From green leafy lettuce to aeroponic hemp farming to the monetary green of a successful retail operation, Hemponix is growing into a serious retailer in the cannabis-based product market. Modern genetics and aeroponic technology make this family-owned and operated company a reliable source of high-quality therapeutic lotions, edibles, and tinctures.
Hemponix is located in the heart of the southern Minnesota agricultural community in New London, MN. Founder Kevin Ortenblad is leading the way in breeding new varieties of hemp and taking advantage of newfound applications with a passion for technology, innovation, and rooting out new opportunities.
It All Starts With a Seed
The Ortenblad family has been in the seed industry for over 30 years, gaining an understanding of the rigors of producing a seed crop that maintains purity, meets and exceeds industry standards, and consistently produces a high-quality product. In the spring of 2021, they officially transitioned to being a seed producer for the industrial hemp industry.
That past experience allowed the Hemponix founder to identify an inconsistency in the industrial hemp industry – trait instability. The hemp industry produced plants with inconsistent traits such as height, yield, and cannabinoid profile. That last one is especially critical as legal and political issues continue to develop and change around this industry.
Genetics
To address this instability issue, Hemponix turned to one of its core competencies, the science of genetics. By testing the genetic material of seeds, Hemponix can identify which plants are most likely to produce offspring with desirable traits. They then use this information to methodically select plants for breeding, increasing the chances of growing plants with the desired characteristics.
Through this rigorous testing and methodical selection, Hemponix has developed new hemp cultivars that are higher-yielding, more resistant to disease, and consistently produce plants with the appropriate CBD and THC DNA markers and limits.
Aeroponic Agronomics
Hemponix is also leading the way in this industry with its use of aeroponic technology, first used by NASA for growing plants in space. Aeroponic agronomics is a high-tech method of growing crops in an air or mist environment.
Unlike traditional hydroponic systems that rely on soil or water to deliver nutrients, aeroponics allows roots to absorb nutrients directly from the air. This absorption method results in higher-quality crops with greater nutrient uptake and faster growth rates. Additionally, aeroponic systems are more resilient to environmental stressors and can produce higher yields than traditional methods.
This growing method is exceptionally good for the environment in that it consumes 98% less water, occupies 300 times less land, and eliminates the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides. The addition of computer systems to monitor pH levels, light cycles, and other environmental factors also generate more resilient plants and seeds that are higher yielding and have consistent cannabinoid profiles.
Better Seeds Means Better Plants and Better Benefits
Using pesticides and other chemicals during growth can negatively impact the quality of CBG and CBD produced. The growing methods employed by Hemponix eliminate the need for pesticides and herbicides, again ensuring the highest quality plants and seeds are the result.
With the creation of these consistent, higher-quality seeds and plants, the next logical step for this up-and-coming industry player was to apply these results to the exploding hemp nutraceuticals market. “Hemponix believes CBG is a superior cannabinoid with the potential to revolutionize the way we treat medical conditions and traumatic injuries.”
The hemp plant has over a hundred different cannabinoids, and research is just starting to illuminate the many therapeutic, non-intoxicating benefits of hemp. Numerous studies are underway to evaluate the benefits of hemp on neurological, musculoskeletal, and psychological disorders.
On to a New Hemp Market
Knowing the quality of plants and seeds they were producing meant the next step for the Hemponix business was directly investing in that emerging hemp nutraceuticals market. Their conviction in the benefits and relief these products can provide to an ill, injured, or aging demographic can be heard in the founder’s voice as he describes the key attributes of each product to his sales team.
Their brick-and-mortar location in New London opened in the fall of 2022. There, as well as their online shop, offers a variety of traditional and rare cannabinoids in a variety of applications.
Though lesser known than CBD, Hemponix offers products containing the rare yet potent CBG cannabinoid, which has shown promise in studies investigating its ability to relieve pain, inflammation, and anxiety. The topical application of CBG-rich products is also thought to be effective in treating skin conditions like acne and psoriasis and is considered a perfect solution for tattoo aftercare.
CBN, another rare cannabinoid, is also available in tincture form on the site and in-store. CBN is also being studied as a possible treatment for pain and inflammation and has reported relaxation and sleep benefits.
Hemponix retail offerings also include a variety of gummies incorporating several different cannabinoids, each with its own range of benefits and wellness effects. CBD and CBG pet products are also on the list with purported anxiety and aging-relief properties.
Just like this ever-expanding market, their retail product offerings grow on a daily basis as well. Hemponix hasn’t forgotten its roots, however. It still offers seeds for sale in several strains optimized for growers that exceed the strictest compliance regulations.
The Hemponix team has shown that they have the knowledge, commitment, and conviction to grow a business. They have a deep understanding of their industry, the commitment to invest in the technology, and the conviction behind their products.
Breaking into new markets with new products in a newly developing consumer and political landscape can seem overwhelming. However, sometimes all it takes is a little seed to get things going.
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