Ron Silver, Chief Creative Officer at Azuca- Interview Series

“Most consumers using edibles don’t want a ‘couch lock high’ and prefer a comfortable format they know they can rely on. We are also starting to see a future for social consumption lounges. Edibles are a great option for these; requiring fast-acting edibles to prevent late-onset highs so consumers can enjoy themselves at these venues. Edibles are in a better place now than ever before. The future of ingestible cannabis is fast-acting for many reasons!”

Ron Silver

The value of the cannabis edibles market is expected to hit $11.5 billion by 2025, according to a recent report by Zion Market Research. Some of the biggest challenges facing the edibles market are poor taste, delayed onset of action, and inaccurate dosing. While the effects of traditional edibles usually take a long time (even up to 2 solid hours), most edibles will leave behind an earthy aftertaste and both factors are a put-off to many canna-curious consumers. At the same time, dosing edibles accurately is a challenge that prevents patients from relying on this formulation to meet their medical needs. If these challenges can be addressed, the edibles market is likely to explode in the coming few years. MyCannabis spoke to Ron Silver who is the Founder & Chief Creative Officer of leading edibles ingredients company Azuca. He is also Chef & Owner of world-renowned Bubby's in New York City, a highly successful brunch and dinner destination that boasts a flagship location in Tribeca as well as six restaurants in Japan. In this interview, Ron breaks down the fast-growing edibles market and explains how Azuca is providing timely solutions for the greatest setbacks that are bogging the industry down.

Meet Ron.

As an intro, how did your career path lead you to the cannabis industry?

My first career is in the culinary world as the owner and chef of Bubby’s in NYC. We opened in 1990 and currently have our flagship location in Tribeca and 6 restaurants in Japan. Finally, about 9 years ago, my passions intersected as exploring the business side of cannabis became a possibility. I was in Las Vegas on a business trip and was introduced to someone who was starting a cannabis fund. I was intrigued immediately and learned a lot about the state of the emerging cannabis industry at the time – what it offered, and more importantly, what it was missing. I quickly realized the biggest issue facing the industry was the lack of controllable, low-dose, and reliable edibles. As a chef and culinary innovator, changing seemed like a good challenge to undertake, and the next few years were spent developing our TiME INFUSION™ process. Finding a solution for this difficult problem in the marketplace and creating fast-acting edibles was revolutionary, and we continue to transform the category with our groundbreaking delivery system.

Culinary cannabis: can you share with us where the culinary and cannabis sectors intersect?

At Azuca, two keen interests of mine join forces: cannabis and culinary. We make great-tasting, chef-quality edibles. We successfully found a method for the infusion process not to interfere with the normal characteristics of raw ingredients, so the taste is never compromised. Consumers, especially ‘canna curious’ are then not turned off by hempy after tastes that can happen in edibles. Not only are our products fast-acting, but they are delicious. Our new chocolate activator is a great example. It is a surfactant, water-free, and can be used as a normal chocolate ingredient, meaning the important texture, shine, snap, and taste of chocolate all remain intact. Azuca Chocolate Activator™ is made with 54.5% vegan dark chocolate and its high-load infusion capacity does not impact the profile of a manufacturer's primary ingredients. Our main aim is to create tools that are familiar and easy to use.

You are the chief creative officer at Azuca. Can you share with us what your typical day looks like?

Every day is a bit different and exciting. I have spent many years on the R&D side of Azuca. our CEO & President Kim Rael is from Albuquerque, New Mexico, so our team is now headquartered there. I visit and work with the team there as we continue to innovate, test out new formulations, and present new offerings for our partner brands. As we continue to grow, the possibilities are endless. I also spend a lot of time researching for our White Paper series. We recently launched a study on how AZUCA TiME INFUSION™ helps reduce waste, save money and improve efficiencies in edibles manufacturing. Education in the industry as a whole, as well as what we are doing at Azuca, is important, especially as the cannabis space continues to mature. As travel continues to open, I also have been going to different conferences, and events and meeting with our partners across the country–and the world! 

