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Culinary Matters

How black women entrepreneurs contribute to the food industry

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BY HRISHIKESH DAS GUPTA

I had the opportunity to learn about the achievement and influence of female entrepreneurs during the celebration of Black History Month. In this article, I would like to introduce you to two amazing women Janelle Jordan and Michelle Lewis who told me their stories and how they achieved their business success.

Janelle’s Story

Janelle Jordan, the founder of Fusion Fit Foods, has been working in the fitness industry for over a decade. Her motto is to educate and empower her clients with fitness and nutrition tools. Janelle plans the diet and workout schedules for each client and tailors it according to their needs. It was failing for a few and she didn’t know why.  She discussed the issue with her clients and all of them confessed that they were having trouble balancing the daily workload and healthy eating. Janelle learned that they had a great dependency on sugar and high sodium type snacks. Janelle decided to innovate a snacking solution for them.

Some of her clients also mentioned that they don’t check the nutritional facts on the protein bars they consume daily. This feedback directed Janelle to create a naturally sweetened snacking solution that was not only nutritious but also satisfied the client’s fondness for sweet foods.

Janelle introduced plant-based protein balls that she named Fusion Fit Foods. They contain low carbs, moderate fat, high protein, and also coated with Adaptogens. Adaptogens, commonly known as superfood herbs and has roots in East and South Asian countries. They are famous for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral benefits. Janelle’s commitment to offering top-quality protein bites, loaded with great taste and texture was a huge step toward the success of her diet plans.

After that, she expanded her business to the virtual market. Janelle is a self-learner who isn’t afraid of the challenges ahead. She said, “2021 is the best time to establish your start up. Don’t be scared. You will never be ready; you have to start with your strong determination. ” She would like to thank her family: Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce, Black Business Professional Association, Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, and Women’s Entrepreneurship Hub (WE-Hub) for their support and encouragement.

Michelle’s Story

Michelle Lewis, a business management professional always dreamt of turning her passion for baking into an established business. She educated herself about business operations and administration. The experience helped her to start her part-time baking business in 2017. Michelle’s specializes in sweet baked treat boxes, platters, cheesecakes, and cake loaves for any events.

Michelle mentioned that she values all the money her clients are paying for the products so to make it worthwhile she only uses edible decorations and avoids fondant. All the baking products are prepared from scratch, baked in small batches, and combined with a burst of flavour so food lovers will be satisfied with every bite.

She was determined to establish her business in 2020 and for that reason; she planned all the marketing strategies in 2019. However, when the pandemic hit all the plans were derailed, and she was worried her business would never take off.

To her surprise, all regular clients continued to work with her and encouraged her to continue delivering her amazing baked goods. Michelle encourages all business owners, “You will be tired. Your energy will be down. Work hard and keep trying for the better. Have your strong spirit to overcome all obstacles.”

The authenticities of female entrepreneurship are encouraging. It is showing young women what they can achieve if they are passionate and dedicated.

Culinary Matters

Virtual trees: Cannabis presence in the online metaverse

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Photo Credit: Antonio Borriello

BY SEAN SEURATTAN

A few short years ago, thinking that cannabis would become a legal and booming industry seemed like sheer fantasy but here we are. So, thinking that cannabis can be a regular resident of the virtual space known as the metaverse does not have to be science fiction.

The cannabis industry being born near the pinnacle of the technological revolution has ensured that an online presence is part of its DNA. Currently to most this is simply constituted by having a website and some social media accounts. However this is only the smallest fraction of what is possible. Here we will discuss some important components of the Metaverse, and how these could be applied to the cannabis community.

The biggest thing to understand about WEB3 (the metaverse’s proper name) is that it is a place where things can exist indefinitely in a virtual form.  In some cases, these are things that exist purely virtually, or in other cases they are virtual representations of real-world things. The simple fact that there is an online space that entire communities can exist in is an incredible leap forward, but is also familiar territory for the cannabis enthusiasts. Being able to virtually share information, ask questions and engage with others in real time are time-honoured traditions practiced by the cannabis community. . This has led to the creation of online marketplaces and forums about cannabis, which are pushing towards the creation of apps and other resources. This makes the entire cannabis experience easier and more informed.

