Building a Cannabis Brand with Solventless Extracts

“If you aren’t producing solventless products, you don’t have a premium extraction brand.”

That’s what we like to tell cannabis concentrates producers and those looking to enter the space today. Solventless concentrates are the hot option that should only heat up as regulations become more favorable to the market.

We can surmise the rise of solventless products by looking at the booming concentrates market overall. Spring 2019 data from Grand View Research reports that the global cannabis extracts market should reach over $23.5 billion by 2025. With an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.1%, the market looks to be growing for a long time to come.  

The market is already filling up. Brands need to find ways to stand out and profit in the process. Doing so requires many factors. They include a focus on product affordability and business scalability. While adult use is on the rise, focusing on medical markets is still rather appealing, as is the allure of rapidly developing solventless tech. All the while, product choice is critical. Take a look at edibles producers, and you may find quality producers drowning to be seen in a sea of brownies and gummies. 

However, those that use solventless extracts like rosin, bubble hash and others know that chemical-free options can be a vital brand builder.  

Discussing the Demand

As mentioned above, the demand for concentrates is surging and doesn’t appear to be stopping. 

The Grand View report cites an increased awareness of the medical benefits of concentrates as a critical reason for driving sector growth. While solvent-based options do remove the chemicals from the final product, it can be expected that some patients remain uncomfortable with any exposure to outside elements. As such, solventless producers may stand to benefit by emphasizing that solvent-free processes rely on heat, pressure and ice water as its methods over CO2, butane and other combustible elements.

While we can speculate on the demand of the market, the report provided additional concrete evidence to support its findings. They a $3.3 billion valuation of the full spectrum market, showing a significant customer demand for cannabis-derived oil and its entourage effect over isolates or distillate. 

The rising market demand has led major cannabis players to the opportunity. Grand View listed several names entering the space, such as Canopy Growth, Aurora, GW Pharmaceuticals, Tikun Olam and several others.  

Others Making a Name in the Space

Household cannabis brands are far from the only ones to get involved. In fact, several brands helped spark the craze that eventually led major names and aspiring entrepreneurs to the space. Today, they are seen as leaders in the sector for building a brand based around stellar solventless products.

Leaders include 710 Labs, who established a name around top-of-the-line in-house cultivation. The company's line of genetics is regarded for its exotic choices from top breeders and landrace strains. When it comes to products like its pens, 710's concentrates are naturally extracted and house in some pretty sweet looking batteries, if you ask us. 

Olio Strawnana Hash Rosin Bubble Hash Rosin Olio 710

Mixed Micron Strawnana Hash Rosin from Olio

Since 2012, Olio's team of growers and producers have built a genetic library that is difficult to rival. Processors of both solventless and solvent-based products, the company makes a product for virtually every consumer. Some of the solventless methods the company employs include 90+120 micron, mixed micron and 2nd press. Olio also offers limited-time Extractor's Choice concentrates to look out for. 

One of the most famous names in American cannabis today is Papa & Barkley. A brand inspired by a father's back pain and his family's loyalty to their pitbull offers customers a range of products from CBD balms and pills to patches and tinctures. Best of all, the entire life is made solvent-free. 

In the incredibly intriguing Oklahoma medical market, you'll find Arcadia Brands, a relative newcomer that touts peace and simplicity through its solventless extracts. The company makes a range of edibles using solventless extracts, such as brownies, cookies, bambams and caramels to name a few. Arcadia also produces solventless wax and vape juice made from top strains like White Widow and Gelato, to name a few. 

Another company worth checking out is Blue River Terps. The company frames itself as "the original cannabis terpene brand" and uses a mechanical extraction process that eliminates solvents as well as water. Since launching, Blue River has taken home over 50 cannabis awards for its solventless products, which includes rosin, snow and flan as just some of its concentrates. Additionally, the company produces vape carts made from rosin sauce, jelly sauce and jelly. They’re also pretty great at CBD and hash art. 

Blue River Terps Hash Rosin Solventless Bubble Hash Rosins

Multiple Solventless Hash Rosin Strains from Blue River Terps

100% Cannabis

When we discuss branding, we can’t forget the name of the burgeoning extraction sector. Some call it solventless. Others say solvent or chemical-free. Too often, the public will lump all concentrates together, regardless of the extraction method used. 

To help differentiate the market, we believe that 100% cannabis may be the proper way to brand products made using natural extraction methods. 

We say 100% cannabis because the use of solvents in the term can confuse the message. Consider this, what many consider solvent-free isn’t technically so. In reality, products made using solvent-based extraction can be solvent-free. While chemicals are used in the process, all products have been purged of any solvents before approved for sale. So, while substances may have been used, the consumer doesn’t interact with any of them.

That’s why calling a naturally extracted product solvent-free is not technically accurate. While you could use solventless as a proper identifier, at some point, the confusion between the terms led to them becoming interchangeable. To establish that products using natural extraction methods are its own vertical in the sector, it deserves a new name that won’t be confused. With 100% cannabis, consumers can clearly tell nothing has impacted a product’s production other than cannabis and natural methods. 

Even if solventless represents just a portion of your brand, it could serve as a viable means to enhance and establish a brand as a leader in top-quality consumables. Ready to explore what a rosin press or other solventless extraction means can do for your company? Check out all the products you can produce and how you can automate much of the process.

Want to learn more? Hit us up today!