(Photo above: Founders Hunter Newbauer, Kevin Hogan and Justin Crawn enjoy the view at the Oregrown Tumalo farm | by Krystal Marie Collins)
The recreational marijuana industry is the definition of an emerging market. As marijuana lay in black market purgatory since westerners settled America and vilified its consumption, the industrial revolution, capitalism and mass manufacturing have all over looked development of this resource.
Oregrown is seizing the opportunity to cultivate the emerging marijuana industry sustainably, with craftsmanship and fully vertically integrated business practices. Oregrown’s practices will no doubt set industry standards throughout Oregon, and as legislation advances, the nation.
Oregrown Industries, Inc.
Oregons Premier Farm to Table Vertically Integrated Cannabis Company
Owners/Founders: Hunter Neubauer, Aviv Hadar, Justin Crawn, Kevin Hogan
No. Employees: 24
Contact: 844-673-4769, www.oregrown.com, 1199 NW Wall Street, Bend, OR 97701
Where did the company name come from?
An inspiration from Justin Crawn and Aviv Hadar
When did you open your doors?
January 2, 2015, established in 2013
What is your product/market niche?
Top shelf, organic, sustainable and responsible cannabis provider.
What has been your greatest success to date?
Pushing the progression of legalization as well as building a brand reputable within the industry all over the world for the highest quality top shelf cannabis products.
What is your company’s number one goal in the next year?
To prove that our industry is viable, responsible and wants to contribute to society by providing a professional example and economic growth.
What other ways is your company involved in the community? We have sponsored community events such as Winterfest and look forward to working with other local causes and charity.
Seated in the waiting room at Oregrown, one begins to absorb the vibrant energy and lingo of the culture surrounding the cannabis industry. In the dispensary’s entrance, language like “bud tender, strain, menu, recreational, medicinal and THC free,” race out of mouths. Recognizable locals enter as well as out-of-towners keen to experience the landmark task of purchasing weed legally. A helpful and friendly receptionist, Courtney Saxton, greets customers.
Saxton describes her daily encounters as she checks IDs and manages a que. “People are excited to check out our merchandise. We offer a range of products that people are interested in besides what the typical cannabis user would expect. I love working up front — I get to set the vibe, I get to hear peoples stories, I get to help people find what they are looking for — it’s like being the hostess at a restaurant, but way better.”
Underlying the detailed and gracious customer service being delivered at the counter, are a focused mission and values. Thoughtfully, Co-founder Hunter Neubauer expresses this saying, “We aspire to be Oregon’s premier farm to table vertically integrated cannabis company. Our top priorities are to provide previously unachievable career opportunities to employees, be consistently professional and educational in community messaging and our dispensary environment and to progress the industry and change the stigma that surrounds cannabis.”
Neubauer and co-founders Aviv Hadar, Justin Crawn and Kevin Hogan began their careers in sectors raging from technology to real estate.
Familiar with the drug industry through his former career in orthopedic sales, for Fortune 500 companies like Stryker and Smith and Nephew, Neubauer was shocked at the continual pattern of treatment he witnessed. “It was a tragedy seeing people becoming addicted to heavy narcotics, aided by pharmaceutical companies, and then switching to heroin, when there were other safe avenues of treatment. I tried suggesting medical marijuana to orthopedic surgeons for pain management to no end.”
Crawn is the only founder professionally experienced in the cannabis industry, as a medical grower and personally as a patient. A life time autoimmune disorder has left Crawn with cannabis as the only treatment option that yielded necessary results.
In 2013, living in Portland, the founding crew saw the progression of the cannabis industry in Colorado and wanted to set the bar for the emerging recreational market in Oregon.
To accomplish their mission, Oregrown has had to be expert in everything from legislation and political activism, to organic and sustainable farming practices.
