Top things to know about today’s CBD market
The year 2020 has changed nearly every aspect of how we live, but one thing that has remained constant is the demand for creating a quality hemp industry. With stress and economic uncertainties weighing heavily on consumers, demand for products that they can rely upon to support their overall wellbeing continues to drive supplement sales, but not without challenges to the hemp market.
Our Hemp Collective Summit II will help you identify the greatest opportunities and navigate the variables in consumer behavior, retail sales and overall hemp industry attitudes and trends. While what’s selling matters, the challenges the industry faces and where it’s heading may be even more critical to understand.
PAID CONTENT
Claire Morton Reynolds
Senior Industry Analyst
New Hope Network / Nutrition Business Journal
NBJ's senior industry analyst, Claire informs the nutrition industry on trends across the dietary supplement, natural and organic food & beverage, personal care, and hemp CBD categories. She models and manages data and insights for Nutrition Business Journal, including market sizing, forecasting and trend analysis.
As part of New Hope, NBJ helps companies large and small identify, prioritize and take advantage of opportunities in the evolving food and nutrition economy.
Eric Pierce
President Business Insights
Informa Health & Nutrition
Eric J. Pierce is a strategic business leader, innovator, marketing, and market research professional, who specializes in helping businesses develop strategy and identify and prioritize opportunities. Eric brings business management and consumer behavior perspectives to the businesses he supports.
Eric's passions lie in the intersection of consumer behavior and business strategy within the Natural Products industry. These passions are focused on helping companies navigate the dynamic and changing marketplace, helping to re-imagine brands, drive innovation, and focus business investments with an eye towards meeting the needs of the evolving marketplace. At New Hope Network, Eric and his colleagues and sit at the forefront of the natural products industry, well positioned to identify the cultural forces and trends creating opportunity in this exciting and evolving marketplace. Together we help companies large and small identify, prioritize and take advantage of opportunities in the natural products industry.
11:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. EST | 8:00 a.m. – 8:10 a.m. PST
Welcome to the Hemp Collective Virtual Summit II
Todd Runestad
Senior Staff Writer
Informa Health & Nutrition
Francine Schoenwetter
Director Content Marketing
Informa Health & Nutrition
click for bio
Francine Schoenwetter
Content Marketing Director
Informa Health & Nutrition Network
For over three decades Fran has served the natural products industry truly from supply to shelf. For independent and national natural products retailers she has provided leadership in retail operations, education, category and brand directorship, and technical product development. Ms. Schoenwetter’s breadth of experience has provided her a rich and practical understanding of the forces driving both retail merchandising, nutrition science and regulations and new product innovation across categories.
Presently she serves as director content marketing across Informa's Health & Nutrition network, providing insights and strategic content direction to meet audience education needs throughout the supply chain.
11:10 a.m. - 11:35 a.m. EST | 8:10 a.m. - 8:35 a.m. PST
5 Things to Know Now About the Hemp CBD Market
The public remains hungry for what is shaping up as the hottest natural product in the history of natural products, yet roadblocks emerged in 2020. For those of you with whiplash (hint: we all have it), here’s a look fore and aft in these still-turbulent waters. No matter where you are on the value chain, from seed geneticist to farmer, extractor to ingredient buyer at a brand, there’s much to keep up on. This session will cover:
• The past, current and future state of the business.
• Consumer confidence—and uncertainty. Has consumer product understanding improved? How have their preferences, attitudes, and needs changed? Learn the details that will help you to create and market a product that resonates with customers.
• How have consumer priorities shifted sales in 2020? What conditions are they looking to address? How has spending changed?
• Key opportunities in the market today and in the future.
Claire Morton Reynolds
Senior Industry Analyst
Nutrition Business Journal
Eric Pierce
Vice President Data & Insights
New Hope Network
click for bio
11:40 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. EST | 8:40 a.m. - 9:05 a.m. PST
CBD Sourcing Challenges—Finding the Right Partner for Your Brand
This may be the biggest challenge that every hemp CBD company has to face—how to get the right stuff? Quality starts before the farm, with seed genetics, and after the farm, with extraction and testing. But also, how do you find that farm? Who can help you identify good material? How can you formulate for success using hemp-derived ingredients? This is an important session for every brand. Here, you will learn to:
• Identify the areas of the supply chain where problems are most prevalent.
• Leave with a list of questions to ask when qualifying a hemp CBD supply company.
• Gain an awareness of why Science & R&D has to be part of your supplier company’s efforts.
Vijay Bachus
Bachus Business Consultants / Cannabis Business Experts
Scott Schuett
Vice President of Operations
GBMM Brokers
click for bio
12:10 p.m. - 12:40 p.m. EST | 9:10 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. PST
Quality Control to Major Tom
If we’re going to build a responsible hemp industry, it’s incumbent on all players to lead with quality. You need to understand the unique analytical challenges in ensuring hemp quality and learn to align CBD products with dietary supplement GMPs. Hear from the leading quality certifying agencies, testing labs, as well as a top-shelf brand on how to make sure hemp and hemp extracts are done right. They’ll tell you:
• Quantitative composition and limits of naturally occurring cannabinoids including THC.
• How to qualify testing laboratories to ensure minimal exposure to contaminants such as pathogenic microorganisms, toxic elemental contaminants, mycotoxins, residual solvents and pesticide residues.
• The latest updates from leading organizations setting standards and testing for quality to help you abide by changing government rules and regulations.
Elan Sudberg
CEO of Alkemist Labs; Board of Trustees
American Herbal Products Association
click for bio
Dr. Marielle Weintraub
President
U.S. Hemp Authority
Retailers already have their CBD sets set. Everybody says they are high quality, source solid material, process expertly, disclose assurances on potency and purity. What then? How can brands make their closing argument to gain valuable shelf space after telling the quality story? What’s that mission story that sets apart the best from the rest? We’ve assembled brands and retailer voices to reveal the coins of the realm around:
• A company’s purpose is why it got into it. A mission is why you should continue to be in it. How to tell the difference.
• How you conduct your business and treat every stakeholder along the supply chain.
• What questions brands should be prepared to answer from retailers—and retailers should ask—when doing their due diligence.
Erin Meagher
Founder & CEO
Beneficial Blends
Francine Schoenwetter
Director Content Marketing
Informa Health & Nutrition
click for bio
Absent FDA regulations around allowing CBD into foods and beverages, some states have approved laws allowing it, as companies look to innovate with the cannabis plant. Alcohol companies are determined to develop non-alcoholic beverages infused with both CBD and THC. Although these products are becoming more popular, not all THC and CBD infused food and beverage products are created equal. There are extraction methods that are safer, more potent, and longer-lasting than others. Applying these safe practices will be sure to create a product that continues to be effective, successful and popular for a long time. Eat and learn:
• Compliant and GMP packaging capabilities: What companies need to know when dealing with cannabinoids as ingredients.
• What is the best extraction method for creating extracts that work with food and beverages?
• Understanding the form factors and how it affects the end product; what works for edibles and vapes may not work for beverages.
Judie Bizzozero
Senior Editor
Informa Health & Nutrition
Matthew Anderson
Co-Founder/CEO
Vanguard Scientific
click for bio
2:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. EST | 11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. PST
Regulatory Bottlenecks: What Happens After the Empire Strikes Back- FDA, USDA, DEA
DEA. FDA. USDA. The three primary federal regulatory agencies seem to be continuing with their age-old positions as drug warriors and are reading neither the room nor the farm bill legislation Congress has passed. What is the state of affairs right now, and what is the industry specifically fighting for so that CBD can truly blossom, and hemp can assume its place as an American commodity crop? We’ve assembled experts to discuss:
• Whether the FDA will truly allow CBD in supplements (and foods and beverages) or try to keep it solely in the purview of pharmaceuticals.
• Will the USDA continue to try to make farmers into felons, or can the industry prevail upon them to change the THC threshold to 1%?
• Despite the Farm Bill explicitly writing the DEA out of hemp, the zombie drug warriors keep coming to life and insinuating themselves into the picture. Can we really expect them to stick to actual harmful drugs?
