August 2018

YOUR STORY CAN SELL YOUR BRAND CBD products and products with 1-to-1 ratios of THC to CBD – the Dr. Norm’s founders are launching a new line of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Therapy cookies in pure CBD and 1-to-1 THC to CBD ratios. Meeting more consumers’ needs means your products are more attrac- tive to retail partners, the Kozes said. Partner with Delivery Services Technology also helped with expan- sion. Dr. Norm’s partnered with Eaze, a cannabis-delivery service in California with distribution sites around the state, to provide direct consumer exposure for Dr. Norm’s products in markets where their edibles aren’t for sale in dis- pensaries. Consumers throughout Cali- fornia could use the Eaze mobile app to purchase Dr. Norm’s products and have them delivered to their doorstep. “Eaze gave us a foothold in the Bay Area, which we wouldn’t have had oth- erwise,” Koz Wilson said. “Eaze helped tremendously with brand extension to individual consumers.” The Koz siblings delivered 3,700 units to Eaze’s seven distribution sites throughout the state and promoted a 25% single-day discount on prod- uct, which led to five times Dr. Norm’s C onsumers want to connect with a brand’s story, and Jeff Koz and Roberta Koz Wilson, founders of Dr. Norm’s, a Southern California cannabis- infused cookies producer, love sharing the story of their family business. The siblings grew up northwest of Los Angeles, in Tarzana, with their father, Dr. Norm, who was a physi- cian, and their mother, who was a pharmacist. Roberta and Jeff’s mother believed chocolate chip cookies were the best “medicine,” and she shared batches with family, neighbors and total strangers. Her recipe – the Kozes’ “secret weapon” – has stayed in the family, and it is the foundation of the Dr. Norm’s brand. “Our story has helped us spread the word,” Koz Wilson said. “We didn’t realize what we had in terms of mar- keting. People love our story because it’s authentic, and because we pay homage to our parents.” People also like that the siblings founded the company together and that they’re “not spring chickens,” Koz Wilson said. She believes consum- ers gravitate toward the slice-of-life, Americana nature of the family’s story. “People like to feel a connection to a brand’s story,” Koz said. “When we tell ours, it usually brings a smile to people’s faces. Folks really respond to the idea of family owned and operated.” The siblings’ experience tells them it’s important to communicate your brand’s story authentically and work with distri- bution partners who can do the same. “No one can convey your message like you can,” Koz Wilson said. “In working with a distributor, it’s so important we work with someone who can communicate our message, and that they feel a kinship with our brand,” Koz said. – Joey Peña average daily sales. The siblings also designed a custom package exclusive to Eaze’s customers. Eaze’s billboard advertisements are another boon to the products it sells. “It has taken us into markets we haven’t been able to physically get into on our own,” Koz said. Vet Distribution Partners Under new regulations, distribution licenses are required for California busi- nesses that sell and shuttle product throughout the state on behalf of prod- uct manufacturers and growers. That means connected distributors with excellent track records and sales contacts will be in demand. “Distribution is also sales,” Koz said. “You want someone who is personable and persistent, and you want a distribu- tion company that has its act together in terms of the logistics and the metrics. It’s a tall order.” When they vetted distribution partners, the Dr. Norm’s co-founders focused on communication skills, the candidates’ portfolios and the terms of the agreement. Koz Wilson said they wanted a dis- tributor who would communicate clearly and consistently with clients. “Not a lot else can happen if you’re not communi- cating on a regular basis,” she said. They also wanted someone who would reflect the siblings’ passion for their product and communicate the story of a family business to new retail- ers. “You have to feel comfortable with who’s representing you,” she said. The Kozes wanted a distributor with a small portfolio so their product would be a priority. Product exclusivity was also important; they wanted to pro- duce the only cookie in the distributor’s portfolio. “If someone has a portfolio with 70 products and three other cookie lines, I don’t think we’d want to do business with that person,” Koz said. Finally, the terms and conditions of the contract – the percentage of sales the distributor makes, and the expecta- tions for the distributor’s work – should be fair to both parties. “The terms should be fair,” Koz said. “We don’t want to take anything away from people who are doing a great job and growing our business. We’re win-win kind of people. We want to be successful and work with successful, like-minded people. We want everyone in our partnerships to benefit from our success.” ◆ 90 • Marijuana Business Magazine • August 2018