Episode 195_ Inside the Bellrock Turnaround with Joe Bayern

Before entering cannabis in 2019, Joe Bayern spent more than 25 years in C-suite leadership across some of the biggest names in beverages, helping drive major turnarounds, global strategy, and brand-building at Snapple, Cadbury Schweppes, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and Voss Water.

He entered cannabis after recognizing the potential of early CBD beverage trends, initially helping take a California operator public before joining Curaleaf, where he led the company through explosive expansion from roughly $250 million in revenue to more than $1.2 billion in just over two years.. After leaving Curaleaf, Bayern set out to pursue what he sees as cannabis's long-term future: an asset-light, brand-focused business model.

Most recently, he brought BellRock Brands out of receivership and is now leading its revival.

Today, we talk with Joe Bayern about how he plans to bring legacy brands like Mary's Medicinals and Dixie Elixirs back into the marketplace.

https://www.mmbrandsinc.com

The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.

Get in touch with pam@InnovatingCannabisPodcast.com.

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Understanding the true cost of cultivating and manufacturing a cannabis product is incredibly difficult without the right tracking tools.

Labor, yield loss, compliance, packaging, and processing inefficiencies can all quietly erode profitability without operators ever fully realizing it.

That lack of visibility creates major challenges not only for manufacturers trying to scale efficiently, but also for brands entering white-label partnerships without a clear understanding of what their products actually cost to produce.

Today, we’re joined by Clark Charlton, co-founder of BatchNAV, who is working to change that by giving cannabis operators a clearer picture of their true COGS—helping cultivators, manufacturers, and brand partners make smarter, data-driven decisions in an industry where margins are tight.

In this conversation, we’ll explore why so many cannabis businesses misunderstand their real costs, where hidden expenses are buried, and how better cost intelligence could reshape profitability across the entire supply chain.

https://batchnav.com

The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.

Get in touch with pam@InnovatingCannabisPodcast.com.

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Georgia legalized medical cannabis in late 2015, but the market itself didn't officially launch until around 2020. As a highly restricted, limited-license state, Georgia allows only six vertically integrated operators.

What makes Georgia especially unique is its distribution model: patients can access products not only through dispensaries, but also through pharmacies—an approach similar to the European model.

Today, we're joined by Gary Long, CEO of Botanical Sciences and one of just six license holders in Georgia. Gary has played a key role in guiding his company through the state's complex legalization and rollout process and in educating lawmakers as Georgia's medical cannabis framework took shape.

https://botanicalsciences.com/

The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.

Get in touch with pam@InnovatingCannabisPodcast.com.

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Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.