Scott Lyons, Co-Founder at Cannaseur- Interview Series

“Advertising has been the biggest headache. The typical channels available are highly regulated and restricted in cannabis. It's forced different ways of approaching communications and finding viable comms channels to operate within.”

Scott Lyons

In a recent interview by My Cannabis, the chief knowledge officer of New Frontier Data, mentioned the rise in number of luxury cannabis consumers who are seeking for a premium experience and not just a product. A trend has been observed and an opportunity identified in the premium end of the market; cannabis humidors are designed to serve such a niche. We spoke to Scott Lyons, co-founder at Cannaseur to get a feel of what it’s like to engage and serve this clientele.

Cannaseur is premium cannabis brand that is focused on designing beautiful and functional cannabis storage solutions. There hand-crafted humidors are made from premium EU-sourced lumber and according to the highest European standards. They feature a patented two-way humidity system that ensures that the stored buds preserves their taste and potency.

Meet Scott.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you found yourself in the cannabis industry?

I'm a marketer by trade, having spent the majority of my career in creative agencies helping large scale brands reach their target customers with standout communications. When legalization was announced for Canada, my soon-to-be partner and I saw an opportunity to help usher in a new era of destigmatization with a product that we felt could help contribute to normalizing the category.

With cannabis, one is always worried about humidity and temperature. What's one sure-fire way to get this headache out of the way?

It's important to store your cannabis properly, in a space that can protect and regulate against the elements – oxygen, light, temperature and most importantly humidity. To best preserve it, you want to make sure to store in an airtight container, in a dark place, at room temperature and control for the humidity level.

You sell premium hand-crafted cannabis humidors. Who is your target market?

The typical customer of our humidors is one who takes pride in their cannabis and wants to have a storage solution that can ensure that their flower stays at its best, but is also looking for a showpiece to do so.

How long can cannabis keep when stored in a humidor?

Cannabis can keep indefinitely when the previously mentioned factors are controlled for with a humidor

Cannabis users are often advised against storing their cannabis in humidors that are designed to store tobacco. Is there any particular reason for this?

There are some key differences between cigar and cannabis humidors – the wood they're made from and the humidity levels. Typically, cigar humidors are lined with cedar that can impart flavours from the cedar scent. This is beneficial for cigars, but not cannabis. Cannabis humidors on the other hand are lined with mahogany, as it has odor absorbing characteristics that help keep those aromas within your humidor and don't interfere with the flavour profile of your bud. Likewise, humidity levels are also different between cigar and cannabis humidors – cigar humidors typically run at 70% relative humidity, whereas cannabis is best stored at 55%, the perfect balance to maintain its freshness and maximize longevity.

Will cannabis humidors gradually lose relevance as the industry matures?

We've actually witnessed the opposite – the relevance of cannabis humidors has increased as more people discover the proper way of storing their cannabis and as the category becomes more accessible to more people. As the industry matures, we are seeing the stigmas that have plagued the category lessen and more luxury products are becoming desired.

What has been the biggest challenge that you have encountered in the process of setting up a cannabis business?

Advertising has been the biggest headache. The typical channels available are highly regulated and restricted in cannabis. It's forced different ways of approaching communications and finding viable comms channels to operate within.

In terms of investment opportunities, which direction is the industry headed? 

I think we're going to see consolidation amongst producers and dispensaries as the market matures. It's grown too fast too quick and there has been an expedited saturation of a market that just wasn't ready for that level yet.

It was a great pleasure to have this one-on-one with Scott from Cannaseur. Readers who wish to learn more about humidors can check out Cannaseur.