Skeptics have often condemned the cannabis industry for employing a shotgun approach to health and wellness. With cannabis, it’s often difficult to predict what effects one will achieve from a particular product. [1] As a result, consumers are forced to keep trying a range of products and dosages hoping to chance on a sweet spot where the desired effects will come rushing in. With hundreds of unique cultivars in the market, one can hardly imagine how taxing that task can get.
A 2017 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that most cannabidiol (CBD) products sold online are often mislabeled and do not contain the amount of CBD indicated on the label. [2] A Harle-Tsu flower from one dispensary may not provide the same effects as a Harle-Tsu flower purchased at a different dispensary, possibly due to genetic variation. This partly explains the inconsistencies in cannabis products which is a major source of frustration to consumers.
Terpenes and Testing spoke to Geoff Selzer the CEO of Resonate Blends Inc about their game-changing line of products — Koan Cordials. These single-serving cannabis shots remove the vagueness from cannabis products to pave way for intentional consumption. After extensive research and trials, Resonate Blends has developed a proprietary range of six water-soluble cordials that deliver targeted effects: calm, balance, creativity, delight, play, and wonder.
Resonate Blends is focused on creating holistic plant-based wellness offered with calibrated precision. Their proprietary range of non-alcoholic, single-dose cannabis cordials is uniquely designed to provide precise experiences to customers.
If the cannabis industry is to become mainstream and compete with Big Pharma, this shotgun medicine approach will have to be nipped in the bud. Resonate Blends seems to have a solution to this through their Koan Cordials range. Geoff explains to us how they work their magic.
Can you tell us more about the formulations?
With Resonate Blends, cannabis is a precise science. Koan Cordials are based on a deep understanding of cannabis entourage effects that comes about when THC [delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol], CBD, terpenes, and select botanicals are uniquely combined in a product formulation. Therefore, we have invested time and resources in experimentation, testing, and superior product development strategies to unlock the plant’s full potential.
The cordials are proprietary, water-soluble nanoemulsions that offer the convenience of tinctures and the rapid onset that comes with vapes. They are mildly flavored to allow the terpenes to be fully expressed. They can be consumed in a private or social setting.
Here are the six formulations that are currently in the market:
- Calm
- Balance
- Create
- Delight
- Play
- Wonder
What’s unique about these products?
Koan Cordials are a first-of-a-kind cannabis product that comes in a drinkable single shot that can be taken as a shot or mixed in any beverage. They are uniquely designed to hand over control to the consumer through metered dosing and predictable effects. This is what makes the cordials stand out.
Why offer direct-to-consumer home delivery?
As a result of both the pandemic and customer preference, the industry is seeing extraordinary growth in the direct-to-consumer, home delivery environment. The consumer confidence gained through the ability to interact directly with product producers and the comfort and convenience of shopping from home will open the market to people interested in normalizing cannabis in their lives. These are intentional consumers who care about product quality and, therefore, tend to select value-added brands.
Which demographic do your products predominantly target?
Koan works for almost everyone. We’ve carried out studies to test the effectiveness of our products and what we found is a bell-shaped response curve with only a few outliers. This means that most people should experience similar benefits after consuming Koan Cordials.
Where do you think the cannabis industry is headed?
As a company, we believe that value-added brands are going to be the thought and profit leaders of the cannabis industry over time. There are several trends we see now that support this belief, such as a reduction in flower prices. This commoditization will only intensify as federal and global cannabis restrictions are lifted.
We believe the industry will bifurcate. It will have two trajectories: (1) large-scale commoditization resulting in inexpensive but potentially unsatisfactory products; and (2) finely-tuned, effective products driven by science and marketed through education.
Koan is crystal clear as to which side of that dialogue we are on. Value-added brands are the key to cannabis normalization and will be foundational for the future of the cannabis industry.
What’s an industry pet peeve?
Many dispensaries primarily sell flower products and promote the idea that the product’s value is in how much THC you can buy for the price. This approach is self-defeating as it leads to low margins and low profitability and we are seeing dispensaries evolve as more and better products come to market.
What would you like to see being done differently?
That would be a value addition. There is reliable research showing that value-added brands command significant premiums and have the added benefit of customer loyalty resulting from consistent and high-quality experiences. Naturally, superior brands require more profound dedication to science and high-quality communication, formulation, and education. Reliable, value-added brands will be the winners over time.
The cannabis industry is dynamic and fast-paced. In the last year, we have witnessed the delta-8-THC gold rush come full circle and now we are on to delta-10-THC. Cannabis businesses will need to be innovative to remain relevant amidst the numerous changes. Value addition, as Resonate Blends believes, will be the ultimate differentiator between mediocre and superior brands.
Geoff Selzer the CEO of Resonate Blends Inc
References
[1] Hindocha C, Norberg MM, Tomko RL. Solving the problem of cannabis quantification. Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(4):e8. [journal impact factor = 27.083; times cited = 15]
[2] Bonn-Miller MO, Loflin MJE, Thomas BF, Marcu JP, Hyke T, Vandrey R. Labeling accuracy of cannabidiol extracts sold online. JAMA. 2017;318(17):1708-1709. [journal impact factor = 56.27; times cited = 255]
