Jessie Kater, SVP of Innovation and Technical Manufacturing at Curaleaf – Interview Series

Similar to other industries, the manufacturing and extraction processes of the cannabis industry are actively evolving and being engineered to guarantee both the largest yields and increased efficiency. One such established cannabis professional who is directly overseeing the research and development and eventually implementation of these innovations on a multi-state scale is Jessie Kater, SVP of Innovation and Technical Manufacturing at Curaleaf.

What caught your professional interest about working for Curaleaf in particular, and cannabis technology and manufacturing? 

I developed a passion and deep interest in science and math at a pretty early age, and similarly, when I discovered cannabis fairly early in life (earlier than I’d recommend people try cannabis), I knew it was for me. When I was in college studying chemical engineering and later toxicology and interning at traditional companies, I would daydream about being able to apply my love of science and engineering to cannabis. At that time I didn’t think it would happen in my lifetime. Years later and a few jobs into my career, cannabis legislation started evolving and I got that chance. When I joined Curaleaf, it was a small company operating in just a couple of new medical markets. What drew me in was the authenticity of the original founders who believed in the value and potential of cannabis as much as I did. It was the opportunity to apply my skill set in research and development to help advance the study of cannabinoids and cannabis products and help turn public perception of cannabis.

Prior to joining the Curaleaf team, did you have any professional or personal concerns about working in the cannabis industr,y given the federal status of cannabis? 

No, as mentioned I had been personally benefitting from the therapeutic benefits of cannabis off and on throughout my life. I had also seen first hand how beneficial it could be for loved ones when traditional pharmaceuticals fell short. Before joining Curaleaf, I was already operating my own cannabis R&D contract lab and was committed to the advancement of the legal cannabis space. 

How have you utilized your experience in pharmaceuticals and medicine for your roles with Curaleaf? And what would you say are the most stark differences between working in pharmaceuticals and working in cannabis? 

There are a lot of similarities and differences between traditional pharmaceuticals and cannabis. As we know, there are a wide range of unique cannabinoids and other bio-active molecules (like terpenes) within cannabis. Each of these has a unique pharmacology, biochemistry, and potential toxicology that needs to be studied and understood for cannabis to reach its true therapeutic and broad wellness potential. Many of the sciences that are applied to developing and studying novel pharmaceutical compounds are relevant in the R&D of cannabis. There are also many differences. Cannabis spans a much broader range of use cases, from adult use recreation, to the broad wellness market and true therapeutic uses. Cannabis also has a long history and unique culture that I think is highly relevant even in the research and development space. From a STEM perspective, cannabis is still in its early days. There’s a lot of optimism about its potential, many more questions than answers, and an opportunity to blend true creativity inspired by cannabis with the rigor of hard science. 

What have been some innovative and efficient technologies and applications that you’ve developed for cannabis manufacturing and extraction? How do those technologies advance the processes of cannabis manufacturing and extraction? 

I’ve worked with every extraction technology out there. I actually worked for a technology company, Waters Corp, that had CO2 extraction in its portfolio, and over time I became the extraction and cannabis application expert for the company. In the early days of smoking and then vaping extracts and concentrates, these products were very crude. Over time, we developed processes to remove more of the plant based byproducts like fats, waxes, carbohydrates, and organic acids, while concentrating the cannabinoids and terpenes that were desired. I’ve also worked on optimizing a wide range of extraction processes to bring a broader array of cannabis extracts to market, tailored to different consumers and use occasions.

That includes everything from refined distillates produced via CO2, ethanol, to hydrocarbon extraction for those seeking a unique flavor experience, to modern solventless hashing and rosin production techniques for the craft consumer seeking authentic cannabis flavor. One of the innovations I’m most proud of is our exclusive Solventless Aqueous Cannabis Extraction, or ACE, a first-of-its-kind water-based process that isolates ultra-pure cannabinoids while removing unwanted impurities typically present in traditional methods. We introduced ACE under our Select brand in New York to meet consumer demand for cleaner, smoother vaping experiences.   

Particularly with the Aqueous Cannabis Extraction ACE method, how is the method different from other extraction methods on a chemical level? 

Typically, cannabinoids are not soluble in water, similar to oil. But since in fresh cannabis cannabinoids, like THCA, are in their acidic form we are able to use alkaline water, which has a high pH, to fully solubilize them on an ionic level–opposites attract, like a magnet. Other extraction techniques like CO2, ethanol, and hydrocarbons solubilize cannabinoids based on polarity, using the principle of “like dissolves like.”. Hashing doesn’t solubilize cannabinoids at all. It simply separates trichomes from the plant so they can be filtered and collected. ACE is different because it allows us to selectively solubilize the acidic cannabinoids while leaving behind most plant impurities, creating a cleaner and more precise extraction process. 

Why is it special that the ACE system is a water-based extraction system, and how does that method ensure that the extracted product itself is of a higher quality than previous extraction methods? 

Almost 75% of the extractable components in cannabis are soluble in traditional extraction solvents like hydrocarbon or CO2. That means you’re not just extracting cannabinoids, but also a lot of other unwanted plant byproducts with similar solubility properties. While post-processing has improved, some of these byproducts are extremely persistent. That’s why most distillates still contain 10-20% residual plant material. When heated in vape devices, these residual compounds can pyrolyze, breaking down into unwanted byproducts that are harsh and irritating to the consumer. Since most of these unwanted compounds are not soluble in water, ACE leaves them behind in the plant. The few impurities that do make it through have different solubility properties from the cannabinoids and are easily removed with filtration. The resulting oil is composed of almost pure cannabinoids, before terpenes are added back in. It’s crystal-clear and contains over 90% THC, with virtually no residual plant material. The smoothness and consistency of the oil are noticeable, offering a cleaner inhale and a more enjoyable experience.

Based on your previous professional experience and your current role as SVP of Innovation and Technical Manufacturing, how do you see those technologies evolving as the cannabis industry expands and evolves itself? 

Research continues to expand and show the incredible potential of cannabis and cannabinoids, but there are potential risks as well. In my role, I work to further develop our understanding of the benefits and applications of cannabis while minimizing any risks to consumers. Cannabis consumers generally want the creativity, wellness, and enjoyment that cannabis offers, without having to be concerned about the safety of the product. There’s still a lot of room to improve how cannabis is consumed to maximize those benefits responsibly, and these efforts are being led by the growing number of scientists and engineers in the space. As the industry matures, I see technologies like ACE and other advanced extraction delivery systems playing a key role in raising product standards, improving consistency, and supporting the next generation of cannabis innovation.

Thank you for joining us, Jessie! For more information on Curaleaf, please visit its website.