Marijuana Business Magazine

80 • Marijuana Business Magazine • November / December 2017 and is pronounced “groon” – now supplies more than 300 retailers across Oregon with a variety of choc- olate products infused with THC and CBD. With $1.6 million in 2016 rev- enue, Grön employs 20 people and projects $4.5 million in 2017 sales. Plan Ahead and Act On It Grön confronted a number of chal- lenges in 2016 as Oregon prepared to fully roll out its adult-use marijuana program. The state imposed stringent testing requirements for potency, contaminants and pesticides. A sig- nificant amount of cannabis failed to pass muster, and a shortage of oper- ational testing labs severely crippled the state’s supply of marijuana. Also, a flood of business license applicants – nearly 2,000 – swamped the state’s regulatory agency, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. At the time, Grön management made a key decision to proceed with testing, even though state rules were unclear and the first round of stand- ards were almost impossible to meet. “When the industry was in chaos,” Smith said, “(most) people’s response was not to respond. They just waited in shock, and our approach was to move. We strategically planned out, just as we would a new product, and moved forward.” Because Grön already had a two-year relationship with Portland- based Green Leaf Lab, it started preliminary batch testing in August 2016 and received state approval in October – before many other edi- bles makers had even started. The result: Grön chocolates made it to retailers’ shelves in late 2016, where they remained for months without competition. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Grön Chocolate not only survived, but thrived, as the artisan cannabis confectioner navigated the bumpy rollout of Oregon’s adult-use marijuana program. The Portland company relied on several strategies, including: • At least six months of strategic, operational and financial planning. • A commitment to consistent dosing for a reliable consumer experience. • Rigorous testing for potency, pesticides and other contaminants, above Oregon’s already-strict standards. • Quality ingredients from local suppliers. • A commitment to a great culinary experience – not merely a cannabis experience. Far left: Kitchen manager Poulet Almendras stacks finished bars for cooling and packaging. Photo by Jayne Liu Left: Artisan s'more kits produced for the solar eclipse drew national media attention. Photo by Jayne Liu Bottom: Sea salt flakes and espresso beans are sprinkled by hand over each bar.  Photo by Doug Hoeschler Photography