Elixinol, a CBD brand with nearly three decades of experience in the hemp industry, has partnered with RFI via a newly incorporated Colorado-based entity, Infusion Strategies, LLC. The joint venture, owned 60% by Elixinol and 40% by RFI, is formed for the purpose of cooperatively maximizing the respective companies’ industry positions, intellectual property, and operating capabilities to better serve customers and bring an elevated level of transparency and quality control to the industry.
 
Elixinol will provide hemp expertise, supply chain stability, and high-quality hemp full-spectrum and THC-free CBD extracts. RFI will manage the day-to-day operations of Infusion Strategies as well as provide global supply chain management and provision of all non-CBD ingredients and manufacturing expertise needed to custom blend formulations for CBD-infused tinctures, powders, capsules, and more. Together, Elixinol and RFI will maintain industry-leading certifications (GMP, NSF, QAI Organic, and SQF2), maintain an AOAC-certified laboratory, and provide seed-to-sale organic ingredient traceability.
 
“This partnership will allow us to advance the ingredient side of our business, as well as the industry, through partnering with the best of the best,” said Gabriel Ettenson, president and co-founder of Elixinol. “Simultaneously, it will create the opportunity for Elixinol to focus more on strengthening our organic supply chain for hemp and advancing our product innovation and development for our own brand as well. RFI are experts in fermentation, powder manufacturing, and advanced ingredient formulations, which the industry greatly needs. We hope that together we can disrupt the industry by bridging the gap between the hemp-derived CBD world and the nutraceutical world.”
 
“I am excited to be creating this new partnership with Elixinol,” said Jeff Wuagneux, CEO and president of RFI. “When we combine Elixinol’s experience and vertical integration in the hemp and CBD industry with RFI’s 30 years of experience and vertical integration in the nutritional/dietary supplement and food industries, we’re creating a formidable new business model. The new joint venture brings raw material and formulation expertise that will allow us to lead the way for exciting opportunities for CBD-related products. Our customers are looking to work with us to develop and create new GMP-compliant products while taking advantage of the support we offer as a traditional nutritional and food manufacturer. We’re looking forward to providing these breakthrough opportunities for customers through our new partnership.”
 
This announcement is one of many in the past several months demonstrating Elixinol’s aggressive growth strategy within the rapidly expanding hemp-CBD marketplace in the U.S., including EXL’s recent raise of AUD$50 million to increase production capacity and raw material supply to ensure it meets forecasted demand.