Grön has grown into a massive player in the edibles space. CEO and Founder Christine Apple recently spoke with Editor-in-Chief Charles Warner to learn about Grön’s origins and how it evolved into the massive edible brand it is today.
Cannabis & Tech Today: How does it feel to be a woman-owned company leading innovation and growth in a traditionally male-dominated industry?
Christine Apple: You know, it’s interesting. People ask me that, and, in my prior life, I was an architect. So, I was in the development world, which is in construction, which is massively male-dominated. So, coming into cannabis, even in the early days, felt very refreshing to me.
There’s something about this industry and that it’s still really blossoming and figuring out who it wants to be that has provided opportunity. And I think we’ve seen some really amazing women blossom and be able to thrive. I think women are uniquely positioned as leaders to pivot quickly, to multitask, to lead with empathy and to be exceptional leaders.
You look at Kim Rivers, you look at even within our category here, Nancy with Wana, and Christy over at Kiva. There are a lot of really, really great women that I’m proud to be in the same circle with.
C&T Today: Do you have any data on the demographics of people who prefer edibles, like gummies, compared to those who gravitate towards pre-rolls or dabbing?
CA: We definitely do, and we follow that very closely. The data shows that the edible category is growing year over year. I believe this growth is driven by new consumers coming on board. They’re starting to trust what’s happening and are choosing edibles as their first product. It’s discreet, easy for parents to dose themselves, and convenient.
I was actually growing weed as a medical patient. I was growing cannabis in my basement as a medical patient back in 2014. I did not like smoking it. Personally, I did not like smoking it. I was 39 years old before I’d actually physically seen a cannabis plant or touched it or tried it. So, that’s dating me, but you know, I’m late to life. I was born in Texas. I am not a lifelong cannabis connoisseur.
I believe in being exceptionally good at one thing, rather than trying to try to do everything at once and being moderately okay at everything. Some of that is just my belief. Some of that is I didn’t have the funds to do more. If I had had a lot of money in 2014, I probably would have spent it.
It’s discreet. It’s easy for parents to dose themselves… There’s no smoke. There’s no smell. You’re able to truly microdose should you want to.
We’ve just recently launched two new products to address both of them. One in Missouri, where they don’t actually have a limit. We’re bringing out a 10-pack of, or we just did, a 10-pack of Megas, a hundred milligram single. It’s like a gumball. And we have the Costco-size bag of 10 of them.
Then, the complete opposite of that is bringing out a new microdose product, which is 2.5mg THC and 25mg CBN, which is just a sleep product. And it is the perfect product for someone that doesn’t really know if they want an edible or just want to sleep.
C&T Today: Your packaging is just really on point. It seems like an ultra-premium product. I imagine there’s a lot of attention to detail on the ingredients.
CA: We’ve always, from the onset, been really committed to high-end ingredients, and that goes through to our entire line. The pearls are a little bit more of a premium product, and I say that from a price point with more cannabinoids and ratios. The mega is definitely a little bit more of a value-based product. However, there is no compromise in the ingredients. We’re using the same real fruit powders and the same ingredients—all our chocolate is fair trade certified. We’re really committed to making sure that we’re putting in what I would want to consume myself.
C&T Today: I think it’s important to also mention that your products taste really good.
CA: You know, it’s not just about masking the taste. It’s about finding flavors that complement the cannabis flavor, so you’re not just trying to hide it. We do that a lot in our gummy line using citrus. Citrus is a natural agent that blends really well. You see that a lot in cannabis, in terpenes in general, but adding citrus—so we have a lot of lemonade flavors and the citrus side of things.
What I’m most proud of, in so many ways, is our ability to connect with the community and the markets we’re in. It’s been refreshing to expand across the United States, becoming a national company while still being a localized company. We’re a little different in how we’ve expanded—most brands license their products and have someone else create and sell them. We don’t operate that way. We actually hire anywhere from 30 to 60 people in each market who work for us, making these products. When we say we go to Ohio, we actually belong in Ohio. We have employees in Ohio making and delivering this product, so we’re locally invested in the Ohio community, as well as in all the other markets we’re in.
It’s about bringing out specific ratios and flavors like Cherry Lemonade or Cherry Limeade for the West, like Missouri, where they love Sonic. We’re helping consumers bridge the gap and hopefully view cannabis as an alternative to traditional medicines. We make great products that taste good, are fun, and we’re really excited to keep growing.
