Then Out of Nowhere, Erewhon
With all the viral videos making the rounds, we didn't just get love from our farmer. Turns out other people were taking notice too.
We were approached by a broker at Erewhon who had seen our viral posts and wanted to rep us. His name was Pierre Real. He wasn't just a broker, he was a co-founder who created a ready to drink beverage that blended coffee and hemp CBD. It not only tasted great when I tried it, it made me feel what the name promised to help you do: Kickback CBD.
Pierre turned out to be a great guy who saw an opportunity to help. He offered to broker us into Erewhon for two hundred dollars per location. At the time there were 4doors so Juliano and I thought that was fair. We sent the first payment to get into the Venice store near Juliano’s place since that would give him instant bragging rights.
We never really had success at retail before so we didn't have much ready besides the product having sombrero punches that make it easy to hang. Juliano whipped up some designs and we hand made our countertop display the same day we drove over to meet Pierre. He was running behind coming across town from the Beverly location so we had to be patient.
Truth was we could not wait. This was our first grocery store and it felt like discovery in real time. Erewhon had a reputation for finding up and coming brands and never shying away from innovation or higher prices. We knew we would be the most expensive berries many shoppers had ever seen. We also knew once people grasped the value it would not be just for celebrities. If we had only known how many we would meet.
That is where we will pause the story for today.
Now for this week’s taste test. Fall calls for a cozy cup so I made a single brew with everything together. I put loose leaf hibiscus and a pinch of culinary lavender in hot water. I added fresh lemon juice and a small splash of apple cider vinegar. I was feeling fancy so I added a dash of cinnamon.
Before the berry the first sip was sharp. Lemon brought a puckering bite. The vinegar gave it a sharp edge. Hibiscus leaned tart and the lavender felt a little dry. It was interesting but not something I would crave every day. By now I was enjoying even this part. I could expect what was to come.
I chewed Nature's Wild Berry for 30 seconds and took another sip. The sour edge slid away and a balanced sweet came forward. The lemon tasted like a honeyed lemonade but without sugar. The hibiscus turned jammy. The lavender softened into a round finish that felt almost vanilla. It became the kind of morning tea you look forward to on a cool crisp day. You have to try this out.
If you have ideas for what I should try next add them in the comments. These tests help us learn together and keep the story moving.
As always there is a hidden alphanumeric code in this post. Spot the odd word, enter it exactly as written, and get 20 percent off for the next 48 hours. Thanks for being here and for riding along.
-Hank