Preserving Cannabis Through Technology and Packaging; Meet Grove Bags Founder: Jack Grover, and Learn About the Why That Led to the What: a Global Business

Photo of the Grove Bags Team Credit: Grove Bags

The story of why, the reason(s) that ignite passion, the fuel that keeps passion burning, the passion that builds empires. These stories are so important to share. Many times consumers and aspiring business owners know all about a product, they know all about a service, they know all about pricing; but they don’t always get to know the person behind these things and what fuels/fueled them. 

In an article I read recently about sales, the writer shared: “Mike Parrott, vice president and general merchandise manager at Costco Wholesale, has been on the buyer’s side of the desk for 15 years. He says, ‘If all other things are equal, buyers will buy from a salesperson they like best and trust the most. It breaks the ties. And there are a lot of ties in this business’.”

In another article I read about the importance of storytelling in entrepreneurship, the writer shared: “While factors such as product quality, customer service, and pricing undoubtedly play a crucial role, there is one powerful tool that can truly elevate an entrepreneur’s success: storytelling.” 

So how can a business owner break ties, get consumers to trust them? Share the story! Share the why! Beyond sales, there’s inspiration. There’s the aspiring business owner that doesn’t know it’s possible and then they read the story, the why, learn about the foundation and realize: “I can do this!”

This is why what you’ll read below is so important! Jack Grover is the Founder and Owner of Grove Bags, and he understands the power of human connection and how trust is built through sharing. Furthermore, his story is inspiring, his why is beautiful, and as someone that came from the corporate world before launching a business in cannabis; he understands that his story may help save someone from things he experienced: heavy weight on his chest going into the office everyday.

Please continue reading to learn about Jack Grover the person, Jack Grover- work pre cannabis, Jack Grover the cannabis business owner with Grove Bags, and more about the company he built, products they offer, and the technology that keeps cannabis preserved. 

Q&A with Grove Bags Founder, Jack Grover

Photo of Jack Grover Credit: Grove Bags

Cure, store, and save- the Grove Bags way. They ensure that cannabis is preserved with their TerpLoc technology. Grove Bags says: “Grove Bags TerpLoc® product line is the evolution in packaging the cannabis industry has been waiting for. Designed around the plant’s physiological properties, it utilizes a blend of several film elements to create the optimal cannabis climate inside every package.

About Grove Bags- the People and the Mission

Photo Credit: Grove Bags

For those learning about you all for the first time; what are 3 things they should know about Grove Bags, the people, the mission? 

1. Commitment to Doing the Right Things:

Our company is dedicated to making ethical choices and doing what’s right. From the outset, we’ve seen ourselves as integral members of a larger community. Every individual associated with our business, past and present, has considered it a privilege to be part of this journey. Despite the challenges and stress that accompany running a business, we’ve always felt fortunate to be here and to have achieved the level of success we have. As we approach our eighth year in March, we’ve grown alongside the industry, influenced not just as business professionals but as individuals, by our customers, partners, and collaborators. Our connection with the community is akin to an international brotherhood and sisterhood, a united front passionate about our mission for a global, plant-medicine revolution.

2. Growth and Learning Together:

Our company’s growth is not just about developing a successful product; it’s about cultivating a culture that fosters personal and professional development. While I’ve played a role in product development, the real strength lies in our ability to attract exceptional individuals to our team. Our success lies in building a great product and then learning how to operate a successful business around it. I take pride in bringing talented individuals on board, creating an environment where they can thrive, grow, and contribute to building not just a business but a culture. Our success is not just measured by our product but by the incredible people associated with the company, both within and outside, who endorse our vision and values.

3. People-First Approach:

The heartbeat of our company is its people. I believe my contribution lies in curating a team of extraordinary professionals who are passionate about the work we do. I’ve focused on creating a workplace where great people are not just recruited, but are excited to come to work every day. Our success is not just about business achievements, but about the credibility we’ve earned in the space. This credibility stems from the product, but is amplified by the people—those within the company and those supporting us from outside. There’s no better feeling than seeing a legendary cultivator light up when they use our product and form a bond with us over the power of this plant.”

