Rachael Herndon DunnBlue Key™, a St. Louis-based CBD line sold online, around the state in stores, and at The Natural Way area locations, is growing in popularity across Missouri. Not only is it 100% THC-free thanks to proprietary THC extraction, Jim and Katie Thomas can be seen around the state at industry events with their full line of products.
“We entered the CBD industry in late 2017 with our own money and a dream to provide the best product to our customers,” said owner Katie Thomas. “We focused on a formula that tasted great. We worked to make sure the brand was legally protected and appealing to people. Having a manufacturer who knows FDA rules is important as well, so we hired a New York bottling company to package our propriety formula. Our customers love the solution we provide because we made it for them in mind.”
Jim and Katie Thomas – Blue Key CBD
Katie Thomas previously worked in medical marketing, while husband Jim Thomas is a “serial entrepreneur” who has done IT work with Fortune 500 companies and more. The Thomases bought The Natural Way – Fenton in March 2017.
Greenway for Patients spoke to Katie Thomas, co-founder and owner of Blue Key™ and owner of The Natural Way – Fenton.
“The previous owner was telling us about the good ole days when CBD was sold in the store for a period of 2014-2016. It worked and brought in lots of sales,” Thomas said. “The health stores were hit with subpoenas and warnings to take the products off the shelf. We were interested in exploring CBD more and started researching to learn as much as possible about CBD at that time. We began being activists for hemp-based CBD and medicinal cannabis for Missouri’s Constitutional Amendment 2.”
“We had brought a CBD product line into to our store to start selling and wanted to give it a try ourselves after the legal dust settled,” Thomas said. “Jim had broken his back twice and was having difficulty with pain and stiffness getting out of the bed in the mornings. My anxiety affected my sleep by either waking me and not able to go back to sleep or having trouble falling asleep. After a short time, CBD was working great for Jim and myself. Jim was able to sleep through the night without pain and able to move in the morning. It was a great difference for him. I slept wonderfully and quickly noticed I was not as anxious throughout the day. We were getting rave reviews from our customers on how CBD was working for them.
“We quickly noticed about 40% of our customer base wanted to try CBD but wouldn’t due to trace amounts of THC in the product. Drug testing is still a requirement at most companies and government entities, so we saw an opportunity that was different from all the other CBD brands offering oil at or less than 0.03% THC.
“We started researching companies in the already legal western states to find a brand that was more than isolate but not full-spectrum,” Thomas continued. “We had trouble at first to find a company that offered this. We found a company in Colorado, that had a proprietary method of extracting out the THC of a full spectrum extract. Jim and I flew out to meet this company and make sure it was legit. We liked what we saw and came back to develop Blue Key™ CBD. It was important to us that we could control the ingredients and what would be used in our oil. We only use certified organic, non-GMO products. No fillers, artificial flavors or colors, no unnecessary ingredients.”
Blue Key™ is now part of a pilot study program with six doctors and a pharmacist to test efficacy, titrations of medications and patient satisfaction. Blue Key™ has grown to thousands of customers and sold in over twenty retail locations.
Thomas said the 2018 Farm Bill opens the market for local hemp.
“This allows us to bring farming, processing, and manufacturing to Missouri and not have to rely on outsourcing to other states. We can now provide more jobs, economic growth for Missouri as well as education to the public to see where the CBD comes from. Walkthrough the fields, if you will.”
The market opening federally provides a future vision for CBD for Thomas.
“I believe CBD will become a daily staple for everyone, much like it was before the unfounded prohibition of cannabis/hemp,” Thomas said. “As people begin to understand the health benefits, they will likely accept it as an everyday multivitamin. Research will open up to find the benefits of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids which reassure and alleviate the misconceptions of this wonderful plant.”
Blue Key™ may expand vertically now that the hemp program in Missouri is starting to shape up. Draft program rules for the state were released in October 2019.
“With help from potential investors, we would love to fulfill our dream of vertical integration – farming, extraction, processing, manufacturing, and distribution here in Missouri,” Thomas said. “Create hundreds of jobs for our fellow Missourians from all walks of life. Expand our reach, product lines, and offerings by partnering with a global distribution company.”
Helping customers heal is rewarding in itself, but the opportunities provided by owning their own business inspires the Thomases.
“Independence, collaboration, solving problems and working with other business owners and customers – we love helping the community with healthy natural choices,” Thomas said. “Giving, even a little, back to the community through charities returns in many ways. Receiving feedback from customers and being able to offer products that they are looking for and wanting is huge. We enjoy being an advocate for individuals to receive natural medicine or natural alternatives. As a business owner, it is fun to be involved with all aspects of the business to see the growth. Helping our immediate family and children learn and understand how money, charity, and business works are priceless.”
To learn more about Blue Key™, visit their website or follow them on social media.
Website: bluekeycbd.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueKeyCBD/
Written by Rachael Dunn, publisher of Greenway Magazine.
What do you think?