IWD 2024: Leaders and Trailblazers
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we caught up with two of our favourite companies led by women to gain insight into their experiences in our industry. We were fortunate enough to speak with Kyra, master grower and co-founder of Pineapple Buds based in the Okanagan and Audrey, founder and CEO of Zyre.
Muse Cannabis: Thanks for answering a few burning questions for us! To start us off, tell us a bit about your history in the cannabis industry here in Canada.
Audrey from Zyre: I served as an executive at the BC Liquor Distribution Branch and took charge of developing the BC distribution model. Utilizing my distinctive skill set and a spirit of adventure, I transitioned to the corporate world and spent several years as Vice President of a multinational cannabis company. Today, I am the proud owner of Zyre, a woman-owned brand that manufactures all-ceramic, full-spectrum vapes.
Kyra from Pineapple Buds: I started when I was going to university and playing varsity women’s soccer. After a serious injury, Laine, and his mom introduced me to growing and evolved from the grey to legal in 2017.
Muse: What is the origin story behind Pineapple Buds?
Kyra: When I went to Hawaii, I visited the Dole Farm. People carried their pineapples and souvenirs everywhere and there was something about the experience that inspired me to want to do it with cannabis. Both with the flavours (fruity/sweet) and freshness, combined with the experience of farmgate (hopefully soon).
Muse: What do you think sets Zyre apart from other brands we have on the market here in Canada?
Audrey: Aside from having an all-ceramic vape that is easy on the throat and provides full-spectrum benefits, we made our products easy to understand for the consumer. Choose Launch for upbeat vibes, Recline for relaxing vibes, and Spotlight for focused vibes. But Zyre's mission goes beyond just our products. It is centred around amplifying diverse voices in the industry, reflecting my commitment to promoting equity in Canada's organizations. As a woman-owned brand, this message is very important and prominent across all our channels.
Muse: What has been the most surprising part of launching a brand in the Canadian retail market?
Kyra: I think there is an assumption that we are supposed to dislike other LP’s, because they're competition. But in fact, the respect I have for other small companies trying to keep their heads above water is admirable. It’s not as easy a space to navigate so the support we receive from other companies and retailers is surprising but in a positive way. It’s great to see us support and lift each other up.
Muse: What is the most satisfying part of the growing process for you?
Kyra: Right before harvest. It's the most rewarding experience of growing. The way the room looks and smells is infectious.
Muse: What would you tell someone who has never grown before and might be a bit intimidated by the idea?
Kyra: The juice is worth the squeeze! Every single grower has made countless mistakes. I compare growing to baking/cooking and at first it is difficult but with practice it becomes easier. The reward is not only the end product but the therapeutic benefits.
Muse: As a leader, what are your dreams for the future of women in cannabis here in Canada?
Audrey: I hope to see a growth of women brands and women leaders in the cannabis industry in Canada. For perspective, Zyre is one of less than 3% of women-owned cannabis supply-side brands in Canada. My dream is to see this number grow and the way to do this is to support and buy cannabis from women more than once a year, which is what our message this International Women's Day is.
Muse: What does a typical day at Zyre look like?
Audrey: As a small company of 2 women, it’s busy but fun! A typical day consists of moving multiple parts that help create Zyre. Some of the ones we tackle regularly are managing the supply chain with our manufacturer, having a product strategy session internally, and finding ways to grow our sales and products. We also spend some time working with retailers to engage with customers at the point of service. Of course, we work on our marketing efforts daily ensuring we’re sending our message clearly to both consumers and retailers.
At the end of the day, our goals are 1, to let consumers know that there is a trade-up from distillate through the same fruit flavours but with smoother, longer-lasting effects with our full-spectrum vape, and 2, to help amplify the voices of women in the cannabis industry. We start and end our days with these goals in mind.
Just for fun, if you could name a brand new cultivar what would it be?
Audrey: As a small company of 2, it would be magical to have a cultivar that makes me work faster or add more hours to the day!! Call it something like "Pink Buzz" for busy or business.
Kyra: Great question! I have been really liking some of the naming conventions I have been seeing lately based on lineage crossings. Would love to name strains by pun. Comedic + catchy.