About Jack Grover- Life Before Becoming a Cannabis Business Owner and Why he Became a Cannabis Business Owner

Photo Credit: Grove Bags

Tell me about 10 year old Jack, what were his dreams and career aspirations?

“My 10 year old dreams were career aspirations that I believe were tied to being independent and self-sufficient. I grew up very different from a lot of people. Witnessing my parents being concerned for my brother who has cerebral palsy and worrying about his care, I dreamed of putting myself in position to be able to help him, help them, and build a life of my own that allowed me to see and experience everything the world has to offer. With all of that, came a bit of rebellious nature which ended up aligning with the energies of the cannabis industry if we fast forward to today.” 

What was your first real world job, pre cannabis?

“My first real-world job was in banking. I did not enjoy that one bit. I worked as an investment analyst, and shortly after I switched over to working for a startup. That startup was the first truly valuable job I had pre-cannabis. It was a Series B startup where the founders had some success, but they didn’t have a ton of traction with the product and it was a bit of a toxic workplace. 

That was a valuable experience to me because it taught me a lot about what not to do. Every morning I’d wake up with a heavy weight on my chest heading into that office. This was a valuable lesson in teaching me the importance of curating a company culture to put a team in position to thrive amongst themselves in a healthy, productive way; a big component of how I lead my team here at Grove Bags today.

Eventually, I left after about six months and then jumped over to my last job prior to entering the cannabis space and founding Grove Bags. I had a lot of success with building out an enterprise sales team and strategy for a restaurant delivery app. That was an amazing experience with extraordinary people who I’m still in touch with today. 

That opened my eyes to things and it was there at that time that I developed the confidence and momentum to go out on my own. Coupled with everything I saw going on at home with my brother Charlie’s battle with cerebral palsy, developments in the cannabis industry and medical cannabis community, and how I could fulfill a serious need in the supply chain through plant-specific packaging solutions, I left that company to start Grove Bags.”

Your brother Charlie; your why; please tell us a bit about him.

“I admire Charlie in so many ways. We always enjoy spending quality time together. The best way I can describe Charlie, as well as our relationship, is supportive. He’s always been my biggest fan, especially in starting Grove Bags and being entrepreneurial. He was a big inspiration for me to get involved in working so closely with the cannabis plant, diving deeper into how this plant medicine can transform patients’ quality of life, and what it means to advocate for people who rely on it as a significant part of their treatment plans.

The way Charlie lives his life, the way he carries himself, his character, his resilience, and how he doesn’t complain or criticize, while doing everything he can to enjoy each day, is extraordinarily admirable and something I learn a lot from. He once told me, 

‘You know, it doesn’t matter if you take me, who is in this wheelchair, or you take our Dad, or the president of the United States, Warren Buffett, or the King of Saudi Arabia, all of those people have the same 24 hours in a day. So if anyone says they didn’t have time to do something, what they’re really saying is that thing wasn’t a high enough priority.’ 

Coming from him, it meant a lot, and has stuck with me ever since. 

One of the most important things that Charlie has shown me is how to relate to and how to communicate with people, and that most of us just need to be loved, known, and respected. We can all have an extraordinary impact if we apply these principles to our day-to-day lives, both personally and professionally.” 

Jack Grover: His Passion for Preserving Cannabis and the Products Developed Because of It

Photo Credit: Grove Bags

Word has it, you’re obsessed with curing and preserving cannabis, and that you’re a packaging and material nerd; is this true?

“This is definitely true! I became interested in cannabis and saw how it was a great way to bring an outsized impact. I understood packaging and supply chains and how there was quite a bit of work to be done to improve these aspects of the industry, especially with plant-specific solutions that were tailored to the unique physiology of cannabis and how its medicinal properties are stored and optimally preserved. 

The way that all mature agricultural industries are dealing with extending product shelf life is by carefully controlling gas mixtures. Gas mixtures are the key to the enzymatic process within the plant residually after the actual drying process has ended and the curing process has begun. 

My nerdiness and passion for this might be showing, but what we’re trying to do for cannabis is really understand how these residual sugars, chlorophylls, and nutrients of the plant continue to be broken down. This is all critical to preserving the medicinal integrity of the plant from cure to consumption.” 

