KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clovr Cannabis, the first medical marijuana manufacturing facility in Missouri to receive the green light to operate, opened its doors to 41 Action News to show how edibles and oils are made.
"Most weed you've ever seen in your life," Josh Mitchem, CEO of Clovr, said, opening a door.
Inside the room were bags full of marijuana flower.
For a medical marijuana manufacturing facility, this is where it starts.
"Seven different strains of cannabis across four harvests," Mitchem said.
Clovr Cannabis received its first shipment of marijuana over the weekend. They are waiting on test results to make sure it's safe, then they'll start the process of turning it into edibles, oil for vape pens and waxes, as well as putting it into pre-rolled joints.
"We put it inside of our extraction machines and either pump it full of butane or CO2 [carbon dioxide]," Mitchem said. "And through a process of heat and pressure, the machines will extract the oil out. At that point, we take the oil, we purify it up and it'll go straight into vape pens or go down the line into one of our kitchens."
They use butane for vape pens, so the result is smoother, while CO2 is used for the edibles.
Most of the marijuana in the bags will be used for edibles and waxes and shatter (concentrates), and about 5% will be used for pre-rolls.
"Gummies are one of the most popular infused products," Spencer Shore, kitchen manager, said.
Clovr Cannabis will make gummies for two companies, Wana and Robhots. The flavors include watermelon, mango, blueberry, yuzu, strawberry lemonade and tangerine.
Right now, the team is practicing and training, so the products shown to 41 Action News on Monday were not infused with marijuana.
"Starting with basic ingredients: sugars, corn syrup, your pectin, which is what's used to gelatinize your product," Shore said. "Taking it from step-to-step and cooking it through and letting it set."
They hope to start making marijuana-infused products next week, or in mid-December.
Mitchem said infused products make up about 60% to 70% of all marijuana sales. The rest is flower. Out of that 60% to 70%, half of sales are for vape pens and the other half is in edibles. Out of the edibles, gummies make up 50% of sales.
"We've seen a massive shift," Mitchem said. "It wasn't five years ago when it was 70% flower and 30% infused products. Now, we've seen almost a total flip-flop."
Mitchem said edibles provide a high that lasts longer, which can be beneficial for patients experiencing pain or anxiety.
Clovr will make gummies containing 10 milligrams of THC, which can be split for a smaller dose. Some gummies will contain both THC and CBD.
"When you're taking edibles, you want to start low and go slow," Shore said. "I'm sure a lot of people have heard that story about someone who didn't think it was going to hit them and they took too much."
Clovr also is collaborating with Christopher Elbow chocolates on a line of chocolate bars and other treats.
They are working with Keef Cola to make infused pop, which will come in 10 milligram bottles. They also are bottling infused water under the brand name Life Water.
"The flavor won't change very much," Mitchem said. "Because we distill the THC, you'll never know it's in there."
Mitchem said he hopes to have the product on dispensary shelves by the end of the month.
"We've got enough product here to get these stores opened up, and that's extremely exciting for all of us as well as the dispensary owners," Mitchem said.