Rend Al-Mondiry
Partner
Ashish-Talati Wasserman LLC
Patrick Goggin
Senior Attorney
Hoban Law Group
Maureen West
General Counsel / Compliance Officer, Functional Remedies LLC & ex-Colorado Dept of Agriculture
Todd Runestad
Senior Staff Writer
Informa Health & Nutrition
click for bio
2:50 p.m. - 3:20 p.m. EST | 11:50 a.m. -
12:20 p.m. PST
Practical Science- Designing Studies to
Support Claims
Savvy companies know how to match R&D with marketing early on. That’s the way to quell conflicts and start to crackle with synergies. Smart companies work with contract research organizations to design studies that focus on structure/function claims that can be used to target specific consumer groups so companies can dominate sectors. Do it correctly or face the wrath of regulatory bodies, consumer groups or class-action lawyers. Learn how it’s done here.
• How to understand health-related claims
• How to fit claims to evidence
• Rules around social media advertising
Holly Johnson Ph.D.
Chief Science Officer
American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)
Holly E. Johnson, Ph.D. is the chief science officer for the American Herbal Products Association, an alliance of over 350 member companies in the natural products industry. She previously served as laboratory director for Alkemist Labs, an ISO 17025 accredited natural product testing lab specializing in botanicals. Dr. Johnson earned a B.S. in Botany and a Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy with specialization in Medical Ethnobotany. Holly was awarded an NIH Fellowship doctoral training at the University of Illinois-Chicago NIH Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements and did extensive lab and fieldwork, also completing a postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the Institute for Ethnomedicine in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Holly is a member of the United States Pharmacoepia’s Cannabis Expert Panel, serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of AOAC International, the Advisory Boards of the American Botanical Council and the American Herbal Pharmacoepia, and on the Technical Committee of the U.S. Hemp Authority. Holly has over 20 years experience in botanicals research and spent many happy years giving courses at the University of Hawaii.
Élan Sudberg
CEO
Alkemist Labs
Élan M. Sudberg is CEO of Alkemist Labs, a passionately committed contract testing laboratory specializing in plant authentication, botanical ingredient identification and quantitative analytical services to the food and beverage, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical Industries. He holds a degree in chemistry from California State University Long Beach, and has authored numerous journal articles on phytochemistry and analytical techniques for the natural products and nutraceutical industry. He is a board member of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), as well as AHPA's Education and Research on Botanicals Foundation, and former chair of the Hemp and Medical Marijuana committee.
Marielle Weintraub Ph.D.
President, US Hemp Authority
Director of Scientific Research & Development, Zilis LLC
Marielle Weintraub Ph.D., is Director of Scientific Research and Development for Zilis, LLC. Prior to this, she served as the Strategic Business Development Director for the Hemp Initiative at Eurofins Food Integrity and Innovation (EFII; formerly Covance Food Solutions). In this position, Marielle strove to advance the needs of the dietary supplement and hemp industries by utilizing the scientific expertise, accrued knowledge from over 85 years of testing Food and Dietary Supplements, and ISO accredited facilities available. In this role, Marielle supported companies interested in Nutritional Chemistry, Dietary Supplement Testing, Product Development, Sensory/Consumer Testing and Food Safety Consulting Services.
Marielle is a founding board member and the current President of The U.S. Hemp Authority™ Certification Program, our industry's initiative to provide high standards, best practices and self-regulation, giving confidence to consumers and law enforcement that hemp products are safe, and legal. In addition, Marielle is a member of the AHPA Cannabis Committee and a member of the UNPA Hemp Extracts/CBD committee.
Todd Runestad
Senior Editor, Ingredients & Supplements
New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider
Todd Runestad is a senior editor covering supplements and ingredients for Informa's Global Health & Nutrition network (includes New Hope Network and Natural Products Insider). He has been covering nutrition science news and ingredient innovations for nearly 20 years. Todd has also served as editor for various publications including Nutrition Science News, Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals and Functional Ingredients magazine.
Rend Al-Mondhiry
Senior Counsel
Amin Talati & Wasserman LLP
Rend Al-Mondhiry advises the dietary supplement, food, cosmetic, and over-the-counter medicine industries on a broad range of regulatory and compliance matters. She is committed to helping companies responsibly develop and market products, drawing on her years of experience advising the nation’s leading dietary supplement and food companies on complex ingredient and labeling issues.
Rend’s practice focuses on reviewing product labeling, ingredients and advertising to determine compliance with federal and state regulations, and assisting companies in matters before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and National Adverting Division (NAD). She also advises clients on compliance with California’s Proposition 65, U.S. Customs issues, class action defense strategies, and FDA matters including Warning Letters, recalls, detentions, seizures and import alerts.
Rend brings a unique perspective to these issues, having served as Associate General Counsel at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, one of the leading trade associations representing the dietary supplement and functional food industry. She has advocated on the industry’s behalf numerous times before FDA, FTC, Congress and state attorneys general, and has substantial experience initiating and defending challenges before the NAD. In addition, she has over ten years of experience analyzing and responding to legislative and regulatory changes at the federal and state levels, working closely with scientific experts to ensure policy positions are not only legally sound but grounded in science.
When she’s not spending time with her husband and two very active boys, Rend enjoys running, practicing yoga and reading historical fiction. She is also a volunteer coach with Girls on the Run, an organization that uses running to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong health and fitness, and build confidence through accomplishment.
December 9, 2020
11:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST
8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. PST
Register now
Josh Hendrix
Driftless Extracts
BestBall CBD
Rick Trojan
President Hemp Industries Association, Hemp Road Trip
David Sommer
Senior Director of Operations
Bluebird Botanicals
Holly Johnson
American Herbal Products Association
click for bio
Ari Sherman
Evo Hemp
Justin Singer
CEO & Co-Founder
Caliper Foods
click for bio
Kathleen Dunnigan
Senior Staff Attorney
National Advertising Division
Najla Guthrie
President & CEO
KGK Science
Doug Kalman, Ph.D.
Vice President, Scientific Affairs
Nutrasource
Jacqueline Jacques
Chief Medical Officer
CB2 Therapeutics
click for bio
Patrick Goggin
Senior Attorney
Hoban Law Group
Patrick Goggin is a San Francisco based Senior Attorney at Hoban Law Group and serves as general counsel for the California Hemp Council. He has waged battle on the legal frontlines of industrial hemp and general cannabis reform for over two decades. Mr. Goggin was admitted to the California Bar in 1996 and served as co-counsel in the seminal HIA v. DEA 2000s cases that solidified hemp food’s legality. Later, Mr. Goggin led the industry effort with Senator Mark Leno in 2013 to finally pass California’s Industrial Hemp Farming Act after three vetoes. Presently, Mr. Goggin’s practice is focused on implementing commercial hemp farming and manufacturing in California and navigating the hemp and cannabis regulatory space locally, nationally, and globally.
Ari Sherman
Evo Hemp
Ari Sherman is a sales and marketing executive with experience in the natural products industry. He co-founded Evo Hemp in 2012 to bring high paying agricultural jobs to poor rural communities with the introduction of industrial hemp farming. By establishing a supply chain of U.S. grown hemp, they’re working to revive the countries agricultural system. Evo Hemp is making innovative hemp consumer products more affordable and accessible to the U.S. market. They became the first company to be able to offer U.S. grown hemp foods. Evo’s product line consists of organic energy bars, hemp protein powder, hemp hearts, hempseed oil, and hemp extracts. Their products can now be found in over 5,000 retail stores nationwide. In 2017, Ari was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for his work in progressing the U.S. hemp industry.
Matthew Anderson
Co-Founder / CEO
Vanguard Scientific
Matthew is dedicated to spiritual science and the belief plant-based medicines can truly heal. As Co-Founder/CEO of Vanguard Scientific Systems, one of the world’s leading providers of end-to-end solutions for integrated botanical extraction and purification equipment and services, Matthew is uniquely positioned to change how the world’s leading processing, extraction, and active-ingredient manufacturers work with cannabis, hemp, and other natural botanicals.
Matthew intends to deliver a global network of integrated systems and solutions to meet the processing needs of the rapidly evolving cannabis and hemp industries. Through partnerships committed to market-leading technology, standards, quality control, and training excellence, Vanguard Scientific Systems will lead with compliance and consistency to provide a stable supply chain to the global marketplace.
Anderson received his degrees in International Business and Economics from Rollins College with an area focus in Performance Ensemble.
Matt is a familiar face in the media and on stages around the world, where he's regularly tapped for insights on the fast-changing cannabis landscape. You may have seen him on The Green Rush, New Cannabis Ventures, CFN, The Motley Fool, Forbes, and News24.
