PHOENIX — Item 9 Labs Corp. , a vertically integrated, cannabis dispensary franchisor and operator that produces premium, award-winning products, today announced that it has earned two podium finishes in Arizona’s first-ever High Times Cannabis Cup. Item 9 Labs, the Company’s premium cannabis product brand, earned first place in the “vape pens” category with its Black and Blue Kush Broad Spectrum Cartridge and third place in the “pre-rolls” category with its Do-Si-Do strain.
“The Cannabis Cup is the most prestigious milestone that cannabis brands strive for worldwide. This is an amazing win for our team and strengthens our foundation of what defines us as a premium, top-shelf brand.”
Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bowden
The coveted award was catalyzed by the same group behind Woodstock and championed the Beatles’ 1974 ad in the London Times to legalize cannabis. Today, High Times magazine’s circulation rivals that of Rolling Stones.
“We are so thrilled to finally bring the Cannabis Cup to Arizona. It was even better that Arizona successfully went recreational so that everyone from the OG cannabis growers who know differences in terpene profiles, to the new soccer moms trading out their glass of wine for a joint at the end of the night, could all participate and help crown the Best of Arizona.”
High Times Director of Competitions, Mark Kaz
Founded in 1988, the Cannabis Cup has evolved into a globally recognized championship of the best cannabis products in the world – awarding the top three products per category. Traditionally a blind competition judged by industry experts, the prestigious Cannabis Cup reinvented itself in 2020 into crowdsourced rankings – offering 224 kits per category to consumers in state-wide competitions across the country.
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Item 9 Labs’ Cannabis Cup Podium Finishers
One hundred percent solvent-free, Item 9 Labs Broad Spectrum Cartridges blend distilled Delta 9 THC with botanically and cannabis-derived terpenes for full-bodied flavor and a greater entourage effect than typical cartridges. The Black and Blue Kush Broad Spectrum Cartridge blends the refreshing, sweet berry and slight hashiness of blackberry kush with blueberry juice derived straight from the fruit.
The brand’s pre-rolls launched in May 2021 and have quickly become in high demand. The intentionally grown and conveniently packaged seven half-gram pre-rolls are strain-specific and filled with house-grown premium flower that’s wrapped in unrefined French hemp. The Do-Si-Do strain offers a sweet floral and earthy aroma balanced by medical-grade relaxing body effects.
The Decorated Cannabis Brand is No Stranger to the Podium
This same Broad Spectrum Cartridge earned first place in the “vape pen indica” category in the 2021 Errl Cup. The premium cannabis brand also earned two other top placements in this year’s Errl Cup—one in the “vape pen sativa” category and the other in the “concentrate sativa” category—as well as two third-place finishes in “hybrid vape pen” and “indica flower.” All told, the brand has earned nine first-place, three second-place and three third-place rankings across notable Arizona marijuana competitions in the past three years.
“Our continued top placements are proof that we have one of the best cultivation and lab teams in the nation. They do a phenomenal job day-in and day-out to ensure only top-quality products leave our site,” Bowden added. “We run a professional horticulture operation with strict lab testing and do not use any chemicals in our manufacturing. Our premium cannabis products provide the trust, safety and ease that many people have been searching for.”
The Arizona-based brand has seen the strength of its home marijuana market first-hand, recently reporting a 203% year-over-year increase in its fiscal 3rd quarter revenue. The Arizona market is on track to outpace Colorado’s cannabis revenue growth rate, projecting more than $1 billion in legal marijuana sales this year. Also with an active medical marijuana market in its first year adult-use sales went live, Colorado saw just under $684 million in sales its first year.
Bowden added, “My mom had triple-negative breast cancer and our family, just like many others, found healing properties in this remarkable plant. The same quality we provide my mother, we provide every person in Arizona.”
About Item 9 Labs
Item 9 Labs cultivates the highest quality cannabis products while providing transparency, consistency and well-being for an enhanced cannabis experience. With 15 podium finishes in Arizona marijuana competitions, Item 9 Labs is a trusted source for premium cannabis products. Starting with intentionally grown flower that’s hand trimmed to best preserve the terpenes, the Item 9 Labs product catalogue spans 75-plus active cannabis strains and more than 150 differentiated cannabis vape products as well as premium concentrates and Orion vape technologies. Currently, Item 9 Labs is the most in demand brand at more than 60% of Arizona’s dispensaries, according to LeafLink.
