Can you share a little about yourself, and your cannabis journey?
I come from rural MN where cannabis was frowned upon and alcohol was prevalent. Growing up I had a little exposure to cannabis but it wasn’t something I partook in very often, if at all. As I went through the early years of my professional career, I worked in several different industries, almost all which required drug testing. So naturally, I shied away from cannabis during that time. It wasn’t until I entered the world of entrepreneurship and parenthood simultaneously that I made the transition into cannabis. The reasons for this were I wanted to phase out alcohol to keep my focus and momentum on the business as well as be mentally present for the family. Cannabis met both of those needs and made the transition into the products easy.
What was the inspiration to start Maison Bloom?
When we first started talking about the concept of Maison Bloom, we noticed there was a gap in the market when it came to consumables that tasted great and had the euphoric effect, we personally desired. The market was in its infancy (and still is) so we were excited about jumping into a new industry that was figuring it out as it went.
All of our team members have high standards and after doing our market testing, we knew there was a real opportunity for the industry and products, but also to highlight better for you, functional beverages that provided customers were non-alcoholic alternatives.
How have you approached the creation of your premium, great tasting flavors?
First off, thank you for the compliment. We’ve worked really hard to develop beverages and flavor profiles that are unique yet appealing, simple yet tasteful, and both sessionable and craveable. Our approach to the products and industry might differ from most brands in the space. The co-founders of Maison Bloom have worked together previously at other ventures which has allowed us to work together for over a decade and in various industries. This has built trust, loyalty and honesty in our relationships and communication which is needed to build something truly special. Collectively we drew on our backgrounds across Hospitality, Retail, Culinary, and Operations to create over 60+ flavor profiles for testing. Through that process, we identified the right combinations of cannabinoids and ingredients to match the Maison Bloom Ensemble Effect that we wanted to create.
Maison Bloom uses the IDEO model of Design Thinking in everything we do which means we are a Human-Centered Design company. We work with more than 250 feedback respondents who test and provide feedback on almost every aspect of the products we create. Leveraging this respondent feedback group, we refined the flavor profiles and product SKUs to a place where they were market ready. The rest is history, and I will say that there are some more amazing products and additional product families in the queue ready to hit the market when the time is right.
Is hemp D9 the catalyst that fundamentally changes the industry?
The market will find a way to deliver customers what they want. As we have seen over the last few years, customers are becoming more and more interested in infused products. They are after products that are cleaner, natural and have somewhat of a psychotropic effect. Is Hemp d9 going to change the industry? I think it already has but I think it could have been different if Monitored Cannabis had been treated differently. Hemp d9 has been thrown into the limelight for a variety of reasons but ultimately it is a net positive in my opinion.
Is it going to change everything? No. Will it have a lasting impact on the industry? Yes. The two major benefits I see from what is happening with Hemp d9 are 1 – markets are realizing the monetary and political benefits of these products in the open marketplace, and 2 – customers are educating themselves about cannabinoids and infused beverages and realizing the industry and products have come a long way over the last decade.
I believe the transition to full legalization of cannabis would still be inevitable without Hemp d9 but with Hemp d9, adoption of what we are seeing in market place is happening much faster.
What would you tell someone who’s curious to try a Maison Bloom?
I love to share about this topic because it is so variable. First, everyone is built differently, and the impacts of any infused beverage will be different. We create our beverages to be delicious from the first sip and like a great glass of wine, we like to let them breathe. Grab a glass of ice and pour a Maison Bloom into the glass and sip as you would like a normal beverage. You’ll notice the wonderful aroma that comes from our terpenes, the crackling of the carbonation, and the base, heart and nose of the flavors after the first few sips.
I usually recommend going slow and waiting about 15-20 minutes before consuming more than half a can. Depending on an individual’s endocrine system, metabolization, previous and current cannabis use, etc., half a can may be enough. If you feel like you’re in a good euphoric place for what you desire, stop there and continue drinking at your leisure when you feel comfortable. If you aren’t feeling much of an impact or want a higher psychotropic effect, keep sipping at your leisure.
The best part about Maison Bloom beverages is their versatility. They are fantastic to consumers by themselves but they pair very well with food (we’ve designed them this way from our experiences in hospitality and working with Michelin star chefs and James Beard Award winning mixologists), and become even better as mocktails or cocktails. These beverages meet you where you’re at and enhance the social experiences for you – as we like to say, we elevate the everyday.
(Read the THC Drink Reviews take on Maison Bloom’s Peche & Wild Honeysuckle Elevated Seltzer)
What are you most excited about for Maison Bloom?
I’m excited about our ability to continue to educate the consumer and highlight how Maison Bloom can become a wonderful NA replacement for them. In a rapidly growing and evolving marketplace, it is easy for customers to get confused, not know what questions or ingredients to look for, or understand what they are consuming. We believe strongly in transparency and building a relationship with the customer. We put the best ingredients into our beverages and create them in a way that has a positive social, sustainable, and environmental impact. Maison Bloom has set out to be THE trusted brand for consumers in the industry where they can turn for education, transparency, and delicious products.
Where can people find Maison Bloom?
Maison Bloom isn’t everywhere, yet. The best place to find locally is to look on our Find Us page on our website here: https://livemaisonbloom.com/find-us/
If Maison Bloom cannot be found locally, customers can purchase online at: https://livemaisonbloom.com/
Follow us on social media @lovemaisonbloom and sign up for our newsletters by emailing us at chere@avecbloom.com to stay up to date on more exciting industry, partner and product-related announcements.
And finally, for those that want to dive into the Maison Bloom ecosystem, try a beverage on its own, then step them up by trying a few of our fantastic mocktails found in the mixology section of our website here: https://livemaisonbloom.com/mixology/
Published: November 2023
