Grower Stories #119: Karin Lazarus

Tia Moskalenko, author of the AskGrowers blog, brings a unique blend of content to her readers. She is known for conducting insightful interviews with key figures in the cannabis industry, including brand representatives, manufacturers, and experts. In addition to her interview skills, Tia has a keen focus on CBD. She expertly curates product selections and reviews, offering her readers detailed insights into the various effects and benefits of CBD. Tia's ability to combine in-depth interviews with comprehensive CBD analysis makes her a valuable asset to the cannabis community, offering a well-rounded perspective on the industry.

Published

Sep 27 2021

Updated

Oct 30 2023

Interviews

394

8 min

Sweet Mary Jane Bakery Is a Leader in Baked Edibles and Other Delicious Products

The AskGrowers team chats with Karin Lazarus from Sweet Mary Jane Bakery about the company’s beginnings and its unwavering focus on creating quality edibles that everyone can consume. Karin Lazarus also talks about how the Bakery is different from many others, mainly because it treats food as food first and uses cannabis as an ingredient only. He/She also talks about the best-selling products and the company’s directions for future expansion and development. #growerstories

Lucienne Bercow and Karin Lazarus are the owners of Sweet Mary Jane Bakery in Boulder, CO.

Being a female entrepreneur in this space and operating a female-owned and led company has been such an exciting adventure. Female leadership is important in every industry and this space (and plant) has made room and supported us!

Tia (AskGrowers) : Tell us how you started Sweet Mary Jane Bakery?

Karin Lazarus : Baking has always been a part of my life. I have loved it since I was a little kid. The idea of opening a marijuana bakery snuck up on me so quietly that I can’t say exactly when and how it took hold. I read an article about the health benefits of cannabis, and I became intrigued by the idea that this plant could improve lives. I’d known since high school that cannabis could be baked into treats. I’d like to give a shout-out to those anonymous, adventurous souls who first realized we could bake brownies with weed.

In 2009, I entered the Scharffen Berger’s Chocolate Adventure Contest and won the grand prize. This was my ticket to entering the cannabis industry. Of course, this was a bit scary back in 2010 - this was an unpaved territory, and I was unsure of how to navigate it. But I did it. I went ahead and found a space to rent (no easy task back then), applied for my MIP (marijuana-infused products) license, and started testing recipes. I baked, packaged, & brought the products to dispensaries to try out. And so the adventure began!

Tia : How does your brand differ from others similar to yours?

Karin : At Sweet Mary Jane we approach cannabis as an ingredient and not the main attraction. We create REAL foods that satisfy with enjoyable sized portions and responsible THC dosing so you can elevate the everyday!

Our confections are not just a mechanism for dosing. They create a whole social experience for you and your friends to enjoy fully. Creating approachable and familiar products that are infused is a great introduction to cannabis for those who have never tried it or are cannabis-curious. We think of our confections as portals to our fondest memories. Our passion is the force that drives us!

Tia : Tell us how you make your products? Do you have any specific approaches? What’s your best-selling product now?

Karin : We specialize in finely-crafted artisanal desserts and are dedicated to using natural whole foods and fresh, vibrant, high-end ingredients to create approachable, adventurous products that are a pleasure for both body and mind. We use distillate in order to preserve the delicious flavors we create. Best-selling products seem to have trends. Right now, the three most popular items are The Classic Pot Brownie, popcorn, and our French Toast Chocolates.

Tia : Why have you decided to go with popcorn? What’s your favorite one?

Karin : We have been making Caramel Popcorn for over 10 years on the medical side and it has always been a hot seller. And just this year we launched three new popcorn SKUs (Caramel Crunch, Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese, Butter & Sea Salt) in a 10:1 ratio of CBD to THC (100mg CBD to 10mg THC) on the recreational side. I felt that adding savory products was an important addition to the cannabis industry for folks who are looking for sugar-free items or don’t have a sweet tooth.

Our popcorn boxes are packed with 3 cups of popcorn, so you can enjoy a handful as a novice or enjoy the whole box as a more seasoned user and experience a light and uplifting buzz.

I love the whole trio of our popcorn SKUs. Try mixing the Caramel Crunch with the Wisconsin Cheddar for the addictive sweet & salty crunch of Chicago style popcorn, or settle back with the familiar crunch of our Butter & Sea Salt.

