Elevating Edibles with Insa's Chef Julian Rose

The next time you pick up a cannabis-infused gummy, chocolate bar, or seltzer, consider how lucky we are to be in a moment where two cultural passions fused, creating culinary and recreational opportunities that would have seemed impossible even a generation ago.

In the quarter century since cannabis was first legalized for medical use in California in 1996, the industry has grown steadily, to the point that the majority of Americans now live in states where cannabis is legal for both medical and recreational use. Within the cannabis industry itself, perhaps no category has matured and flourished quite like edibles.

Almost as if they were made for each other, the foodie and cannabis movements have grown up together. More Americans today have access to both gourmet food and quality cannabis than ever before. And, happily for us all, the two go great together.

Increasingly, people want to know what they’re putting in their bodies, meaning an unprecedented emphasis on quality. In my experience, one of the chief benefits of legalization is that consumers are more educated than ever about the benefits of the whole cannabis plant, the multiple ways they can consume it, and the varying levels of THC that different products provide. With education comes passion, and we’ve found people grow more enthusiastic about cannabis the more they learn about it. 

As a lifelong pastry chef and chocolatier, I was drawn to the industry to transform the way edibles are crafted by bringing world-class techniques to Insa to launch the highest-quality edibles available. As Director of the Chocolate Academy in Canada, I honed the artisanal skills and cutting-edge techniques that I believe are necessary to stay at the forefront of the ever-evolving edibles space.

In Massachusetts, where I am based, edibles have been legal and available for several years, and are the third-leading cannabis category in sales, behind flower and vapes. In our experience, edibles offer a delicious way to welcome newcomers into the cannabis world, as they represent a comfortable consumption method for many new consumers. There is also a great deal of opportunity for innovation both in edibles’ flavor and in their form, which helps to encourage current cannabis consumers to explore the category. As the market evolves, so has our craftsmanship.

In my view, we haven’t reached a peak with edibles, either in consumer demand for them or in the ways we can continue to push the boundaries with different flavors, textures, blends, and profiles. The edibles market appears primed for yet another growth spurt, and I think we’re only just scratching the surface.

According to a report by the market research firm BDSA, 70 percent of cannabis consumers purchase edibles. It is easy to see the attraction to edibles, as they are easy to consume, odorless, discrete, and often delicious. But their inherent appeal naturally translates to high demand. In some cases, the rush to keep up with the demand has relegated quality to the backburner. In an industry sometimes synonymous with giving consumers the munchies, all of us need to challenge ourselves to insist on bringing higher quality, premium edibles to the market.      .

I’m hopeful that as the industry continues to mature, the next phase in edibles will not focus on how much THC chefs can infuse into chocolates, gummies and baked goods, but instead attract other professional confectioners who will lead with high-quality ingredients and flavors that delight the consumer and elevate the benefits of cannabis in their creations.

In purely production terms, cannabis represents just another ingredient – like sugar, flour, or chocolate. As with any culinary endeavor, the quality of the finished product is only as good as the skill of the chef and the quality of the ingredients they use. Crafting cannabis-infused edibles requires and deserves an approach no different than one a pastry chef or chocolatier would take on any day in the kitchen.      

Within the edible category in Massachusetts, gummies sales currently lead the way, with chocolate sales coming in a close second. At Insa, we place a heavy emphasis on innovation with our Drops, our custom line of gummies. That means staying abreast of trends, and capitalizing on the changing seasons, including new seasonal flavors like Piña Colada for summer and wellness-focused products, such as our Melatonin + THC line of Sleepy Drops.

Flavor and function converge in our innovation pipeline, and we are excited to share new products every season with our customers. Next in line are our new, fast-acting edibles launching this summer in response to the growing consumer interest in cannabis. Known as “Insa Tablits,” the six different SKUs are made with THC, CBD, botanical extracts, and other ingredients such as caffeine and melatonin, depending on the Tablit. They offer fast-acting effects for consumers with a variety of needs, like pain relief or sleep aid, and as always, we’re excited to get feedback from our customers once the products hit retail.

Over the next few years, we will see more state testing labs open where cannabis is legal, and with that, we will be able to get new products approved more quickly, increasing variety in the types of products, flavors, and techniques available to our customers. This could mean a movement into the savory side of edibles, a fun and relatively untapped area that has become more accessible as culinary professionals dive into the world of cannabis. Consumers may soon be able to purchase edibles that emulate flavors found in all types of foods, not just dessert.

In short, as much as cannabis edibles have rapidly evolved in the comparatively short life of the legalized industry, there remains vast, unmapped territories and directions, waiting for inventive culinary experts and eager consumers to explore.

Perhaps the one word to describe the whimsical and rewarding world of edible creations at this point would be “potential.” Bon Appetit!