Manufacturing cannabis ice cream. The concept of eating your THC is old, but commercially manufacturing foodstuffs and selling it legally is a new notion — at least it is here in the U.S.
Cosmic “High” Quality Tasting Ice Cream
It’s “High” Time for Ice Cream
Eat Your Edibles
These are just a few of the tag lines you will read on weed ice cream and sorbet sites.
In the up-and-coming industry of commercialized and legally produced and sold THC, desserts are the next exciting thing. In the states where marijuana is legal under the tag of “medical” marijuana, dispensaries are popping up everywhere. Even though law interpretation remains grey in each legalized state, businesses are getting in on the action even while the federal government can still come in and close the business down. The ‘buzz” may be in the product, but be clear, it can be a very profitable business if run properly. Let’s break down the businesses segments:
- Grower – plant and harvest the cannabis plant.
- Processor – extract and convert THC or more precisely (?)-trans-?9-tetrahydrocannabinol from a bud to a liquid oil.
- Producer – infuse THC into a consumable product (think brownie, ice cream, sorbet).
- Dispensary – sells the product to customers now termed “patients.” Dispensaries are the next generation “head shop”.
Seems easy, right? Not so fast. If the company was Ben & Jerry’s, it would already be producing. You may have noticed cannabis companies on Facebook with the operators smiling and excited to be in the business, but from what I have seen in many cases, is their business may not be sustainable.
Indeed this is a wide open new category in ice cream and likely profitable, but to be successful and in for the long haul, the proprietor needs to have a crystal clear understanding of the task at hand. The cannabis ice cream category requires product knowledge in both processing and producing. Businesses need to stay current and understand the law of the state, secure proper investment and build a health compliant and licensed ice cream plant.
There are the people making consumable cannabis in their home kitchen, but be assured these businesses are short lived. Why? Because they are using home equipment, probably sub par on following good sanitary practices and the local health department keeping a watchful eye and possibly close, before getting someone sick on the product (think unpasteurized product). As more brands hit the dispensaries, more tightened regulations will follow.
Is that a bad thing? Well, from a manufacturing perspective, I say no. Getting the patient/customer high may be legal, but getting them sick is not and so the “pop up” manufacturers are on state health official’s radar.
The ice cream producers who succeed in this costly, evolving and exciting business endeavor will be the ones who plan for long-term growth to keep up with demand, create a clean, compliant and efficient facility, which their state’s health department can license. As more commercial manufacturing facilities become licensed, it is likely that the small home producers will be closed. Like any other dairy in the state, following procedures to make a safe and clean product will be the biggest issue and challenge the state may encounter.
So if you’re considering manufacturing cannabis ice cream or a frozen vegan product, remember to look at it like any other ice cream manufacturing business.
Some of the items you will need to understand:
- States where legal to sell
- The basics of making ice cream
- Butterfat and over run
- How different flavors respond in ice cream
- Types of flavors and component ingredients
- Commercial equipment and facility size
- Package size, weight per serving, tamper evident material
- A clean, consistent and reliable source of THC
- COG’s (cost of goods – see you didn’t know that)
- Usage level of THC per serving
- An effective, sanitary and efficient facility to freeze and flavor
- Delivery and temperature requirements
- Storage temperature
- Nutritional panel and ingredient statement (may not all be required, but responsible to have)
- State labeling requirements
- Timeline and cost to build
Not familiar with the task of food manufacturing and FDA rules? Contact Darryl. He can assist and train in commercially manufactured infused THC ice cream and baked goods, build a facility or the compliant way to proper deliver temperature sensitive consumable products.
Contact Darryl, Doing it right the first time will keep you from watching your investment go up in smoke and in the case of ice cream and sorbet, down the drain.
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