Grön Edibles’ Christine Apple delights in distributing the ‘high life’ across Missouri

Christine Apple // Photo Courtesy of Christine Apple

When people think of cannabis, they usually find themselves picturing a joint, or maybe a pipe. Nonetheless, the first image in one’s mind is usually the mainstream form of the plant itself. However, One of the greatest aspects of cannabis is the various methods of consumption—smoking, eating, topical treatment, and more—based on the state that the substance is in—flower, concentrate, infused edibles, etc. 

While people may initially think of marijuana consumption as being as simple as setting flame to the plant,—especially those without much experience using the substance—the herb is so much more abstract than its surface-level configuration. 

Nowadays, those working within the cannabis realm have discovered and created copious amounts of new ways to indulge in cannabis, which is incredibly beneficial for those in need of the plant’s benefits who may not be keen on smoking, or simply cannot smoke, due to health restrictions. 

Hell, Missourians can walk into a dispensary nowadays and get cannabis-infused chocolate bars that top Hershey’s, or a tube of gummies that puts Sour Patch Kids to shame—stoners from the ‘70s would have never believed! 

But the sun didn’t just turn over one morning, magically granting all of the delicious dope to chow down on. It takes much time, patience, and crafting from those within the edible region of the nation’s cannabis market to develop products suitable for consumption, especially considering that consumers are usually seeking the product as a medical benefit.

Grön Edibles Founder Christine Apple is one of these steady-handed cannabis crafters who consumers around the nation should be thanking. Around 2013—after working in the architecture field for 16 years—Apple fell into the cannabis industry, calling it a “beautiful, happy accident.”

Based in Oregon, Apple got in the game before recreational use was legal anywhere in the nation. She initially thought that she would use her skills and experience to help in the development of product packaging design, however, her love for chocolate and cannabis quickly transitioned into the creation of various edibles.

“It was a happy accident. I created something special and it took off in the market,” Apple says. “It was a hobby when I started it and it was just a single dark chocolate bar.”

At the time, Apple was crafting this medicine in the basement of her home, where a colleague of hers would then transport the products to dispensaries, selling them the DIY treats out of a shoebox. Once recreational use became legal, her hobby quickly turned into a full-time practice.

“Adult use came and we just kind of doubled down and decided that I was really going to take a shot at this. I cashed in my stock options, left my architecture firm, and that’s how it all started,” Apple says.

Originally from Texas, Apple has been surrounded by the typical cannabis stigmas her entire life. In fact, it wasn’t until she was 39 years old that she laid eyes on the plant in person for the first time. It must have left a pretty lasting impression because Apple and her company Grön Edibles are sweeping various states where cannabis use is legalized.

Christine Apple // Photo Courtesy of Christine Apple

Since beginning her journey in Oregon, Grön has now expanded to seven other states, including Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Nevada, Arizona, and most recently, Ohio. On top of these select states, the company has even successfully expanded to different regions in Canada.

While the company began with just cannabis-infused chocolate products, it grew to include gummy edibles in its regime back around 2018. Working closely with experts in the field, Apple used RSO—full-spectrum extract of the cannabis plant, meaning that all compounds found in the plant have been extracted into the new product—and CBD distillate to experiment with ratios, ultimately searching for the perfect blend of each compound for various products.

Now, Grön has an incredibly wide array of chocolate and gummy edibles, all with varying ratios of THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, and CBC compounds, aimed at providing consumers with high-quality products that are suitable for their medical needs.

The recipes for their true gelatin gummies were developed by the well-known gummy company Haribo, making for the chewy feel that many knew and loved as children. Apple and her team also found that the acidity of lemon provides a solid masking of the cannabis taste, while also maintaining a natural feel to the gummy. They have found themselves adding the lemon ingredient to many of their products, including those that aren’t centered around the taste.

“You’re never going to make something taste better by putting cannabis in it. It’s got a bitter taste,” she says.

“I go back to those three pillars—it has to taste good, it has to look good, and it has to feel good. And that’s, I think, where we’ve kind of performed better than our competitors is on all three of those,” Apple says.

While many different cannabis companies find themselves branching off into different aspects of the business, manufacturing and distributing flower, concentrates, edibles, and more, Apple has found putting all her eggs in one basket very fruitful.

