Marijuana Business Magazine May-June 2019

Marijuana Business Magazine | May-June 2019 72 it’s consistent or closely resembles packaging in other markets. • Require manufacturing partners to purchase key ingredients directly from you. The ingredients in ingest- ible products—chocolate or espresso beans, for example—are an import- ant component of product quality and consistency. Your contract should put you in control of that. 4. CONDUCT THOROUGH TRAINING AND VISIT PARTNER FACILITIES It’s critical that the product you manufacture in your home state has a consistent flavor and dosage with products made and sold in other markets. This requires you to do in-depth train- ing with your manufacturing partners. Here’s how you can do that, Knoblich Palmer said: • Invite your partners to your manufacturing facility to observe your operations. It’s a good way to show them how you’ve organized your space in a way that maximizes efficiency and how you document your processes. There, your partners can meet with your quality- assurance team and directors of operations, business development and commercialization to better understand your expectations. • Review with your partner in detail your standard operating procedures and make any necessary adjustments. For example, a new market might allow higher or require lower doses of THC in products, and you may need to tailor product formulations to fit. • Visit your manufacturing part- ners to conduct more in-depth training with their equipment in their facilities. There are unique environmental qualities—think temperature or altitude—that may require you to adjust standard op- erating procedures. Equipment also might vary in size or brand, which could require a change in process. • Make regular visits to the facilities where your products are manufactured. Sample them in the facility to check for quality. And, in markets where you’re allowed to make cannabis purchases, buy your products in stores to make sure the off-the-shelf quality matches your expectations. Products Visit facilities where your products are made to train workers using their own equipment. Photo Courtesy of Kiva Confections