Justin Singer
Co-Founder / CEO
Caliper Foods
Justin Singer is the CEO and co-founder of Caliper Foods – a pioneering company in the cannabinoid industry and parent company to Caliper Ingredients. Justin is also the co-founder of Stillwater Brands — a leading cannabis edibles company in Colorado where Caliper’s soluble cannabinoid technology was first developed. Prior to founding Caliper, Justin spent four years teaching innovation theory and high-growth entrepreneurship at the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, while working on product, strategy, and operations to a variety of early-stage startups. He began his career as an investor with IA Ventures, a seed stage venture capital firm investing in technology companies that create competitive advantage through data.
Justin holds an MBA in finance from Columbia Business School, a JD in telecommunications law from Columbia Law School and a BBA in operations management from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
Todd Runestad
Senior Editor, Ingredients & Supplements
New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider
Todd Runestad is a senior editor covering supplements and ingredients for Informa's Global Health & Nutrition network (includes New Hope Network and Natural Products Insider). He has been covering nutrition science news and ingredient innovations for nearly 20 years. Todd has also served as editor for various publications including Nutrition Science News, Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals and Functional Ingredients magazine.
Vijay Bachus
Bachus Business Consultants /
Cannabis Business Experts
Vijay Bachus is the owner of Bachus Business Consulting Inc., cofounder of CannabisBusinessExperts.com, and a contracted consultant for NSF Health Sciences LLC. Vijay is a trusted subject matter expert in cGMP compliance as it relates to 21 CFR Parts 111 and 117 and he specializes in strategically building cannabis industry excellence, catapulting industry leaders and business owners to success.
Vijay started his career in quality control and logistics in the telecom industry at Carrier Access Corporation where he led the Compliance Program and managed the ISO 9001, and the Bureau of Industry and Security Import/Export programs. Building on a solid foundation in regulatory compliance, Vijay transitioned to the organic food Industry where he pioneered cGMP, Organic, and Kosher programs at Madhava Natural Sweeteners, enabling them to become the first company in the United States to offer organic agave nectar to consumers.
Vijay went on to provide services to Boulder Organic Foods, securing several certifications including SQF Level 3 Certification, scaling their manufacturing process, and helping the company grow from a small boutique business to a large national provider of organic foods.Vijay was recruited by the Stanley brothers to be the Sr. Director of Operations at Charlotte’s Web, the leading provider of CBD dietary supplements. During his time at Charlotte’s Web, Vijay developed Business Operations and Quality Management Systems leading to an increase in revenue from $5 Million in 2015 to $100 Million + in 2019. In addition to sky-rocketed growth in revenue, Vijay led Charlotte’s Web to achieve key industry certifications, including NSF Certification.
Scott Schuett
Vice President of Operations
GBMM Brokers
Scott Schuett is a supply chain coordinator, broker, activist and innovator for small holder organic and regenerative farmer networks. With over 25 years of International experience in the Nutritional Supplement and Functional Foods production and manufacturing arena's, Scott brings a well rounded suite of skills to the US and Global Hemp Supply Chain. He is currently working with directly with consolidation of local and regional Hemp producer networks into viable supply chain partners, while supporting Social, Environmental and other For Benefit Corporate/Community Values.
Scott has served as VP Operations of GBMM Brokers, LLC, which he operates with his father, Mickey Schuett, for over 10 years. Currently based on the Big Island of Hawaii, other passions include gardening, community development and the integration of viable and progressive engagements of economy and quality of life.
Rick Trojan
President Hemp Industries Association
Hemp Road Trip
Travelling to 6 continents in 2019, Rick is active in global hemp reformation. From farm to retail, Rick travels the globe learning about cultivation, processing & manufacturing, distribution and overall potential of cannabis. He created the Hemp Road Trip in 2015, and in conjunction with partners and associations, they ended the illegal prohibition of hemp in USA in December 2018! Rick serves as President to the Hemp Industries Association, Board of Directors at US Hemp Roundtable, Vote Hemp and Colorado HIA State Chapter. As this industry flourishes, Rick continues to educate lawmakers, regulators and citizens about all hemp can do, while advising farm operators, businesses, investors and government officials on the changing landscape of cannabis.
Jacqueline Jacques
Chief Medical Officer, CB2 Therapeutics
Doctor Jacqueline Jacques is a Naturopathic Doctor and Fellow of the Obesity Society with over 20 years of expertise in medical nutrition. She is currently the Chief Medical Officer of CB2 therapeutics, a joint venture between Thorne, Onegevity, and Tetra Bio-Pharma. Dr Jacques has spent much of her career in the dietary supplement industry as a formulator, speaker, writer, and executive, including being a co-founder of Bariatric Advantage (now a division of Metagenics, Inc). She has appeared as a guest on radio and television, and has spoken nationally and internationally to health professionals and the public alike. She is the author of the book Micronutrition for the Weight Loss Surgery Patient, and has contributed to numerous other professional publications. Additionally, she has served on the boards/advisory boards for the United Way of Orange County (Community Impact), Obesity Action Coalition, the Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, Alkemist Labs, YOR Health, Bodywise International, and the California Naturopathic Doctor’s Association.
Francine Schoenwetter
Content Marketing Director
Informa Health & Nutrition Network
For over three decades Fran has served the natural products industry truly from supply to shelf. For independent and national natural products retailers she has provided leadership in retail operations, education, category and brand directorship, and technical product development. Ms. Schoenwetter’s breadth of experience has provided her a rich and practical understanding of the forces driving both retail merchandising, nutrition science and regulations and new product innovation across categories.
Presently she serves as director content marketing across Informa's Health & Nutrition network, providing insights and strategic content direction to meet audience education needs throughout the supply chain.
Erin Meagher
Founder & CEO
Beneficial Blends
In 2009, Erin Meagher, a high school business teacher, decided to follow her own mentorship and establish Beneficial Blends, LLC. Erin wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and saw the desire for truly organic 'Beneficial for You' products. Erin launched the company's first product, organic coconut oil, under the Kelapo® brand according to the company's 4 Diamond Approach, which starts with ‘Beneficial for You’ product and focuses on quality, transparency, and social impact. These attributes serve as the company's roadmap to ensure high standards within its business and manufacturing practices.
A decade later, Beneficial Blends has become the premier organic, natural and conventional food and CBD manufacturer and co-packer for retailers and food services. The company’s 50,000 square foot facility is FDA & GMP compliant, USDA Organic and Kosher Certified. It maintains an SQF Level III certification, which is a food safety and quality management system, and was recently certified for dietary supplements, food additives, cosmetics and repackaging of goods. Beneficial Blends upholds its’ Fair for Life certification, a testament to the company’s commitment to responsible sourcing and the fair and ethical treatment of farmers. Kelapo® continues to be one of the leading organic, premium brands of coconut oil and ghee (clarified butter) sold in Amazon and retailers nationwide.
In 2019, Beneficial Blends began offering CBD-infused products including ingestible, topicals and aromatherapy products available to fit manufacturing and retailer needs. Being oil experts and knowing oil is one of the most popular delivery methods for CBD led Erin to recognize the natural product expansion.
Beneficial Blends is recognized for launching NanoLyte™, the first-ever clear, certified water-soluble CBD with non-detectible THC making it the most effective and easily added ingredient for any beverage, food, dietary supplement or cosmetic product. The CBD emulsion is developed by a global team of leading Ph.D.’s and made in Beneficial Blends certified organic manufacturing facility resulting in high bioavailability, water compatibility, neutral taste, transparent color, and long-term product stability.
Recently the company launched its own retail-ready private brand, Chillax’n™ CBD making it the highest-quality, most affordable, CBD on the market. The new line of CBD products includes premium CBD concentrate tinctures, single-dosage shots, beverage enhancers, roll-on & hand creams, mask sprays, candles and diffusers. The products are ‘Chillax’n Free’ as it contains non-detectable THC and designed to help provide relief, relaxation and recovery where it’s needed most.
Erin continues to lead Beneficial Blends high growth being recognized again in 2020, for the sixth year, on the INC5000 and for the fifth consecutive year as Tampa Bay Business Journals Fastest Growing Companies. In 2016, Erin was Business Woman of the Year for Manufacturing and received 40 Under 40 Award. Erin is active with the Coconut Coalition of the Americas, US Hemp Roundtable and Hemp Industry Association. Erin loves Tampa Bay and is passionate about building the economy and creating a better place to live and do business by being active with Make It Tampa Bay, MacDonald Training Center and Tampa Economic Development Council.
