focus fully on retail after realizing Bonsai’s flower and pre-rolls consistently delivered the same quality customers expected, while freeing them from the overhead of running cultivation. This allowed the retailer to reinvest in their retail presence, knowing quality at the shelf was never in question. “Once dispensaries partner up with us, they no longer have to worry about product inconsistency,” says Tom Stevenson, chief cultivation officer and partner. “That assurance matters even more in Colorado, where prices have dropped from $1,300 to about $600 a pound and uneven quality has flooded the market. We have made reliability the standard we refuse to compromise.” Bonsai’s success is powered by precision cultivation. It uses advanced Argus technology to regulate climate, while Fluence and Foshe lighting nurture plants to express their full potential in flavor and effect. The DAGDA irrigation system automates watering and nutrient delivery down to the milliliter, removing human error. By managing every variable with accuracy, Bonsai can accelerate harvest rotations or fine-tune growth rates in response to demand, keeping inventory steady without ever cutting corners on quality. Quality control is secured by meticulous in-house decontamination. Using Rad Source 420XL technology, Bonsai’s Redwood Decontamination process removes microbes without altering the flower’s flavor or potency. From flower to trim to joints, every product passes testing requirements and reaches customers clean, safe and consistent, giving retailers confidence that compliance and quality are built in.
CXO INSIGHTS
Cultivation Technology, Process Innovations Generate Increased Cannabis Yields
Chris O’Ferrell, Senior Director of Cultivation, Deep Roots Harvest
Charting a Trailblazing Path in Clinical Development
Maribelle Guloy, Director of Clinical Development, American Regent, Inc
Crafting an Effective Information Security Strategy
Denis Miftakhov, Technology Manager, SOC and Engineering Team, Mary Kay Inc
Nurturing Tomorrow's Food Through Sustainable Leadership
Christina O’Keefe, Regional Head of Sustainability- North America, Kerry
Leading Food Safety Through Standards and Strategy
Michael Coley, Food Safety & Quality Manager, Symrise AG
IN FOCUS
The Science-Backed Potential of Full-Spectrum Hemp
The full-spectrum hemp product market is rapidly growing due to consumer demand for natural wellness solutions, innovative extraction methods, and diverse product offerings, highlighting the entourage effect's benefits.
Wholesale Specialization in a Diversifying Cannabis Market
Recreational cannabis wholesale services are evolving, enhancing supply chains with product diversification, advanced technology, and strict regulatory compliance, supporting market growth and efficiency.
EDITORIAL
Cannabis 2.0: Rethinking Products, Services, and Experiences
The cannabis industry has entered a new era, one that is less about counterculture and more about mainstream commerce. What was once whispered about in dim corners is now shaping itself into a sophisticated market with layered opportunities for both entrepreneurs and consumers. Take full-spectrum hemp products, for instance. By retaining the plant’s natural compounds, they offer a holistic experience that appeals to health-conscious buyers looking for balance rather than buzz. The appeal here is not merely wellness but also authenticity, as consumers increasingly demand products that are “whole” rather than heavily refined. At the same time, recreational cannabis wholesale services have transformed distribution. No longer a fragmented network of small players, the space now mirrors traditional supply chains with scale, efficiency, and compliance at its core. Retailers rely on dependable wholesale channels not just for inventory but also for consistent quality that defines brand trust. Then there is the rapidly expanding world of non-psychoactive hemp products. From skincare to supplements, these items have exploded into lifestyle markets, offering cannabis benefits without the high. It is a subtle but powerful way cannabis integrates into daily life, removing stigma while inviting broader adoption. And at the retail end, the cannabis dispensary is no longer a simple storefront. It has become an experience center. Modern dispensaries blend education with curation, where the environment feels closer to a boutique wellness store than a transactional outlet. A company like Botany Scientifics embodies this evolution. By focusing on scientific rigor and customer-centric solutions, it bridges innovation with accessibility, delivering products that reflect both quality and care. In an industry that demands trust, their approach sets a benchmark. In this roundup, we spotlight cannabis as a business of precision, creativity, and transformation. The challenge and opportunity lie in building models that not only profit but also normalize and elevate the cannabis conversation for years to come. Hope this edition gives you good insights and inspiration to rethink the cannabis economy.
