An inside look at the tech powering The Flower Shop’s THC-laden treats

Greta Brandt, president of The Flower Shop, said that her Ahwatukee facility produces roughly 70,000 gummies, 50,000 tablets and 4,000 cans of seltzer each day. O'Hara Shipe

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "leaderboardInlineContent",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "tower",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]

Just of Interstate 10 in Ahwatukee sits a two-story, 16,000-square-foot cannabis haven called The Flower Shop. Although the open concept and artfully decorated dispensary is a visual feast, the real crown jewel of the massive building is its production facility, which churns out thousands of THC-laden treats on a daily basis.

Although The Flower Shop grows its weed 50 miles northeast of Tucson, in the former mining town of San Manuel, the production of the company’s pre-rolls, cartridges, edibles and tablets occurs in Ahwatukee. Keeping up with The Flower Shop’s four brands — Ladylike, High Variety, High Tide and Shorties — has caused Greta Brandt, the company's president, to invest in the tech that powers the company.

“With how much competition there is in this space, it requires you to be absolutely on top of your game, creative with new product offerings and really understanding who you’re trying to attract. I always say, ‘If we’re not developing, we’re dying,’” Brandt told MJBizDaily.

According to Brandt, The Flower Shop’s Ahwatukee facility manufactures about 35% of the products on its shelves and distributes to about 100 other stores in Arizona.

Phoenix New Times was given access to the rarely seen production side of the company’s highly successful brand. From what Brandt calls the “Lamborghini of joint rollers” to an automated machine that spits out 50,000 tablets a day, we learned what it takes to keep up with consumer demand.

click to enlarge

Ladylike uses fresh-frozen cannabis as the base for its concentrate product line. Once the cannabinoids are extracted from the plant, the resulting oil undergoes a several-day cleaning process to remove unwanted chemicals and residue before the isolate is put into cartridges for human consumption.

O'Hara Shipe

click to enlarge

To ensure that the highest grade concentrates make it into the final cartridges, The Flower Shop's lab workers closely monitor the distilled oil for consistency and color.

O'Hara Shipe

click to enlarge

A close-up of oil being collected to ensure quality and purity.

O'Hara Shipe

click to enlarge

Ladylike's cartridges, which are uniquely shaped to fit into portable pods for on-the-go consumption, are filled with extracts before being packaged.

O'Hara Shipe

click to enlarge

It took Michael Smith a little while to dial in JuanaRoll, or the “Lamborghini of joint rollers." But Smith said the machine now runs well and has upped pre-roll production significantly.

O'Hara Shipe

click to enlarge

The Flower Shop's pre-rolled joint machine produces more than 1,000 joints an hour.

O'Hara Shipe

click to enlarge

High Variety pre-rolls are finished with a human touch as they are sealed and packaged entirely by hand.

O'Hara Shipe

click to enlarge

On the first floor of The Flower Shop's production facility is a state-of-the-art beverage machine that mixes drinks before metering out the THC-infused seltzer water into 12-ounce cans. The machine churns out 4,000 cans of High Tide seltzer daily.

O'Hara Shipe

click to enlarge

As with all products manufactured by The Flower Shop, High Tide seltzers aren't ready for consumers until an inspection by kitchen staff.

O'Hara Shipe