Judie Bizzozero
Senior Editor
Informa Health & Nutrition
Judie Bizzozero oversees food and beverage content strategy and development for the Health & Nutrition group at Informa Markets, including the Food & Beverage Insider, Natural Products Insider and SupplySide/Food ingredients North America brands. She reports on market trends, science-based ingredients, and challenges and solutions in the development of healthy foods and beverages. She’s a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
Josh Hendrix
Driftless Extracts
BestBall CBD
A Kentucky native, Josh Hendrix relocated back to the Bluegrass state in 2014 on a mission to help build the US Hemp Industry from the ground up. In 2015, he launched Hendrix Hemp, a licensed hemp producer that successfully managed cultivation and research for U.S. hemp companies for three years. Later in 2015, Mr. Hendrix accepted the role as Director of Business Development at CV Sciences where from 2015 through 2019, he helped grow revenue 463% ($11.53M - $53.7M). He is a founding member of the US Hemp Roundtable where he was elected to serve in 2019 as President of the Board of Directors and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the US Hemp Authority, US Hemp Growers Association, and Friends of Hemp. Today, Mr. Hendrix is the Chairman of Hendrix Holdings, CEO of BestBall CBD, Senior Advisor to Driftless Extracts, and manages his family's Mayflower Farm. As an established leader in the hemp industry, Mr. Hendrix has moved, and continues to move the entire industry forward with his efforts.
David Sommer
Senior Director of Operations
Bluebird Botanicals
David Sommer is the Senior Director of Operations at Bluebird Botanicals, a manufacturer and innovator of hemp supplements. He has been with the company since 2014, and since 2016 has led Bluebird’s QA team in supply chain compliance and the development of specifications for their ingredients and products. More recently, he led Bluebird’s initiative in achieving self-affirmed GRAS for a variety of supplement and food applications. David has also served on the US Hemp Authority’s Technical Committee and is currently a member of the AHPA Cannabis Committee.
Maureen West
General Counsel / Compliance Officer, Functional Remedies LLC
and ex-Colorado Dept of Agriculture
Maureen West is the General Counsel and Compliance Officer for Functional Remedies, LLC a hemp oil product manufacturing company headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. Prior to joining Functional Remedies, LLC, Maureen served as the first Industrial Hemp Program Manager in the nation (at the Colorado Department of Agriculture). Prior to entering the hemp industry, Maureen served as a Colorado assistant attorney general where she provided legal counsel to over a dozen regulatory boards. Ms. West is an adjunct professor at the University of Denver where she teaches Health Care Public Policy and the Legislative Process and Legal Issues in Global Health Care Management. Ms. West is also a registered dental hygienist. She received her juris doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and holds a bachelor degree in dental hygiene from the University of Colorado Dental School.
Kathleen Dunnigan
Senior Staff Attorney
National Advertising Division
Kathleen Dunnigan, Senior Staff Attorney, joined the National Advertising Division in March 2008. While she has written case decisions in every product category, in recent years, her focus at NAD has been health-related advertising claim substantiation. Prior to joining NAD she was a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Division, the Center for Appellate Litigation and for many years, Kat also litigated employment discrimination and civil rights claims. Kathleen Dunnigan graduated from S.U.N.Y. Maritime College with a degree in Engineering and as an officer in the United States Merchant Marines, and NYU School of Law.
Najla Guthrie
President & CEO
KGK Science
Throughout her career, Najla Guthrie has been hailed for both her revolutionary contributions to nutritional science and her accomplishments within the nutraceutical industry. Her original research, which was conducted at the Centre for Human Nutrition at the University of Western Ontario, focused on the effects of citrus juices and their constituent flavonoids on breast cancer cells. Today, this study continues to generate media and scientific interest and has marked Najla as an expert within her field. Najla has since published over 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has given numerous presentations at both the national and international levels. She has also acted as a founding shareholder for KGK Science, transitioning from a nutraceutical medicine researcher to President and CEO. Under her leadership, the company has successfully established and executed a novel strategic plan, one which leveraged its research infrastructure and financed the development of patented in-house products. She is responsible for the co-development of KGK’s Diabetinol and Dermytol, as well as the commercialization and licensing of Sytrinol. Additionally, Najla has brought KGK’s integrated research and product development team to a world-class level, with the group receiving international recognition for its efforts in nutraceutical science and cannabis research. Currently, Najla is widely recognized as a global leader and sought-after spokesperson in the nutraceutical trade. She is also a lobbyist for the advancement of policy changes in the supplement and cannabis industries.
Doug Kalman Ph.D.
Vice President, Scientific Affairs
Nutrasource
Douglas S. Kalman PhD, RD, FACN – Dr. Kalman is the Vice President of Scientific Affairs for Nutrasource, a nutrition-centric Contract Research & Service Organization. Historically, Dr. Kalman has been involved in over 200 clinical trials and projects within the pharmaceutical, medical and exercise - nutrition fields. He has published over 80 abstracts and more than 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts. He is also a Co-Editor of one journal (JISSN) and on the Editorial Board of three Scientific Journals.
Dr. Kalman received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University, Masters Degree from Hunter College - City University of New York and Doctorate in exercise and nutritional biochemistry (Health Research) from Touro University International. He is an Active Member and or Spokesperson with many organizations (ISSN, NSCA, APS, ACSM, etc.) and a co-founder of The International Society of Sports Nutrition (www.theissn.org). He has worked with Olympic Athlete’s (Nagano, Japan, Salt Lake City, UT, Torino, Italy, England, and the most recent Brazil Olympics) for Winter and Summer sports, professional athletes (i.e., MLB, NFL, NBA), musicians and music groups, combat sports (UFC/Bellator, etc.), collegiate athletes and teams as well as Nike’s Elite Distance Racing Team (Oregon Project) and the general population. Dr. Kalman has edited four academic textbooks, contributed to more than five academic textbooks as well as two “popular press” books. He has been interviewed on various media outlets such as NBC, MSNBC, CBS Evening News, CNN, Discovery Channel plus others along with a host of radio shows.
12:40 p.m. - 1:10 p.m. EST | 9:40 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. PST
Community connections: breakouts
and networking
1:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. EST | 10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. PST
Mission Is the Best Differentiator
Les Szabo
Director of Constructive Capital
Dr. Bronner’s
Jared Stanley
Chief Cultivation Officer
Charlotte’s Web
Mari Geier
CEO
Nuts ‘n Berries Health Market
Les Szabo
Director of Constructive Capital
Dr. Bronner’s
Les Szabo is Director of Constructive Capital at Dr. Bronner’s, the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America. He joined Dr. Bronner’s in 2013.
Les oversees business development activities for the company, which includes impact investing, philanthropy, and commercial support of Dr. Bronner’s global supply chain projects. He currently sits on the boards of Serendi Coco Samoa Ltd., Regenerative Organic Feed Co., and LifeDose. Les has twenty years of experience working in the natural products and apparel industries. He was a co-founder of Living Harvest, Dunderdon, and Infinity Sport.
Les currently lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and kids.
Jared Stanley
Chief Cultivation Officer
Charlotte’s Web
Jared Stanley, a co-founder of Charlotte’s Web with his six brothers, is the Company’s Chief Cultivation Officer and has served as a Director of the Company since its inception in 2013. Jared graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Applied Human Sciences with a concentration in Construction Management. Since 2014, Jared and his brothers have built the extensive cultivation operations of the Company with locations in three states. Mr. Stanley also plays an active role outside of the Company promoting its products and technologies at public events around the world. He also plays a significant role in the Company’s legislative activities at the state and federal level.
Mari Geier
CEO
Nuts ‘n Berries Healthy Market
Mari Geier is CEO and co-owner of Nuts ‘n Berries Healthy Market in Atlanta, GA. With over 16 years experience in health and wellness, she strives to help people find creative solutions to live their best lives. Mari entered the natural foods industry in 2015 and has brought her passion for thinking outside the box to her retail stores in Atlanta, GA, giving life back to the tired community markets. Motivated to see independent natural foods retailers survive in the competitive landscape, Mari and her team capitalized on the now booming CBD industry to become one of the leading CBD retailers in the southeast. As a strong advocate for transparency and partnership in the hemp derived CBD industry, Mari works with other independent retailers to help them formulate strategies to take advantage of this emerging trend. Mari and her team will breathed new life into another community store (formerly Rainbow Grocery) in Decatur, GA in June 2020 with the hope of keeping the independent industry alive and thriving for another 40 years.
