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Weekly Scoop (Jan. 21 - 27) - Bringing Hemp to the Mainstream Market


Bringing Hemp Mainstream

"There is not one place on Earth that I'd rather be than Asheville."

Every aspect of the hemp business presents challenges that no other type of business faces, said Brian Bullman, the owner of Carolina Hemp Company — Asheville's longest serving hemp and CBD retailer/distributor.

“Socially, logistically, etcetera,” Bullman continued, “But we overcome these obstacles through sheer determination."

Because of that determination, Carolina Hemp Company is now open for business in a beautiful new storefront at 290 Haywood Road, Suite 002.

But the most important challenge his business has had to overcome? Educating the public about hemp.

Up until recently, hemp was federally classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic. But with the recent passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp has since been removed from the list of federally controlled substances. 

CBD derived from industrial hemp contains no more than 0.3% of THC, meaning you don't get "high" from it. Most commonly people use CBD for medical reasons, including pain, anxiety and insomnia relief. 

To help educate the public and bring hemp products into the mainstream market, Carolina Hemp Company has positioned itself as a reputable and reliable distribution company in the hemp market. They have assembled a team of qualified and passionate people that deliver a consultative experience to each and every client.

“We decided early that there was ‘plan A’ and ‘plan A’ only,” Bullman said.

What began as a full-service distributer of hemp beverages — specifically Canna Energy — quickly became so much more. From July 2014 to December 2015, the business opened over 350 accounts and sold 6 truckloads of Canna Energy into the WNC market.

“That was a total of nearly half a million drinks,” Bullman added, “making Carolina Hemp Company the top distributor of that product in the country."

But given the hyper competitiveness of the beverage industry — think Red Bull, Monster and the like — Carolina Hemp Company began focusing on a more diverse range of hemp goods, including edibles, smokeables, oils and more.

What Bullman calls the “hemp general store” now offers the largest and highest quality assortment of hemp goods in the region. 

“The metamorphosis from being a start-up in an incredibly questionable market to being an established, expanding force in the regional market 5 years later has been exhilarating,” Bullman said. “Being a 100% bootstrap operation, the growth has been enormous and steady.”

Bullman’s aim with Carolina Hemp Company was to set a benchmark for the industry in terms of production, product and service to the community.  

“I grew up here and I have raised my family here,” Bullman said. ”I experienced Asheville in its state of disrepair in the 80s and watched as it has flourished into the beautifully diverse, dynamic and culturally rich place that it has become.”

He chooses to work with local and regional farmers, local educators, industry leaders, manufacturers and retailers to rebuild a market chain that will provide quality jobs for the state of North Carolina and the wider region. 

A peek inside Carolina Hemp Company's new storefront on Haywood Road.

And Carolina Hemp Company continues to grow — they are now open in a beautiful new storefront at 290 Haywood Road, Suite 002. Don’t miss their Grand Opening on January 26 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. where everything in-store will be 10% off until 4 p.m.

Plus, you won't want to miss out on their hourly discounts, like from 1 - 2 p.m., all Carolina Hemp Company branded apparel will be 40% off; from 3 - 4 p.m., you can grab a free pint of The Hemperor HPA from New Belgium Brewing; and from 4 - 5 p.m., 42% of retail sales will be donated to a local charity. 

Stay up-to-date with their Dig Local profile for information about community programs and other educational events that Carolina Hemp Company will be rolling out throughout 2019.

Below you will find one locally curated Scoop chosen for each day this week — but make sure to check out all the Scoops this week on our Dig Local Scoop Calendar.

Monday, Jan. 21

$10 Burger and Brew
at Rosetta's Kitchen & the Buchi Bar
Grab a house-made veggie burger, your choice of a side and a beer for only $10.
Click here for more details.


Check out the rest of Monday’s Scoops here.

Tuesday, Jan. 22

$2 Off Chicken Shwarma
at The Scarlet Bee
Every Tuesday, grab $2 off delicious chicken shwarma, served with hummus, toum and tabbouleh.
Click here for more details.

Check out the rest of Tuesday’s Scoops here.

Wednesday, Jan. 23

Wine Wednesday
at Chupacabra Latin Cafe

All bottles of wine are half priced every Wednesday!
Click here for more details.
 

Check out the rest of Wednesday’s Scoops here.

Thursday, Jan. 24

Acoustic Thursday
at Pack's Tavern
Wind down with acoustic music from Jeff Anders and Justin Burrell starting at 8 p.m. and grab a glass of their $5 house-made mulled wine.
Click here for more details.


Check out the rest of Thursday’s Scoops here.

Friday, Jan. 25

Prime Rib Dinner
at Woodfire Bar and Grille

Treat yourself every Friday and Saturday night to a delicious prime rib dinner.
Click here for more details.

Check out the rest of Friday's Scoops here.

Saturday, Jan. 26

MUKASE: An African-Inspired Dinner
at West End Bakery
Renowned musician, scholar and cook Agya Boakye-Boaten will host an African-inspired dinner and optional drumming lesson. This is a ticketed event.
Click here for more details.
The Get Right Band (Album Release)
at Ambrose West
Join The Get Right Band and Three Star Revival for an awesome night of music, including songs from The Get Right Band's first-ever live album, which was recorded right here in Asheville! This is a ticketed event presented by us here at Dig Local.
Click here for more details.

Check out the rest of Saturday’s Scoops here.

Sunday, Jan. 27

Comedy Night: Reena Calm
at LaZoom Tours
Pulling from a lifetime of questionable choices, Reena Calm's material is autobiographical, silly and charmingly inappropriate.
Click here for more details.

Check out the rest of Sunday’s Scoops here.
For all of this week’s Scoops and more, visit DigLocal.com or download the Dig Local AppKeep digging local!