For Bold Team LLC, the state’s first medical marijuana producer and cannabis edibles manufacturer, business so far has been grape.
That is, until last week all of its gummy products were dark blue and flavored to match. “The original flavor was grape,” said Robert Lercher, customer relations director for Bold Team, the $6 million cultivation center in Cotton Plant, which is increasing output from 3,500 gummies a week to 25,000 to 30,000. “Mango and lemon flavors were introduced last week. They’re all the same color at the moment.”
Before Bold team ramped up production, its 10-gummy cans ($50) had been selling out within hours at two dispensaries in Hot Springs, the state’s only legal cannabis outlets for about six weeks. The drab color is dictated by state regulations, which discourage bright colors deemed likely to attract children’s eyes.
“Contingent on ABC approval the mango and lemon will be orange and yellow,” Lercher said, referring to the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control division, which heads medical marijuana enforcement.
“We’ve tried to make them look as unappealing as possible,” Lercher told Whispers. “We even looked into custom molds to make them look like broccoli.”
Bold Team, owned by a team of friends from Beebe and Little Rock businessman Danny Brown, has invested significantly in new equipment for edibles production. “I knew edibles would be popular, but I had no idea the demand would be this strong,” Lercher said.
