Kava Candy Value

[Steve]

Hi All,

Yes, perhaps funny I am asking this question openly but wanted to find out what people think the price of Kava Candy should be (per pack) - either online or through retail stores?

Currently, the price is at $4.99 and with some discounts (10% off at Facebook, and some different promotions such as 6 packs or higher you can get the price down a little per pack - as low as $3.75 - $4.00 per pack.

With any small company, production costs are extremely high which is the case of the candy. Of course, I don't want to go out of business but at the same time I want to provide excellent value for everyone so looking for a sweet spot.

Any thoughts would help me greatly in evaluating the situation as the company continues to grow and mold.

Aloha,
Steve

 

[endwatcher]

Steve, the pricing is perfect at MSRP

"I also like the the bulk deals"

The trick is getting some stores to stock it, because more dont know about it.
I've actually been talking about you and the Candy with a store owner down the road from me.
He sells those wanna-be mellow drinks like its nothing, so I think the candy.....with the right introduction would sell great.
I'll bring it up again to the owner.

I think the only thing I would work on is like a trial pack with something like 2 pieces in it.
I was one of the ones that got the full blister pack as a trial back a while back, and thought that was extremely generous.
So I feel something like a mini blister pack to turn people on would be ideal.
I personaly love the candys, And have a couple blister packs left from my last bulk order.
Gave one to a friend at work and he loved it too, hopefully snagged ya another customer.

Anyways, Ive been drinking Solomon and feeling all social, "as you can tell" Im going to enjoy another shell.
Bula!

 

[Steve]

endwatcher - thanks a lot for the feedback as it really helps more than you know. The two piece trial is a great idea...although doing different production configuration might be a little much at this point but hopefully for the future (with different flavors Also thanks for getting the word out there seeing if your local store is interested. Perhaps we will have to make you a brand ambassador!

 

[endwatcher]

O for sure, Id be happy to to be.

Living where I do, not to many people have heard of Kava, and I sometimes I feel like a cheerleader for Kava. "I love getting people to experience the greatness of Kava"
Yea, I can for sure see how changing product packaging would increase cost.
I'll keep the word out for ya.

 

[Akava]

Well say I bought the bulk one case, $48 for 12 packs
comes down to $4 a pack
each pack has 8 candies times 50 mg kavalactones = 400mg kavalactones

so for every dollar you get 100mg kavalactones

now lets look at paradise
say I got the 60g economy with the 10% discount, comes out to $80
each gram has 150 mg kavalactones so in total you're getting 9,000 mg kavalactones for $80

so each dollar gets you 112.5 kavalactones

So they have a slightly better deal, but at the same time nothing is more convenient then a candy, I mean putting some powder under your tongue is pretty easy, but it might look a bit strange in public, but candies? it literally can't get any easier, as discreet as it gets, I would say that advantage evens out the slight price advantage with paradise

then again, I could go for the 150g reserve which will have a higher price per potency which would make paradise extracts significantly more cost effective, but for candies thats as bulk as it gets no better price

so to even yourself out, I would recommend having an even bigger order, like order a few cases at once and then dropping the price per pack some more

that should make them equal to paradise extract

 

[Steve]

Akava - great analogy and well thought out. I may start requiring higher minimums for wholesale in the future and offer an increased bulk discount as you mention to reach a good balance. My overall goal is just to provide people with a good value on a great product and help their lives be a little more easy (we hope so all this info is nice to take in. As a consumer, I totally understand breaking down price per gram of lactone and comparing that with other products. From an experience standpoint, it will really be the overall profile of the kavalactones. Yes, pure amount of grams can make a difference, but if it is not a great profile - the experience will be disappointing. For example, profiles with higher methysticin levels would not be suited for the candy because we don't want to make people feel tired but simply more relaxed and functional (we also want it to wear off relatively faster for a daytime use...making a customer a zombie for 3 hours at their cubicle would be tough. Thus, we self select premium varietals and hope we get a feeling most people will like.

 

[Akava]

sounds good, Im assuming your extraction is solvent free, correct?

 

[endwatcher]

I totally disagree with that analogy of the differences between Ozia Candy, and Paradise extract, and the price comparison between the both.
Although they are both Awa, I feel that its comparing apples to oranges.
They are 2 different products, And are both great in their own right.

But one is a extract, and one is a candy.
There is extra packaging, ingredients, and processing.
Let us not forget the convenience also that Ozia has compared to anyone else.
I still feel 5 bucks a pack is pretty good deal, I honestly don't see how a person could make any money selling it for much cheaper than that.
And I am into reselling quite fluently.
I feel the term "build it, and they will come" works well with the candy's, because once a few people try it out....Word of mouth will spread the product in a positive way.
Just takes times, but its the best form of advertisement.

