Behind the Scenes at Phant Extracts: An Exclusive Look Inside
Behind the Scenes at Phant Extracts: An Exclusive Look Inside
When grey-market cannabis dispensaries and producers proliferated in British Columbia in the mid-2010s, there were a few names that stood out from the pack. One of the brands that made a name for itself was Phant Extracts, an award-winning cannabis extracts company based in Vancouver. Founded by a team of passionate cannabis connoisseurs, the company quickly earned a reputation for producing high-quality concentrates that were second to none.
From 2015 till legalization in 2018, Phant gained a loyal fanbase from cannabis enthusiasts who appreciated their consistency, quality, and innovation. Its proprietary extraction methods and unique strain profiles made its products highly sought-after. Award-winning products like its Purple Candy and Blueberry Kush shatter kept Phant in the spotlight.
Today, Phant continues to innovate and create unique products. Their 10,000-square-foot facility in Abottsford, BC is equipped with advanced extraction technology that allows the company to produce a consistently clean and potent product. With its 99% THCA concentrate, Phant has set the bar for potency and quality among cannabis extracts.
But behind every successful business is a team of passionate people with a shared vision and this couldn't be more true at Phant. Comprised of experienced industry veterans, the team at Phant have decades of combined experience in the cannabis space. From cultivation to extraction and product formulation, Phant has been able to leverage its team’s knowledge and expertise to stay ahead of the competition.
In this exclusive interview, we spoke with Trevor Hinds, the Chief Executive Officer of Canadian National Pharma Group Inc, the parent company of Phant Extracts to get an inside look at their process, products, and plans for the future.
The cannabis industry in Canada is crowded with hundreds of brands. What makes Phant stand out from the others?
Since the beginning, Phant has been able to distinguish itself from others by pushing to keep our product quality as high as possible. Secondly, keeping the brand as relatable to our customers as possible. Recently, our success in the legal space comes from using the same formula. People like to support companies that are small, self-funded, and not public.
How has the company evolved since its founding in 2015?
While the products and brand have remained very stable, we have incorporated many changes to how the company is run. We have had to implement major business and science rules to maintain our compliance with the regulations.
By far, the most important and influential change to our business came from the hiring of Dr Josh Rizak; our PHD and neuroscientist. Dr Rizak has overseen and built our Quality Assurance Team and the SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) we use to run our business. This group has been responsible for taking our extraction methods and giving them the scientific strength to ensure our products are of the highest purity and repeatable every time.
Can you tell us about your extraction methods and the technology you use?
We run numerous Hydrocarbon Extraction Systems - Our systems were designed and built in-house. We use large pharmaceutical equipment that allows us to scale up and make more products than many of the off-the-shelf systems will allow you to do.
Phant is well known for its 99% THCA concentrate. How did this product come to be and how has it been received in the market?
THCA crystals, often called “Diamonds”, were the first product we brought to market. We found that few companies were making and selling diamonds. The ones on the market were overpriced, and customers had little choice in the types offered. We decided to focus on making only Diamonds; nothing else.
For the first year, we honed our skills and scaled up our operation to become the largest Diamond manufacturer in Canada. We can make diamonds in any colour, style, and flavour. We make clear Diamonds at 100% purity down to extremely terpy coloured and flavoured diamonds to cover the many customer demands.
We believe our Diamond business has soared as our price point and quality is pulling customers from the black market into regulated stores for our product.
What products can we expect to see from Phant in the near future?
We have just launched our traditional Shatter which is now selling well in stores. Next, our Afghan hash will drop into BC stores only available through Direct Delivery with Herbal Dispatch. From there, we expect to focus and expand on our Diamond Vapes and Infused Pre-roll lines.
The team at Phant is comprised of a deep pool of experienced legacy players in the cannabis space. How have their expertise and knowledge contributed to your success?
Our extraction team and their experience are definitely one of the reasons we have had success and managed to grow. The team is led by Jeff Kusch, who built our equipment and trained the team. Jeff has years of experience running and building different extraction systems. His ingenuity has allowed us to scale up production without compromising quality.
Further, our small but efficient team allows us to shift production and make almost any concentrate with the same team in the same facility. I believe our team is our best competitive advantage and the reason why we are taking market share so quickly.
What inspires and motivates your team?
Our team is motivated to build Phant into a sustainable and profitable business despite the many challenges facing the Cannabis industry. We like competing and winning against public companies with endless funds.
By keeping our expenses low, the team small, and wearing multiple hats, the business model can work. We get a huge lift in seeing the success and giving everyone a chance in helping to make it happen. It’s truly a team success which makes it fun.
What does the future hold for Phant?
The next step is to continue to build out the number of products we make without compromising our quality. We want to be the go-to brand people choose across the country when purchasing an extract. We believe we can continue to grow the company responsibly while pushing a great brand people are proud to get behind and support.
