Colorado has a rich history when it comes to cannabis. From the early days of prohibition to the present, the state has been at the forefront of marijuana legalization and innovation. One company, in particular, Wana, has made a big impact on the edibles market. Founded in 2014, Wana is now one of the most popular edible brands in the world. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the history of Wana and how it became such a success.
Wana Gummies, Industry Leader
Any casual purveyor of marijuana edibles, especially in Colorado, is familiar with Wana Brand products. Their gummies are literally everywhere cannabis is sold in our state. Their recognizable, yet non-descript, plastic-bottle package is the closest thing to “brand recognition” that the industry has. This is in large part because, in the THC-Gummies product category, Wana’s gummies hold a whopping 48% market share in Colorado.
Wana’s products are sold in 28 states plus Washington D.C., and the company has plans in place to “go national” should cannabis become legal at the federal level. Should that happen, seeing Wana edible products at your local 7-11 could be just as common as seeing Coors Light or Lays Potato Chips.
The History of Wana Brands
So how did this little Boulder, Colorado-based startup become the leader in their industry? Much of Wana’s success can be traced to their insurance executive-turned cannabis entrepreneur co-owner, Nancy Whiteman.
Whiteman’s practical business acumen and risk-management background have been critical to Wana’s success. She has navigated the choppy waters of the cannabis industry with aplomb, always keeping her eye on the long game. This has allowed Wana to weather storms that have sunk other companies. For example, when Colorado implemented stricter testing and labeling requirements for edibles in 2016, many brands were forced to destroy large quantities of inventory that didn’t meet the new standards. Wana was able to adapt its recipes and processes to comply with the new regulations without having to scrap product lines.
Wana (an abbreviation of marijuana) currently sells about a dozen edible products in both medical and recreational varieties. Wana’s distinctive sour gummies helped to make them one of the most successful companies in their space, bringing in $8.4 million in revenue: neon-bright, sugar-dipped, vegan cubes of pectin and corn syrup and fruit flavor with 10 milligrams of THC-infused oil per bite.
Not Cool
Wana is not a particularly cool marijuana brand and has no interest in being so. The idea behind Whiteman’s company is that by being dull, predictable, and general, as well as appealing to older people with a lot of disposable income and a distaste for bongs and their ubiquitous smoke and post-adolescent stoner culture they represent, she may propel her firm into acceptable consumer-product respectability.
New to the Market: Wana Quick Gummies
A recent addition to Wana’s product line, and one that has quickly gained popularity, is their Quick Gummies. These fast-acting gummies are perfect for people who want the effects of THC but don’t want to wait an hour or more for the edibles to kick in.
Wana’s Quick Gummies use a water-soluble form of THC that is absorbed by the body more quickly than oil-based edibles. This means that the effects can be felt within 15 minutes, as opposed to the 60-90 minutes it takes for traditional edibles to take effect.
The Last Toke
With their easy packaging, consistent dosing, and delicious flavors, it’s no wonder that Wana’s gummies are so popular. The company has come a long way since its humble beginnings, and there’s no doubt that they are here to stay. Frost Exotic Cannabis carries a wide range of Wana edibles.
