With over 10 years of cannabis industry experience. 2012 Joshua started working for the first cannabis waste management company Industrial Hemp Recycling where he realized he could own a piece of the cannabis industry.

In 2014 Joshua and Richard set up Accannadations Distribution. In 2016, only one or two product lines were sold in the Colorado market. HIGHGRADE SYRUPS and Colorado Moonrocks are the two products that began with a kickstart. Joshua's father passed away in August 2019. Since then, Josh’s mission has been for HIGHGRADE Brands and The Commission Cartel to triumph while keeping his father's legacy alive. 

We got the opportunity to sit down with Joshua to chat about his insights into the normalization of the plant through cannabis beverages for the upcoming Cannabis Drinks Expo 2023. 

Thanks for chatting with us today! How did you first become involved in the cannabis industry?

I became involved with the cannabis industry at a young age as Michael Jordan was created to play basketball. I feel like I was born to be in this cannabis industry. My journey in the cannabis industry is truly from the ground up. In 2010 I started by flipping a sign for a local dispensary to most people. It did not seem like much, but to me, it was my dream job just to be involved with cannabis.

I started working for Industrial Hemp Recycling, a company that picked up all the dispensary waste. Around 2012 is when I met my business partner Richard Marion. In 2013 I was laid off from IHR, but they gave me a $1500 check and told me I was better off on my own than to stay there.

In retrospect, it was the biggest blessing. From there, I started my first company.

Accannadations and we worked out of Green Labs, a vessel for many people in the cannabis space at that time because it was the only shared office space for people in the cannabis industry to call home. Once 2014 rolled around, that is when the magic started to happen for us we were able to bring our first product to market, Colorado Moonrocks. From 2014 to 2016, we were in and out of different processing facilities just trying to get the moon rocks made. In February 2016, we officially got settled and started HIGHGRADE syrups.

History of the Brand

What inspired you to create HIGHGRADE Syrups?

This guy by the name of “medicated wings” inspired HIGHGRADE Syrups.

In 2014 Richard and myself went to the High Times Cup, and the guy had a line around the corner selling syrups and chicken wings, so we hopped in line. It was my first time trying syrup, so we drank half the bottle, and the guy behind us asked if we could donate the rest of it. His donation was $100 for half a bottle of syrup. We haven’t stopped selling syrup since.

Our journey to bring HIGHGRADE to life has been a ride. Outside of being inspired by the donation. We wanted actually to distribute cannabis products in general. We started to talk to a company out of Arizona, and in the 11th hour, the deal fell through. Richard and I were both devastated and thought all hope was lost.

At this time, the two ladies that allowed us to make moon rocks out of their facility moved us into their kitchen, so we said let’s try the syrups as well. Since then, we have grossed over $2 million in revenue and have done this independently without any major backing. Just family, friends, and ourselves to keep the dream alive.

Can you tell us about your Moonrocks products?

Moonrocks are my specialty because it is the first product I started with. So it has a special place although we don’t make as many these days as we do syrups, it still has value in the market, and from time to time, I will make certain batches for fun.

What states are your products currently sold in?

Colorado, at the moment, we have opportunities in three other states, but we want to find the right partner before expanding into new territories.

Content Management is Key for Cannabis Beverages

What do you believe is key to making a cannabis beverage marketable?

Category management is the key. A lot of people need help understanding this. I can’t lie; I struggle with this, too, because you have minor success with one SKU and think it can transition into all SKUs. Along the way, you lose focus on the core products that got you successful in the first place.

With your experience in Industrial Hemp Recycling, what are your opinions on current packaging choices in the cannabis industry?

It’s hit or miss because we have to compete with knock-off childlike packaging that people produce on the streets and is being confused with state-regulated packaging. Which makes it even harder for a customer. Who sees one thing on the streets but another in the dispensary? I can only imagine the confusion.

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What are your overarching thoughts on the cannabis beverage category in current Markets? 

I believe warmups are over, and the game is about to start. Some companies have 10-plus years of experience making cannabis beverages and have leverage in the market.

Although beverages make up roughly 1.2% of the total market, the room for growth is well within reach. Like many other categories, beverages are unique because of the processes that go into making them. The regulation for beverages is more challenging than one thinks, and the investment time may not seem worth only 1.2%.

Still, beverages are a craftsman sport and require collective efforts to bring a beverage to market. If you understand this, then we have something in common.

Past Experience at the Cannabis Drinks Expo

You were a speaker for the Cannabis Drinks Expo event last year! How was your experience?

It truly was amazing to be on stage with great people. David Paleschuck invited us out. I’m forever grateful for him doing that. It also was an eye-opener to a whole new world of beverage creators and potential investors. I look forward to speaking in the future.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the Cannabis Drinks Expo readers?

Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. If you are in Colorado, try HIGHGRADE Syrups or visit highgradesyrups.com.

Learn More on Beverage Category Management at the Cannabis Drinks Expo 2023

This is the event of 2023 for brands and investors alike to come together to support the growing drinks category in the cannabis market. With new states legalizing cannabis, the shows this year will be focused on bringing cannabis drink professionals from all new legal states.

Save the date for your city and connect with MSOs, dispensaries, growers, packaging companies, co-packers, flavor suppliers, cannabis beverage brands, and other service providers looking to enter the cannabis beverage market.

Register today to attend in San Francisco on July 27th or Chicago on August 1st.

The article was written by Hannah (Izer) Vysoky