Global house of cannabis brands taps Samantha Ford Collins as Chief Marketing Officer and Jeremy Applen as Chief Science and Procedures Officer to support rapid portfolio and vertical expansion program growth
MIAMI, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bhang Corporation, a trusted cannabis house of brands with an extensive, award-winning portfolio of over 100 cannabis, hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) and terpene products, today announced the appointment of Tom Stein as President. Tom will have responsibility for the Company’s day-to-day operations with a focus on the continued development of Bhang’s strategic relationships with internal clients, external partners and regulatory groups. Tom will report to CEO & Chairman Scott Van Rixel.
Prior to joining Bhang, Tom served as Vice President of Edrington (brands including The Macallan, The Famous Grouse, Highland Park and The Glenrothes). Prior to that, he was Director of Sales at Palm Bay, a family owned wine producer and Distributor Manager at Diageo.
The Company has also added two top executives to support an overall push to increase Bhang’s footprint as cannabis markets expand across the globe. Samantha Ford Collins has been named Chief Marketing Officer, and Jeremy Applen has been appointed as Bhang’s Chief Science Officer and Procedures Officer.
“Since our launch in 2010, Bhang has seen tremendous growth as consumer acceptance and attitudes towards CBD and cannabis-derived products have progressed. As we move toward the next phase of our mission to further establish our globally-recognized cannabis house of brands, we believe Tom is the perfect leader to accelerate that expansion,” said Scott Van Rixel, CEO & Chairman of Bhang. “Tom brings a wealth of expertise from his time as an executive in the adult beverage industry and we are thrilled to add his critical knowledge as a leader in execution, distribution, finance and M&A to our top-flight management team.”
The U.S. cannabis market is predicted to hit $22.7 billion by 2023, according to a new report from Brightfield Group. In addition, a report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch credits CBD spending as one of the largest sources of global growth, with $6.6 billion in global spending on CBD growing to $39.2 billion by 2032.
Tom Stein will continue to leverage the strength of Bhang’s brand recognition to generate cross-branding opportunities with both mainstream and cannabis industry brands. In addition, Tom Stein will be responsible for the continued development and expansion of the Company’s distribution channels that have already grown exponentially based on the trust and reputation Bhang has engendered in nearly a decade of doing business.
On joining Bhang, Tom said, “I am thrilled to have joined the Bhang team during this exciting juncture as the Company looks to significantly expand its operations and navigate a rapidly growing and evolving industry. I am focused on executing our strategic plan with an extremely talented executive team.”
In recent years, Bhang has grown from a regional brand to a global cannabis and CBD player, winning dozens of awards for its edible products while amassing a wide-reaching loyal following. Since 2010, Bhang has continually developed best-in-class artisanal edible cannabis and CBD products, mastering the art of harnessing mutually-beneficial partnerships to bring safe, consistent and delicious products to the world.
Executive Team Expansion
The announcement builds on Bhang’s effort to assemble a world-class team as it continues its global expansion. As Chief Marketing Officer, Samantha Ford Collins will lead all consumer and product marketing programs and Bhang’s global brand strategy, brand positioning, innovation and expansion. Samantha also plans to execute an industry-leading, digital engagement platform that amplifies Bhangs ethos and speaks to the millions of loyal cannabis consumers.
Samantha is an award-winning brand marketer who previously held senior leadership positions at Treasury Wine Estates and Diageo North America. Most recently she served as Vice President of Brand Marketing for Treasury where she led strategy for such brands as Beaulieu Vineyard, Stags’ Leap Winery and Penfolds and served as Global Director for 19 Crimes as it grew to over a million cases and launched the Living Wine Labels App. Samantha’s work has been awarded a Super Reggie for 19 Crimes, a Gold Reggie for Penfolds and numerous other industry accolades.
In addition, the Company hired trusted scientist Jeremy Applen as its Chief Science and Procedures Officer, responsible for establishing and maintaining quality management and cannabis system implementation to support brand integrity. Jeremy has served on advisory panels to Association of Public Health Laboratories and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
He also founded New Mexico’s first state-approved medical cannabis laboratory and worked closely with government regulators and numerous cannabis organizations both nationally and internationally to identify and resolve significant issues related to regulation, product quality and product safety. Jeremy is the Vice Chairman of ASTM Committee D37 which is writing the laws for cannabis quality and safety.
“We are thrilled to further capture this explosive new international consumer market with the selection of Samantha and Jeremy on our innovative and dedicated team,” said Van Rixel. “Samantha’s track record of success growing global brands and Jeremy’s commitment to our standards of quality control and consistency across markets will allow us to further establish ourselves as the trusted thought leaders of the cannabis industry.”
About Bhang
Bhang is committed to delivering exceptional sensory experiences to consumers at every point in their cannabis journey through its award-winning portfolio of brands. Bhang is a trusted global cannabis house of brands with an extensive portfolio of over 100 cannabis, hemp-derived CBD and terpene products, including chocolates, pre-rolls, vapes, gums, beverages, gummies and mouth sprays, among others. Since 2010, Bhang has mastered the art of harnessing mutually-beneficial partnerships to bring safe, consistent and delicious products to the world. Learn more at bhangnation.com
For further information please contact:
Media:
Tim Gray / Nick Opich
KCSA Strategic Communications
212-896-1251 / 212-896-1206
tgray@kcsa.com / nopich@kcsa.
Investors:
Bhang Investor Relations
Invest@bhangcorporation.com