The Cannavist USA Issue 1 | Page 99

WANT TO START A CBD BUSINESS BUT DIY ISN’T FOR YOU? What do you do if you want to launch your own CBD product overnight? You go to the White Label World Expo. Words by Thomas Slack I didn’t quite know what to expect from this exhibition. It was held at the ExCeL in London just before Christmas. I have been to many dedicated, niche, CBD and vape expos before, but never one surrounding the white label industry, which as it happens is a wonderful environment. It turns out that the world of white labelling is as diverse as it can get. It’s a community of other industries, and the phrase ‘it takes a village’ really rings true. Off I went to this trade show to see how prevalent CBD would be among all of these other exhibitor stalls. I was met by a plethora of businesses and products from phone cases and caps, to baby wipes and artisan gin. But the clear winner was CBD by a country mile. It was the talk of the expo, with the majority of visitors in attendance eager to learn more about this rising tide. This was a real eye opener for me and many others into the world of white labelling. Anyone who’s interest is piqued by the thought of starting a brand with a ready-to-go product or someone who is ready to take their business to that next level in new product development should really consider attending next year’s event. What is white labelling? Let’s say I have a product, and you want to buy it so that you can put your own spin on the branding, packaging and marketing, with the ultimate goal of selling it as your own product for a profi t. I could sell it to you for you to do just that, and this would be white labelling. This is a little heard of but age-old process which stems from other industries like breakfast cereal and the own-brand supermarket culture. As an ambitious entrepreneur, you might think you have a million-dollar idea on your hands. But the DIY approach sounds like a lot of work. (It’s not for everyone). What if you could fi nd someone who has already done the research and development, who has perfected their blend of ingredients, and has made life so easy, that you only have to put your stamp on it? That’s the premise. 99