Kava Candy Value

[Vekta]

Hmm...I think the current MSRP is fine. The way I see it it's kind of a pain to send out a single pack. To me it doesn't make much sense to buy just a single pack online.

As for buying it from a brick and mortar store I asked myself what's the most I would pay for a single pack. I settled on $4.50.

The MSRP is fine imo. If I'm going to buy it online I'm going to buy more than one pack to begin with and get that discount.

 

[Steve]

Thanks Vekta - I think the consensus is hanging out around the $4 range. With some online discounts or buying in bulk you can already get this down to about $4 per pack (or $3.99) Hoping as production increases I can get my costs down....thanks everyone for your input!

 

[Steve]

Thanks all for the feedback! Starting in 2014, I am going to be testing out a few distributors and getting packs out on a promo/ new product price of $3.75 at select locations and we will see how it goes. The stores will be everything for convenience store, novelty, health, and head shops. Thanks again for your input and Happy Holidays!

 

[Akava]

I hate to ask, but have you taken Adils advice and taken the ethanol extraction out?

 

[Steve]

Akava - no worries. For me the "potential" cons do not outweigh the pros from a scientific basis. I have talked to some of the leading kava scientists surrounding the controversy of flavokawain b 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. Thus, if starting material is bad (whether ethanol or water extract) you still get the flavokawain b.

I am not against CO2 extract by any means at all (as I use to use it for my boutique drink that I had in stores) but it is rather expensive and would increase the cost substantially. One potential cons is that whoever is extracting can tweek and essentially (and artificially) make a chemotype that does not exist in nature. You can take a very bad / cheap strain and make it seemingly good by extracting desired levels of lactone - do I dare say GMO to an extent? Also, IMHO there are not enough studies out there on CO2 to prove that it is in fact 100% safe. I know some people who do a tremendous job and really understand CO2 for kava but likewise, there might be the potential for people to take leaves and stems (and all the bad stuff) extract kavalactones with CO2 and inherently call it the best thing ever.

With that said, I hope to one day move to an all-natural formula with a CO2 extract; thus I can truly have the *exact same* profile from year to year and starting with the best kava root is key for a great product. After all, kava is from nature and there are different natural variances that are seasonal. Hope this makes sense

 

[endwatcher]

Steve,
So we can make it clear.
Your method of extraction is alcohol?

 

[Steve]

Endwatcher - it is actually a 65%/%35 water / ethanol

 

[Global Kava Exports]

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.

Unfortunately, in Europe we will also have to target Headshops for Kava sales. As you say though it's not too bad once you get the right kind of Headshops involved. There is the dodgy kind and the more educated and more careful and socially aware kind. Bob Marley drink (Marleys Mellow Mood Drink) now contains Melatonin as its main active ingredient. I wasn't aware that it had Kava in it before. I've seen it in the UK with only Chamomile and some other ingredients as Melatonin is a prescription drug in the UK. Suffice to say it's not very popular.