The Covid-19 lockdown was a difficult time for most people, but for Keenan Jooste, it represented a unique opportunity. Jooste combined her love of cooking with her passion for cannabis, and a new business venture was born.
Since the landmark ruling allowing private cannabis usage in 2018, the production and sale of cannabis edibles have seen a marked commercial increase. Perhaps the most popular of these products is the edible brownie.
Jooste, who started making edible brownies during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, describes how she would gift them to her friends despite not being able to socialise with them, or perhaps because of it.
“I couldn’t hang out with my friends so I would make some brownies and then drop it off, and then make some [more], and drop it off. Eventually, after seeing us tweet about it, someone [said] ‘I’ll buy some from you.’”
Interest in her brownies increased from there, which is eventually what prompted Jooste to start the business, That Good Good.
“I was really just inspired by this idea of making cannabis accessible. I feel like there’s a better way [to access cannabis], and I just wanted to get everyone access.”
Accessibility is critical
Jooste explains that, in the past, people did not have access to good quality cannabis products.
“Access is a big thing for me, and making sure that people have access to good quality cannabis products. I’m a bit of a control freak, so it is easy for me to tell people how much of the brownie they should eat so I can ensure almost everyone gets a really good experience.”
Novices, says Jooste, tend to have unpleasant experiences when they first try cannabis edibles. She says eating edibles often has a more intense effect than other ways of consuming cannabis, which can scare people off.
“Alot of people’s first edible experience is just scary. But I can help with that. I’m really passionate about it, and about making sure that everyone who buys the product, and also anyone who’s keen to try cannabis, can do so in a safe and enjoyable way.”
Whilst cannabis has come a long way in how it is perceived and obtained, there are still many channels that offer a hazardous experience, especially for women. This is something that Jooste says her brand remedies.
“Most of my clientele are women and trying to find cannabis by yourself as a woman in South Africa, meeting people in parking lots, and that kind of thing, which is not ideal.”
A need for clear legislation
Though Mzansi’s cannabis industry is growing, the law around it is still very unclear. This is a source of frustration for many small business owners. Jooste says the issue of access again prevails, but in a different way.
“It’s extremely difficult to access that space, especially if you don’t have the money. And I think that’s why you see [most of the people] are typically white men who are able to sell and launch huge brands and products [in the industry].”
The lack of clarity around the legislation makes it difficult to determine what is allowed and what is not.
“The current legislation is very unclear, making it even more inaccessible for smaller business because you don’t really know if you are managing your business this correctly. What part of this is legal? What part is not legal?”
Despite the unclear legislation, Jooste has big plans for her business. She hopes to expand her product range in the next year, and eventually become a licenced breeder.
Her tips for aspiring agripreneurs
Make sure you understand the scale of the work
Make sure you understand the scale of the work that you’re about to get into. Plot and plan out every step of the venture you’re about to go on so that you know exactly what steps needs to be taken, from making the product to getting it to your consumer. That will help you understand the amount of work that you’re going to need to be doing and how much time you’re going to be putting in.
It is going to be hard work
It is going to be hard work. But seeing people feedback positively on your product is a really good thing. That inspires me to keep making sure that I always put out a really good product. So, make sure you put out good product.
Be passionate
If you have some kind of belief system behind why you are putting out a product, it’s easy for you to stay passionate about it because there’s always that end goal in mind. It just kind of gets you up in the morning.
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