The growth of the edibles market seems to be outpacing the industry. What are some of the factors that are spurring the growth of this sector?

As adult-use becomes legal across the country, many consumers are deciding to dive in, and edibles are proving to be an approachable format for them. Especially with fast-acting formulations from our partner brands and more options on the market than ever before, edibles continue to be a popular option. We are seeing sophisticated, high-end products from infused artisanal chocolates, teas, mints, and more. Most consumers using edibles don’t want a ‘couch lock high’ (more on this below!) and prefer a comfortable format they know they can rely on. They are using cannabis for different reasons, but whatever those reasons are, the majority of consumers don’t want to be out of commission for hours and are generally prioritizing taste, exploring lower doses, and enjoyable experiences. We are also starting to see a future for social consumption lounges. Edibles are a great option for these; requiring fast-acting edibles to prevent late-onset highs so consumers can enjoy themselves at these venues. Edibles are in a better place now than ever before. The future of ingestible cannabis is fast-acting for many reasons!

What is the technology used to create fast-acting edibles and why is this important for the industry?

AZUCA TiME INFUSION™ is the motor that makes all of our fast-acting edibles possible. AZUCA TiME INFUSION™ encapsulates individual cannabinoid molecules and makes them water-friendly, enabling faster uptake, which begins immediately in the mouth and avoids the liver where cannabinoids are degraded and absorption is slowed. Azuca's existing product line consists of a variety of chef-quality, innovative ingredients which can be used to create edibles that both taste great and act quickly.

Advantages are two-fold. The benefit for the consumer? AZUCA TiME INFUSION™ is fast-acting so you can take out the guessing game by no longer having to wait for a great-tasting edible to kick in – products are consistent and predictable. Our products also offer a Delta-9-THC sensorial effect, a euphoric high akin to smoking, rather than the 11-Hydroxy-THC experience often referred to as ‘couch lock’ which results from traditional edibles. This is more socially consumable and enjoyable. Products typically kick in within 15 minutes.

There are also many benefits on the manufacturing side. I’m proud of Azuca’s stable and scalable solution that helps companies save money, cut waste, and more easily bring best-in-class edibles to a larger audience. Azuca can be incorporated into existing manufacturing processes, as its simple implementation makes it cost-effective and scalable. The process of creating edibles with our process can also reduce waste by up to 65% compared to traditional edible manufacturing (more here).

What’s next for Azuca?

We are going to continue innovating and revolutionizing the edibles marketplace. We recently launched the Azuca Chocolate Activator™ powered by TiME INFUSION™. Traditionally, chocolate has been among the slowest onset of all edible formulations, and now thanks to our infusion, we are seeing onset as fast as 5 minutes with most users experiencing onset in 20 minutes or less. We haven’t seen anyone else do this.

We also just launched our new TIME INFUSION™ Activator Formula D2. With a new 3x infusion load capacity, D2 opens considerable opportunities in product form factors and provides even greater production efficiencies for our current and future partners. They can make higher dosed products for smaller form factors and reduced labor. This solution is for fast-acting gummies, beverages, baked goods, pressed tabs, syrups, and more. We also see beverages as a category with enormous opportunity. Stay tuned, as we explore different applications and sectors within the edibles space. We are just scratching the surface.

About Azuca

Azuca is a privately held, investor-backed company that serves edibles manufacturers with best-in-class, fast-onset delivery systems. Azuca’s products are chef-created and powered by its patent-pending AZUCA TiME INFUSION™ process which encapsulates individual cannabinoid molecules, making them “water-friendly,” for a predictable and controllable experience every time. AZUCA TiME INFUSION™ is also available in dozens of SKUs, including Wana Quick gummies. Azuca’s branded and co-branded THC products are available in select dispensaries across the US and Canada.

It was a great pleasure to have this one-on-one with Ron, Founder of Azuca. Readers who wish to learn more about Azuca and the future of cannabis-infused edibles are welcome to visit their website.