28 Nov 30th–Dec 6th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Fruity Fungi Arizona’s RR Brothers debuts functional fungi cannabis gummies. BY O’HARA SHIPE L ike it did for many around the world, 2020 changed Roberto Laposse’s life, just not in the way he was expecting. There was some bad. He became deathly ill and gained nearly 200 pounds in six months. He doesn’t talk about that much. But there was also some good. He overcame his illness; developed a closer relationship with his twin brother, Mario; and established a thriving edible company called RR Brothers. At the time, Laposse was living in Oklahoma, and Mario was his caretaker. Through a combination of pharmaceuti- cals and medicinal cannabis, Laposse slowly began to recover. It was then that a light bulb went off in his mind. “I got involved in cannabis because I saw the way the industry was — the value system, the general principle of helping people out. But I also knew that the orig- inal delivery method of smoking flower doesn’t work for everybody. Some people just don’t have the lungs,” Laposse told Phoenix New Times. Born into a multigenerational family of candy makers, Laposse’s transition from confectioner to edibles maker wasn’t entirely surprising. After all, his family had been in the candy business since the 1800s. And cannabis, like candy, is intended to make life a little better for the consumer. “I don’t get too emotional, but try to keep in mind that if it’s anything related to confectionery products, there has to be some type of emotional commitment,” Laposse explained. “But that’s the point of candy. It’s a reward and enjoyment.” Rather than jumping into the industry by infusing baked goods such as Rice Krispie Treats or brownies, Laposse opted to stick with his candy roots and began producing THC-infused gummies. Gummies with a little something extra At first, RR Brothers’ gummies were made from basic distillate recipes, which was perfect for consumers who wanted a heavy-hitting edible without the weedy flavor. While they were a success, Laposse strove for more complex combinations with very specific effects. “It’s always good to start with the basics,” Laposse said. “Then we started evolving, doing gummies with pairings like distillate with melatonin. As we began progressing, the next thing to do was ratios of CBD and CBN.” Interest in CBN — a cannabinoid believed to promote sleep — took hold of the cannabis industry in 2021, and Laposse was an early adopter. However, the compound is not easy to come by because it is produced by exposing marijuana plants to long periods of sunlight and air. So, incorporating CBN into his gummies was a risky move. “Obviously as a business, you have to have certain survivability margins for it to be operable. However, if we’re able to provide a product that makes a difference for somebody, it is worth taking some risks,” Laposse said. Laposse’s brand of edibles crafted with love — and a few extra helping compounds — caught on in Oklahoma, and within two years, RR Brothers expanded its produc- tion facilities to Phoenix with the assis- tance of some unnamed local connections. “That’s probably a great story over a few beers,” Laposse said with a chuckle. A holistic approach to gummies Once again on the cutting edge of the industry, Laposse is investing in func- tional fungi. “When thinking about our next steps, we thought, ‘What can we add? What can we combine to make a better, more sophis- ticated product?’” Laposse said. “That led us to start looking into mushrooms because there are a lot of concepts of well- ness being tied to things being natural.” Available in a variety of fruity flavors from strawberry-mango to blueberry- cherry, RR Brothers’ Functional Fungi gummies feature reishi, turkey tail and lion’s mane mushroom extracts. Each extract is USDA-certified organic and sustainably sourced, Laposse said. Reishi and lion’s mane mushrooms are purported to boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, fight depression and promote heart health, according to Healthline. Similarly, turkey tail mush- rooms can help with inflammation and be beneficial for those undergoing cancer treatments, although more research is still being done. RR Brothers’ functional fungi gummies are loaded with 500 milligrams of mush- room extract per gummy, but dosing is completely subjective, Laposse explained. “Everybody is different. Some people may feel the difference immediately, while others may take some time,” Laposse said. “It’s a bit like drinking water. You won’t feel the full effects of upping your water intake right away — it is a cumulative effect over time. Using functional mushrooms is the same way.” The jury is still out on whether or not RR Brothers’ fungi-infused gummies will have a tangible effect on consumers, but the fast-acting THC compounds and fresh, fruity flavors make them worth sampling. So does Laposse’s proprietary recipe that prevents the gummies from melting in the Arizona heat. “Of course, I can’t tell you how, but the secret is in how we prepare them,” Laposse said with a coy smile. Luckily, consumers will have a while to try to solve Laposse’s formula, because one of RR Brothers’ founding principles is to keep its products consistent and on the shelves for consumers. “The most important part of when we commit to doing a new product is making sure that we’re able to maintain demand,” Laposse said. “We’re all creatures of habit from time to time, or in some things in our lives, so we’ve got to be able to provide something for our consumers that’s sustainable and readily available. And that is what we are doing with our functional fungi gummies.” RR Brothers’ gummies can be purchased at several Valley dispensaries, including Mint Cannabis, Cookies and Nirvana Center. Clockwise: Available in a variety of fruity flavors from strawberry-mango to blueberry- cherry, RR Brothers’ Functional Fungi gummies feature reishi, turkey tail and lion’s mane mushroom extracts. RR Brothers is using turkey tail mushroom extract to amplify the potential health benefits of its gummies. Justin Casino of RR Brothers pours sugar on freshly set gummies. (Photos by O’Hara Shipe and Ron Exeter, BLM) | CANNABIS |
