Meet Carmen J Toma, President & Co-Founder of Merry Mariposa
First, can you introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m Carmen J Toma, President & Co-Founder of Merry Mariposa.
Can you introduce us to your new company Merry Mariposa, when and where it started, and what was the impetus for beginning the company?
Merry Mariposa began as an idea after my departure from my previous company. I was proud to help launch a major CBD/THC brand from scratch, but I’ve learned so much from that first business, especially what not to do. I took the year off to focus on my family and well being, and in that year I researched a variety of products in the market and found there is still a glaring need to meet in the industry. There is no representation for good gourmet sugar-free products, nor products that are already healthy for you before CBD and/or THC are even introduced. I worked with my chef to create artisan crafted products that will taste amazing with zero sugar using rosin, RSO and other pure medicine, combined with natural healing ingredients to deliver a product I would be proud to give to my Abuelita (Grandmother) to help her aching joints. We will combine top quality and healthy ingredients with impactful and sustainable packaging to deliver medicine in tincture, creams, and gourmet lollyz and chocolates. At the end of the day, I have my medical card for a reason; I am a patient and use plant medicine daily. If I didn’t use plant-based medicine, I would have to take pills that have terrible side effects, and who wants that? Let’s make a product that tastes good and is good for you.
When and where are your products launching?
We will launch our sugar free CBD:CBG:THC lollipop & tincture line on 4/20 with GreenMed in Tucson, soon to be followed by other key partners in the greater Arizona area. This will be followed up by gourmet sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan chocolates made for every BODY.
Can you give us a description of the products that will be launching first?
We will launch our Sugar-Free Artisan “Lollyzpop” first with a Root Beer Banana Float & Tangerine/Pear. Many of our lollipops will have a piece of dried fruit in the middle. Our tincture will feature natural tropical flavors like guava, mango, banana, and coconut rum, and will use a base of flaxseed and pumpkin seed oils which are natural supplements with many health benefits. Not only can you purchase typical THC/CBD 1:1 combo products, but we will have a variety of CBG and CBN combinations to choose from in order to alleviate whatever conditions you may need help with.
Tell us about working with Adriana Kittrell of Green Med, and how are they involved in your launch/expansion?
Where do I even begin about Green Med & Adriana? Do you have that one friend that is your personal hype person? That has been Adriana for me, since I decided to part ways with Hippie Chicks. Adriana sat down with me and we had an honest conversation about the future, and continuing my journey in the industry. We discussed how we can make a difference being female minority owners of companies that are family owned, Arizona proud and are integrated into our communities we live in. GreenMed is my chance to get new ideas and products onto store shelves and help make a difference in this industry.
What sets Merry Mariposa apart from other cannabis edibles, and was there a specific need you realized that wasn’t being met in the industry that you strive to provide?
Mariposa is differentiated in the industry because we are focusing on a huge need in the space, as there are many products available to people who can eat anything, but not much for those with various restrictions. We are bringing sugar-free ORGANIC products to the community… great tasting flavors that you know are farm to table. We infuse our products with the best rosin and RSO, so they do not taste like an RSO bomb. We have some legacy family health issues that we’ve had to see our parents struggle with, and it was hard to find them sugar-free medicine that they would actually enjoy taking.
What is important to you as a cannabis/edibles company?
Made with the consumer in mind, we want to create something that is a healthy, natural and delicious treat that is precisely dosed. One of the major flaws with many edibles is inaccurate dosage and sub-par flavor. All of our products are laboratory tested on a lot by lot basis to ensure consistency and accuracy. Our manufacturing methods utilize the same high volume Italian chocolate machines used by many of the top global confectionery companies worldwide, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency unrivaled in the industry.
Anything else you would like to say to our readers?
On top of tasty and precisely dosed products, our packaging uses a combination of recycled and compostable solutions, to ensure we are having a light footprint on our planet.