Alchemy Gummies Mix Cannabis and Reishi Mushrooms

With so many cannabis gummies on the market, it's tough to stand out in the crowd. Alchemy Naturals, a new edibles line from Denver-based Slang Worldwide, is employing a wellness- and effects-based strategy.

Using various cannabinoid combinations of THC, CBD, CBN and CBG, as well as herbal and plant-based ingredients like passionflower, maca root, ginger and reishi mushroom, Alchemy has released gummies intended for relaxation, sleep, pain relief, intimacy and a good old-fashioned edibles high. To learn more about the new gummies, their mushroom ingredients and sexual impact, we caught up with Slang's Brittany Hallett.

Westword: How hard is it to break into the cannabis gummy space?

Brittany Hallett: The cannabis gummy space is the most popular category within the edibles market, commanding 70-plus percent of all category sales. This dominance is partly thanks to the familiar format of gummy candy, its convenience, lower sugar profile and delicious taste. That being said, gummy edibles are indeed a saturated and competitive market to break into, as there are already many great options out there. We at Alchemy Naturals knew coming into the category that we’d need a great-tasting product that was different from what was already available, and through our research on consumer needs for gummy edibles, we found a white space for a more wellness-oriented product offering. To further distinguish our gummies from the rest, we worked with Ph.D. food scientists at Alchemy Naturals, and we harness the power of centuries-old adaptogens like passionflower, maca root, ginger and reishi by combining them with emerging cannabinoids like CBG and CBN. The complementary formulas suggest myriad health benefits that are perfect for an effects-based line of gummies. We call this “the new entourage effect.”

Loads of gummies are intended for specific effects. What makes Alchemy's different?

What makes Alchemy Naturals’ effects-based gummies different is that we draw on emerging science in both the cannabis and the adaptogen space to create a gummy that focuses on delivering the suggested effect. For example, our Relief gummies are formulated with THC, CBD, CBG and ginger, which all come together to engage with ailments like pain and inflammation.

Your branding displays "Part Science" on the top. How important are science and cannabinoid delivery becoming in edibles nowadays?

Although cannabis has been recreationally legal in Colorado for ten years, scientific studies continue to emerge on the endocannabinoid system and the potential benefits of lesser-known cannabinoids like CBN and CBG. As these emerging cannabinoids become more widely available and studies are published supporting their use, Alchemy Naturals will continue to explore product formulations using these extraordinary and uncommon cannabinoids.

What's the response been to the De-Stress gummies? How many questions are you getting about the "THC + Mushroom" part?

There’s been a lot of buzz around the De-Stress gummies, especially considering that mushrooms are an adjacent trending product category that’s getting a lot of attention. For instance, the mushroom adaptogen that Alchemy Naturals utilizes is reishi, which, as you may know, has been getting lots of attention in the wellness world for the suggested benefits that they can provide to bodies, like decreased stress and anxiety through a strengthened immune system. We love that our customers have shown excitement and interest around a gummy that harnesses the power of these two natural wonders of the world — what we call a “marijuana meets mushroom” moment with the De-Stress gummy.

How about the Intimacy gummies? How confident are you in their abilities, and how did you make sure they worked?

When formulating all of our gummies, we worked with Ph.D. food scientists and followed the structure of identifying which cannabinoids had been researched for the proposed effect and which adaptogens have historically been used to support the goal of the effect. Everyone has diverse needs and will react to products differently, hence we hope that our Intimacy gummies will help foster more profound and more stimulating connections for those who use them, and we look forward to getting "in-market" feedback from consumers as they try them.

Whether it be for flavor or effects, what combinations of your gummies do you enjoy?

Every few years, my sleeping habits tend to change; recently, I’ve struggled to sleep through the night. I’ve been enjoying Sleep gummies to help me get a deeper and more restful sleep. As far as flavors go, I really savor the Blackberry Lime and Ginger Mango.

As hemp-derived THC gummies with Delta-8 or Delta-9 THC become more popular, how have they impacted your business?

We’ve seen hemp-derived THC change buying behavior in the CBD market in that there now seem to be two camps of consumers: those looking for the wellness benefits of CBD, and those looking for a way to get the psychoactive effects of THC. Regarding THC, our research has indicated that consumers might look for that psychoactive effect of THC in either illegal markets or through more accessible and convenient ways, like gas stations, in states where adult-use cannabis is still illegal.

Do you see hemp-derived THC products staying around for a while?

Even though it's been ten years, cannabis is still so new to consumers that I expect us to see continued shifts in consumer demand and preference as the cannabis industry’s product offerings emerge and expand. I think the accessibility aspect of hemp-derived THC is appealing, and is something that consumers will continue to explore along with other canna-derived product offerings.