From gas stations to mall kiosks, signs saying “CBD sold here” seemed to be popping up everywhere in previous years claiming numerous health benefits; however, if you tried any of these mass-produced items, chances are you discovered they offered little to no benefits at all.
When it comes to mass-produced cannabidiol (CBD) products, it is important to ask yourself — where and how are these products made? What do they even contain? When it comes to Crown Cultivars in Kaukauna, you know exactly what you are getting.
Owners Ryan Britten and Eric Malouf say when it comes to CBD, quality is key.
“Crown Cultivars is an indoor, hydroponic growing facility,” says Britten. “What we really focus on is high quality, indoor CBD flower.”
The product is all USDA licensed and goes through testing every two weeks to ensure the compliancy per the 2018 Farm Bill.
“We’re coming in with top shelf flower. For us, it is more boutique-grown, high-end cannabis CBD that we’re trying to get people educated on to realize that it’s not just some outdoor, subpar product that everybody is used to seeing,” says Malouf. “There’s been a lot of stereotyping of CBD and negativity surrounding it because of the flat-out quality of it.”
The lack of quality in this industry was one of the reasons Britten and Malouf started this business years ago.
“We actually started in the dispensary space, and then we noticed there was a void within vendors and just the industry in general in regard to producing a smaller, bad quality product,” says Britten. “So, we formulated a business plan and determined that we would love to fill that void for our businesses.”
In addition to Crown Cultivars in Kaukauna, which was formed in 2022, the team owns Infused Organics, which opened in Menasha in 2019, and Hempire Collective, which opened in Kaukauna in 2021.
Since opening, Infused Organics and Hempire Collective have been awarded four times between the two stores, including Best of the Valley and Best of Winnebago.
CBD vs. THC
There are many misconceptions about this industry, and often people confuse CBD and THC. It is important to know the difference between the two.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, “CBD, or cannabidiol, is the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis (marijuana). While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, a cousin of marijuana, and does not cause a ‘high’ by itself.”
“THC really can promote the psychoactive effects with the euphoria where CBD is non-psychoactive,” explains Britten. “It can still promote the health benefits that marijuana can, but you are not going to deal with any of the psychoactive side effects.”
Every two weeks, a USDA sampling agent comes to Crown Cultivars to test the CBD flower that is produced.
“For Wisconsin, we have to test below .3% THC,” says Britten. “And these genetics, the ones that we grow, are all well below that limit.”
Harvard Health Publishing also states there has been research that shows CBD can assist with health issues including:
• Epilepsy
• Pain
• Inflammation
• Mood disorders
• Anxiety
• Sleep/relaxation
“CBD is a good alternative for people who are looking for more of the health benefits of cannabis without the psychoactive side,” says Britten. “It can promote a euphoria-like feeling or an uplifting sense of well-being, but it’s not going to be associated with a high that comes from marijuana.”
Seed to shelf
Since Crown Cultivars grows the CBD flower in-house, they are able to focus on the quality control of the products throughout the cultivation process.
“We want to really focus on more of the holistic side, so we’re not using any plant growth restrictors or anything like that,” says Britten. “It’s a very natural product from seed to shelf.”
Malouf is the head cultivator and takes pride in the growth process from start to finish, even when selecting the best quality seeds to craft the ideal CBD flower.
“When we buy our seeds, we sort through 50 to 100 seeds at a time and select the top performing ones out of those,” he explains. “Then those become the mother, and from the mother plants we take clones, and that’s what we run in our two-tier system.”
Malouf says cut to harvest is a 12-week process and cut to shelf is a 16-week process.
“With Crown Cultivars, our whole slogan is ‘conscious cannabis’,” says Britten. “Meaning we pay attention to the fine details of the end product, so we can produce the highest quality that we see on the market.”
The premium, indoor hemp flower Crown Cultivars produces is called “Purple Beauty” and can be purchased in-store or online.
Looking to the future
With the states surrounding Wisconsin already legalizing marijuana (Michigan in 2018, Illinois in 2019, and Minnesota in 2023), our state might follow suit in the next few years.
If legalization in Wisconsin does occur, the owners of Crown Cultivars say a conversion to selling marijuana, as well, is likely; however, their business principle of producing high-end, conscious cannabis products will not change.
“If legalization happens, we have to focus on bringing the most medicinal properties, which would still render a blend of CBD and THC within the cannabis,” says Britten. “So, we’d still be focusing very much on the quality, the craftsmanship, and the medicinal aspect of it.”
No matter which direction the industry turns, the team’s passion and attention to detail will continue to set them apart from the rest.
And while growth is always a goal for the team at Crown Cultivars, one thing will remain constant: their unwavering commitment to providing only the absolute best quality products for their customers.
