Essential & PLC Print:  Partnering to Create a Craft-like Cannabis Brand & 2Xs Revenue Growth

Overview

After years of wholesale distribution, Ben Blake and his partner Marley Lovell set out to create a retail brand for their cannabis flower.  Their vision:  launch Esencia as a unique, craft-like brand for which scarcity would drive demand and position them for national distribution.  The stakes were high and there was no room to get it wrong.  They needed to complement the product’s inherent quality with awesome visual branding, marketing, and packaging.  After several failed attempts at finding a packaging vendor who could meet their quality, communication, and/or delivery standards, a friend in the industry introduced them to Rajiv.  And the partnership began.

Here are just 3 ways PLC Print is contributing to Esensia’s success:

Turning a Vision into Reality

Unlike the several other packaging suppliers, Ben had explored in California and overseas, Rajiv was sincerely focused on Esensia’s vision.  He didn’t push his packaging ideas. Instead, he took the time to understand what Ben and Marley envisioned for their brand and the exceptional level of quality that mattered to them.  He was collaborative and patient.  And he delivered some of the most unique and exquisite packagings on the shelves in California today.

Branding Drives 2Xs Margin & Revenue

With PLC Print’s help, Esencia has launched a mainstay brand in California.  Their craft-like retail brand built on quality and scarcity has proven to command a high price point and they have successfully doubled margin and revenue compared to wholesale distribution and are positioned for national distribution.

Cannabis Regulatory Knowledge Matters

PLC Print’s familiarity with the California regulations proved to be most helpful.  His knowledge of the ‘dos and don’ts’ of requirements like font sizes, packaging warnings, and child-proof caps really made the project run smoother.

“My advice to anyone entering the cannabis industry is to make sure you have the right supply chain partners. Our industry is still being molded and has its unique challenges. You need partners you can trust, who understand your challenges, and who can execute at a high level. One bad partner can sink you. Just like you need a great lawyer, you need a great packaging/printing partner. Rajiv’s that guy for us.”