Plus Products (PLUS.C) brought in a seasoned science communicator in Doctor Ari Mackler, to best craft the brand experience and provide a needed scientific perspective to the branding experience.
Cannabis edibles are different than standard smoke ingestion. There’s the obvious way: you eat them, but also in how they interact with the body. The first time someone gets high using edibles is always a new type of trip—one that incorporates the whole body, and not the visual acuity field and thought processes.
There’s a fair amount of science to it, and bringing in someone with Mackler’s credentials to assuage the fears and provide needed customer education is key.
Doctor Ari Mackler brings two decades of medical affairs, science, communications and research experience in pharmaceutical, health care and consumer goods industries to the table.
His resume includes a stint as vice-president of clinical development for The Wonderful Company, where he ran health and wellness initiatives to help tell their stories, and establish the business and brands. He’s also held positions with multinational pharma-company Merck & Co (MRK.NYSE), and others.
“Dr. Mackler has a long history of helping consumer product companies share a clear and scientifically backed narrative around product benefits. Cannabis is a performance category, and the most successful brands will be those that understand and are able to clearly communicate why their products work. There are few researchers of Dr. Mackler’s calibre in the cannabis industry today, and we believe he will play an invaluable role not only for Plus, but as a though leader within the industry,” said Jake Heimark, co-founder and chief executive officer.
Mackler’s position with Plus will build a bridge between the company, the product, and academic institutions and private partners—giving the company the opportunity to research relationships and clinical trials—so the company can better inform the consumer regarding the effects and benefits of cannabis. He joins an existing team of experts at Plus, including Michelin-star sous chefs, chemists and food manufacturing experts.
Nevada
In other news, Plus Products launched their gummy cannabis offerings into the Nevada market earlier this month.
Because of both its geographic and regulatory sensibilities, Nevada is the next logical choice for any California based company looking to expand. They’re taking with them a portfolio that includes the number one and two cannabis gummies brand in California with %21 market share across all categories.
Plus’ products are manufactured through their partnership with TapRoot Holdings, a vertically integrated Las Vegas-based weedco in the cultivation and manufacturing business. Commercialization comes four months after the two companies signed their agreement.
“Operating in Nevada only four months after signing a definitive agreement with TapRoot is a testament to our commitment to execution in building a national footprint. We have created and commercialized the bestselling gummies brand in California. Now with this expansion, we aim to replicate this successful strategy in Nevada and ensure high-quality cannabis products reach more consumers in the U.S,” Jake Heimark said
The market has proven itself to be too small for Plus Products aspirations. California may be the biggest cannabis market in the United States, but it’s heavily saturated with cannabis companies. Now Plus Products, like we wrote earlier, has the top two cannabis gummies in California, which means that they’re not only competitive, but dominant. And when you’re already the best, it makes sense to branch out into new territory and new challenges.
Here’s what Nevada offers:
Nevada surpassed retail sales expectations in its first year of adult-use sales, and sales are expected to surpass $1.2-billion by 2022. The state receives 45 million visitors a year from all over the world, and is recognized as a key market to building a global brand. And it’s not like people don’t like their edibles in Las Vegas; the market’s grown from %14.5 of recreational sales in Q3 2017 to %18 today.
—Joseph Morton
Full Disclosure: Plus Products is an equity.guru marketing client.
