BlueKudu’s Winning Formula for Edibles

CEO Andrew Schrot of BlueKudu relies on his background in mathematics to craft the perfect edible recipes.

With a mathematics degree, BlueKudu founder and Chief Executive Officer Andrew Schrot did not set out to become a cannabis entrepreneur. Yet, that’s exactly what he did.

Growing up in Florida where his dad worked as a Veterans Administration doctor, Schrot witnessed firsthand the physical and mental suffering of military veterans. “While I am not a veteran myself, our family has always wanted to help them,” he said.

After graduation from the University of Florida in 2010, he moved to Colorado, where he heard veterans praising the healing ability of infused edibles. Schrot saw potential in the products that existed at the time, but he felt there was room for improvement. “There was not much a focus on making a quality product,” he recalled.

In 2011, after spending months in intense research, he formed BlueKudu with the mission of “creating a high-quality, consistent, dosable edible that the consumer can really enjoy from a taste standpoint.”

BlueKudu has grown tremendously since then. The company’s products are showcased in more than 400 Colorado medical dispensaries and recreational shops. A lineup of quality products and the popularity of the Alpine Glacier mint dark chocolate bar fueled the company’s rapid climb.

Getting the recipe just right was not an easy task. “We really did a lot of research and testing with a lot of different consultants to source our dark chocolate,” Schrot said. “It’s a sweeter dark chocolate than most.”

“We like to print on the label the test results of every batch we make. We want the customers to know exactly what they are paying for.” —Andrew Schrot, CEO, BlueKudu

He has found that the formula for success is constantly changing. Colorado recently adopted strict regulations for edibles packaging. State law requires that packaging be marked with a large red diamond containing an exclamation point to warn customers if a product contains cannabis. Infused edibles cannot contain more than 10 mg of THC per serving. In order to ensure its products comply, BlueKudu spent $30,000 to create new molds for its chocolate. The costs did not end there. “We had to take back over $50,000 in products so we could keep our branding consistent and to make sure we did not have products out in the market that did not meet the new requirements,” said Schrot.

He plans to expand into new markets eventually, but he’s taking a cautious approach until federal laws change. “I think it will be some time before we see ourselves having the ability to ship interstate,” he said.