Scaling Cannabis Edibles Production

Making marijuana-infused foods is not a new approach to consumption. Cannabis consumers have been making canna-butter and infusing oils for as long as they have been cultivating the plant. However, making edibles for yourself or a dozen of your closest friends is much different from edibles production in a commercial environment for thousands of consumers.

In 2014, Bob Eschino, CEO of Medically Correct – the producer of incredibles brand edibles, told Cannabist reporter Ricardo Baca that their facility was producing nearly 40,000 candy bars per month. And yet, according to recent data from Headset, marijuana edibles sales increased more than 20% over the last year alone, reaching $1.38 billion in 2021.

Scaling to meet the booming demand for cannabis-infused consumables requires that producers meet all the regulations of the cannabis industry and all the requirements for long-standing food production laws and regulations.

Food Safety Regulations

While heritage cannabis growers may struggle with the new state regulations for cultivating, processing, and extracting cannabis for commercial sale, food safety regulations are anything but new. In 1202, King John of England enacted the Assize of Bread law, which prohibited bakers from using alternative ingredients such as beans and peas in their bread. American Colonists adopted a similar law in 1646, and the Massachusetts Act Against Selling Unwholesome Provisions became the United States’ first food safety law in 1785.

According to CDC statistics, 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne illnesses every year, nearly 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. Globally, the numbers are much worse, with an estimated 420,000 people dying annually from foodborne diseases. Food safety laws are in place to protect consumers from unsanitary practices and prevent, reduce or eliminate foodborne illnesses and death.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) passed in 2011 has been called the most significant food safety reform in the last seven decades. The FSMA solidifies standards and principles in safe food production, including sanitary equipment design, which means all tools and equipment that touch food during the production process must be easily disassembled and cleaned.

Scaling Starts with Choosing the Right Equipment

In his book, The Psychology of Science, Abraham Maslow paraphrases a Kaplan quote by stating, “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Regardless of the product, having the right tool for the task is critical for efficiency.

In a recent Food Processing article, Ken Langhorn, vice president of sales at Ross Mixers stated,

“Scale-up is a common processing challenge, especially for products developed using kitchen mixers and blenders. A reliable and scalable R&D mixer is often one of the most crucial tools that a company first acquires when considering to develop cannabis-infused products. A laboratory high-shear mixer, for instance, is very convenient for making small batches of emulsions and solutions in standard beakers and containers up to 4 gallons at a time.”

Fortunately, with the rise in cannabis legalization and the growing acceptance of cannabis consumption, equipment manufacturers are stepping up to address the needs of the industry.

Cannabis Tech Edibles Production Equipment

If your cannabis business is searching for the right equipment to scale cannabis edibles production, the Cannabis Tech Marketplace features several reputable equipment manufacturers. These producers bring innovative solutions and a wealth of experience to the cannabis space.

One Supply

One Supply represents edibles production equipment designed for food production, specifically cannabis edibles. One Supply embraces the future of candy production with their state-of-the-art gummy filling machines. Renowned for their efficiency and productivity, these machines are products of leading-edge technology from a top-tier manufacturer in the industry. These machines will streamline your candy-making process, ensuring that every gummy produced is of the highest quality. both automated and semi-automated equipment, this company specializes in a wide range of cannabis edible equipment:

• G300 Automatic Gummy Production System – The remarkable G300 Automatic Gummy Production System. A stand-alone system capable of producing up to 120,000 Gummies per hour! Ideal for crafting CBD/THC/Vitamin gummies in one or two captivating colors. This system features a user-friendly PLC control and an LED touch panel for easy operation. With its special de-moulding device, various gummy shapes can be created, and the in-line injection, dosing, and pre-mixing ensure precise liquid addition.
• G150 Automatic Gummy Production Equipment – The G150 Automatic Gummy Production System, stand-alone innovation that achieves speeds of up to 60,000 Gummies per hour, making it the perfect choice for crafting CBD/THC/Vitamin gummies in one or two captivating colors. With an impressive production capacity of up to 150 KG/h, this system features a user-friendly PLC control system, complemented by an LED touch panel for effortless operation.
• DM-50X Mini Small Batch Depositor – The DM-50X – your ultimate confectionery toolkit for a successful manual production line. An impressive output of 18,000 gummies per hour. Offering piece weights ranging from 2g to 16g, it caters to a wide range of delectable treats. Built with a hygienic design, the DM-50X meets the highest standards for healthcare product production and validation.
• DM-20S Gummy Production System – The DM-20S, a high-performance gummy production system tailored for various needs. With an output ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 gummies per hour, its perfect for entry-level operations, experimental work, or larger-scale productions. This powerful equipment excels in depositing high-quality, smooth gummies with consistent size and shape, ensuring precise piece weight accuracy.

For these and other cannabis edibles production solutions, browse the Cannabis Tech Marketplace. We are partnering with some of the leading cannabis and hemp industry ancillary businesses to offer strategic information for industry decision-makers.

Do you offer specialized equipment to the cannabis industry? Would you like to be featured on Cannabis Tech and listed in our marketplace? Contact us to find out how!