While NFTs have been a heavy tech buzzword surrounding the Metaverse for the last few years, they actually comprise a small aspect of it: ownership. A non-fungible token is used to designate a digital asset as undeniably official and impossible to recreate. The ridiculously superficial bubble market of selling juvenile cartoon animal images will give way to the true purpose for this technology.

NFTs can give real world value to digital items. This is beneficial to cannabis in a multitude of ways. Beyond using them just to create digital trading cards of cannabis imagery, they can be used to unite decentralized individuals towards a common goal. For instance, a company could offer NFTs as a way to crowdfund a new experimental strain and NFT holders would get free samples or early access to reward their initial purchase. Experience based NFTs gained by attending specific events are another way cannabis could find value in this technology. A person’s virtual avatar could easily display an NFT confirming their attendance to a special conference, convention or seminar validating them for specific tasks. For example, owning a special NFT could designate someone as certified to grow an exotic cannabis strain.

Crypto currency is a much more complicated concept for WEB3, but can ultimately be liberation for the entire cannabis market. In the most obscenely simple terms, crypto currency is digital money independent of any centralized banking construct. It is created online, stored online, and spent online without ever materializing in the physical world. Its strength is solely based on the amount of users willing to accept, and use it.

Cannabis still holds a negative stigma, and many banks that still refuse to accept funds from this previously illegal industry perpetuate this. Crypto is a way to bypass this and future gatekeeping. In essence, anyone with the knowledge could create a currency that could be used solely for cannabis. With enough confidence from the community, it would be safe, secure and infallible. It could also provide financial equity within this new industry while simultaneously keeping it free from the current stagnant group holding most of the world’s capital.

It is truly a wonder to witness a community originating from the most analog place ascend to unimaginable heights through the strength of technology. While it is always wise to be cautious in unfamiliar territory, the benefits possible far outweigh the fear of risks. Cannabis can use the metaverse as a way to cement itself into the foundation of the future.

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Culinary Matters

Roll-Up; before you do, what are the best rolling papers for cannabis?

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Photo Credit: TechPhotoGal

BY SEAN SEURATTAN

Is there really a difference between the many kinds of rolling papers for cannabis? You bet your sweet sheets there are! While there are a myriad of brands and styles to choose from, we’ll try to rank the most common ones you’ll see without visiting a speciality store. Working our way towards the best papers (in this humble journalist’s opinion), we will contrast their pros and cons to help you make the surprisingly important decision of what to use for best results when lighting up.

Using rolling papers to inhale cannabis is only predated by the use of a pipe or chalice device. Its history is lengthy and its track record as a consistently viable method of consumption is unshakable. Perhaps it is the most ubiquitous because of the ease and accessibility it provides to consumers. Not to trivialize the art of rolling, but it can be done by almost any person at any time. Of course as one becomes more skilled and familiar with rolling, higher standards may begin to apply for the choice of medium for their creations. That being said, there are rolling papers for the most basic user to the most accomplished and everything on the spectrum between.

To begin, we will visit the brand I began my own journey with many moons ago.

ZigZag
Like the Ghost of Spliffs Past, that old familiar bearded pirate on its cover could tell hundreds of tales about cannabis adventures and misadventures. This brand is the bare minimum of acceptability for any self-respecting smoker.

ZigZag papers are excellent for novice users because the paper stock is durable and the glue strip is strong making it hard to tear or come undone while consuming. At the same time the strengths of this brand to novices are also its weaknesses for connoisseurs. The papers are durable because they’re thicker than most, adding unwanted flavour and smoke to your cannabis. The glue is stronger because it uses animal by-products instead of vegetable ones, which is intolerable to some. ZigZag has come out with several different styles to address the shortcomings of its original style as well as the desires of its customers.

Rizla
Perhaps the oldest amongst its peers, dating all the way back to France 1796. Its name comes from the rice paper used to make it and the family name licensed by Napoleon himself to manufacture them for his troops.

Riz, is the French word for rice and la which is an abbreviation for Lacroix.

This brand holds claim to be the ones who revolutionized the field when they began putting a glue strip on the edge of their papers. Rizla papers are delicate and burn quickly but provide much less paper taste and much more cannabis taste when in use. You can find these papers in most stores but not all, so sometimes availability can be an issue. This brand also comes in a variety of styles and cuts to suit your needs. Most recently, Rizla introduced its first sustainable, biodegradable and completely chemical free papers made from bamboo in 2019.

