The Local Crop

The Local Crop is a line of delicious THC-infused edibles made in the island of Jamaica!

Who is The Local Crop team?

There are three of us! One attended culinary school, one is a finance graduate, and the other one is an entrepreneurship graduate.

The three of us work very well together. First off, we’ve been friends for years. This has been key in creating the start up. Second, we each bring a different asset to the table so we utilize each other frequently when working on our individual tasks. Overall, we haven’t run into any snags, being friends for years has definitely helped us quite a bit.

On Jamaica’s stance on marijuana:

Unbeknownst to many who believed it was already legal, marijuana was only decriminalized in Jamaica in February of 2015. Despite previously being illegal, marijuana has been ingrained in our culture for years and the majority of us have always partaken in it.

How is cannabis available in Jamaica?

As of right now, there are not yet any dispensaries in Jamaica. Within the next year or so there will likely be dispensaries in the larger cities. Currently, people are still purchasing cannabis in the street.

How did you transition to making edibles?

Essentially, we love cannabis and because of the recent change in legality, we decided to create this start up so we could all do something we really enjoy.

Jamaica’s view of cannabis has always been seemingly different than the rest of the world. In that, we are exceptionally lucky our friends and family have been nothing but supportive regarding the business.

What are your specialty products? 

Currently, we specialize in a range of baked goods (e.g. cupcakes, cookies, macaroons, rum balls, and brownies). We’re also in the process of expanding to both real fruit gummy bears and hard candies. We’d like to only use local fruits in the candies, so as to utilize local farmers and suppliers. We also think it’s a great way to allow non-Jamaican clients to try local cuisine.

What is the key to success in this industry?

The important advice is to get involved in your local cannabis community.  We’ve made some great friends attending local cannabis events and genuinely getting involved in the industry as a whole.

There are a few cannabis focused events as well as events that are not directly related to cannabis, however are slightly tied into the cannabis industry.

“Attend events, visit dispensaries, try different products. The cannabis community is filled with wonderful people who are extremely helpful and willing to offer advice.”

Any must-go cannabis events you recommend?

There is the Stepping High Festival. The event has been around for quite a while, but has only recently become mainstream. It’s essentially a cannabis expo encompassing marijuana, reggae, and local Jamaican customs.

There is also Canex Jamaica which is accompanied by High Vibes Roots and Reggae festival. 2016 was the first year for both of these events. The expo includes speakers from the cannabis industry, vendors, and the opportunity to network with others in the cannabis industry.

Rebel Salute is another event that is lightly tied to the cannabis industry. It’s a two day event stretching from dusk until dawn, including many reggae artists and local businesses. They focus on a holistic lifestyle and as such, there is a no meat, no alcohol policy. It’s a great event to attend for anyone who enjoys Rastafarian culture.

How do you see the future of the cannabis industry both in Jamaica and abroad?

On an international level, we’re hoping to see cannabis much more easily accessible for both medicinal patients and recreational users. There seems to be small steps being made in other countries, such as Canada, but only time will tell. Preferably, countries will follow the amazing example the state of Colorado has set.

Regarding Jamaica, we’d like to see a wider variety of cannabis products available. As of now, Jamaica still has a very “old school” mentality and approach to cannabis and we believe that will slowly change. There are positives and negatives to this. We’re hoping that Jamaican farmers and the people of our country will reap the benefit, however sadly it seems as though large non-Jamaican corporations are slowly entering the market. Our fear is that these corporations will capitalize on our people and resources without any benefit to the local entrepreneurs.

Where do you see The Local Crop in five years?

In five years, we’re hoping to see our products in retail throughout Jamaica. Currently, we’re only working in wholesale/distributing. We’re also trying to focus on catering to both recreational users and medicinal users. We’d like to be able to offer a larger range of products for those who don’t smoke but would still like to experience the benefits of cannabis use.