Compliance errors in cannabis packaging can create costly errors. They can trigger a recall if products have made it to dispensary shelves, or result in fines — in January, for example, Maine-based SeaWeed Co. was slapped with a $10,000 fine over product packaging that featured the company’s logo, a cartoon mermaid that regulators said could be construed as appealing to children. Additionally, because there are still only state-level cannabis legalization laws, each state may have different cannabis packaging requirements and compliance rules, meaning that cannabis packaging rules in Arizona, for example, may be wildly different from the rules in California.
Cannabis companies and brands don’t have to handle these issues alone, however, because there are cannabis packaging companies like Inkbrite who understand the need for embedding regulatory intelligence into the actual creation of cannabis packaging. Inkbrite is a California-based cannabis packaging company that helps both emerging and legacy brands get a foothold in the cannabis market through impactful packaging. Their platform offers an easy way to create stylish compliant packaging so that cannabis companies can focus on what they do best.
We recently chatted with Inkbrite co-founder Laurie Peterson about the company’s launch and how important it is for cannabis business owners to be on top of compliance issues related to their packaging.
“What if we shine a light on the good you can do when you are free to follow your own vision?” Peterson said.
Founding story
Inkbrite is a woman-founded and owned company led by serial entrepreneur Laurie Peterson and business partner Marya Gomez. Peterson came from a background in toy construction and Gomez has a varied background in compliance and software development. Together, they launched Inkbrite in 2019, backed by a group of investors and advisors.
“A small percentage of funded startups are led by women. I think this is in part because of how we talk about entrepreneurship,” said co-founder Laurie Peterson. “We glorify the risk-taking and the wild ride, rather than the impact you can make. We imagine the young guy in the hoodie who has nothing to lose, leaping off a cliff. What if instead, we imagine the woman with a lifetime of experiences to give, taking one step at a time?”
Who does Inkbrite serve?
Inkbrite was created “to make impactful cannabis packaging accessible to the independent businesses that have built the cannabis industry,” said Peterson.
The startup’s primary role as a company is to offer the easiest way of creating custom cannabis packaging — even for people who have little design skills, little knowledge of industry compliance, and/or a small budget. The company empowers cannabis brands to make powerful impressions that are on-trend and meet the ever-evolving regulatory market requirements in California.
“Go on, give those big-money brands something to sweat about.” — Excerpt from Inkbrite.com
Inkbrite vows that their cannabis packaging options are:
- Stylish: Co-create custom packaging to unlock the unique potential of your cannabis brand.
- Compliant: Proceed with confidence knowing that Inkbrite’s design platform is rooted in regulations.
- Affordable: Design making is free! Once you’re ready to order, enjoy all-inclusive per-unit pricing.
“My long-game view has been an advantage for me as a female founder,” Peterson said of Inkbrite, which is her sixth entrepreneurial venture. “I’ve learned not to get too caught up as my entrepreneurial peers skyrocket and then fizzle as I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, keeping faith that even when I can’t see around the corner, we must be headed somewhere meaningful.”
Inkbrite’s services also include compliance reviews for cannabis product labels, as well as a checklist review of current cannabis product packaging against the company’s compliance checklists. Ultimately, their goal is to ensure that any and all California-based clients are using only 100% compliant packaging.
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