 

[Akava]

yeah makes sense,

IMHO it would be best to avoid selling in headshops, kava shouldn't be in the "legal high" market, it should be in the natural anti-anxiety market, it suits it better and there is more potential there, just my two cents

 

[endwatcher]

I think it would sell great just on a convenience store shelf, or a normal grocery stores shelf.
Either under Herbal health, or just plain candy's cause they still taste great.
I agree with keeping it out of headshops.
I cringe when I think of "druggies" ruining my favorite roots good name

 

[Akava]

exactly, that whole K@ kava mixup in south florida really killed me

and there already is bob marleys (with valerian, passion flower, lemon balm, and hops) being sold in close to all convenient stores

 

[Steve]

on the business side, sometimes there aren't a lot of homes for kava products...I think headshops will be a necessary for some availability but I tend to like the headshops that are on the contemporary side (less dark and sketchy and more open). There is a headshop here in Hawaii that is really cool...it actually feels like a Starbucks but of course has a glass case with pipes and things. The other day, I saw some "starbucks" customers in there having some coffee and pastries....really cool actually. Open lighting, more cafe type.

Bob Marleys drink use to have kava but to go more main stream they had to take it out (i remember talking to one of the reps when they were trying to get the kava version to the islands). Anyways, a grey path going forward for any commercial kava products but hope we can navigate with poise and do our "due diligence" with responsible action that will be good for the industry as a whole. I used to do a CO2 of the boutique drink but used a nice water / ethanol 70% / 30% which tightened up the form. I discussed the controversy of flavokawain b with some of the top kava experts in europe and they pointed out that even some water based extracts *given a poor starting material* had high levels of flavokawain...ie. New Caledonia studies and hepatotoxicity cases with water only. Moral of the story...bad kava in..bad kava out no matter how you extract; based on the evidence the starting material had far more implications than the extraction used.

 

[Paradise Kava]

You said it Steve!

 

[Buddhacide]

Another way to consider this is changing the attitude that pursuing an altered state is a bad or unnatural thing - even if potentially dangerous. I see no reason to celebrate only kava for its amazing psychoactive qualities. Drug puritanism in general needs to end imo. Whether its cocaine or valerian root, the focus should be on harm reduction and the realization that people do, indeed, chase "highs". I understand people are scared of kava being scheduled, but this is a bigger fight in my opinion. The difference between a "legal high" and a "natural anxiety aid" is purely rhetorical and I personally am tired of the semantics. This sort of thing is basic human nature in my opinion and should be at the very least acknowledged if not celebrated.

Kava should be everywhere there is demand with good, accurate information on how to best use it. As should K@, as should weed, as should tylenol. IMHO

 

[kavadude]

This is an interesting discussion. Personally, I haven't found any extract, instant, or the kava candy product to be "good value." Now I am not really the target market for the daytime anxiety reduction products as I drink kava at night for the purpose of muscle relaxation and sedation, and I am something of a hardhead. But at the same time I can't help but yearn for a product that is both cost effective and requires no prep.

 

[Steve]

Adil (from Paradise) and I talk about this all the time as we both hope to continuing improving and pushing the limits of new kava products in interesting ways that people enjoy

Buddhacide - I totally agree with your point and hope kava and other products can come out of the shadow and help change social ideology about "altered states". Product information is really important and unfortunately (with the increase in the popularity of products) you are always going to find some bad seeds or people cutting corners. Just yesterday, I was reading about the 600 dog deaths recently due to treats from China (we have three dogs so it does hit close to home). Not to say that kava will become as ubiquitous as the standard dog treats I hope the industry can continue reaching new heights, product development, and research.

 

[endwatcher]

Buddhacide.
I agree that the concept of "altered state of mind" needs to be pushed more often as a natural "mainly" good thing.
One can achive altered states simply through meditation, and I often wonder when they will make that illegal.
That being said, I still dont believe in hard DRUG use such as meth, crack, etc..etc
Statistics are pretty clear on those types.

But I also love freedom, and people should be free.

I dont want Steve to loose the original topic, so I think it would be a good Idea to start a seperate thread on this if you want; and Steve can get the answers he is looking for.

 

[Steve]

No problem...just going with the flow as this is all interesting stuff. If you have not taken the poll above, I appreciate your time and comments on the issue regarding their expected cost of a pack of candy and why. Cheers!

 

[Steve]

If you have not had a chance, please take a quick minute to check one of the boxes on the above poll. Still getting a sense the Kava Candy and cost expectations. Much Aloha for your help!

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

i voted for $3.75 ... i thought about clicking $4.00 but from a business aspect it seems like 3.75 would 'trick' more brains into being more likely to buy that over seeing 4.00...even though it's nearly the same cost.