The time for ziploc bags and shoe boxes is over! A new trending ‘stash box’ for literally anything you have has been hitting the streets of Los Angeles and something celebrities and others in the cannabis industry cannot get enough of: The Blackbox!
From trends in the marketplace, to having a top selling item, we spoke directly with Philip Li and the Toronto-Canada-based team behind The Blackbox to learn more about how they have been able to make a mini-fortress product that people can feel good about storing their expensive glass pieces or most potent flowers in.
Your product has been trending in Los Angeles and other regions recently! Why do you feel people have taken to what the Black offers them product wise?
I believe cannabis consumers from all walks of life are finally excited that there is a modern stash box option, not some clunky wooden, ornate box or still using shoeboxes / Ziploc bags. A modern stash box that offers exactly what they are looking for and does exactly what it does. There’s ample storage space to store your buds, concentrates, edibles and all smoking related accessories. It’s completely discreet, we designed it where if you were to leave it out in the open, it’d draw the least amount of attention. It’s built tough – we wrapped our Blackbox with a ballistic nylon shell to make it impact, shock, and water resistant yet portable enough where you can take it with you.
Whether in a car, at home, school or anywhere really, people simply hate the smell that marijuana and other products are giving off. How were you able to create an actual 100% smell-proof box.
The smell of marijuana is potent and obvious, so we took inspiration from filters in all industries. We researched how filters worked from a consumer level all the way to the industrial level. After we identified the core components that made it work, we sourced the materials and began to test the right amount needed to contain the smell and adsorb it completely. Once our team felt we had the right amount, we used the highest-grade cannabis buds available and threw it inside our prototypes. After that passed, we did grass-roots testing – gave it to our friends and their friends who consumed cannabis on a daily level to see if they were content on the no-smell factor.
What other features does The Blackbox have and offer people outside of just smell-proof.
Our Blackbox is wrapped in ballistic nylon material. We’re not afraid to use not-so-common materials and add it to our cannabis storage systems. The material is lightweight but offers impact, shock and water-resistant features. Our internal storage is modular designed meaning you can add or remove parts to best fit your accessories and buds. A heavy-duty combo lock is installed adding an extra layer of security while also reinforcing that peace of mind. Finally, we offer lifetime warranty on this. We’re confident the Blackbox can stand the test of time, and if anything happens to it, we got you.
What percentage of revenue would you estimate the Los Angeles/California region makes up?
It’s around 35% of our overall sales. LA / Cali has such a rich history in cannabis and it’s on our list to expand our presence and reach there since the community is none like other.
What new enhancements for your product are you working on and could we see in the future?
Super excited to announce our new product in collaboration with NMBL Products called the NMBL GO – a modern doob tube storage case for your joint and blunts. Not only is it discreet, but we installed a system called ‘One-in-the-chamber’ where you can save your unfinished joints / blunts and the burnt smell will not leak into the main compartment with your fresh joints. We also used a cool material called ‘nylon resin’ where it is lightweight but robust. Heat proof up to 437 Fahrenheit, and smell-proof with a child-resistant lock. It took a long time designing this, but we are happy with what came out and we can’t wait to launch it and share it with the world!
As for Kulbi, we are creating a pod storage system to easily store and identify your cannabis buds in case you have multiple strains on hand and want to easily keep track of them.
We’re also in the process of designing a plasma lighter powered by electricity where it is much healthier when igniting your buds or concentrates compared to using lighter fluid or butane and more portable than hemp rope.
How has COVID-19 pandemic been for your business overall? How have you used Amazon and other platforms to your advantage during this time?
Overall it’s a net positive. We faced some serious issues in the beginning like most businesses such as out of stock and supply chain disruptions but I’m glad we bounced back! Amazon has been a total game changer for our business. Everyone flocked to Amazon for pandemic buying. We discovered that around 80% of Amazon customers already have an idea of what they want to purchase when visiting the site, they’re just looking for options at that point.
If you are not on Amazon, you are leaving a lot of money on the table! If you already have a thriving online business, selling on Amazon is a great low-hanging fruit.
As someone not from Los Angeles, on a personal note, when you come to LA where are your favorite places to tour around and go?
I’m obsessed with Mexican food so the first order of business is a Taco food truck called Marisco Jalisco. Their price is beyond fair and I’ve never tasted something so delicious as this. Toronto has a weaker Taco scene so I satisfy my cravings whenever I’m in LA!
I love to visit landmarks and admire the history and architecture so Griffith Observatory is another spot I frequent.
What in the cannabis space and regulation wise would you like to see changed in the near future in order to help all people within your industry to succeed and be given a fair shot?
A: Ease up on the restrictions for cannabis accessory companies. A lot of the times, cannabis accessory companies are grouped with actual cannabis producers. We can’t easily advertise online, social media flags cannabis pages all the time and we’re restricted when it comes to banking and finance. Anything a cannabis producer / conglomerate cannot do, neither can we. But one is selling an actual drug that may not be legal in certain states where the other is not.
I understand the cannabis accessory market pales in comparison to cannabis producers but we still bring jobs and money into the economy and for us to be restricted just because we are associated with the big players, that’s just lazy.
Any final words…
Watch out LA! We have a lot of amazing things planned for you and I’m always jealous of your weather! We currently have about close to three feet of snow here in Toronto and no one is enjoying that.
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