Ben Kaplan: It feels like an edible that actually tastes good shouldn’t be as novel a product as it is.
John Aird: Right?
Sarah Gillin: From the beginning, the goal was to create premium cannabis products – with a focus on ingredients. We assembled a team of talented people, including an outstanding operations, R&D and production team, to help us realize that vision. We didn’t want to settle for just ordinary.
JA: We’re independent. The vision was for us to be small-batch—craft – which allows us to be nimble and to prioritize things that all manufacturers should…like taste.
AN: Manufacturing a commercial product versus creating something that simply is delicious has been an eye-opening experience. There’s a reason why it’s not often done: it’s hard. Luckily, we work with a very talented group of people at Olli that work tirelessly to make these amazing products a reality.
SG: We always admired and respected Adrian’s innovative take on food. He and our in-house R&D team work very closely together and so much time and attention goes into curating our ingredients and infusing our Olli products with the purest, and best CBD and THC distillate.
AN: We literally had ten SKUs of edibles initially that we started working on with our food scientists. We were excited about all of them. What is interesting is that over the product development process, things change and evolve as the product commercializes and gets to market. For example, we had all sorts of interesting and unique things we were going to do with chocolates. Today, we’re going to market with our fruit chews and other innovative products like baked goods and teas. Chocolates we are saving for a later date.
SG: That’s what makes this launch so exciting: we’ve worked on it for so long to get something just right.
JA: We didn’t want to release anything that we didn’t think was perfect. And you nailed it: the most important thing is taste, but also consistency and shelf stability at different temperatures across the country. Olli’s finished products combine the right mix of distillate and high-quality ingredients—fruit that’s a flavour bomb in your mouth—to create a consistent product with an extended shelf life that’s delicious, every time.
AN: And the cool thing is that Canada is at the very beginning stages of realizing its full potential in the edibles space. So many of our ideas—like sauces, confectionaries, and oils—are just ahead of their time, but they’ll be here... eventually.
BK: We’re sitting here today surrounded by beautiful fresh fruit and baked goods that wouldn’t be out of place at the Ritz. But how do you begin transforming these products into something that can be shipped around the country, replicated at scale, and stored at different temperatures for extended periods of time?
AN: Manufacturing a commercial product versus creating something that simply is delicious has been an eye-opening experience. There’s a reason why it’s not often done: it’s hard. Luckily, we work with a very talented group of people at Olli that work tirelessly to make these amazing products a reality.
SG: We always admired and respected Adrian’s innovative take on food. He and our in-house R&D team work very closely together and so much time and attention goes into curating our ingredients and infusing our Olli products with the purest, and best CBD and THC distillate.
AN: We literally had ten SKUs of edibles initially that we started working on with our food scientists. We were excited about all of them. What is interesting is that over the product development process, things change and evolve as the product commercializes and gets to market. For example, we had all sorts of interesting and unique things we were going to do with chocolates. Today, we’re going to market with our fruit chews and other innovative products like baked goods and teas. Chocolates we are saving for a later date.
SG: That’s what makes this launch so exciting: we’ve worked on it for so long to get something just right.
JA: We didn’t want to release anything that we didn’t think was perfect. And you nailed it: the most important thing is taste, but also consistency and shelf stability at different temperatures across the country. Olli’s finished products combine the right mix of distillate and high-quality ingredients—fruit that’s a flavour bomb in your mouth—to create a consistent product with an extended shelf life that’s delicious, every time.
AN: And the cool thing is that Canada is at the very beginning stages of realizing its full potential in the edibles space. So many of our ideas—like sauces, confectionaries, and oils—are just ahead of their time, but they’ll be here... eventually.
BK: So talk about right now where we are with Olli for the holidays. What can I give my kid’s teachers?
JA: We’ve done our research and know that demand for high-quality gummies substantially outstrips supply, so we’re launching nationwide with delicious Dragon Fruit and Strawberry fruit chews.
SG: I think people will see with their first taste that they’re unlike anything else that they’ve tried. It just tastes yummy —like something you’d want to eat, even if it didn’t have THC or CBD.
JA: But, of course, ours does.
AN: We didn’t want something where the sugar would stay on your tongue. Some of the available products on the market almost give you a “tongue burn,” but our formulation balances the acidity and sweetness.
JA: You taste some of these products and all you taste is the distillate. There’s not a lot of attention or care put into the texture or the flavour. I understand the need for a big company using an automated conveyor belt trying to crank out as many as they can. I understand that. I just don’t want to eat it.
SG: That’s where we wanted to differentiate. There’s a market for everything and we think we’re opening up a really interesting space.
AN: This launch is really just the start for us. There’s so much more we’re going to do.
JA: Small batch. Product innovation. Heavy R&D. THC and CBD infusions with the best distillates. And a best in class team.
SG: We’re feeling really good about the future of Olli and the industry.
