As the co-founder and CEO of Canvast Supply Co., Devin Aracena keeps tabs on the fluctuating commercial value of all hemp-derived cannabinoids, from CBD and CBG to today’s hottest trend, delta-8 and delta-9 THC.
She also co-founded Cultivate Tennessee in her home state as a pro-hemp advocacy group, but not for the reason many people might think.
“While it would be easy to assume that we started that nonprofit to protect delta-8, my passion was more tied up in protecting CBN, which is often lumped with delta-8 when states go to ban it,” she says. “It’s my miracle cannabinoid. It’s where my personal experience has been and it’s important to me to protect it and get it in everyone’s hands.”
Aracena says she was able to completely get off anti-anxiety and sleep medications with the help of CBN-dominant products.
And meanwhile, her company has been growing steadily since its launch in 2019, evolving constantly to stay afloat amid the tumultuous hemp industry, before finding its niche with a wide variety of USDA-compliant, Canvast-branded products.
The brand is currently available in about 250 specialty retailers, including boutique CBD shops, health food stores, natural grocers and curated vape stores.
“If you took Colorado and drew a line north and south, we’re everywhere to the right,” she explains. “So, the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast, and then we also have a large e-commerce presence.”