MJBiz - July 2023 - 8

FROM THE EDITOR Kate Lavin
Many Paths to Success
Cannabis executives embrace ultra-strict SOPs and kitchen creativity
" T
here's room for
everyone " is something
we hear a lot in the
cannabis industry. Usually, it refers
to small and large players coexisting
in this heavily regulated space. But
the phrase also has applications in
the ways plant-touching companies
tackle business plans and product
offerings.
The individuals and companies
featured in " Manufacturing Milestones, "
this month's cover package,
take widely differing approaches to
achieving manufacturing excellence.
On one end of the spectrum, we
hear from Tim Shaw, chief operating
officer of multistate cannabis operator
MariMed, which used a regulatory
process favored by the U.S Food and
Drug Administration to get its highdose
medical marijuana products
back on shelves after the state of
Maryland instituted a THC cap.
Shaw was rightfully concerned
about the state's medical marijuana
patients, who had come to rely
on high-THC products to manage
their symptoms. Luckily, Maryland
regulators included a workaround
for the new regulations that
allowed state-licensed cannabis
companies to continue producing
high-dose products, provided they
obtain current Good Manufacturing
Practice (GMP) certification.
Achieving GMP certification
from a third-party agency can be
an arduous, expensive process.
But as Shaw says in " Weighing the
Costs of GMP, " a column he wrote
for this issue, " What states such
as Maryland have right is giving
cannabis brands a path forward to
meet consumer demand while also
8 July 2023 | MJBizMagazine
demonstrating a commitment to
safety and quality. "
Rather than shutting the door on
MMJ patients and the companies
dedicated to providing them with
clean, regulated cannabis, Maryland
created an avenue (albeit a winding
and expensive one) for companies
and individuals to have their needs
met when products were capped
at 10 milligrams of THC per serving
and 100 milligrams per package.
Artisan Edibles
On the other end of the spectrum is
Nathan Cozzolino, owner-operator
of Rose Los Angeles, a producer of
gourmet infused edibles.
Cozzolino uses produce grown
on his own farm to put a decidedly
California spin on Turkish delights,
the sweet treat he dreamed of as a
child.
As exacting as MariMed's
GMP processes are, Cozzolino is
equally willing to experiment and
recalibrate recipes, given that he
is working with agricultural inputs
that can vary with each batch.
Speaking of Rose Delights, the
gourmet edibles his company
produces at a kitchen in San
Consumers can choose
whether they prefer
an experience that is
reliably consistent every
time or a fl avor that
varies with the season.
Francisco, Cozzolino says, " They're
not stagnant; they're always
changing depending on the fruit.
Fruit preservers, jam-makers, they
start with the produce; then, they
build around that. "
These two cannabis executives
offer great insights into how
plant-touching companies of all
sizes can use the skills and tools at
their disposal to stand out from the
competition.
Not every business is going
to have the means to acquire
GMP certification, and some
entrepreneurs would break out in
hives at the idea of recalibrating
their edibles recipes over and over.
But that is what makes cannabis
and other manufacturing companies
unique. There isn't a one-sizefits-all
approach, and consumers
can choose whether they prefer
an experience that is reliably
consistent every time or a flavor
that varies with the season.
Regardless of where your
company falls on the spectrum, the
stories beginning on page 30 might
inspire you to consider your own
business operations and all the ways
you can level up in 2023 and beyond.
When it comes to cannabis
product manufacturing, there really
is room for everyone.
Kate Lavin is the editor
of MJBizMagazine. Reach
her at kate.lavin@
mjbizdaily.com.
MJBiz - July 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MJBiz - July 2023