Neubauer has participated as a member on the Finance Committee for Measure 91, Marijuana Technical Advisory Committee, Rules Advisory Committee for the OLCC (state level), the ongoing Deschutes County Marijuana Advisory Committee and is a founding member of the Oregon Cannabis Association.
In his roll on the Deschutes County Marijuana Advisory Committee, Neubauer is contributing to discussions regarding resolution on time, place and manor regulations. While it is legal to grow cannabis for medical purposes with appropriate permitting in Deschutes County, whether it will be legal to grow marijuana for recreational purposes remains unresolved. Currently, most counties in the state have opted out of legalizing recreational grow operations.
Presently, most of the cannabis products purchased at dispensaries are made from medical surplus. This will no longer be legal after 2016. If a dispensary is selling to a recreational user after 2016, the product must be sourced from a location licensed for recreational growing.
Neubauer says Oregrown has two farms. One in the Valley which, at the moment, produces 100 percent of their products based on medical surplus. The second property is in Tumalo and awaits rule from the Deschutes County Marijuana Advisory Committee on whether it can begin to grow for recreational purposes.
Oregrown looks forward to using the same organic sustainability focused farming methodology they have mastered at their Valley farm, as they develop their Tumalo operation. “Permaculture in Central Oregon has potential for creating a top shelf product,” says Neubauer. “Components required for this are access to sunlight, water quality, cost of energy and an eager labor pool. We have all this in Central Oregon. The only thing we are missing is concrete and fair regulation, banking serves and appropriate taxation.”
When asked why the founders wanted to make an integrated option for customers, growing and retailing, Neubauer replied, “It’s a great business model because we can guarantee the process, product and delivery. The outcome for the consumer is a consistent experience. The reason we did this is because we weren’t satisfied with the way the black market was functioning. With integration we can evolve the industry socially, economically and politically.”
Since their opening at the beginning of 2015, Oregrown has seen increased revenue every month. Neubauer says nationally, “Last year $5 billion was generated combining sales in medical and two legal recreational states. The demand is there and there aren’t enough responsible farming practices. It’s difficult to project our future growth not knowing if or when our second farm will be up and running due to undefined local regulation.”
When asked if he sees cannabis becoming recreationally legal in more states, Neubauer expressed, “Hell yeah. I think we will see half the country in ten years if not more, and two to four states next year; and if that happens the train is moving. There is already political change afoot with 36 bills in the house. The volume of legislation alone is telling.”
As more states legalize recreational use, “Oregon has the opportunity to set the standard,” says Neubauer, “There are some important factors regarding the implementation of the legal recreation program that need to be figured out though. And making sure the medical program continues to evolve and support the needs of its patients. If those things happen, Oregon will set the standard. We have the world’s best cultivators and the world’s best processing manufacturers. The potential is there.”
As marijuana becomes more socially and politically main-stream, there is much room for research and development. Drawing on his experience with pharmaceuticals in Orthopedics, Neubauer proposes, “I would like to see the feds give us the opportunity to do real clinical studies to prove what we think is true; allow us to show the potential that cannabis can provide to people in need. It can treat a wide verity of diseases, viruses and aliments with very little negative side effects, if any at all. Eventually I want to see our health insurance cover medical marijuana patient treatment plans. Think about how much money could be saved in the healthcare industry.”
It appears the stage is set for Oregrown to be the national leader in farm to table and organic sustainable cannabis production. In reflection, on being a part of an emerging market of this magnitude, Neubauer explains, “It is amazing, by far the biggest challenge I have ever had. I have put [in]every single penny I have ever made, and every drop of blood sweat and tears. I am struggling to make a paycheck but I don’t care. I am just trying to do it right.”
If you are a person seeking medicinal or recreational cannabis, see Leafly.com for customer recommendations regarding Oregrown products. One visitor commented, Oregrown is, “basically the Nordstrom of dispensaries.” Or stop into their dispensary on Wall Street where Saxton will greet you with a genuine smile and a bud tender will guide you through your purchase.