“I’ve always stayed in the edible sector. We stay laser-focused. We’re not we’re not doing pre-rolls, we’re not growing flower, we don’t do retail. We are exceptional candy makers and that’s all Grön is,” she says.

Considering the company got its footing in Oregon, it is no surprise that Grön’s products perform best in the Beaver State—dominating their edible market as the top-selling edible company in the state. However, Apple says that Missouri has months where it gives Oregon a run for its money, as Show-Me State consumers clear the shelves of the product, outperforming the hometown.

Most cannabis companies that have expanded to other states license out their brand to partners within the said state, granting them access to create products while paying royalties to the company. Grön, however, uses a licensing model that Apple describes as a ‘reverse license,’ allowing her company to be much more hands-on—building the facility, hiring employees, packaging products, etc. Grön then provides a small royalty to the license holder in each state.

“We are a national company, but we are a Missouri company with over 50 Missouri employees that are operating there in Missouri,” Apple says.

With her vast experience of how the cannabis market operates state-to-state, Apple knows what a successful state industry looks like, in comparison to struggling state operations.

“Missouri did things right,” she says. “I really believe that it did things right—the way it’s structured, the way the license structure works, the players on the market, the products on the market, the community as a whole, the involvement with the community has been remarkable. I think Missouri has done it better than any other markets right now that we’ve been in.”

Christine Apple and her team at Grön // Photo Courtesy of Christine Apple

Apple and her team at Grön find it important to engage in the communities that they are based in, having partnered with the Floret Coalition—an Oregon-based organization aimed at supporting marginalized individuals within the cannabis and cannabis-adjacent sector. She hopes that as she continues to expand her brand to other states, Grön can become more involved in different communities regionally.

“Not only does it help the communities, I would say it centers and helps our staff and our company become closer too,” Apple says.

Having worked in architecture for most of her life, Apple is familiar with the challenges that come with being a woman in a male-dominated industry. However, she has found that the cannabis sector is much more receptive, compared to the blue-collar way of life that she had been accustomed to.

“That’s one of the things I love most about this industry, especially for me coming out of the development industry, which is very male-driven,” Apple says. “People often talk about cannabis as male-driven, and, for me, it doesn’t feel that way because I came out of development and construction.”

With two children—a 20-year-old daughter and a ten-year-old son—Apple has found that many of the lifestyle lessons that she teaches at home can be brought into how she operates her business. And the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (no pun intended), as her daughter works alongside her in Grön’s marketing department.

“I would say being a mother has been remarkably impactful to this business in the way I run the business,” Apple says.

As Apple has continued her successful progress with Grön, she has noticed that many middle-aged members of the community still surround cannabis with a negative connotation. She is hopeful that as time passes, the stereotypes will begin to diminish. 

“It’s that stigma of breaking through where folks that are just not as comfortable in the cannabis space can feel more comfortable in the retail space going there where they’re not stigmatized,” Apple says.

“If there was a mail order available for these products legally, the amount of folks that were using these products would probably double overnight.”

Earlier in May, Grön launched three new products in the Missouri market—a 10:1 (CBN/THC) tart cherry gummy, 100 mg THC MEGA ten packs (1,000 mg total), and 300 mg THC sugar-coated pearls. She says that their next launch of products in Missouri is set for the fall, possibly in Sept.

After speaking with Apple, I had the opportunity to sample some of Grön’s products, and it is safe to say that I was not disappointed. Taste, feel, and look, all hit the mark, as Apple expects from all of the products leaving her facilities.

Grön Sugar-Coated Pearls // Photo Courtesy of Christine Apple

The Products

Tart Cherry Sugar-Coated Pearls, 250 mg CBN, 25 mg THC: Recently launched in Missouri, these tart cherry gummies hold true to their name, delivering somewhat of a sour/sweet taste. I would say it is the perfect product if you’re struggling with sleep. Just about an hour after I consumed the pearls, the CBN cannabinoids hit me hard, as I found my body in almost a numb state. While there is not much of a head high from this product, considering there is only 25 mg of THC, the THC helps boost the sleepy effects that the CBN offers.

