As the cannabis industry grows and matures, brands are becoming more polished and professional.
Although recently launched in 2016, cannabis-infused chocolate company 1906 is backed by a team that takes pride in carving a credible niche in the cannabis space by leveraging their decades of experience at Fortune 500 companies.
“‘My CEO is from Wall Street’ is something I often tell people to give them a better idea of our mainstream legitimacy,” the company’s Chief Marketing Officer Heather Larimer told ForceBrands.
Founder and CEO Peter Barsoom is a former Wall Street financier who saw an opportunity in Denver to create a premium cannabis edibles startup. We caught up with the team to dive deeper into the company’s mission, culture, future plans, and more.
ForceBrands: Who is your target audience?
1906: We describe our product as “edibles for high functioning adults.” We’re marketing to adults who have demanding careers and who care about their health and bodies. We’re also interested in tapping into the female market because they’re so underserved in this industry. Today’s stores are expected to reflect the consumer and yet you still walk into a cannabis dispensary and often don’t feel seen as an adult interested in cannabis.
FB: Describe 1906 — what makes the product unique from others on the market?
1906: Our chocolates are low-dose (typically 5 mg per serving). We seek to cater to the health and lifestyle needs of adults — and they tend to need help with sex, sleep, and relaxation, to name a few. 1906 takes a therapeutic approach to address adult wellness. But we’re also very fun.
FB: Tell us a bit about your team.
1906: We’re a team of about 25 and are based in Denver.
FB: What are some unique employee perks at 1906?
1906: Our food game is on point. Our CEO Peter hosts these amazing dinners where he’ll hire a chef from one of Denver’s best restaurants to come to his house and cook for the team. Enjoying our product over a delicious meal is something we do a lot. We also travel together which is a great time as well.
FB: How would you describe the team culture?
1906: It’s not a very stratified company structure — for example manufacturing staff, sales staff, every single person in the company is invited to dinner at the CEO’s home. It’s a flat hierarchy. I’m amazed every day at how much access we have to our CEO. The company also pays 100 percent of health care for everyone because Peter believes a healthy workforce is paramount to a productive and successful company.
Interested in working at 1906? Explore some of their open roles below and visit their company profile on our HerbForce job board for more opportunities as they crop up.