1:45 p.m. - 2:10 p.m. EST | 10:45 a.m. - 11:10 a.m. PST
How Cannabis is Revolutionizing the Food and Beverage Industry
PAID CONTENT
December 9, 2020
11:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST
8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. PST
Register now
Top things to know about today’s CBD market
The year 2020 has changed nearly every aspect of how we live, but one thing that has remained constant is the demand for creating a quality hemp industry. With stress and economic uncertainties weighing heavily on consumers, demand for products that they can rely upon to support their overall wellbeing continues to drive supplement sales, but not without challenges to the hemp market.
Our Hemp Collective Summit II will help you identify the greatest opportunities and navigate the variables in consumer behavior, retail sales and overall hemp industry attitudes and trends. While what’s selling matters, the challenges the industry faces and where it’s heading may be even more critical to understand.
11:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. EST
8:00 a.m. – 8:10 a.m. PST
Welcome to the Hemp Collective
Virtual Summit II
Todd Runestad
Senior Editor
Informa Health
& Nutrition
Francine Schoenwetter
Director Content Marketing
Informa Health
& Nutrition
click for bio
11:10 a.m. - 11:35 a.m. EST
8:10 PST - 8:35 a.m. PST
5 Things to Know Now About the
Hemp CBD Market
The public remains hungry for what is shaping up as the hottest natural product in the history of natural products, yet roadblocks emerged in 2020. For those of you with whiplash (hint: we all have it), here’s a look fore and aft in these still-turbulent waters. No matter where you are on the value chain, from seed geneticist to farmer, extractor to ingredient buyer at a brand, there’s much to keep up on.
This session will cover:
• The past, current and future state of the business.
• Consumer confidence—and uncertainty. Has consumer product understanding improved? How have their preferences, attitudes, and needs changed? Learn the details that will help you to create and market a product that resonates with customers.
• How have consumer priorities shifted sales in 2020? What conditions are they looking to address? How has spending changed?
• Key opportunities in the market today and in the future.
Claire Morton Reynolds
Senior Industry Analyst
Nutrition Business
Journal
Eric Pierce
Vice President
Data & Insights
New Hope Network
click for bio
11:40 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. EST
8:40 a.m. - 9:05 a.m. PST
CBD Sourcing Challenges—Finding the Right Partner for Your Brand
This may be the biggest challenge that every hemp CBD company has to face—how to get the right stuff? Quality starts before the farm, with seed genetics, and after the farm, with extraction and testing. But also, how do you find that farm? Who can help you identify good material? How can you formulate for success using hemp-derived ingredients? This is an important session for every brand. Here, you will learn to:
• Identify the areas of the supply chain where problems are most prevalent.
• Leave with a list of questions to ask when qualifying a hemp CBD supply company.
• Gain an awareness of why Science & R&D has to be part of your supplier company’s efforts.
Vijay Bachus
Former Director of Production Operations, Charlotte's Web
Scott Schuett
Vice President of Operations
GBMM Brokers
Josh Hendrix
Former Director of Hemp Production, CV Sciences
Rick Trojan
President Hemp Industries Association, Hemp Road Trip
click for bio
12:10 p.m. - 12:40 p.m. EST
9:10 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. PST
Quality Control to Major Tom
If we’re going to build a responsible hemp industry, it’s incumbent on all players to lead with quality. You need to understand the unique analytical challenges in ensuring hemp quality and learn to align CBD products with dietary supplement GMPs. Hear from the leading quality certifying agencies, testing labs, as well as a top-shelf brand on how to make sure hemp and hemp extracts are done right. They’ll tell you:
• Quantitative composition and limits of naturally occurring cannabinoids including THC.
• How to qualify testing laboratories to ensure minimal exposure to contaminants such as pathogenic microorganisms, toxic elemental contaminants, mycotoxins, residual solvents and pesticide residues.
• The latest updates from leading organizations setting standards and testing for quality to help you abide by changing government rules and regulations.
Dr. Marielle Weintraub Ph.D.
President
U.S. Hemp Authority
Elan Sudberg
CEO of Alkemist Labs; Board of Trustees
American Herbal Products Association
click for bio
David Sommer
Senior Director of Operations
Bluebird Botanicals
Holly Johnson
American Herbal Products Association
click for bio
12:40 p.m. - 1:10 p.m. EST
9:40 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. PST
Community connections: breakouts and networking
1:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. EST
10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. PST
Mission Is the Best Differentiator
Retailers already have their CBD sets set. Everybody says they are high quality, source solid material, process expertly, disclose assurances on potency and purity. What then? How can brands make their closing argument to gain valuable shelf space after telling the quality story? What’s that mission story that sets apart the best from the rest? We’ve assembled brands and retailer voices to reveal the coins of the realm around:
• A company’s purpose is why it got into it. A mission is why you should continue to be in it. How to tell the difference.
• How you conduct your business and treat every stakeholder along the supply chain.
• What questions brands should be prepared to answer from retailers—and retailers should ask—when doing their due diligence.
Erin Meagher
Founder & CEO
Beneficial Blends
Francine Schoenwetter
Director Content Marketing
Informa Health & Nutrition
Les Szabo
Director
Constructive Capital
Mari Geier
CEO
Nuts ‘n Berries
Health Market
Jared Stanley
Chief Cultivation Officer
Charlotte’s Web
click for bio
click for bio
click for bio
1:45 p.m. - 2:10 p.m. EST
10:45 a.m. - 11:10 p.m. PST
How Cannabis is Revolutionizing the Food and Beverage Industry
Absent FDA regulations around allowing CBD into foods and beverages, some states have approved laws allowing it, as companies look to innovate with the cannabis plant. Alcohol companies are determined to develop non-alcoholic beverages infused with both CBD and THC. Although these products are becoming more popular, not all THC and CBD infused food and beverage products are created equal. There are extraction methods that are safer, more potent, and longer-lasting than others. Applying these safe practices will be sure to create a product that continues to be effective, successful and popular for a long time. Eat and learn:
• Compliant and GMP packaging capabilities: What companies need to know when dealing with cannabinoids as ingredients.
• What is the best extraction method for creating extracts that work with food and beverages?
• Understanding the form factors and how it affects the end product; what works for edibles and vapes may not work for beverages.
Judie Bizzozero
Senior Editor
Informa Health & Nutrition
Matthew Anderson
Co-Founder/CEO
Vanguard Scientific
click for bio
Ari Sherman
Evo Hemp
Justin Singer
CEO & Co-Founder
Caliper Foods
click for bio
2:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. EST
11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. PST
Regulatory Bottlenecks: What Happens After the Empire Strikes Back- FDA, USDA, DEA
DEA. FDA. USDA. The three primary federal regulatory agencies seem to be continuing with their age-old positions as drug warriors and are reading neither the room nor the farm bill legislation Congress has passed. What is the state of affairs right now, and what is the industry specifically fighting for so that CBD can truly blossom, and hemp can assume its place as an American commodity crop? We’ve assembled experts to discuss:
• Whether the FDA will truly allow CBD in supplements (and foods and beverages) or try to keep it solely in the purview of pharmaceuticals.
• Will the USDA continue to try to make farmers into felons, or can the industry prevail upon them to change the THC threshold to 1%?
• Despite the Farm Bill explicitly writing the DEA out of hemp, the zombie drug warriors keep coming to life and insinuating themselves into the picture. Can we really expect them to stick to actual harmful drugs?
Rend Al-Mondiry
Partner
Ashish-Talati
Wasserman LLC
Garrett Graff
Managing Partner
Hoban Law Group
Maureen West
General Counsel / Compliance OfficeFunctional Remedies and
ex-Colorado Dept
of Agriculture
Todd Runestad
Senior Staff Writer
Informa Health & Nutrition
click for bio
click for bio
Kathleen Dunnigan
Senior Staff Attorney
National Advertising Division
Najla Guthrie
President & CEO
KGK Science
Doug Kalman, Ph.D.
