Cannabis Closeup: Examining the Evolution of Canna-Snacks With Tempo’s Robert Holland
Apr. 21, 2023 at 1:56 PM
Most snack makers aspire to create a product that users can’t put down and, in many ways, Tempo is no different. But for the THC-infused line of crackers, that proposition is a bit more complicated.
Launched in 2021, the California-based brand is one of a cohort of progressive cannabis-infused edible makers looking to broaden the landscape beyond familiar formats like gummies and cookies. Tempo’s approach has ticked several important boxes: adopting a snack-friendly positioning that gives it a unique point of difference, one that encourages both precise dosing (ranging from 2-6 mg THC per cracker, depending on SKU) and diverse food pairings. Yet as low-dose beverages and gummies continue to flood the space, Tempo’s challenge is getting consumers (and retailers) to give the brand room to grow.
“I have been really excited to see a lot of retailers begin the process of testing additional edible products, whether you see popcorn or olive oil or a brownie mix – there’s a lot of different opportunities there,” explained Tempo co-founder Robert Holland. However, he pointed out that those products often launch at a higher-than-average price point, creating the hurdle of asking retailers to stock a more expensive product that turns less frequently.
“I think the success of the snack industry is really going to be bet on its price point and its ability to convert those customers and build itself a separate shelf.”
Holland talked to BevNET about the product’s evolution from a pita chip to a more ‘snackable’ cracker, why he’s focusing on daily rather than occasional users, plans for growth after securing new financing, how retailers are building the edible sets in-store, and how ingredients in bold flavors like Chili Limon are designed to augment the effects of THC.
