When you think of industry pioneers, CV Sciences’ PlusCBD Oil comes to mind. The brand is well known and respected as a flagship CBD brand in the natural products industry and as one of the first to become U.S. Hemp Authority Certified.
Understanding that the company was navigating unchartered territory, PlusCBD Oil worked hard to help lay the groundwork that led to the development of the hemp oil product category and the legalization of hemp with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. This stewardship in the hemp space has helped to create greater familiarity and awareness in the marketplace around the complex subject matter of hemp and CBD.
“Back in 2014, most people did not know much about CBD and now it is everywhere. We believe this was due to our stewardship of the space—we are the hemp experts,” says Josh Hendrix, director, hemp production, at CV Sciences.
The company’s leadership doesn’t stop with advocacy. Its dedication to transparency, quality, and education sets it apart from any “me too” brands, of which there are many.
“How we differentiate ourselves is truly being the brand to set the bar and continue to raise the bar. For instance, we are the only brand with published toxicological safety assessments, which makes us self-affirmed GRAS,” says Duffy MacKay, CV Sciences’ senior vice president regulatory and scientific affairs. “Further, our dedication to consumer well-being is underscored through our research efforts and randomized control trials as this is a new molecule that hasn’t truly been in our supply due to prohibition.”
Supply chains done right
The company now manages every step of its supply chain process from seed to shelf, ensuring that products are tested multiple times throughout the manufacturing process to protect their integrity.
This is done through both an in-house lab and third-party testing. Consumers and regulatory bodies can both clearly access all of this product information through QR codes printed on every PlusCBD label. The QR codes lead to a dedicated landing page that contains information on each batch of product, ingredient profiles, quality control methods and certificates of analysis.
Getting schooled in CBD
In addition, the company holds webinars, teleseminars, and has knowledgeable educators who travel the country holding seminars and training people in the retail aisles. Education is an area of business where CV thrives, according to MacKay. “Every person who represents our brand is required to be trained extensively, and we have an internal team dedicated to just that,” he says.
Education, according to Joseph Dowling, CEO at CV Sciences, is also critical for the industry. With many new companies entering the marketplace who are not familiar with making supplements, foods, or cosmetics, education is needed on the basic standards already in place for farming, processing, extracting, and manufacturing. The CV Sciences team understands that growing high quality botanicals and manufacturing safe and high quality herbal products require adherence to industry standards and best practices. This is why it’s imperative for companies to invest resources in hiring qualified staff, as well as learning and adhering to regulations.
Better together, believes CV Sciences
PlusCBD Oil continues to move forward as an industry steward. The CV Sciences team believes that industry players can work together to improve business practices by creating certification programs, such as the U.S. Hemp Authority, and being involved with leading trade associations such as Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), U.S. Hemp Roundtable, and American Herbal Products Association (AHPA).
And as a leader in the industry, Dowling takes it a step further suggesting that the industry work on providing grants to develop hemp monographs to protect the supply chain, as well as work with scientific experts to develop lab standards.
Hemp Hero: CV Sciences
How one pioneer has paved the way for a quality industry
The CV Sciences team believes that industry players can work together to improve business practices by creating certification programs and being involved with leading trade associations.
Every person who represents our brand is required to be trained
extensively and we have an internal team dedicated to just that.”
Connect with CV Sciences
CV Sciences is a proud partner of the Hemp Collective—a New Hope Network and Natural Products Insider initiative dedicated to supporting quality and transparency in the hemp industry.
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Duffy MacKay, senior vice president regulatory and scientific affairs, CV Sciences