Proper named Brand of the Year
Best of the Industry 2023 – Brand of the Year
The Missouri cannabis industry has grown at a breakneck pace since the first legal marijuana sale in October of 2020. In the two years since, more than 400 companies, over 10,000 employees, and more than 200,000 patients had participated in Missouri’s marijuana market before the end of 2022.
Proper has become one of Missouri’s most revered and recognized cannabis brands. Last year, Proper was recognized by Greenway readers as Company of the Year and Best Manufacturer and secured awards for Best Concentrate with Love Potion Live Badder and Best Chocolate Edible with the Honeybee Peanut + Pretzel Milk Chocolate.
In 2022, much of the company’s success repeated itself.
“2022 was a huge year for Proper,” explained Matt Labrier, COO & Co-founder of Proper Cannabis. “We doubled our staff in order to keep up with demand. We added over 40 new strains to our genetic library, released our first pheno hunt box, launched the Goodnight brand in both gumdrops and vapes, expanded our Honeybee line, and dropped our highly anticipated solventless line.”
Despite the additional work, stress, and obstacles that accompany the launch of new brands and products and the expansion of staff, Proper never missed a beat. The pheno hunt was a tremendous success and became one of the most talked about limited drops of the year, while Goodnight was nominated for Product of the Year. The company’s success was recognized again as Greenway readers selected Proper as Brand of the Year, Best Cultivator and again choosing Proper as Best Manufacturer, for the second year in a row. The manufacturing team also brings home awards for Best Concentrate with Proper Cannabis’ Brighter Future and Best Chocolate Edible for the Honeybee Salted Brownie Batter 1:1 bar.
Greenway spoke to Labrier about Proper’s successes and its focus moving forward.
“Quality is—and will remain—our focus in everything we do,” Labrier said. “We want customers and patients to know that if they’re buying any Proper Brands product or visiting a Proper dispensary, they’re getting the best experience possible.”
That focus on quality is an obsession, according to Labrier, it’s a driving factor in what pushes Proper’s success. “If you’re buying Proper, you know what you’re getting every time. We stand by every single thing we sell. Whether you’re buying a gumdrop from Honeybee, a rosin bucket from Proper Cannabis, or RATIO mints, we want it to be the best-in-class experience no matter the category,” he continued. “We stand behind our products 100%. If there are issues, patients & customers know they can reach out and we’ll make it right. That’s the Proper difference.”
With the launch of adult use, how do you intend to stay competitive as the Missouri market continues to grow?
We’re going to continue to evolve; we try to keep our finger not just on the pulse of Missouri, but what’s going on nationally. We will continue to push ourselves and to push the market. New brands, new genetics, new product lines.
At our core, we are people that love—and consume—our products. We want to make products that we love, that the consumer wants and that we can stand behind.
What does the legalization of marijuana for adult use mean for your company?
Obviously, it widens our audience but doesn’t change our approach. Whether you’re a medical patient or an adult consumer, we want to make sure we’re creating products and experiences that improve your life through this plant.
Can you tell readers about Proper’s community involvement?
We formed the New Growth Horizon Charitable Foundation when we started, but it really took off in 2022. We’ve donated over $100,000 at this point, with many of the charities being picked by our employees. For 2023, we’ve implemented an internal New Growth Horizon Charity Committee, made up entirely of our employees, to help guide our donations and volunteering.
What plans are on the horizon for Proper?
We want to keep our cards close to the chest, but it’s safe to say you can expect new form factors, new flavors, and constant innovation.
Brand of the Year
Proper
Best Cultivator
Proper
Best Manufacturer
Proper
Best Concentrate
Proper – Brighter Future
Best Edible – Chocolate
Honeybee – Salted Brownie Batter 1:1