“It gives me real hope for the market that is performing so well. Because traditionally we haven’t seen low-dose products perform,” Apple says.

Tangelo Sugar-Coated Pearls, 100 mg THC, 50 mg CBC, 50 mg CBG: These tangerine-flavored gummies were just about as sweet as they come. After eating the first one, it’s tough not to stop, as these edibles are worlds beyond some of the non-cannabis-infused gummies I have eaten over the years. While it is easy to chow down, I’d recommend being patient and cautious with these guys—the THC is prominent over the half-doses of CBC and CBG, creating a sativa-centered head high, while the CBC and CBG offer relaxation of the nerves and reduces pain.

Passion Orange Guava MEGA Pearl, 100 mg THC: Biting into this enormous gummy, I quickly realized that some serious chewing was necessary. As stated, Grön uses recipes similar to Haribo, providing the extremely chewy feel that their pearls, specifically these MEGA pearls, have to offer. This gummy in particular was like biting into a tropical paradise. While the orange is most dominant, hints of other citrus flavors hit the marks as well. Labeled as a hybrid, I think eating this MEGA gummy depends on your mood. If you are in an upbeat, ready-to-take-on-the-day vibe, this gummy can help keep the thoughts rolling, but if you find yourself late at night wanting to dive into hours worth of binging a show or movie, it would suit that too.

Sour Apple MEGA Pearl, 100 mg THC: Like the passion orange guava, this sour apple is a hybrid gummy from Grön. In my experience, I had many of the similar feelings that I received from the passion orange guava, which were days spent outside, enjoying some relaxation poolside. While I am not a fan of most apples or just about anything apple-flavored, this sour apple was an exception, as the sour, tartness of the apple was not overpowering. The small flakes of sugar that coat the gummy go a long way for my non-apple lovers.

Dark Chocolate Mini Bar dusted with Jacobsen Sea Salt, 100 mg CBN, 100 mg THC: Moving on to the chocolate side of things, much like the tart cherry pearls, this little chocolate bar was a perfect nightcap, after a long day. While the 100 mg of CBN doesn’t completely shut down your body like the 250 mg from the pearls, it did provide a much-needed relaxing feel, while also offering a smooth and steady head high to end my day. Shortly after eating the chocolate bar, I was immersed in some of the wildest thoughts that I have had in a while—then my alarm went off. It made for a very vivid, yet relaxing night of sleep.

Milk Chocolate dusted with Jacobsen Sea Salt, 300 mg CBG, 100 mg THC: Okay, this was flat-out one of the best chocolate bars that I have had in a minute—and that’s not cannabis exclusive. Labeled as a daytime sativa, this milk chocolate bar hit all of the notes as far as flavor goes, with the chocolate and sea salt ratioed perfectly to mask the taste of the cannabis as best as possible. This edible could be great for anyone dealing with chronic pain, as the CBG helps alleviate stress and tension, while the lower amount of THC creates a steady head high.

Dark Chocolate Pips, 100 mg CBD, 100 mg CBN, 100 mg THC: These dark chocolate balls of sugar are pretty much the flavor of the dark chocolate mini bar, mushed into small, round balls, similar to M&M’s. When I first opened this package and popped it in my mouth, I was overcome with the rich, almost bitter, yet sweet taste of the dark chocolate. Labeled as a sleepy indica, containing 100 mg of CBD, CBN, and THC, these little fellas are a great late-night snack before taking it easy for the rest of the night—a delightful way to end the day.

Milk Chocolate Caramel Pips, 300 mg CBD, 100 mg THC: The Milk Chocolate Caramel Pips are labeled as a daytime sativa, providing a balanced head high, while also offering tension and stress relief through the 300 mg of CBD. The chocolate dominates, with small hints of caramel coming in as you pop the shell of each little drop. 

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pips, 100 mg CBD, 100 mg THC: These Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pips remind me so much of my favorite candy as a child—peanut butter M&M’s. The dark chocolate doesn’t overpower the palette, leaving room for the peanut butter to do its thing. Labeled as a hybrid, I would recommend this as more of a daytime edible, as it gives a solid head high, while also offering relief through the 100 mg of CBD.

More information on where to find Grön’s products, go to their website.