Now that hemp and CBD are legal across the United States, it seems like everyone is jumping aboard the train. We spent the past few days out at Champs Trade Show and it helped us come to the realization that this isn’t just another hyped up trend or fad. These products are gaining in popularity and everything to do with CBD is here to stay.
Although the legalization of cannabis has pretty much overshadowed the hemp movement, the larger market is actually the CBD and hemp industry. With access to all 50 states, this industry is making leaps and bounds with each passing month.
Walking around Champs with my friend NW Beardgang, there were the usual glass blowers, vape companies, and counterculture icons. This year was a bit different than past years. There were probably 25 or so companies who specialized in hemp flower, topicals, tinctures, and an array of infused CBD candies and other edible foods.
The Vendors
There were many great vendors and booths. My favorite brand from the Champs Trade Show was Ghost Vapes. Their booth was the ultimate ‘Chill Out Experience’. It provided guests a private area to sample flower with their Ghost Vape devices. Plus, they had comfy bean bag chairs for people to relax and decompress. No other booths really provided an area with dedicated space to learn about the product and network at the same time.
I enjoyed receiving free CBD infused food and drinks every 2-3 booths. But,
the coolest experiences from the entire show were getting to meet the owners of TKO Reserve and watching live glass blowing. Seeing the energy and passion of the entrepreneurs behind Oregon’s TKO brand was inspiring, to say the least. The variety of small and large companies is crucial for stores looking to offer heady experiences as well as deals on cheaper imports.
At this year’s event, the rapper and cannabis icon known as Berner also announced his launch of Vibes rolling papers. These papers are super thin and made of rice. This provides users with one of the smoothest smoking experiences possible. The Vibes team also worked with Greenlane Wholesale for a sick afterparty that featured many of Greenlane’s most reputable products. I met Berner briefly at the Vibes booth and got to thank him for what he’s done for the industry.
Another well-known cannabis industry icon is Jane West. Her signature JW products have propelled her brand to become one of the most recognizable CBD companies in existence. She recently launched a new collection of CBD coffee and was kind enough to take a photo. I’m definitely not one to fangirl over music artists or famous people but Jane is hands-down my favorite ganjapreneur.
The After Parties
The highlight from Champs Trade Show, for me, was at the Zen As Fuck party that was presented by Piece of Mind, Satori, Bodhi High, and a few other brands. When companies attend trade shows or expos in Las Vegas, we’re not trapped inside the facilities we normally work at. We get to chill and enjoy each other in a fun environment, typically in a hotel suite or at some form of villa or mansion. Although a ton of business is done and deals are signed at the trade show, the networking at the events after the show are usually even more valuable.
We were inside a sick looking mansion for the Zen As Fuck Party with catered food, free dabs, an open bar, and a keg. Plus, the best kinds of people were in attendance. There is nothing quite like being surrounded by a few hundred cannabis lovers.
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