A transplant from the mainstream CPG sector, Seng Robertson has extensive experience in research, product development and quality control that she uses as the technical director of cannabis research and development at TeaPot, a subsidiary of Boston Beer Co.
“When you think about making cannabis edibles, you’re actually making a food product with a functional ingredient, which is no different than some of the products in CPG where you have functional products within something that you consume,” Robertson says.
Robertson was an integral part of the successful launch in Canada of TeaPot and its ready-to-drink sister beverage, Good Day Iced Tea . Even though Robertson knew the name and quality of the drink were top-tier for this or any segment of CPG, she was still stunned by the overwhelming response the product received.
“We all in this category should only be launching things that taste great,” she says, adding that working in the traditional CPG world gave her a leg up in developing products that appeal to consumers. “If we want to grow this category, people have the responsibility to not launch a bad product.”