UK Enterprise Awards 2021

179 | UK Enterprise Awards 2021 Emerging Pioneers in CBD Products 2021 For those of you not ‘in the know’, CBD stands for cannabidiol which is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients of marijuana. While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant. CBD will not give you the ‘high’ effects that are associated with cannabis consumption, and instead it has been hailed as a ‘wonder ingredient’ used to treat a range of ailments. Dr K CBD is a British company founded by long-time friends, Dr Ruchira Karunadasa and Manish Patel, with the goal of bringing trust and transparency to the market. The company’s range of oils and topicals have been expertly crafted in the UK using only high- quality extract derived from organically grown plants in Colorado. The topicals are infused with industry leading nano emulsified CBD to increase bioavailability by up to five times, allowing the end user to acquire CBD with confidence and peace of mind. “We are all about wellbeing, from the way we work to the way we want people to feel,” explains Manish. “We looked at the CBD landscape and saw a confused marketplace with poor quality for consumers.” This made the dynamic duo want to change what they saw and so they decided to set up a company which offers only the very best quality products to consumers. “Our oils contain 85% active CBD compared to a UK average of 40-60% active, which offers a better quality product at an affordable price.” Available in three delicious flavours, the oils that Dr K provides are designed to address a range of health issues, such as stress, insomnia, anxiety, digestive issues and pain relief. They are also organic and vegan-friendly. At the heart of Dr K’s ethos are the morals that the company was built upon, and which remain strong today. “We strive to educate our customers on all things CBD so they know exactly what they are buying,” Manish continues. “We back it up with triple testing so they can trust what they are buying too.” The CBD market is on the up and growing exponentially, however Manish explains that, with little regulation, it leaves room for many amateur companies to develop which is why Dr K places such a huge emphasis on education and trust. “One of the founders is a practising GP and we apply the ethics and morals of a doctor in dealing with our customers, treating them as a doctor would treat a patient.” A recent industry development is the introduction of the Novel Food Act by the FSA for any ingestible product. Whilst there is a large cost to the regulation, Dr K has been fortunate to gain accreditation for its products where many other brands haven’t. The company’s priority of trust and education is reflected in its internal culture. There is also a key focus on being charitable and an awareness of the firm’s impact on the environment. All Dr K packaging is 100% recyclable and there is no use of plastic in any of its products. There is also a big emphasis on having a good work/life balance and the founders look for people who share their ethos when recruiting. Regarding the future, there are challenges which lie ahead for the small company. “One of the biggest challenges we have faced, other than the Covid-19 pandemic, is the cost of advertising and getting our message across to people as we don’t have the deep pockets that the majority of our competitors do,” Manish states. “However, our aim is to roll out our products to distributors, high street stores and wholesalers as we had originally planned before the pandemic struck. Covid-19 has given us the time and opportunity to really improve and understand our website and online sales channels, which will help enormously as we grow in the future.” Contact: Manish Patel Company: Dr K CBD Ltd Web Address: www.drk-cbd.co.uk Apr21794 Based in Middlesex, Dr K CBD specialises in selling products containing CBD to consumers. We speak to one of the founding partners about the company and its strong ethos which centres on education.