Vertosa

Our CSO Harold Han Ph.D. and R&D Scientist Taylor K. Nguyen were at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) conference in Chicago last week, the world’s biggest gathering of food scientists. Harold and Taylor were representing Vertosa and flying the flag for the cannabis industry. They met with key suppliers, learned about innovative ingredients and processes, and stayed abreast of new consumer trends. It was great connecting with our peers in the food science industry. We can’t wait for next year!

Joey Johnson: the man, the myth, the edibles guy. Our Reno-based Account Executive, Joey, has spent close to a decade in cannabis, with a sales background in edibles that started long before he joined Vertosa. He’s spent time on both sides of the counter, as a budtender and a consumer of edibles. This experience, combined with his degree in economics, helps him guide our clients on brand positioning and product portfolio assortment. When a brand asks Joey a question about edibles product quality or user experience, he answers as a passionate customer first.  This is exactly what makes Joey such a natural fit for Vertosa. You can’t fake this kind of credibility. Outside of work, he's the lovable, goofy dad of two, who can’t pass up a round of golf. As a client favorite, he’s earned the title of ‘The Human Golden Retriever’, but secretly he’s a cat guy. Welcome to the spotlight, Joey! We're proud to have you on this team.

Ever wondered why your gummies don’t hit the same every time? Cannabis edibles have a reputation for inconsistency. One gummy barely does anything, and the next one hits twice as hard. Same brand, same dose. Most edibles use distillate, which doesn't always get distributed evenly during a production run. Traditional distillate gummies often have “hot spots,” which are small pockets where the cannabinoid clumps up instead of spreading homogeneously through the batch. This is where a lot of the unpredictability people experience comes from, especially with multi-serve or scored gummies. If you cut a distillate gummy in half, it’s a toss up whether you’re getting the potency you’re expecting. Vertosa’s emulsion technology is designed to distribute evenly through the batch which helps avoid hot spots, so every gummy delivers a more consistent dose. Have you ever had an edible experience that left you wondering what happened? 🤔

One infusion solution. Multiple product formats. Countless headaches avoided. As more cannabis brands expand beyond a single product category, one question becomes increasingly important: Will your infusion technology scale with you? For ayrloom, the answer is yes. After building one of New York's leading infused beverage brands, ayrloom expanded into gummies without needing to reinvent their infusion strategy. By using the same Vertosa emulsion across both beverages and edibles, they simplified formulation, reduced operational complexity, and created a more efficient path to innovation. Bryanna C., Chief Operating Officer at ayrloom, explains it well: "A single infusion solution that performs across all of our formats has been invaluable, practically and strategically. Having a seamless solution through Vertosa that works across both our beverages and gummies takes a significant layer of complexity off the table. It means we can focus our energy on innovation and execution rather than managing supply chain chaos format by format." Whether you're already producing multiple product formats or planning to expand beyond beverages or edibles, choosing an infusion technology designed to work across your portfolio can make all the difference. Read more in our recent Partner Highlight with ayrloom. Link in comments.

What’s the difference between PK and PD, and why should the cannabis industry care? While pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) are often mentioned together, they answer very different questions about how infused products behave and how consumers experience them. Our CSO Harold Han (aka The Happy Chemist) breaks it all down in his recent blog post, explaining what each method measures and why both are essential for advancing cannabis research.  Read the full article to learn more! Link in comments.

Meet the wonderful Paige MacNeill, our Senior Account Executive. Paige is a unicorn who has the perfect “Frankenstein” background for this industry. She studied biochemistry, worked in pharmaceutical sales, then crossed into cannabis processing and beverage before joining Vertosa. That rare mix means she can strategize the GTM plan for a new SKU and help troubleshoot formulation issues without skipping a beat. "I don’t just sell a product, I’ll help you execute from A to Z. I'm your Google when trying to figure out a formula, a co-packer, or a testing lab," she explains. Ask anyone who has worked with her and they will tell you the same thing: Paige treats your problem like it is her own. Working out of Michigan but frequently on the road, Paige recharges by running, traveling, hunting down vintage fashion finds, spending time with her two corgis, and making sure she’s got the best shoes in the industry! We’re so appreciative of Paige and everything she brings to the team!

At Vertosa, we are big believers in the power of THC emulsions to enhance the consumer experience of cannabis gummies. And, if anyone knows emulsions, it’s Harold Han Ph.D.. His PhD from NYU focused on emulsion chemistry, and he later spent years leading a team of chemists at a major biotech company, developing emulsion technology for advanced molecular diagnostics. That expertise now powers the work we do at Vertosa. Cannabis edibles can have huge variability in absorption rates, impacting the consumer experience. The emulsification process breaks down cannabis oil into tiny droplets that the body absorbs efficiently, providing a faster onset and more predictable user experience. Reach out to our team if you’re interested in learning more about Vertosa’s emulsion technology for your drinks or gummies.

It’s time for another installment of our quarterly webinar - Vertosa Unfiltered: Ask Us Anything - where you’ll hear our thoughts on what happened in Q2 and where the cannabis industry is headed from here. From clarity emerging gradually around Schedule 3, to the continued momentum building around hemp, there’s a lot to reflect on and to consider in the second half of 2026. We’ll be getting into this and whatever questions you ask on July 23rd, at 1pm PDT / 4pm EDT. You'll hear from Ben Larson (Founder & CEO), Diana Eberlein (Chief Communications Officer), and Ryan Pinsky (EVP, Revenue), three leaders in our organization who live and breathe this industry. Register with your questions below (Link in comments).

Today we’re celebrating Xin Li's 1-year Vertosary 🎉 Xin is our formidable Director of Product Development. Before Vertosa, Xin spent years at Impossible Foods working on protein science, fungal genetics, and genome sequencing. He brought that same scientific rigor and spirit of creative innovation to our R&D team, and it shows up directly in the formulations we develop and the ingredients we bring to market. When he's not working, Xin is either cooking legendary Sichuan cuisine or tending to his home farm, where passion fruit and orange trees, cats, chickens, and an army of determined gophers keep life interesting. Xin, thank you for bringing your incredible mind to this team. We’re lucky to have you! 🌿 #infusetheworld

Back to Chicago for another IFT First, the biggest stage in food and beverage innovation. Vertosa joins thousands of operators excited to discuss what's next for their industry. Harold Han Ph.D., our Chief Science Officer, and Taylor K. Nguyen, our Research & Development Scientist, will be on the show floor talking about infusion, formulation, and what to consider when bringing cannabis into a beverage or gummy line. If you run operations for a CPG brand exploring cannabis, message Harold and Taylor to connect at the show! Bring your questions, your ideas, and your canna-curiosity 💡