Dec, 2018 by Cannabiz Wholesaler
Founded in 2012 by CEO Brandon Beatty, Bluebird Botanicals’ vision has
always been driven by the deepest respect for the hemp plant and the
plethora of benefits it can provide global communities.
Bluebird quickly became known as “the company
that cares and does things right.” With an overarching
focus on quality, it has grown into one of the largest
hemp extract manufacturers and retailers in the
world. After passing its current Good Manufacturing
audit with a score of 99%, Bluebird is well positioned
to continue its exponential growth in this increasingly
competitive market.
Cannabiz Wholesaler spoke with Sales Director Katie
Thompson about the past, present and future of her
company, and the industry.
CANNABIZ: What do you see shaping the industry today?
THOMPSON: “Education, activism and consumer demand.
As our industry expands, the need for education will always be
a priority until they are teaching the endocannabinoid system
(ECS) in biology class. Efforts by the leaders in the industry
have resulted in many lobby days in DC, helping educate and
be a resource for those with questions. Our customers are on
our side. They step up and email their representatives, and attend
seminars and lobby days, to make sure their stories are
heard. This sense of community in the cannabis industry is
stronger than any other that I’ve experienced.”
CANNABIZ: Where is the industry going right now in
your view?
THOMPSON: “If you hate your job, add cannabis. There are
so many experts from so many different fields breaking into
the cannabis industry and bringing that expertise to the table.
I see the industry continuing to expand and refine. We will see
a lot of companies start and fail fast because they are not paying
attention to regulations. We will continue to see hemp and
cannabis weave their way to the mainstream; the formats will
be refined, as well. We are also seeing these experts having to
pivot on their ‘normal’ approach and tactics, shaping the way
business is done. This is a different game.”
CANNABIZ: What affect is Washington, DC, having
at present?
THOMPSON: “DC is helping through the 2018 Farm Bill,
supporting the industry’s efforts to promote full legalization
of hemp and hemp products. Groups like the U.S. Hemp
Roundtable are leading the conversation, and plan to develop
standards for industry regulation, which are necessary for our
industry’s success. I feel that DC is helping bring the conversation
to light, and misconceptions are being discussed.”
CANNABIZ: Predict the future for us; how will the industry
evolve over the next few years?
THOMPSON: “The health-and-wellness trend will continue
to shape the industry. Hemp is one of the healthiest foods,
and if you think kale and quinoa were big trends, get ready for
hemp. As we, as consumers, pay more attention to our endocannabinoid
system, we will be buying products -- cannabinoids/
terpenes -- based off our ECS needs. Sustainability and
ultra-transparency will also shape our industry. We are already
seeing the demand for transparency in Indiana and the QR
code system they are implementing.”
CANNABIZ: How does Bluebird intend to navigate these
various forces?
THOMPSON: “Continue to be the best in the industry. We always
knew the importance of traceability and testing products
like ours, so we always go above and beyond to extensively test
our products and share those third-party test results with our
customers. We are on the board of directors of the U.S. Hemp
Roundtable and many other key industry organizations defining
regulations for our industry. We will continue with this
strategy because it is so important to us that we provide the
best quality products to our customers.”
CANNABIZ: How are you competing?
THOMPSON: “Quality control. Both of our manufacturing
facilities are registered with the FDA and licensed with the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. We
manufacture our products following cGMP guidelines (FDA’s
Current Good Manufacturing Practices), and in April of 2018
passed a third-party cGMP audit with a 99% rating. Eurofins
Scientific, a world-renowned laboratory testing organization,
conducted the audit.
“Every single bottle that leaves our facility has a full set of
third-party certificates of analysis associated with it that is
available online for our clients and partners to see. Each set
of testing for ingestible and vape products includes a separate
analysis for the cannabinoid profile, potential microbial life,
mold, heavy metals, residual solvents, and pesticides/herbicides/
insecticides.”
CANNABIZ: How are you innovating?
THOMPSON: “Strategically. We must constantly monitor regulations
and take the extra step of precaution with our products.
We service many different channels, all with their own
sets of needs and regulations, and plan to further support those
channels as we expand. Bluebird uses a science- and trenddriven
approach to product development and marketing. We
will continue to be actively engaged in the industry, and look
for that next-level certification to keep setting us apart.”
BlueBirdBotanicals.com