Why the CBD Industry can do Better.

Experts at True North Labs, a global leader in cannabinoid formulations, explain how CBD producers could be doing more for consumers.

At True North Labs we believe that, whilst the CBD category is obviously enjoying unprecedented growth, more could be done by producers and brands to truly understand consumer buying motivations and needs, and that we could all do more to take a consumer- led approach to product development and innovation.

The category has grown very quickly, and CBD – most commonly presented in a similar way in an oil of some description –has become much more a part of the consumer landscape. Having said that, we believe that there’s huge opportunity to offer more to consumers, to drive a science-led approach and create specific formulations that address specific
consumer needs.

And we could be communicating this to consumers in a much clearer way: which specific cannabinoids do what, and how? Which formulations work best together to provide the best stress relief, the best night’s sleep, the most impressive reduction of inflammation?

As it stands, many producers and brands don’t communicate these nuances in an especially compelling way. Accordingly we’re left with a market which is over-saturated by fairly standard CBD oils and with very little ambition for innovation or uniqueness.

Here’s where we think True North Labs really stands out. Our focus, as global cannabinoid formulation leaders, is always on what the consumer actually wants. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are not ‘just another white labeller’, but a formulations-driven, science-led partner to brands looking to create genuinely effective, innovative cannabinoid-based
products.

We’re here to drive that consumer-led approach we feel the category sorely needs.

Scott Henson, True North Labs CCO, says: “Companies have pushed out one-dimensional CBD “solutions” to consumers for too long. They’re not thinking about whether consumers actually want those products., which is really missing the point. Our aim is to work with like-minded businesses that want to break this paradigm and create bespoke cannabinoid
formulations that deliver on specific outcomes.”

The Novel Foods approval process has been a frustration for the whole industry. That said, for us the added frustration is that Novel Foods seems to have morphed into the be-all-and-end-all of quality assurance. Which it isn’t. Whilst it’s vital that the basic benchmark of quality assurance Novel Foods offers exists, approval doesn’t necessarily equate to “high quality”.

It doesn’t mean a product is effective. In our minds, as well as meeting Novel Foods standards, efficacy should be proven through customer feedback collected using a scientific approach.

We also strongly believe in a consumer needs driven approach to creating specific formulations that drive specific outcomes. We believe that the full range of cannabinoids and terpenes available should be deployed to create products of which the industry can be rightfully proud.

We believe in copying from the more established Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) approach: keeping up with our ever-evolving market while learning from other categories that actually look to address consumer needs and motivations, and keep innovating accordingly.

Using a science-driven approach in our state-of-the-art lab, located in the foothills of the Swiss Alps, we’re working with brands to create industry leaders – not followers. We’re moving away from one-dimensional and Novel Foods-constrained products into new and exciting areas, using world-renowned Swiss precision, and the expertise of our premier formulations team.

If you, like some of the amazing clients we’ve already provided solutions for, are looking for a way to become a driving force for innovation in the CBD industry, we’re looking for you.

We’re currently opening up our services to companies who share our values and want to create bespoke, effective, cannabinoid formulations linked to a clear marketing objective, which we can help you define if needed.

After all – who needs yet another white label oil?