The legal cannabis industry in the U.S. is growing at an exponential rate, with expected sales of over $31.8 billion by the end of the year. The tabEASE Company, a Waukesha-based manufacturer, has established its niche in the industry with pharmaceutical-grade flavored pressed tablets containing Delta 8 THC. The company reached $1.6 million in sales last year.
Jeremy Smith, the company’s president, has a background in chemistry and holds a degree in biochemistry. Despite his scientific knowledge, Smith’s first attempt at starting a business was an online fundraising company for schools, which he found to be particularly challenging. He realized that starting a business requires investing your time in an emerging industry.
Smith’s first exposure to the cannabis industry was in 2020 when he visited a pharmacy in Oregon with his fiancée. He then began working on extraction methods and concentration of the oil obtained from the cannabis plant. His research led him to the 2018 Federal Farm Bill, which legalizes both CBD and hemp products, with products containing delta-9 THC having a concentration of less than 0.3%. Delta 8 THC below the specified threshold is also legal.
Smith’s background in chemistry allowed him to easily develop products containing Delta 8 THC, which can provide different emotions ranging from uplifting to calming and pain relief. The tabEASE Company produces compressed tablets in various flavors such as Sour Green Apple and Rainbow Sherbet and has a production capacity of approximately 30,000 tablets per hour.
The tabEASE Company operates through its website and sells its products at over 200 retailers in Wisconsin and Illinois. The company’s headquarters are in a 20,000 square foot facility with 5,000 square feet dedicated to research space.
All the money earned by the company in 2022 has been reinvested to support its growth, which has been entirely self-funded, including a personal investment by Smith of $100,000. Smith’s immediate goals are to find retailers nationwide to sell his products and to create a wholesale website.
“If Wisconsin legalizes recreational cannabis medical use, we’ll be a major player in that space,” Smith said.