While cultivation of the cannabis flower may be the part of industry that gets the most attention, production is where the flower truly comes to life. At The Pass, a vertically integrated grower and producer of adult-use recreational cannabis products based in Sheffield, Massachusetts, the production team is always focused on delivering the highest potential of the plant, from seed to sale.
True to its Berkshires-inspired farm-to-label philosophy, the flower grown at one of The Pass’s two cultivation facilities takes a short trip over to the on-site production facility, where the processing, lab, and kitchen teams get to work. The kitchen team is led by Marijuana Infused Product Manager Tara Patruno, who orchestrates the day-to-day production of all of The Pass’s infused products, from gummies to tinctures to topicals and more.
Patruno, a classically trained baker and Western Massachusetts native, joined the cannabis industry in 2017 working in post-harvest processes like drying, trimming, and packaging. “In my earlier years of baking after culinary school I always wanted to make edibles,” she says. “After I began working in the cannabis industry, I learned so much more about the plant and fell deeply in love.”
With that formal industry experience under her belt, she felt ready to combine her culinary skill set with her passion for the plant. “After cultivating the plant myself I really became more focused on how I could deliver the right effects and healing properties via an edible,” she says. “To this day, that’s what drives my passion for research on the most current information on all cannabinoids and terpenes.”
In her current role, Patruno works with her team to ensure accurate and consistent formulations for all of The Pass’s infused products, though she occasionally still drops into the manufacturing process herself. “Since I have a history as a production baker, I enjoy spending time on the production line,” she says. “This allows me to get a pulse on the team’s work and make adjustments if necessary to make the process more efficient.”
And in the coming months, Patruno’s team will be seriously scaling up their operations, thanks to a 40,000-square-foot space coming on line as The Pass’s third licensed site, which has been retrofitted for the exanding processing and manufacturing needs of its in-house retail and Massachusetts dispensary partners.
Among the many products that Patruno oversees formulations of include The Pass’s popular Sun-Up and Knockout gummies. Designed for use at the start and end of the day, the aptly named twosome were launched last year and have quickly become some of The Pass’s most popular edibles.
The tart-sweet strawberry lemonade-flavored Sun Ups are formulated with 5mg of THC distillate and vitamins C and D, while the fruit punch-flavored Knockouts are formulated with the same 5mg of THC distillate and 2mg of melatonin. The delicious duo have quickly become customer and staff favorites, speaking to the thoughtfulness that goes into every point of the company’s process.
To learn more about The Pass’s products, visit Thepass.co.
PLEASE CONSUME RESPONSIBLY. This product may cause impairment and may be habit-forming. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. The impairment effects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222- 1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA. This content is made possible by our sponsor. It does not necessarily reflect the attitude, views, or opinions of the Chronogram editorial staff.