Vice President,
Scientific Affairs
Nutrasource
Jacqueline Jacques
Chief Medical Officer
CB2 Therapeutics
click for bio
click for bio
2:50 p.m. - 3:20 p.m. EST
11:50 p.m. -12:20 p.m. PST
Practical Science- Designing
Studies to Support Claims
Savvy companies know how to match R&D with marketing early on. That’s the way to quell conflicts and start to crackle with synergies. Smart companies work with contract research organizations to design studies that focus on structure/function claims that can be used to target specific consumer groups so companies can dominate sectors. Do it correctly or face the wrath of regulatory bodies, consumer groups or class-action lawyers. Learn how it’s done here.
• How to understand health-related claims
• How to fit claims to evidence
• Rules around social media advertising
Jacqueline Jacques
Chief Medical Officer
CB2 Therapeutics
Doctor Jacqueline Jacques is a Naturopathic Doctor and Fellow of the Obesity Society with over 20 years of expertise in medical nutrition. She is currently the Chief Medical Officer of CB2 therapeutics, a joint venture between Thorne, Onegevity, and Tetra Bio-Pharma. Dr Jacques has spent much of her career in the dietary supplement industry as a formulator, speaker, writer, and executive, including being a co-founder of Bariatric Advantage (now a division of Metagenics, Inc). She has appeared as a guest on radio and television, and has spoken nationally and internationally to health professionals and the public alike. She is the author of the book Micronutrition for the Weight Loss Surgery Patient, and has contributed to numerous other professional publications. Additionally, she has served on the boards/advisory boards for the United Way of Orange County (Community Impact), Obesity Action Coalition, the Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, Alkemist Labs, YOR Health, Bodywise International, and the California Naturopathic Doctor’s Association.
Doug
Kalman Ph.D.
Vice President,
Scientific Affairs
Nutrasource
Douglas S. Kalman PhD, RD, FACN – Dr. Kalman is the Vice President of Scientific Affairs for Nutrasource, a nutrition-centric Contract Research & Service Organization. Historically, Dr. Kalman has been involved in over 200 clinical trials and projects within the pharmaceutical, medical and exercise - nutrition fields. He has published over 80 abstracts and more than 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts. He is also a Co-Editor of one journal (JISSN) and on the Editorial Board of three Scientific Journals.
Najla
Guthrie
President & CEO
KGK Science
Throughout her career, Najla Guthrie has been hailed for both her revolutionary contributions to nutritional science and her accomplishments within the nutraceutical industry. Her original research, which was conducted at the Centre for Human Nutrition at the University of Western Ontario, focused on the effects of citrus juices and their constituent flavonoids on breast cancer cells. Today, this study continues to generate media and scientific interest and has marked Najla as an expert within her field. Najla has since published over 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has given numerous presentations at both the national and international levels. She has also acted as a founding shareholder for KGK Science, transitioning from a nutraceutical medicine researcher to President and CEO. Under her leadership, the company has successfully established and executed a novel strategic plan, one which leveraged its research infrastructure and financed the development of patented in-house products. She is responsible for the co-development of KGK’s Diabetinol and Dermytol, as well as the commercialization and licensing of Sytrinol. Additionally, Najla has brought KGK’s integrated research and product development team to a world-class level, with the group receiving international recognition for its efforts in nutraceutical science and cannabis research. Currently, Najla is widely recognized as a global leader and sought-after spokesperson in the nutraceutical trade. She is also a lobbyist for the advancement of policy changes in the supplement and cannabis industries.
Kathleen Dunnigan
Senior Staff Attorney
National Advertising Division
Kathleen Dunnigan, Senior Staff Attorney, joined the National Advertising Division in March 2008. While she has written case decisions in every product category, in recent years, her focus at NAD has been health-related advertising claim substantiation. Prior to joining NAD she was a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Division, the Center for Appellate Litigation and for many years, Kat also litigated employment discrimination and civil rights claims. Kathleen Dunnigan graduated from S.U.N.Y. Maritime College with a degree in Engineering and as an officer in the United States Merchant Marines, and NYU School of Law.
Todd Runestad
Senior Editor, Ingredients & Supplements
New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider
Todd Runestad is a senior editor covering supplements and ingredients for Informa's Global Health & Nutrition network (includes New Hope Network and Natural Products Insider). He has been covering nutrition science news and ingredient innovations for nearly 20 years. Todd has also served as editor for various publications including Nutrition Science News, Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals and Functional Ingredients magazine.
Maureen West
General Counsel / Compliance Office
Functional Remedies
and ex-Colorado Dept
of Agriculture
Maureen West is the General Counsel and Compliance Officer for Functional Remedies, LLC a hemp oil product manufacturing company headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. Prior to joining Functional Remedies, LLC, Maureen served as the first Industrial Hemp Program Manager in the nation (at the Colorado Department of Agriculture). Prior to entering the hemp industry, Maureen served as a Colorado assistant attorney general where she provided legal counsel to over a dozen regulatory boards. Ms. West is an adjunct professor at the University of Denver where she teaches Health Care Public Policy and the Legislative Process and Legal Issues in Global Health Care Management. Ms. West is also a registered dental hygienist. She received her juris doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and holds a bachelor degree in dental hygiene from the University of Colorado Dental School.
Garrett
Graff
Managing Attorney
Hoban Law Group
Patrick Goggin is a San Francisco based Senior Attorney at Hoban Law Group and serves as general counsel for the California Hemp Council. He has waged battle on the legal frontlines of industrial hemp and general cannabis reform for over two decades. Mr. Goggin was admitted to the California Bar in 1996 and served as co-counsel in the seminal HIA v. DEA 2000s cases that solidified hemp food’s legality. Later, Mr. Goggin led the industry effort with Senator Mark Leno in 2013 to finally pass California’s Industrial Hemp Farming Act after three vetoes. Presently, Mr. Goggin’s practice is focused on implementing commercial hemp farming and manufacturing in California and navigating the hemp and cannabis regulatory space locally, nationally, and globally.
Rend
Al-Mondhiry
Senior Counsel
Amin Talati & Wasserman LLP
Rend Al-Mondhiry advises the dietary supplement, food, cosmetic, and over-the-counter medicine industries on a broad range of regulatory and compliance matters. She is committed to helping companies responsibly develop and market products, drawing on her years of experience advising the nation’s leading dietary supplement and food companies on complex ingredient and labeling issues.
Rend’s practice focuses on reviewing product labeling, ingredients and advertising to determine compliance with federal and state regulations, and assisting companies in matters before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and National Adverting Division (NAD). She also advises clients on compliance with California’s Proposition 65, U.S. Customs issues, class action defense strategies, and FDA matters including Warning Letters, recalls, detentions, seizures and import alerts.
Rend brings a unique perspective to these issues, having served as Associate General Counsel at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, one of the leading trade associations representing the dietary supplement and functional food industry. She has advocated on the industry’s behalf numerous times before FDA, FTC, Congress and state attorneys general, and has substantial experience initiating and defending challenges before the NAD. In addition, she has over ten years of experience analyzing and responding to legislative and regulatory changes at the federal and state levels, working closely with scientific experts to ensure policy positions are not only legally sound but grounded in science.
When she’s not spending time with her husband and two very active boys, Rend enjoys running, practicing yoga and reading historical fiction. She is also a volunteer coach with Girls on the Run, an organization that uses running to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong health and fitness, and build confidence through accomplishment.
Justin Singer
Co-Founder / CEO
Caliper Foods
Justin Singer is the CEO and co-founder of Caliper Foods – a pioneering company in the cannabinoid industry and parent company to Caliper Ingredients. Justin is also the co-founder of Stillwater Brands — a leading cannabis edibles company in Colorado where Caliper’s soluble cannabinoid technology was first developed. Prior to founding Caliper, Justin spent four years teaching innovation theory and high-growth entrepreneurship at the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, while working on product, strategy, and operations to a variety of early-stage startups. He began his career as an investor with IA Ventures, a seed stage venture capital firm investing in technology companies that create competitive advantage through data.
Justin holds an MBA in finance from Columbia Business School, a JD in telecommunications law from Columbia Law School and a BBA in operations management from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
Ari Sherman
Evo Hemp
Ari Sherman is a sales and marketing executive with experience in the natural products industry. He co-founded Evo Hemp in 2012 to bring high paying agricultural jobs to poor rural communities with the introduction of industrial hemp farming. By establishing a supply chain of U.S. grown hemp, they’re working to revive the countries agricultural system. Evo Hemp is making innovative hemp consumer products more affordable and accessible to the U.S. market. They became the first company to be able to offer U.S. grown hemp foods. Evo’s product line consists of organic energy bars, hemp protein powder, hemp hearts, hempseed oil, and hemp extracts. Their products can now be found in over 5,000 retail stores nationwide. In 2017, Ari was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for his work in progressing the U.S. hemp industry.
