In the emerging cannabis industry, it’s vital for retailers to stand out. A passion for helping people discover the full potential of what cannabis can offer is a start. But ensuring flower is stored for optimal use? That’s the kind of attention to detail that gives retailers a real edge. Read on to learn how Tricann Alternatives is setting a new standard by packaging with the Terpene Shield Program.
A Patient-Centered Approach to Care
Tricann Alternatives is one dispensary that always puts its customers first. Patient-focused care is the mission of this Maine-based vertically-integrated retailer. Tricann takes a medicinal and mindful-minded approach to the cannabis business. That means going the extra mile to help every person find relief—including using innovative cannabis packaging.
“Every person reacts so differently (to cannabis),” founder and owner Aaron Barth explained. “We want to make sure we offer a product for anyone who needs it and it really calls on the caregivers to provide education.”
When his family member fell ill with debilitating illnesses, Bath witnessed firsthand the benefits of medical cannabis. A patient himself, Barth began his caregiver journey in Massachusetts in 2013. There, he founded Tricann with the goal of helping patients improve their quality of life. There, he built a substantial following, at one point serving over 600 people through a partner clinic. The organization moved north to Maine in 2016.
The team offers a personalized touch that goes above and beyond the normal dispensary interaction. Staff consult with patients to address their goals in complimentary one-on-one sessions. Providers tap into educational resources and the latest research to match patients to the correct cannabinoid blend and dosage.
Quality and Customization
Tricann’s in-house product line is extensive, offering something for everyone. Clean and professional branding signifies its commitment to wellness. Standout products include a line of capsules and tinctures to alleviate symptoms based on their blend of cannabinoids and terpenes. Customized cannabinoid and terpene blends are also available, furthering the dispensary’s mission to make a difference for all.
“We’ve come up with hundreds and hundreds of different blends of capsules and tinctures that work for individual people,” Barth said.
The flower selection consists of high-quality, top-shelf cultivars grown with the patient in mind. Strains include CBD heavyweights like Critical Mass and Wilbur—which Barth insists is a crucial need in this marketplace. Tricann eschews the trend of retailers focusing on products containing high amounts of THC, instead focusing on the full spectrum of terpenes and cannabinoids.
The brand’s exclusive Kimbo Glue strain was bred specifically for Tricann patients. It’s designed to promote relief from aches and pains and induce relaxation at the end of the day.
Commitment to Consumers
Putting patients first is always front of mind for the team at Tricann. In addition to its impressive product line, the dispensary has adopted a number of operating procedures meant to raise the bar in patient safety and satisfaction.
Tricann insists on extensive testing for its products to ensure every item on its shelves is fit for consumption. Although Maine does not require medical cannabis to be checked for pathogens, pesticides, heavy metals, or potency (an anomaly in the industry), Barth insists on the process for his business to protect the customers he holds dearly.
“It’s crazy, it makes no sense,” he said of the lack of testing regulations in the state. “Testing is how we maintain quality.”
Teaming Up with the Terpene Shield Program
In order to preserve its flower and give patients a consistent experience, Tricann joined the business-to-business Terpene Shield Program and adopted the Boveda Closure for its jars. This new product provides a convenient way to package and preserve medical cannabis. The innovative lid contains the same patented two-way humidity control technology used in the Original Terpene Shield™ which “shields” the cannabis inside the container. A saturated salt solution sealed in a leakproof membrane sits within the integrated jar cap. This terpene shield creates a layer of purified water molecules around the trichomes, locking in terpenes and cannabinoids until it’s time to enjoy.
Child resistant and senior-friendly, the Boveda Closure was developed in a collaboration with Drug Plastics & Glass (DPG), a trusted supplier of pharmaceutical-grade closures and bottles that are made in the United States. The package provides a convenient, seamless solution for cannabis brands and retailers seeking to safeguard their products and deliver a dependable, top-shelf experience to consumers. By partnering with the Terpene Shield Program, Tricann is able to offer top-notch products to patients consistantly, and reliably.
“We’re talking medicine here—it’s important that medicine be delivered at the consistently high quality the patient expects,” said Jayson Drake, Vice President of Product Management at Boveda Inc. “We have been working closely with DPG since the initiation of this project, to present a seamlessly integrated product to the marketplace.”
Tricann Sets Sights on Nationwide Industry
The lack of consistency in the product category and an emphasis on high THC potency have inspired Barth to take Tricann’s mission on the road. Barth and the team are currently developing a CBD line for the broader market.
“I think quality and reliability are huge in the CBD platform, and there’s a big need for CBD products in the adult-use markets,” he explained. “There are some products out there that have lower THC numbers that are so much better, and so much more beneficial for a consumer.”
The plan is just another example of Tricann’s fervent passion for patients, and an unrelenting dedication to plant medicine. Barth has witnessed story after story of healing and understands more than most the incredible impact cannabis can have on quality of life.
Barth recalled a senior patient in hospice who found pain relief with one of his cannabis-infused topical creams. Thanks to the plant, her final days were made more comfortable. It’s stories like these that keep him going even on the hardest days.
“Her daughter made it very, very clear to me that the mother actually had told her, ‘make sure that you let them know.’” he recalled, getting emotional. “It makes an impact even today. It affects me.”