Finally, we come to the pinnacle of commonplace rolling papers.

Raw
Relatively new to the field, Raw has made a huge impact by becoming a lifestyle brand you want to use rather than the rolling paper brand you have to use.

Recently the brand has come under fire for questions about its practices, but has risen above false claims and continues to be the gold standard for rolling papers. Pull out a pack of these and no one will refuse them. Most uniquely these brown coloured papers are unbleached and use vegan glue, immediately eliminating a huge amount of chemicals from their processing treatment. They also are created with a special crosshatch pattern stamped into the paper itself, which helps them burn more slowly than other papers.

While these papers can be slightly harder to use due to less processing, they are further distinguishing themselves by being built for cannabis consumers as opposed to tobacco users. Their popularity has allowed them to grow beyond just rolling papers to carrying many other cannabis accessories like pre roll cones, grinders and rolling trays.

Undoubtedly, if Raw papers are an option, they should be your top choice.

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Culinary Matters

Montrose Cannabis: Breaking the stereotypes associated with creating a boutique atmosphere for cannabis

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BY SEAN SEURATTAN

It’s said that a hummingbird can flap its wings in one place and a hurricane will occur in another. Well, this hummingbird flapped all the way in Trinidad and a hurricane named Montrose Cannabis is here.

Owner and founder Nick Baksh opened his flagship location September of 2021 in Pickering, Ontario, impressively building intensity ever since. His interest in business began from an early age, and he has had a wide range of experience to draw from before ever venturing into the cannabis market.

This experience afforded him the foresight to be mindful and conscious of a great many things beyond just selling cannabis. This fact alone puts him and Montrose Cannabis far ahead of most other licensed retailers. Paired with Nick’s enthusiasm to put his fingerprint on every aspect of his business has led to a truly unique retail experience.

Starting from before cannabis was legal in Pickering, he knew his political awareness would be critical to the viability of Montrose. The weather of politics can shift and change dramatically affecting even well-established industries much less an entirely new one such as cannabis. He knew it would require collaboration and assurances from the local municipal government to ensure a proper environment in order to thrive. Once given the green light from Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe, Montrose Cannabis was born almost immediately.

From interior layout design to general contracting, to staff training, to product purchasing, it has all been purposefully thought out with a clear end goal, the best possible customer experience. When speaking with Nick it was easy to see that he was breaking the stereotypes associated with creating a boutique atmosphere for cannabis.

Montrose has business core values of providing fresh products, having eco conscious suppliers, giving tailored customer service and providing CBD as therapy. The retail experience is easily recognized as being elevated. Nick’s high involvement and close connections to licensed producers allows him to have a very curated inventory of products to service his clientele. Customers are rewarded with products and services unavailable elsewhere. When I was given a peek at the elaborate calculations used to determine how much of each product ends up on the shelves, I realized fresh product is never in question.

The second part of the Montrose sales strategy goes further than just selling cannabis in store by creating a community beyond its doors. Consciously forecasting current and future trends identified that e-commerce was an undeniable revenue stream. The majority of existing licensed retailers merely use their online presence for another point of sale and space to advertise. Montrose has an e-commerce award winning website adept at allowing customers to quickly locate their desires but does more by having a highly integrated online presence.

Montrose TV is a branch of the company that creates lifestyle online content promoting members of the community along with associated producers. All parties come out as winners; Montrose gets customers driven to visit the store after viewing the website, producers get their products promoted to a very receptive demographic, and the community wins by feeling more connected to the industry along with each other.  Even further than this Nick has taken the initiative to bring more of the community together by hosting many different types of events like business summits, new product launches or Paint & Vape nights within his retail space.

The more I spoke with Nick, the more similarities between us became evident. Similar upbringings, interests and past experiences made it extremely easy to relate both professionally and personally. Both of us being of Caribbean descent made certain influences within Montrose and its business philosophy obvious, but when I asked about the legacy he wanted to create, his answer was uniquely novel. “Bringing a legalized framework across the Caribbean islands is a passion project I’m focused on. Let’s bring out the best of our people in a new industry.” Giving back to the community that has given us all so much is a testament to the type of person Nick is and what we should all emulate from Montrose Cannabis.

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