The Coffee Ethic brews a cup of Joe with a side of Mary Jane
One is used to perk up, the other to mellow out. Married together, the cannabis-and-coffee pods Springfield's The Coffee Ethic is producing in partnership with a marijuana edibles company are flying off the shelf.
"We can't keep (the pods) in stock," said David Brodsky, director of retail at The Farmer's Wife, a medical marijuana dispensary with locations in Springfield, Mountain Grove and West Plains. "The reception has been phenomenal."
The pods, which retail for $9 each or $28 for a four-pack, before tax, are the product of a partnership between the downtown Springfield coffee shop and Vivid, a Missouri marijuana manufacturer.
About a year and a half ago, The Coffee Ethic owner Michelle Billionis began working with Vivid, which launched its Missouri's Own Edibles line in March with an array of marijuana-infused gummies with flavors including blackberry, green apple and even pawpaw.
The coffee pods, branded as a Missouri's Own Edibles & Coffee Ethic Collaboration, contain a combination of Brazilian, darker roast co-op coffee and marijuana. Each pod contains 10mg of THC, 5mg of CBD and 5mg of CBG. The k-cup style pods can be used in Keurig coffee machine or as a pour over.
Leafly, an online marijuana resource site, classifies 10mg of THC as a "moderate" amount and "an ideal dose for more experienced users looking to have fun, sleep or manage pain."
The CBD and CBG contained in the pods are both nonintoxicating cannabinoids present in cannabis. Neither makes users high. The two are similar but have slightly different functions and benefits. Healthline, a health and wellness website, describes CBG as commonly being used to improve inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma, bladder dysfunctions, Huntington's disease, bacterial infections, cancer and appetite loss.
Cody Shackelton, marketing manager for The Farmer's Wife, said the cannabis coffee pods are ideal for medical marijuana patients who desire both the uplifting effects of caffeine and calming effects of marijuana.
"Together (THC, CBD and CBG) provide what they call an entourage effect," Shackelton said. "Most people find the most relief with THC edible products when they're combined with a CBD as well. This combination is kind of the perfect way for people to medicate."
The Coffee Ethic-Missouri's Own Edibles cannabis coffee pods are offered in medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state. Leafly.com includes a searchable database showing where the pods are carried.
Coffee shop considering marijuana sales
The cannabis coffee pods are not the only way The Coffee Ethic hopes to cross-pollinate with the marijuana industry.
In addition to rolling out the collaborative product, the coffee shop hosted a pre-election community event, educating folks on the medical marijuana industry.
On Nov. 1, The Coffee Ethic teamed up with The Farmer's Wife, Vivid and 2 LeafNurses, a medical marijuana educational resource in southwest Missouri, to host its monthly Human Beans event. The free public discussion acted as a forum for folks to learn about medical marijuana and industry resources in the area.
Billionis, The Coffee Ethic's owner, said she hopes to host future marijuana-related Human Beans events in the new year.
With the Nov. 8 passage of Amendment 3, which legalized recreational, adult use of marijuana in Missouri, Billionis has some ideas "brewing." She said she is interested in learning more about obtaining a comprehensive marijuana dispensary license, which would allow her to sell both medical and recreational marijuana products at the shop.
"I think it could be a really neat opportunity," Billionis said. "I'm actually very excited about the law passing and the opportunity for people to partake and maybe improve their lives."
