Know Your CBD Manufacturer
Imagine the CBD manufacturing industry as an iceberg. Only 10% of the large mass is poking out of the water, while 90% is underneath. The 10% above sea level are reputable, large scale manufacturers who are taking the necessary steps in order to be visible and responsible in their practices. The 90% below the water, which make up the majority of the industry, may be cutting corners, and using the large, turbulent ocean that is the CBD market in order to mask their lack of trust and transparency within the industry.
Kazmira strives to be at the tip of the iceberg, and there are many reasons why we go above and beyond anyone else in the industry. For buyers and end-product manufacturers, it is extremely important to know who exactly it is that’s producing your wholesale CBD, and understand what makes a CBD manufacturer trustworthy.
Is the CBD Manufacturing Company Trustworthy?
In order to determine how trustworthy your wholesale manufacturer is, it is important to note how the company is organized and who is in charge. Manufacturing CBD is not something that someone can decide to do on a whim. It takes years of education and experience to oversee the highly technical process. Do your research on the CEO of the company; do they have past manufacturing experience? What is their educational background? In addition, inquire about the size of the company; how many employees do they have? It takes a large staff in order to run a wholesale product manufacturing facility.
At Kazmira, Dr. Priyanka Sharma and Mr. Pulak Sharma are co-CEOs with backgrounds in education and large scale manufacturing. Dr. Sharma has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and is a published scientist focusing on modeling of complex molecules in biological systems. Mr. Sharma has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, completed his MBA and joined a Fortune 100 company as a corporate strategy executive. Together they employ 30 engineers, scientists and operators at Kazmira.
Product innovations are another indicator of a company who is a leading force in the industry. Instead of producing only generic products to flood the market, manufacturers who are able to find holes in the market and rise above to fill the void are likely to have a strong foundation from which they can innovate.
Kazmira’s premier product innovation is Imperial Oil, which is a high potency CBD extract that is THC-Free. This product has CBD concentrations upwards of 90%, while simultaneously having non-detect levels of THC. This is a unique product in the industry because it is a broad spectrum CBD extract of hemp with no additives or artificial enhancements, while also filling the void of THC-Free CBD products in the industry.
When purchasing bulk CBD products, the amount of time your manufacturer needs to fill the order is something to be aware of. If a company needs a month to fill an order, it is possible that they are being deceptive about the size and scale of their operation, which could mean they are not as legitimate as other CBD producers. Having long lead times may also indicate that they do not have control over their production, and may only be a CBD distributor posing as a manufacturer.
A Certified Manufacturing Facility
Reputable CBD distributors should be able to provide proof of an industrial manufacturing facility. In order to produce CBD extracts safely and effectively at scale, a company must have a certified facility. Trustworthy businesses should be upfront and honest about their facility, open to visits from customers and audits for quality control and quality management systems.
There are multiple certifications which CBD manufacturers can obtain to help prove that they are a quality manufacturing facility. It is important that the company follows current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) guidelines to ensure safety and quality. cGMP is required for manufacturing companies, and part of the regulation of consumer products across food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
A certificate from the International Standards Organization (ISO) is not required, but determines that the company follows international standards for quality management at their facility. This shows customers that the company meets international standards and has passed an additional third party audit process.
In order for CBD to legally be used and sold in food products, the wholesale manufacturer should be licensed by the state. For example, in Colorado, CBD manufacturers and distributors must have a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment licence to manufacture food products.
Licenses with other regulatory bodies are also important for manufacturers to have. It ensures they are being responsible and compliant with safety & environmental regulations. All of these licenses and certifications are fulfilled at Kazmira, which has a Class 1 Division 1 rated, 200,000 sqft. facility.
Where Do They Source Their Hemp?
The hemp supply chain of your CBD manufacturer is one of the most important pieces to assuring quality in their end products. Some CBD oils on the market are made by dissolving contaminated CBD isolate in filler oils, but are sold as hemp extracts. In order to ensure that the bulk CBD supplier you are purchasing from isn’t cutting corners like this, make sure to find out where or how they get their hemp feedstock. If the hemp is contaminated, or in bad condition, the end products will also be contaminated and low quality.
If companies have their own industrial hemp farms, or are sourcing their hemp responsibly, they will often show it off. At Kazmira, we often talk about our trusted, third-party contracted hemp farms and are very proud to show our customers the many acres planted across Colorado. We believe that quality CBD oil starts with quality hemp. The source of the CBD ultimately determines the quality of the extract, and therefore the quality of the end products that are made from those extracts.
Quality Assurance and Transparency
In a young industry that does not yet have strong regulations at the state or federal level, it is important that your CBD manufacturer is taking steps to self regulate it’s process and products. Manufacturers should be testing their hemp feedstock for pesticides and heavy metals before they begin extraction, and throughout the whole process to ensure the quality and safety of their products. Having the ability to analyze their products in house for potency, THC content, and potentially dangerous toxins is necessary for assuring quality in the end products.
For transparency, your CBD oil supplier should obtain a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for all of their products. This is a separate product analysis from a third-party lab to ensure there is no bias in reporting exactly what their products contain. COAs are detailed reports including the exact concentrations of all cannabinoids, terpenes, pesticides, and heavy metals detected in the product. This provides buyers with all the information they need to know exactly what they are buying.
Kazmira has our own in house analytical lab where we are able to test our products from the hemp all the way to oil. Also, we provide up-to-date third-party certificates of analysis for all of our products.
Just the Tip of the Iceberg
With the vast amount of manufacturers attempting to break into the exploding CBD market, it can be overwhelming as a buyer trying to find a trustworthy CBD wholesaler. Use the ideas above as a starting point for getting to know manufacturers. Those companies who are reputable should have no problem providing information on the topics we just covered. The more transparent they are about their process and company, the better.