Inspired by a desire to help patients and convinced that cannabis is the pharmaceutical of the future, Kushy Punch founder Ruben Cross hit on the idea of making an edible different from anything else on the market. “We were thinking of a product that could be small and discreet, yet have a long shelf life and be exceptionally potent,” he said. “We wanted to take a whole eighth-ounce of cannabis and condense it down into a pocket-sized product that can be taken anywhere. We couldn’t do that with baked goods and other comestibles.”
But he could do it with a lozenge-sized candy. The result? Kushy Punch, which won Best Candy at the 2014 KushExpo. The single-dose gummies come medicated and non-medicated, with the latter available in a variety of flavors, including strawberry, raspberry, and pineapple. The medicated variety comes in three “super potent” variations—Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid—in addition to CBD and TKO, which is the current best-seller. “It is the size of a quarter and is extremely potent, which goes to show how the mature market of California is not seeking the 15mg products just yet,” said Cross.
Sold in 350 dispensaries and counting, Kushy Punch products launched just last year, and the company already has plans to expand into other legal states once the local process has been perfected. What’s the secret to its success? “Our customer service and sales team, hands down,” said a proud Cross. “I believe we have a world-class distribution team, and we build a solid rapport with all the shop owners.”
Kushy Punch also stands completely behind its lab-tested products made from its own “premium California-grown buds,” offering a 100-percent guarantee. “We do a lot of samplings and recently starting to give away boxes of samples, so that patients can try Kushy Punch and see for themselves,” said Cross. “We give out really awesome mini boxing gloves to our patients so that they remember us, and larger boxing gloves to all the shops that carry our brand to help them with merchandising.”
Kushy also sells vape cartridges (50mg CBD only, 500mg TCH & CBD, 450mg Pure THC, and 350mg Whole Plant Extract) as well as Pure TCH Oil. In the works: a new RAW line that will contain only what grows out of the ground, with nothing processed except cannabis oil. “I think the best medicine is food, as long as it is the right type,” said Cross. “We have noticed there aren’t too many health-conscious choices when it comes to edibles, and we plan on changing that in a big way.”
Kushy links to SC Labs test results directly from its site.
INDICA
Teste: 10/25/2015
THC: 94.12 mg
CBD: 19.64 mg
CBN: 3.24 mg
HYBRID
Tested: 10/25/2015
THC: 93.76 mg
CBD: 24.44 mg
CBN: 3.28 mg
SATIVA
Teste: 10/25/2015
THC: 93.96 mg
CBD: 0.29 mg
CBN: 3.29 mg
T.K.O.
Tested: 10/15/2015
THC: 240.62 mg
CBD: 3.85 mg
CBN: 8.27 mg
CBD
Teste: 10/26/2015
THC: 2.43 mg
CBD: 61.68 mg
CBN: 0.31 mg
