The Cannabis Equipment News team recently traveled to the Wisconsin Cannabis Expo held in Milwaukee on June 4. At the show, we had an opportunity to interview equipment manufacturers, cultivators and new product developers to learn more about what they bring to the cannabis industry.
River Bluff CBD, LLC began its family owned and operated business in 2019 and is located in East Dubuque, Illinois. Its address is technically in Illinois but the company also rests on the border of Iowa and Wisconsin, which presents a unique situation.
While Illinois has legalized medical and adult use of cannabis, the laws in Iowa and Wisconsin differ. Iowa allows limited medical use but prohibits adult use, and Wisconsin has yet to legalize either.
“All three states have very, very different laws when it comes to cannabis in general,” owner Ali Gansemer said. “We really have to be strict on what products we allow to sell. We have to stay on top of those laws changing.”
River Bluff manufactures all of its delta-8, CBD, delta-10 and THC-O products, including gummies, caramels, cookies, brownies, bath bombs and more.
Co-founder Joe Loeffelholz said the company is moving to the regulated market with its delta-9 dispensary in Chicago.
“We’re just in the scaling stages of our business,” Loeffelholz said. “The challenges we’re facing are how to keep up with demand. As we do that, we’re starting to get into our first depositors and our first specialty equipment for production.”
Gansemer and Loeffelholz also stressed River Bluff’s focus on mental health with its range of products from CBD to THC.
Regarding healthcare, Loeffelholz described it as “A human’s rights issue more than anything else.”
“[Mental health] is really where our company focuses a lot of our efforts on,” Gansemer said. “Helping people live better lives. Whether it’s just CBD or if you want to have fun as well along the way. Mental health awareness is really our biggest focus when it comes to our philanthropic activities.”
The next Wisconsin Cannabis Expo, presented by the Shepherd Express, will be held Nov. 19, 2022, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.