Tia : Out of all the products from your list, what’s the easiest one to cook?

Karin : I would say that truffles are probably the easiest. Melt chocolate, stir in remaining ingredients, roll in the topping, pop in the fridge...enjoy! Lots of our recipes can be found in our Sweet Mary Jane Cookbook, 75 Delicious Cannabis-Infused High-End Desserts which you can purchase on Amazon.

Tia : What do you think defines the success of the strain?

Karin : Do you want it to be uplifting, relaxing, make you laugh, euphoric, energized, etc.? If so there is a strain out there for you and if it delivers, then I think that’s a success.

Tia : What things should the person pay attention to, when choosing the brand/product?

Karin : Are their products consistent? Do they have a passion for their products? Do they know and understand their customer base? Most importantly, are they there for them? At Sweet Mary Jane we take every single call from every single customer, answer every email, and do our very best to make sure we can guide the consumer in the right direction. We live and breathe our brand!

Tia : Where should the consumer keep your edibles to keep them fresh and tasty?

Karin : It depends on the product, some of our items need refrigeration - this will be stated on the package. Others are fine at room temperature.

Tia : What’s the highest THC % in your products? Do you think people should thrive for a particularly high THC % in cannabis products?

Karin : We make a 6000 mg THC tincture. For edibles, our highest mg amount is 1000 mg THC in chocolate bars.

Tia : Are there any brands in your state you appreciate and follow? And in the USA in general?

Karin : We love Leiffa Brands and Sappy! Always the best. Everyone in Colorado should check them out.

Tia : What is your personal cannabis consumption routine? Does it affect your work/ life?

Karin : I don’t actually have a routine, I love our edibles and I do smoke cannabis and am very careful as to where I source the flower. I can highly recommend Leiffa Brands - honestly the best flower I have ever smoked, and I am far from alone in this opinion. Smoking or using edibles does not in any way affect work as we do not use cannabis during work hours. Affect my personal life? Only for the better!

Tia : Your top strains to smoke? Why?

Karin : I don’t have a top strain, I consult with the pros at Leiffa and Sappy to find out what is new and exciting, I can count on them for the very best recommendations.

Tia : What are the 3 main trends in the cannabis industry in 2021 for you now?

Karin : I have to mention the canna-curious again. As more and more states are coming on board, we see a need to introduce products that reach a more mainstream audience which is where I see micro-dosing as an important factor and one of the main reasons we launched our popcorn line on the recreational side with 10 mg THC and 100 mg CBD. I also think the rise in minor cannabinoids such as CBN and CBG playing a more important role. Possibly cannabis banking reform. Fingers crossed!

Tia : If you could have a chance to smoke with anyone on this planet, who’d that be and why?

Karin : I would always choose friends and family. They are the people I love, always want to be with, and care about the most.

Tia : Do you plan to expand your brand with time? If yes, what do you plan to add to your product line?

Karin : For the medical side we will be introducing our full line of popcorn at higher THC/CBD ratios and high milligram chocolate bars. For the adult-use side, we will always be expanding our menu with new and exciting products. We will be launching our new packaging this coming August.

Tia : In your opinion, what’s the current situation with cannabis stocks in the USA?

Karin : I have not looked into the cannabis stock market yet.

Tia : What are your predictions on the cannabis industry for the next 5-10 years?

Karin : The predictions state the cannabis market could reach nearly $43 billion by 2025, showing a steady increase every year. If any of the remaining 12 states that have not legalized in some manner elect to add medical cannabis legality, that number will push cannabis industry sales even higher.

Tia : Which strains that are considered to be the top ones do you use?

Karin : We do make a few strain-specific chocolate bars using Sappy Brands Rosin. Right now, we are creating a line of chocolates using their Ice Cream Cake, Wedding Cake, Birthday Cake, and Pineapple Rosin strains. We use the fanciest extracts to create an Ice Cream Cake bar, a strawberry tres leches Wedding Cake bar, a milk chocolate Birthday Cake bar with sprinkles, and a pineapple Cheesecake bar with caramelized pineapple on top!

You can follow Sweet Mary Jane Bakery at:

Facebook

Instagram

Thank you so much, Sweet Mary Jane Bakery team, for taking the time to do the interview. To learn more about them, head on over to their website.