26 DECEMBER 14-20, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | REAL ESTATE | RENTALS | HEALTH WELLNESS | SERVICES | EMPLOYMENT | ADULT | MUSIC | CLASSIFIED | FIND MORE MARIJUANA COVERAGE AT WESTWORD.COM/MARIJUANA Wyld Style BY THOMAS MITC HELL Few cannabis brands have taken hold of the edibles market like Wyld. It’s hard to fi nd a dispensary that doesn’t carry the Oregon- based company’s sugar-coated gummies, which are some of the most consistently tasty on the market. Staying atop the mountain is often harder than reaching the summit, however, and Wyld has been launching new products to help maintain relevancy. Wyld’s new boysenberry gummies, re- leased in late November, combine THC with CBN and CBD for an even stronger night- time dose than the candymaker’s popular elderberry gummies. To learn more about the product and how Wyld approaches the ever-changing landscape of Colorado can- nabis, we caught up with Ben Gaines, vice president of marketing. Westword: How comfortable or uncomfort- able is it being at the top of the cannabis gummy world? Seems like a competitive market. Ben Gaines: Honestly, to be successful on any level in the cannabis industry, there is going to be a good amount of discomfort. While we certainly take pride in the positive response and support consumers have given our brands, we are most driven by the culture and values we’ve built as a company. We em- brace challenge and change, and take growth personally, beyond charts and graphs. So I think it’s safe to say, we’re comfortable being uncomfortable, and our market presence is due in large part to that mindset. What is it about gummies that makes them so popular in dispensaries? Gummies have a lot going for them. They’re easy to portion for dosing, are ef- fective at delivering cannabinoids into the bloodstream via digestion, and are super approachable for consumers as a format. I’m not saying all gummies are great, but it’s clear for many consumers that great gummies are the product of choice. How important are new products and delivery tactics to stay popular, like your new 1:1:1 gummy? The importance of innovation for Wyld is about more than maintaining relevance and appeal. We really look at new products as a way to expand the relationship we have with consumers. We do this by providing something of value. We don’t play games; we just make it taste and feel amazing, building on the trust consumers put in us rather than grabbing attention with pure novelty. We do love new things, though! One of our favorite things is boosting access to new cannabis experiences through our distribution. Our Blood Orange gummies are a good example, where we were able to dramatically increase access and adoption of CBC as an edible experience nationally. Wyld’s elderberry CBN gummies are very popular for sleepytime effects. What’s the goal when adding CBD to the mix? What should consumers expect? Our 1:1:1 Boysenberry gummy delivers THC euphoria, CBD body relief and CBN sleep support, checking a lot of boxes con- sumers care about. Increasing the ratio of CBN to THC for this gummy also provides more of that nighttime rest support consum- ers crave without an overwhelming amount of THC. If you like Elderberry but need a little extra, our Boysenberry gummies are your next-level product. What was the thought process behind the boysenberry fl avor for the new gummy? I think it’s obvious we love berries! Really, though, this fl avor has been high on our list for a while. We are developing new fl avors all the time, and this one was just waiting for the right shot. We love how the deep berry fl avor and color match the deep-sleep mood this gummy provides. We see some 100-milligram packs of THC gummies selling for as low as $6 in Colorado. Is that sustainable? How much have low can- nabis prices impacted edibles and gummies in evolved states like Colorado or Oregon? We don’t pretend to know what’s best for other brands, but at the end of the day, we’re proud to provide a product that’s worth the price. We try to use our scale and expertise to drive effi ciency and value while keeping our products on the leading edge of quality and impact. At the same time, we’re making continuous investments in environmental sustainability, social equity and living wages for our staff. Through this approach, we enjoy high loyalty and strong sales in the face of downward price trends. We’ve seen rosin and more cannabinoid combos provide variation for shoppers. What do you think is next for gummies and Wyld? Is there anywhere left to go? Rosin is awesome! In 2022, Wyld launched our newest brand, Good Tide. These single- strain solventless hash rosin gummies in tropi- cal fl avors are in-house favorites and are doing well at retail. I think that really shows the ex- citement for new and unique ways to consume cannabis. New formats, formulations, and fun ways to enjoy cannabis — you can keep your eye on Wyld brands for all of that. Do you ever see a day where THC gum- mies are sold at gas stations or grocery stores, Delta-8 and hemp products notwithstanding? Defi nitely. We view federal legalization and more open access for consumers as a very viable outcome. Consumers are broadly supporting cannabis products in any retail channel regulation will allow, so businesses and consumers are going to continue to build momentum around safety, effi cacy and ac- cess that we hope our government will better support. We don’t know when, but we know we’re well on our way down this path. Suggest future interview subjects at [email protected]. Wyld’s new boysenberry gummies are infused with CBD, CBN and THC. MARIJUANA T O K E O F T H E T O W N WYLD
