How locally-owned Thrive Flower is setting itself apart in a crowded CBD market

Thrive Flower focuses on supporting local farmers and lab-testing to ensure quality products.

When the 2018 Farm Bill reclassified hemp as a legal crop to grow, it created opportunities for farmers and local entrepreneurs. But with the explosion of cannabidiol (CBD), not all products on the market measured up to be equal.

(Quick explainer: Cannabidiol is one of over 100 different cannabinoids on the cannabis plant. Although cannabis may refer to hemp or marijuana, CBD products must legally be extracted from hemp.)

Over a campfire in Acadia, Maine, brothers Jake Wolff and Judd Wolff discussed with their friends Curtis Matthias and Colby Mill about the number of lower-quality CBD products flooding the shelves. The friends formed Thrive Flower, a Philadelphia-based CBD company that prioritizes the quality of products and the local economy.

There are a few reasons why CBD products may be low quality, as co-founders Jake and Judd explained. Companies often don’t test their products, so they’re uncertain about the quantity of CBD. Cannabinoids can degrade over time, so if products sit on a manufacturer’s shelf, It can distort the quality. Additionally, the CBD may be sprayed onto the products, allowing the quality to degrade rapidly.

To combat any potential problems, Thrive Flower sends every batch of its products to a third-party cannabis lab testing facility to verify the amount of CBD in each product. Additionally, they infuse and homogenize their products to ensure that the CBD is distributed evenly within its line.

Thrive Flower’s local focus

Thrive Flower works with local Pennslyvania hemp farms to craft many of their products. Additionally, they offer partnerships with no-upfront fees to local retailers, alleviating the upfront costs of purchasing products for shelves.

Since CBD and cannabis products are new to many local consumers, educating customers is a huge part of Thrive Flower’s ethos. Judd mentioned the importance of curating products to a client’s needs, especially if they have a bad initial experience with hemp products. “(Customers) will see CBD in the gas station and they’ll be one day be like, okay, I’ve been hearing about this. I’ll finally get this. And gas station CBD is not the CBD you want,” explained Judd.

Thrive Flower has been focusing on local events to meet consumers directly and share their expertise. They recently hosted a booth at the Philadelphia Flower Show with a warm reception from the attendees. “A lot of people were excited to talk to us because we have a really deep knowledge of everything that we’re talking about,” said Judd.

How to find Thrive Flower

Thrive Flower is available in retail locations across the Philadelphia region and pop-up shops like the Philly Marketplace at Dilworth Park on Fridays and Saturdays. Customers can also shop their online store and use code GREENPHILLY20 for 20% off.

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