Marijuana Business Magazine May-June 2019

May-June 2019 | mjbizdaily.com 125 the potential to comprise 20% of the U.S. edibles market (or $600 million) by 2022. That’s up from 6% of the current edibles market. That projected growth also helps explain why major alcoholic beverage companies such as Constellation Brands—the owner of Corona and Modelo beers—as well as Molson Coors and Heineken are wagering money on the cannabis industry. Precision Dosage is Key In the case of Kalvara, precise dosing of THC is one of the company’s pri- mary objectives, Harris said. He noted that Kalvara’s Vessl cap offers users more predictable results than edibles or other cannabis-infused beverages. “With edibles, it can take some folks an hour or two hours to feel the effects. Or they over-dose because they don’t feel it (and) take another edible, and now they’re higher than they ever wanted to be,” Harris said. “So, for us, it was about being able to give a precise, reliable dose of THC to the consumer.” Further, the cap’s ability to deliver an exact amount of THC solves a problem common to infused bev- erages: inconsistent dosing due to ingredient separation. “One of the challenges with infused beverages is inconsistent dosing,” Harris said. “With some infusions, you see … a separation of the oil (from) the water solution. You’re having to shake it up … (and) it may not go back into an equal state. Some will be stuck to the sides of the container, or you’ll see some fall off toward the bottom of the container. Whereas we’re able to keep it inside of the Vessl (cap) under pressure. It keeps the product from separating.” Delivering a Quick Kick Additionally, the nitrogen-pressurized Vessl cap protects the THC and citrus-flavored liquid from oxidation, ultraviolet rays and heat. This ensures that preservatives and chemical emulsifiers are unnecessary, and it maintains the THC’s potency, both of which are crucial to the rapid onset the company also aims to achieve. “Most people feel it inside of 15 minutes,” Harris said, adding that the effect of a single serving is similar to that produced by one standard cocktail. Rapid onset is also facilitated with sonic, nano-emulsification, a process that uses sound waves to make the THC water-soluble, thus enabling it to disperse evenly in the beverage and quickly absorb into the bloodstream. Water-soluble THC is “not being digested like your typical edibles,” said Tom Vigil, Kalvara’s senior vice president of business development. “Our products will absorb, versus being digested. So, as soon as you consume, the effects start absorbing into your system.” While other cannabis-infused bev- erage companies might also be using sonic emulsification, Vigil added, Kalvara is “holding it (the liquid and THC) in time with our capping tech- nology. So, there’s no degradation.” Licensing the Technology and the Brand Vigil said Kalvara uses 90%-95% pure cannabis oil in its infusions. However, because it’s illegal to trans- port cannabis across state lines, the company doesn’t produce or package the oil itself. Instead, it provides instructions, scalable equipment and marketing support to licensed man- ufacturers, which then produce the company’s Cannabis Cocktail. “They license the technology and the brand from us,” Harris said. “They provide the oil, and they do the (production and) distribution within their area. We don’t touch THC.” The company does, however, ensure the THC and all other ingredi- ents and production processes meet both its own and state specifications. When Kalvara launched in October 2018, the Arizona company aimed to capitalize on the growing market for infused beverages with an innovative bottle cap that delivers a precise dose of THC into a bottled beverage. Here are key facts to know: • The company’s Vessl cap is a pat- ented technology that uses nitrogen to pressurize ingredients so they can be kept fresh without preserva- tives or chemical emulsifiers. • The cap allows consumers to increase the amount of THC injected into a beverage by fitting the company’s reusable bottle with additional caps. • Kalvara’s refillable bottle gives consumers the option to further customize their experience by using the Vessl cap to infuse any beverage. • The company licenses outside manufacturers and distributors to produce its Cannabis Cocktail, allowing Kalvara to comply with laws that prohibit interstate shipping of THC. • By licensing manufacturers, Kalvara also saves on transportation expenses. Instead of shipping truckloads of bottled product to retailers, Kalvara sends producers empty bottles and caps to package the infused beverage. Tom Vigil is Kalvara’s senior vice president of business development. Courtesy Photo Aaron Harris is Kalvara’s chief operating officer. Courtesy Photo