If you grow it (and teach them), they will come…East Coast Collective, a Manassas-based cannabis company and dispensary, is on a mission.
“We are a seed-to-sale business, which means we grow, extract and sell cannabis products,” said Jae Kwon, who is in charge of marketing and outreach. “One of the best things is seeing the relief in our customers’ eyes. That’s what drives us.” “Through integrity embodied in industry-leading standards and practices, we Their mission to “improve the quality of life” is realized through a focus on the community, including organic farming and state-of-the-art processing using recycled CO2.
Founded in 2021 by friends Eric Spanbauer and Brett Gassier, and partners Tony Johnson, Coe Debus, and Kwon, East Coast Collective focuses on CBD and produces organic hemp from a farm in Nokesville. We source our extracts and test them with third-party labs to ensure premium CBD flower. We have high-quality edible products such as CBD gummies for sleep, CBD skin and body salves for pain, CBD oil made with organic hemp extracts, and in February we added a new chocolate bar product line. At the company’s retail store in Manassas, products are displayed at the register, and at his online store, he ships to all 50 states.
“We reached out to the cannabis company Pure Shenandoah to help us set up the farm and retail, as well as the legal process,” Jay said. “The process to establish it took a year and a half.” In addition, the company also sells in the grocery/wellness market, spas, gyms, and smoking areas, including Massa Nutten Spa and Resort and Friendly City Food He Co., Ltd. We have large customers such as “We also look forward to working with small shops and contributing to the community,” he said. “We sell at markets and local events, we have giveaways. We think there’s an emerging market in Virginia. We bring people in, we talk to them, we sell these products. We want to show how it provides relief on different levels.”
Born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Fairfax County, Jay graduated from Lake Braddock High School with an ambition to help his community. He met fellow partner Ko in high school studying biology and health sciences, reconnected with him as an IT student in business at NOVA, and helped Ko, Eric and Brett with marketing and outreach after their first harvest. .
“The backlash against marijuana is fading as more people are introduced to the world of potential benefits,” Jay said. “Virginia does not yet allow the cultivation or sale of marijuana unless it is a medical dispensary,” he continued. “Cannabis is one of the most regulated industries. In the last three years, he’s seen three or four legislative changes.” Jay said medical companies are lobbying to regulate and protect their interests. He commented that he was active. “Delta-8 THC was banned primarily because manufacturers used too much of it in their products,” he said. “Last year we were able to sell edibles with THC, but now Virginia requires edibles to have CBD in them. Everything else has been very smooth and I’m really happy to be a part of the community.”
East Coast Collective’s gummies are a THC/CBD mixture. Virginia law allows gummies to be infused with his THC starting July 1, 2023. “People can be concerned about THC levels,” Jay said. “CBD helps clients and patients by relieving anxiety by calming mood and stress. THC produces a more high sensation, and the active ingredient in CDB does the opposite, making you feel good, calm, and relaxed.” .”
His partner, Occoquan resident Eric Spanbauer, became obsessed with growing plants in high school, growing a garden of tomatoes and peppers and practicing various growing techniques. Eric attended Northern Virginia in Loudoun County where he studied horticultural technology at community college, where he served as president of the gardening club. When hemp became legal in Virginia, he commercially grew and managed CBD hemp flower on a two-acre farm, where he met Brett Gassier. The two soon decided to rent their first farm together in Montross.
Through Eric’s personal journey during his gap year, he helped others understand the benefits of cannabis and how it relates to mental health and stress, providing similar relief to others. I wanted to bring this to you.
“Cannabis is more than just a plant, it’s a catalyst for positive change,” Eric said. “If we embrace its healing powers, it has the power to contribute to the well-being of individuals and communities. can be built.”
A native of Bristow, Mr. Brett attended Patriot High School and earned a degree in business administration from Northern Virginia Community College in Manassas, where he also played on the club hockey team. He worked at Merrifield Garden Center and gained management experience in the restaurant industry before meeting Eric on the farm. He also traveled to Europe during his gap semester and his first experience with cannabis taught him that cannabis can help with mood regulation and overall mental health.
“Cannabis means community,” Brett said. “It brings people from different backgrounds together so we don’t have to speak the same language, which is really great.”Brett is chief agricultural officer and, covering more than five acres, he has more than 5,000 plants. We are dealing with
Anthony (Tony) Johnson, a Fredericksburg resident, Marine Corps veteran, and former Loudoun County Sheriff’s Deputy, is an avid investor who works as a general manager in the automotive industry. A colleague of his introduced him to the idea of cannabis investing, and although he had never personally indulged in cannabis, Tony was a history buff and began researching the history of cannabis in China. With CBD and hemp becoming federally legal, he sought out emerging cannabis companies in the area and ended up working with East Coast Collective.
“As cannabis becomes more normalized, individuals will be able to experiment with CBD and THC without damaging their reputation,” Tony said. “Legalization gives everyone the freedom to explore alternative and cheaper medicines that work.”
Coe Debus, a Fairfax County resident, attended Lake Braddock High School and Northern Virginia Community College, where he majored in horticultural technology. He met Eric in a NOVA class and joined East Coast Collective in their first commercial CBD hemp biomass operation in Montross. Initially, he studied biology to further his knowledge of health and exercise science, but when hemp became federally legal, he changed direction and began researching the causes and effects of CBD on muscle and joint pain. I researched it. His background in anatomy and physiology, combined with his passion for growing and nurturing plants from his landscaping work, made him a natural fit for the CBD hemp space.
Additionally, when he was a serious soccer player, he broke his ankle and turned to CBD balm for pain relief like no other. It occurred to me that this might be a solution to getting athletes back into competition faster.
“We should consider cannabis as an alternative. It offers a natural approach to health and wellness,” Coe said. “There’s so much evidence about the benefits of CBD in healing muscle pain that it’s hard not to talk about it.”
Wellness is the theme for our partners in this business. They have discovered the benefits of products through personal growth and are committed to sharing that knowledge. What’s next?
“We’re applying for an adult-use market, which is similar to recreational, but allows stores to come in and sell products,” Jay said. “Virginia needs to legalize the sale of marijuana, and that should happen soon.”
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This feature will appear in the March 2024 issue of Haymarket-Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine.You can read the entire issue herefind previous issues here, and get a copy at: Haymarket Gainesville Community Library, 14870 Lightner Road, Haymarket. Haymarket City Hall, 15000 Washington St, Haymarket. Haymarket Commuter Lot, I-66 and Route 15, (near Heathcote Blvd) Haymarket. Broad Run VRE, 10637 Piper Lane, Bristow. Behind Manassas Airport. Manassas VRE Station in Old Town Manassas.9451 West St., Manassas