Matthew Anderson
Co-Founder / CEO
Vanguard Scientific
Matthew is dedicated to spiritual science and the belief plant-based medicines can truly heal. As Co-Founder/CEO of Vanguard Scientific Systems, one of the world’s leading providers of end-to-end solutions for integrated botanical extraction and purification equipment and services, Matthew is uniquely positioned to change how the world’s leading processing, extraction, and active-ingredient manufacturers work with cannabis, hemp, and other natural botanicals.
Matthew intends to deliver a global network of integrated systems and solutions to meet the processing needs of the rapidly evolving cannabis and hemp industries. Through partnerships committed to market-leading technology, standards, quality control, and training excellence, Vanguard Scientific Systems will lead with compliance and consistency to provide a stable supply chain to the global marketplace.
Anderson received his degrees in International Business and Economics from Rollins College with an area focus in Performance Ensemble.
Matt is a familiar face in the media and on stages around the world, where he's regularly tapped for insights on the fast-changing cannabis landscape. You may have seen him on The Green Rush, New Cannabis Ventures, CFN, The Motley Fool, Forbes, and News24.
Judie Bizzozero
Senior Editor
Informa Health
& Nutrition
Judie Bizzozero oversees food and beverage content strategy and development for the Health & Nutrition group at Informa Markets, including the Food & Beverage Insider, Natural Products Insider and SupplySide/Food ingredients North America brands. She reports on market trends, science-based ingredients, and challenges and solutions in the development of healthy foods and beverages. She’s a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
Mari
Geier
CEO
Nuts ‘n Berries
Health Market
Mari Geier is CEO and co-owner of Nuts ‘n Berries Healthy Market in Atlanta, GA. With over 16 years experience in health and wellness, she strives to help people find creative solutions to live their best lives. Mari entered the natural foods industry in 2015 and has brought her passion for thinking outside the box to her retail stores in Atlanta, GA, giving life back to the tired community markets. Motivated to see independent natural foods retailers survive in the competitive landscape, Mari and her team capitalized on the now booming CBD industry to become one of the leading CBD retailers in the southeast. As a strong advocate for transparency and partnership in the hemp derived CBD industry, Mari works with other independent retailers to help them formulate strategies to take advantage of this emerging trend. Mari and her team will breathed new life into another community store (formerly Rainbow Grocery) in Decatur, GA in June 2020 with the hope of keeping the independent industry alive and thriving for another 40 years.
Jared
Stanley
Chief Cultivation
Officer
Charlotte’s Web
Jared Stanley, a co-founder of Charlotte’s Web with his six brothers, is the Company’s Chief Cultivation Officer and has served as a Director of the Company since its inception in 2013. Jared graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Applied Human Sciences with a concentration in Construction Management. Since 2014, Jared and his brothers have built the extensive cultivation operations of the Company with locations in three states. Mr. Stanley also plays an active role outside of the Company promoting its products and technologies at public events around the world. He also plays a significant role in the Company’s legislative activities at the state and federal level.
Les
Szabo
Director
Constructive
Capital
Les Szabo is Director of Constructive Capital at Dr. Bronner’s, the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America. He joined Dr. Bronner’s in 2013.
Les oversees business development activities for the company, which includes impact investing, philanthropy, and commercial support of Dr. Bronner’s global supply chain projects. He currently sits on the boards of Serendi Coco Samoa Ltd., Regenerative Organic Feed Co., and LifeDose. Les has twenty years of experience working in the natural products and apparel industries. He was a co-founder of Living Harvest, Dunderdon, and Infinity Sport.
Les currently lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and kids.
Francine
Schoenwetter
Content Marketing
Director
Informa Health &
Nutrition Network
For over three decades Fran has served the natural products industry truly from supply to shelf. For independent and national natural products retailers she has provided leadership in retail operations, education, category and brand directorship, and technical product development. Ms. Schoenwetter’s breadth of experience has provided her a rich and practical understanding of the forces driving both retail merchandising, nutrition science and regulations and new product innovation across categories.
Presently she serves as director content marketing across Informa's Health & Nutrition network, providing insights and strategic content direction to meet audience education needs throughout the supply chain.
Erin
Meagher
Founder & CEO
Beneficial Blends
In 2009, Erin Meagher, a high school business teacher, decided to follow her own mentorship and establish Beneficial Blends, LLC. Erin wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and saw the desire for truly organic 'Beneficial for You' products. Erin launched the company's first product, organic coconut oil, under the Kelapo® brand according to the company's 4 Diamond Approach, which starts with ‘Beneficial for You’ product and focuses on quality, transparency, and social impact. These attributes serve as the company's roadmap to ensure high standards within its business and manufacturing practices.
A decade later, Beneficial Blends has become the premier organic, natural and conventional food and CBD manufacturer and co-packer for retailers and food services. The company’s 50,000 square foot facility is FDA & GMP compliant, USDA Organic and Kosher Certified. It maintains an SQF Level III certification, which is a food safety and quality management system, and was recently certified for dietary supplements, food additives, cosmetics and repackaging of goods. Beneficial Blends upholds its’ Fair for Life certification, a testament to the company’s commitment to responsible sourcing and the fair and ethical treatment of farmers. Kelapo® continues to be one of the leading organic, premium brands of coconut oil and ghee (clarified butter) sold in Amazon and retailers nationwide.
In 2019, Beneficial Blends began offering CBD-infused products including ingestible, topicals and aromatherapy products available to fit manufacturing and retailer needs. Being oil experts and knowing oil is one of the most popular delivery methods for CBD led Erin to recognize the natural product expansion.
Beneficial Blends is recognized for launching NanoLyte™, the first-ever clear, certified water-soluble CBD with non-detectible THC making it the most effective and easily added ingredient for any beverage, food, dietary supplement or cosmetic product. The CBD emulsion is developed by a global team of leading Ph.D.’s and made in Beneficial Blends certified organic manufacturing facility resulting in high bioavailability, water compatibility, neutral taste, transparent color, and long-term product stability.
Recently the company launched its own retail-ready private brand, Chillax’n™ CBD making it the highest-quality, most affordable, CBD on the market. The new line of CBD products includes premium CBD concentrate tinctures, single-dosage shots, beverage enhancers, roll-on & hand creams, mask sprays, candles and diffusers. The products are ‘Chillax’n Free’ as it contains non-detectable THC and designed to help provide relief, relaxation and recovery where it’s needed most.
Erin continues to lead Beneficial Blends high growth being recognized again in 2020, for the sixth year, on the INC5000 and for the fifth consecutive year as Tampa Bay Business Journals Fastest Growing Companies. In 2016, Erin was Business Woman of the Year for Manufacturing and received 40 Under 40 Award. Erin is active with the Coconut Coalition of the Americas, US Hemp Roundtable and Hemp Industry Association. Erin loves Tampa Bay and is passionate about building the economy and creating a better place to live and do business by being active with Make It Tampa Bay, MacDonald Training Center and Tampa Economic Development Council.
Holly Johnson Ph.D.
Chief Science Officer
American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)
Holly E. Johnson, Ph.D. is the chief science officer for the American Herbal Products Association, an alliance of over 350 member companies in the natural products industry. She previously served as laboratory director for Alkemist Labs, an ISO 17025 accredited natural product testing lab specializing in botanicals. Dr. Johnson earned a B.S. in Botany and a Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy with specialization in Medical Ethnobotany. Holly was awarded an NIH Fellowship doctoral training at the University of Illinois-Chicago NIH Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements and did extensive lab and fieldwork, also completing a postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the Institute for Ethnomedicine in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Holly is a member of the United States Pharmacoepia’s Cannabis Expert Panel, serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of AOAC International, the Advisory Boards of the American Botanical Council and the American Herbal Pharmacoepia, and on the Technical Committee of the U.S. Hemp Authority. Holly has over 20 years experience in botanicals research and spent many happy years giving courses at the University of Hawaii.
