Pantry's infused foods aren't your everyday edible, they're healthier products with a higher purpose.
Paul Rosen and Scott Jennings have brought the food revolution to the
The best Pantry is one that’s well stocked, and Paul and Scott have ensured theirs isn’t just full of some of the best
“Pantry is realigning health-conscious consumers with cannabis products that better fit their lifestyle.”
While Pantry premiered at Hall Of Flowers in 2019 to much fanfare and a healthy buzz, their journey began well before. Everyone at the company has had a lifelong love affair with weed, but there came a point where smoking being their main form of consumption began to make less and less sense. Loving the power of the plant but wanting to forgo unhealthy intake methods led them to infused foods, and they quickly found themselves asking why they had to eat candy to consume cannabis?
When they took a step back and thought about it, the issue that vaulted this venture into reality is the same problem that’s plagued the conventional food industry for decades. Unhealthy products dominating both the scene and sales. Why is it so hard to find products that align with a healthier lifestyle? Unhealthy items are simply cheaper and easier to make, but more importantly, they’re also historically the items most sought out by consumers.
For the longest time, this unfortunate reality has been that of any other industry. It takes consumers willing to pay for healthier products to initiate change. Dispensaries don't need to mix things up if their sugary confections are consistently selling out. This is where education and empowerment come in, which is where Pantry continues to excel and pave the way. Between their transparent branding, educational resources and catering experiences, they’re realigning health-conscious consumers with cannabis products that better fit their lifestyle. Be it their dosage calculator that ensures you never go too far, or focusing on delivery so the products you want are never far away, every decision they make is a conscientious step towards providing you a better, healthier experience with cannabis.
Pantry's approach is juxtaposed to years of brands asking,”Could we?” instead of, “Should we?” Which has led us to an edible market full of unnecessarily high levels of
Even beyond physical health, the practice of forcing as much
By crafting low-dose, vegan products with balanced cannabinoid ratios, real ingredients and practical applications, Pantry's addressed this issue of unnecessarily strong products in a functional way that doesn’t lose any of the fun. Their real Fruit Jellies are melt in your mouth masterpieces crafted by legendary chefs with local produce, and their
Booking a Pantry catering experience for an unforgettable evening doubles as a Master Class in cannabis. Their team of experts will walk you through the best way to use their products so you never get bored with your bud, and more importantly, never go overboard. These impressive and educational experiences have been booked by everyone from the Kardashians to the common cannaseur, and not a single guest has left without feeling empowered and elevated.
And don't think for a second that Pantry is merely a group of health nuts trying to swing the pendulum in the other direction and tell you how to consume your cannabis. They grew up smoking
Though at the end of the day, it's one thing to create the newest and best line of functional, infused foods, it’s another to educate consumers on why they should seek them out. It would be great if everyone had the opportunity to book a catering experience, but that isn't realistic, which is why they didn't stop there. Not wanting those looking for their products to be steered in the wrong direction at a dispensary, Pantry has focused on delivery and an online platform built to bolster a belief that there’s a better option out there. Empowering the cannabis community is inherent in everything they do. It begins with their team before it proliferates through their brand. Every individual employed at Pantry is a leader in their area, which has created a crew with fluid roles all focused on the same goal.
Trusting the right people to do the right things is quite possibly the most important factor when building a brand in cannabis, and it's how we know Pantry will stand the test of time. Paul and Scott didn’t merely get things started and get out of the way, they’re in the trenches with Rita, Jordan and Chef Magliano every day. Rita’s in charge of marketing, and her background in nutrition is essential to help nudge products in the right direction, as well as guide guests through their catering experience. Jordan is a leader on the Pantry team, and his background in finance, to include having passed all three levels of the CFA, helps ensure Pantry is making intelligent, data driven decisions. Chef Mags, who trained under Thomas Keller at The French Laundry and was the Chef de Cuisine at Animal in Los Angeles, is the in-house chef whose hands personally craft the first iteration of every new creation.
Just as Paul and Scott have global ambitions, their network of chefs, craftsmen and creatives knows no boundaries. They do everything from supply their local produce or imported Italian olive oil to headline their catering experiences and help create their cooking show. Speaking of their olive oil, you'd be hard pressed to find a product that offers more opportunity and bioavailability. It was created in collaboration with The Franks, who have renowned restaurants in NYC and are known the world over for importing and infusing some of the best oils on the market. While it's historically sold out before it hits the shelf, they're looking to ramp up production as well as offer it in a smaller bottle. So if you find some, be sure to grab it before it's gone.
It certainly takes a network like the one they've built to excel and grow the way they have, but it all comes back to Paul and Scott’s deep-rooted passion to do better in a space they believe in. As a Canadian constitutional lawyer, Paul went from observing an obscure medicinal program that fed the illicit market to pioneering commercial grows with one of the biggest names north of the border. He’s taken a few cannabis companies public, to include Cronos, which he calls his crash course in being a cannabis CEO. After years of learning the ins and outs of the industry, he decided to dedicate himself to assisting entrepreneurs with similar values start smaller operations. Having experienced both worlds, he feels most at home in bootstrapped startups based around passion, which was all the better when it came time to build Pantry.
While Paul’s experience in the industry offers him the ability to look from the top down, Scott’s journey has been that of the user wanting to change things from the ground up. He was working in finance in NYC for years before California and cannabis stole him away. Be it for recreational or targeted effects, like sleep and calming an active mind, he’s been an avid consumer his whole life. After many visits to dispensaries for R&D and disappointment, he saw an opportunity for change and knew it was time to make his mark. By combining his love for the plant and culture with his high level of financial acumen, he's developed a unique skillset that will help ensure Pantry grows responsibly, while also making a positive impact on society and the environment.
“If the snack aisle in Safeway is traditional cannabis candies, Pantry is Whole Foods.”
They've supported local restaurants throughout COVID-19, and Scott is actively researching how to work with The Last Prisoner Project to identify chefs who have been incarcerated due to cannabis to help indemnify them when they're released. Whether they were a chef before incarceration or became one while inside, Pantry will help ensure they can remain one when they get out. Just as intentional as every ingredient that makes up their products is every ingredient that makes up their brand. And they only choose the best options and deploy them as carefully as possible to ensure everyone is elevated together.
If the snack aisle in Safeway is traditional cannabis candies, Pantry is Whole Foods. Pantry is the functional food products found at Equinox. Pantry is another step in the direction of your best self, and a further commitment to your consumption habits having a positive effect...while still getting high, enjoying cannabis and best of all, not having to pay for it later. We’ve seen the products by checkout counters go from Snickers bars to keto bars, and soon enough we hope to see brands like Pantry offer a similar experience at your local dispensary.
As Scott and Paul like to say to their team, as long as they’re better on Friday than they were on Monday they’re moving in the right direction. Week to week and product to product, their trajectory has only pointed higher, and their potential, thanks to their passion, seems limitless. Are they better today than they were yesterday? Without a doubt, and by integrating their products into your daily routine, soon enough you will be too.
This article was created in partnership with Pantry. Photos by Tye Nave.