While everyone is (rightly) focused on the quality of legal cannabis products in Canada, there are wide range of other issues in the industry where quality plays a critical role; quality control, quality assurance, quality investments, quality information, and service quality, for e.g. Quality comes into play with soil and pest management and just about every other part of the cannabis industry. But for me, the most important ‘quality’ in the industry is professional talent.
Companies are devoid of meaning without the people who work for them. People hold the visions that carry the brands. As we've seen already in the Canadian cannabis industry, when a licensed producer loses a master grower, for e.g., the direction of the company often changes. That's because people create the culture which is more or less positive or negative to different degrees, and which impacts the performance of colleagues, staff and the company as a whole.
O'Cannabiz and UCann2019 were great opportunities to catch up with a range of great personalities in the Canadian cannabis space and ask them, “What does quality mean to you?” and “How do you know quality when you see it?”
The first person I connected with at O’Cannabiz was Terry Donnelly, CEO of Hill Street Beverage Company. After chatting about with Terry about their application for a Standard Processor Licence and his work with the Cannabis Beverage Producers Alliance, I asked him to speak on the topic of quality. Without hesitation, Terry tells me, “Quality means consumer acceptance.” He explains that a good measure of quality is the degree to which your product is enjoyed by consumers. He’s seen this in the beverage industry already. Terry’s experience and insight are extremely valuable as Hill Street moves forward through the licensing process.
Jonathan Hirsh is a well-known cannabis educator from the Education Station and goes by the name Weedstagram416 on Instagram. He’s an industry insider, rubbing shoulders with all sorts of folks at these events; often first in line at openings and highly regarded as a trusted voice. Jonathan has worked with some big names in the cannabis industry.
When I asked Jonathan his opinion about quality, he proposed that, “Once the cannabis leaves the doors they stop caring about the product due to a no-return policy.” Although eyebrows raise at the mere mention of subreddits as a quality source for investment information in the cannabis industry, it is, arguably, one of the most reliable sources for quality reviews of cannabis products, which seem to confirm Jonathan’s assertion. Consumers across Canada are complaining about the dryness of their legal cannabis. Jonathan indicates that Whistler Medical Marijuana Corp. (WMMC) is one of the few companies that provides a solution to this problem to their customers. WMMC uses Boveda to actively monitor ambient conditions and add or remove moisture, as needed, to maintain the perfect moisture content of cannabis. In other words, no matter who’s cultivating the cannabis, every company can and should be using moisture retention solutions to address consumer demand.
UCann2019 was a unique event held at the Toronto Reference Library. The format and layout provided an exceptional use of space and time to connect with industry professionals. Between panels, I connected with Jeanette VanderMarel, CEO of 48North, a vertically-integrated Licence Holder. Jeanette, like Terry, didn’t hesitate for a heartbeat with her answer to my question. She told me that her company prides itself on quality. She proudly states that, “We’re not going to sell anything that we don’t want to use ourselves.” This is a credo held by some in the cannabis industry, like Jeanette, that want to stand out from crowd by offering extremely high-quality products to consumers.
On top of this, Jeanette tells me about how 48North is progressive when it comes to hiring practices; working with the Six Nations of the Grand River, with whom they’re neighbours. Few companies are going out of their way to focus on inclusion, diversity and equity quite like 48North. They’re leading by example, clearing a path and providing a model for other companies who are truly invested in corporate social responsibility.
Lisa Campbell, CEO of Lifford Cannabis Solutions, echoed this sentiment when she told me that to her, “Quality means integrity.” She also speaks from experience, having worked with several large producers and cannabis retail stores across Canada as well as traveling coast to coast trying every legal product on the market. She’s looking for, “Authentic companies in the space that aren’t just marketing but actually have substance.”
After I spoke with Lisa, I spoke with Patrick Moher, founder of Ethical Image, a cannabis content creation agency that puts a priority on philanthropy. He’s also one of the main organizers of UCann2019. When I asked Patrick his thoughts on quality in cannabis industry, he mentioned the importance of customer service and relationship-building. He said, “You have to have quality people in your corner.” I walked with Patrick through the library as he went to collect gear for the event. We’re walking and talking, going up and down stairs and he doesn’t skip a beat. He told me what every cannabis consumer in Canada is thinking; “You can’t buy authenticity.” Canadian cannabis consumers clearly know the difference.
From his work as a creative agency, Patrick shares with me that, “Everyone thinks a brand is a logo and a flashy colour scheme in social media, but what is a brand? A brand is a relationship with consumers; so, you can’t bullshit that, you can’t fake it and you can’t buy it.”
Next, I caught up with Mark Spear, Founder and CEO of Burnstown Farms Cannabis Company. Mark is steadfast in achieving his dream of providing sustainable, high-quality, terpene-rich cannabis extracts to the Canadian and global markets. Mark embodies exactly the kind of authenticity that Patrick was talking about. He has a story and a passion for working with cannabis. He isn’t just a brand. Burnstown is building momentum in the Ottawa Valley and I’m excited to see Mark grow.
At the end of the event, Erin Gratton from High Values and I chatted for a few minutes. They provide workplace education and human resources support. Her work addresses issues like affirmative hiring practices, sexual harassment in the workplace and helping cannabis companies maximize support for the people that support their operations.
Quality plays a big role in Erin’s work. She mentions that it shouldn’t just be an idea but a standard that companies should be striving towards. Like many of the other people I spoke with who mentioned authenticity, Erin spoke about, “Living those values.” She tells me that, “Quality of workplace gives you an opportunity to have a quality of life.” In other words, if companies want to build brands, they need people to do that work. If they’re going to produce quality work, they need to work in a quality work environment. Erin emphasized that we need to, “Create spaces that are quality for people to come and bring their best selves and give their best quality.”
The next few years will be challenging for licence holders navigating consumer’s eclectic tastes for products many have never tried before. Subreddit threads on the quality of cannabis products in Canada will continue to flourish. But where are the forums for people who want to talk about the quality of work environments and the quality of corporate social responsibility in the cannabis industry? As we consider the quality of the Canadian cannabis industry over the coming years, it’s important not to lose sight of the most valuable resource that created this industry in the first place-the people.
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