Can you explain to readers the difference between putting cannabis in a mason jar and putting cannabis in a Grove Bag?

“The biggest thing that’s happening when you burp your standard mason jar is that you’re not passing the right amount of atmospheric gas mixtures that you need for cannabis. This causes terpenes to become separated from the headspace of the flower and to ultimately evacuate the package. This leads to rapid evaporation and oxidation in the environment. 

This is a cause for concern because terpenes that are in the headspace of the container are being purged, instead of having a steady gas exchange where purging is nonexistent. During the curing process, you achieve a greater quality here with higher moisture weight retention, as well as a significantly lower chance of microbials entering and developing in and around the flower. Growers can experience this when using glass mason jars or old-school turkey bags.”

Tell us about the SafeVac product.

“I’m excited to share that SafeVac represents a historical development in the ability for cultivators to continue taking advantage of the benefits that vacuum sealed films bring, especially in transporting cannabis, with the added benefits of our TerpLoc technology. 

By bringing a modified atmospheric environment that’s tailored for the unique physiology of the plant, we’re enhancing the shelf life and the quality of the final product that gets into the hands of consumers. We’re also saving cultivators time by enabling them to take full advantage of auto-curing while their flower is in transport. 

This is a significant advancement as far as logistics and supply chain are concerned, especially in markets where cultivators are continuing to scale their efforts due to steady increases in consumer demand. SafeVac is especially important for fresh, frozen verticals and particularly the international market, which we’ve all witnessed blossom.

One aspect of the plant we want to make sure we preserve entirely are the trichomes. Trichomes have about 90% of the terpenes of the plant. When using a high-static environment like traditional, food-grade vacuum seal film, we’re using a material that doesn’t create the proper atmospheric environment and fuels substantial trichrome degradation. 

All in all, SafeVac represents an opportunity for the industry to leverage TerpLoc’s class of technology across larger, more sophisticated operations and markets to maintain operational efficiency, and enhance product quality and bottom line efficiency.”

Grove Bags Technology is Global and Everywhere Cannabis is Present

Photo Credit: Grove Bags

I asked Jack to close out the interview with a freestyle/ something he wanted to make sure we all understood and realized about Grove Bags:

“We mean it when we say we’re everywhere cannabis is present. Our packaging technology has made it to 67 countries now (and counting), and we’re here for any cultivator that wants to raise their bar when it comes to quality. We also couldn’t be more excited about the launch of our TerpLoc-powered PCR (post-consumer-recycled) packaging solutions. 

Our goal is to make it easy for brands to comply with regulations that enforce environmentally-friendly and sustainable packaging, while still taking full advantage of modified atmosphere packaging and its auto-curing functionality.

In the midst of all the R&D and innovating that we do, one of our top priorities is to keep our foot on the gas in educating cultivators and brands on the advantages of incorporating modified atmosphere packaging technology tailored to the unique demands of the plant, and making it a part of their post-harvest SOPs.”

Learn more about Grove Bags by visiting their website. If this story inspired you, or, you know someone it may help inspire, please share. If you are in need of the products that Grove Bags offers; visit the “shop now” page.

Photo Credit: Grove Bags

Big Thank You to cannabis industry sponsor: LOCKGREEN. Their support helps these important stories get published. 

LOCKGREEN is a Black-owned, Virginia-based company that gives cannabis consumers across the country peace of mind when safely storing and traveling in a car with their stash. LOCKGREEN stash boxes are smell-proof and have a built-in combination lock to keep kids, pets and unwanted guests out and help to prevent open container law violations when traveling in a car with cannabis.

Veronica Castillo is known as the Traveling Cannabis Writer. She was a nomadic writer on the road covering all things cannabis/ hemp/ and overall plant medicines and recently came back home to Florida, making it her homebase once again. Her body of work can be found in multiple industry publications both digital and print where she provides cannabis industry and community insights from her 5 year journey around the country. She is a collaborator, connector, always seeking to bring to light the hidden gems in the plant space. You can follow her journey on Instagram: @vee_travelingvegcannawriter and/or LinkedIn: @Traveling Cannabis Writer.

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