David Sommer
Senior Director of Operations
Bluebird Botanicals
David Sommer is the Senior Director of Operations at Bluebird Botanicals, a manufacturer and innovator of hemp supplements. He has been with the company since 2014, and since 2016 has led Bluebird’s QA team in supply chain compliance and the development of specifications for their ingredients and products. More recently, he led Bluebird’s initiative in achieving self-affirmed GRAS for a variety of supplement and food applications. David has also served on the US Hemp Authority’s Technical Committee and is currently a member of the AHPA Cannabis Committee.
Élan
Sudberg
CEO
Alkemist Labs
Élan M. Sudberg is CEO of Alkemist Labs, a passionately committed contract testing laboratory specializing in plant authentication, botanical ingredient identification and quantitative analytical services to the food and beverage, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical Industries. He holds a degree in chemistry from California State University Long Beach, and has authored numerous journal articles on phytochemistry and analytical techniques for the natural products and nutraceutical industry. He is a board member of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), as well as AHPA's Education and Research on Botanicals Foundation, and former chair of the Hemp and Medical Marijuana committee.
Dr. Marielle
Weintraub
Ph.D.
President
U.S. Hemp Authority
Marielle Weintraub Ph.D., is Director of Scientific Research and Development for Zilis, LLC. Prior to this, she served as the Strategic Business Development Director for the Hemp Initiative at Eurofins Food Integrity and Innovation (EFII; formerly Covance Food Solutions). In this position, Marielle strove to advance the needs of the dietary supplement and hemp industries by utilizing the scientific expertise, accrued knowledge from over 85 years of testing Food and Dietary Supplements, and ISO accredited facilities available. In this role, Marielle supported companies interested in Nutritional Chemistry, Dietary Supplement Testing, Product Development, Sensory/Consumer Testing and Food Safety Consulting Services.
Marielle is a founding board member and the current President of The U.S. Hemp Authority™ Certification Program, our industry's initiative to provide high standards, best practices and self-regulation, giving confidence to consumers and law enforcement that hemp products are safe, and legal. In addition, Marielle is a member of the AHPA Cannabis Committee and a member of the UNPA Hemp Extracts/CBD committee.
Rick
Trojan
President Hemp Industries Association
Hemp Road Trip
Travelling to 6 continents in 2019, Rick is active in global hemp reformation. From farm to retail, Rick travels the globe learning about cultivation, processing & manufacturing, distribution and overall potential of cannabis. He created the Hemp Road Trip in 2015, and in conjunction with partners and associations, they ended the illegal prohibition of hemp in USA in December 2018! Rick serves as President to the Hemp Industries Association, Board of Directors at US Hemp Roundtable, Vote Hemp and Colorado HIA State Chapter. As this industry flourishes, Rick continues to educate lawmakers, regulators and citizens about all hemp can do, while advising farm operators, businesses, investors and government officials on the changing landscape of cannabis.
Josh
Hendrix
Former Director of
Hemp Production
CV Sciences
A Kentucky native, Josh Hendrix relocated back to the Bluegrass state in 2014 on a mission to help build the US Hemp Industry from the ground up. In 2015, he launched Hendrix Hemp, a licensed hemp producer that successfully managed cultivation and research for U.S. hemp companies for three years. Later in 2015, Mr. Hendrix accepted the role as Director of Business Development at CV Sciences where from 2015 through 2019, he helped grow revenue 463% ($11.53M - $53.7M). He is a founding member of the US Hemp Roundtable where he was elected to serve in 2019 as President of the Board of Directors and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the US Hemp Authority, US Hemp Growers Association, and Friends of Hemp. Today, Mr. Hendrix is the Chairman of Hendrix Holdings, CEO of BestBall CBD, Senior Advisor to Driftless Extracts, and manages his family's Mayflower Farm. As an established leader in the hemp industry, Mr. Hendrix has moved, and continues to move the entire industry forward with his efforts.
Scott
Schuett
Vice President of Operations
GBMM Brokers
Scott Schuett is a supply chain coordinator, broker, activist and innovator for small holder organic and regenerative farmer networks. With over 25 years of International experience in the Nutritional Supplement and Functional Foods production and manufacturing arena's, Scott brings a well rounded suite of skills to the US and Global Hemp Supply Chain. He is currently working with directly with consolidation of local and regional Hemp producer networks into viable supply chain partners, while supporting Social, Environmental and other For Benefit Corporate/Community Values.
Scott has served as VP Operations of GBMM Brokers, LLC, which he operates with his father, Mickey Schuett, for over 10 years. Currently based on the Big Island of Hawaii, other passions include gardening, community development and the integration of viable and progressive engagements of economy and quality
of life.
Vijay
Bachus
Former Director of Production Operations
Charlotte's Web
Vijay Bachus is the owner of Bachus Business Consulting Inc., cofounder of CannabisBusinessExperts.com, and a contracted consultant for NSF Health Sciences LLC. Vijay is a trusted subject matter expert in cGMP compliance as it relates to 21 CFR Parts 111 and 117 and he specializes in strategically building cannabis industry excellence, catapulting industry leaders and business owners to success.
Vijay started his career in quality control and logistics in the telecom industry at Carrier Access Corporation where he led the Compliance Program and managed the ISO 9001, and the Bureau of Industry and Security Import/Export programs. Building on a solid foundation in regulatory compliance, Vijay transitioned to the organic food Industry where he pioneered cGMP, Organic, and Kosher programs at Madhava Natural Sweeteners, enabling them to become the first company in the United States to offer organic agave nectar to consumers.
Vijay went on to provide services to Boulder Organic Foods, securing several certifications including SQF Level 3 Certification, scaling their manufacturing process, and helping the company grow from a small boutique business to a large national provider of organic foods.Vijay was recruited by the Stanley brothers to be the Sr. Director of Operations at Charlotte’s Web, the leading provider of CBD dietary supplements. During his time at Charlotte’s Web, Vijay developed Business Operations and Quality Management Systems leading to an increase in revenue from $5 Million in 2015 to $100 Million + in 2019. In addition to sky-rocketed growth in revenue, Vijay led Charlotte’s Web to achieve key industry certifications, including NSF Certification.
Eric
Pierce
Vice President Data
& Insights
New Hope Network
Eric J. Pierce is a strategic business leader, innovator, marketing, and market research professional, who specializes in helping businesses develop strategy and identify and prioritize opportunities. Eric brings business management and consumer behavior perspectives to the businesses he supports.
Eric's passions lie in the intersection of consumer behavior and business strategy within the Natural Products industry. These passions are focused on helping companies navigate the dynamic and changing marketplace, helping to re-imagine brands, drive innovation, and focus business investments with an eye towards meeting the needs of the evolving marketplace. At New Hope Network, Eric and his colleagues and sit at the forefront of the natural products industry, well positioned to identify the cultural forces and trends creating opportunity in this exciting and evolving marketplace. Together we help companies large and small identify, prioritize and take advantage of opportunities in the natural products industry.
Claire Morton Reynolds
Senior Industry Analyst
New Hope Network / Nutrition Business Journal
NBJ's senior industry analyst, Claire informs the nutrition industry on trends across the dietary supplement, natural and organic food & beverage, personal care, and hemp CBD categories. She models and manages data and insights for Nutrition Business Journal, including market sizing, forecasting and trend analysis.
As part of New Hope, NBJ helps companies large and small identify, prioritize and take advantage of opportunities in the evolving food and nutrition economy.
Todd Runestad
Senior Editor, Ingredients & Supplements
New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider
Todd Runestad is a senior editor covering supplements and ingredients for Informa's Global Health & Nutrition network (includes New Hope Network and Natural Products Insider). He has been covering nutrition science news and ingredient innovations for nearly 20 years. Todd has also served as editor for various publications including Nutrition Science News, Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals and Functional Ingredients magazine.
Francine
Schoenwetter
Content Marketing
Director
Informa Health &
Nutrition Network
For over three decades Fran has served the natural products industry truly from supply to shelf. For independent and national natural products retailers she has provided leadership in retail operations, education, category and brand directorship, and technical product development. Ms. Schoenwetter’s breadth of experience has provided her a rich and practical understanding of the forces driving both retail merchandising, nutrition science and regulations and new product innovation across categories.
Presently she serves as director content marketing across Informa's Health & Nutrition network, providing insights and strategic content direction to meet audience education needs throughout the supply chain.
We know everyone needs education, but we all crave connection. Join our community networking opportunities and make the most of your time today at the Hemp Collective Virtual Summit. You never know who could meet, and where those connections may lead.