The legal marijuana industry is an experiment in many things: civil liberties, values, and regulation, but it’s also an important, vibrant case study in creating and branding a new product class out of what had been an undefined, chaotic, underground market.
The obstacles and challenges are unique to the class of product, but the assignment of brand values to create an orderly category from a broad white space is a compelling area for discussion, and one that holds interesting and usable insights for all manner of entrepreneurial beverage companies.
As one of Colorado’s largest and best-known licensed marijuana infused products manufacturers, Keber is in the position of creating a new set of CPG category values within a wide range of customer interactions with the product. The marijuana consumables market presents relevant analogs to product classes that have moved from on-premise to at-home consumption, from fringe positions to mainstream consumption, or from sole proprietorships to chain retailing, and the development of viable brands — like Dixie — within the space it will make for an exciting, thought-provoking discussion of one of the most talked-about new functional product categories of our time.
As marijuana legalization spreads throughout the U.S., there has been much discussion of the viability of the trend from a regulatory point of view. But for the BevNET Live audience there is added value — and great interest — in the lessons that are accompanying the development of this new market from a product-centric point of view.
Just one of many discussions surrounding emerging verticals that will take place during BevNET Live, Keber’s talk promises to be a truly memorable part of the program for the entire audience.
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Sponsorship opportunities also remain — please contact John McKenna at (617) 231-8825 or jmckenna@bevnet.com.
About Tripp Keber
As one of two original founders of the Dixie Elixirs and Edibles company, Colorado’s premiere licensed marijuana infused products manufacturer (MIPS), Tripp Keber now serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Dixie Brands, Inc. Widely hailed as one of this nascent industry’s indispensable leaders, when Tripp isn’t thinking about the future vision of Dixie and the industry, he is supporting the efforts of the National Cannabis Industry Association, where he is a founding member and current Board Director. Additionally since 2013, he has served as a Board Member of the Marijuana Policy Project as well as an Advisory Board member of the Medical Marijuana Industry Groupin Colorado. In his current role as CEO of Dixie Brands, Inc., Tripp gets to work on the really “fun” stuff and is responsible for the overall strategy, licensing, marketing, branding and expansion efforts related to the Dixie brand both domestically and internationally.
Prior to building Dixie into a cannabis leader, Tripp served as Chief Operating Officer for Bella Terra Resort Development Company, and EVP of Business Development for Sagebrush Realty Development.
He has a BS in Political Science from Villanova University and currently resides in both Aspen and Denver, CO with his family. He is involved in several charitable organizations located within his community, but his greatest philanthropic passion is assisting in the research and development of cannabis support for veterans suffering from PTSD.
About BevNET Live
The BevNET Live program is designed to help entrepreneurial beverage companies of all sizes explore potential strategies for growth while building community. Speakers address the problems and challenges associated with moving across channels of trade, building established organizations, and consider capital structures that can fuel long-term success. Thought leaders like investors, retailers, distributors, suppliers, marketers and entrepreneurs join in moderated conversations and case studies designed to provide executable ideas for innovative beverage companies that are trying to reach their next level, while also sharing and enjoying networking in a highly collegial environment.