BINSKE: GIVING CONSUMERS A TASTE OF THE HIGH LIFE

By: Stephanie Shehan

In early 2013, Jake Pasternack began looking at opportunities to get involved in the cannabis space. At the time, he was in Los Angeles working in the entertainment sector. With a core area of expertise in the creation of intellectual property (building luxury brands) and licensing that intellectual property, he took the principals he had learned in entertainment and applied them to the cannabis industry.  It didn’t take long for his brother Alex to jump on board.   Simply put, the pair felt that the highest standards for cannabis did not exist, so they set out to create them. Binske launched in 2015 in Colorado and has continued to grow at an exponential rate since its inception. Within the first 18 months in business, the brothers signed their first licensing deal and won Leafly’s Edible Brand of the Year award, which essentially put them on the map. Fast forward to today, and Binske is now a multi-state brand delivering an elevated experience to give every consumer a taste of the high life. 

I recently sat down with Jake and Alex to find out all about the Binske brand and what sets it apart from other brands within the industry.

STEPHANIE SHEHAN: The Binske brand grew quite quickly.  How many states are you in now?  And, what states are you looking at next?

ALEX PASTERNACK: Binske has developed a national following thanks to our artisanal packaging, proprietary strains, and purposefully sourced ingredients from across the globe.  The proof is in the pudding: 2021 was a milestone year for us as we doubled our market count, growing on the production and distribution side (we entered California, Michigan and Washington).  Right now, our comprehensive suite of more than 150 cannabis products are sold at close to five hundred retailers across Colorado, Nevada, Florida, California, Michigan and Washington.  But of course, Binske is only getting started and has big plans for expansion. We have an aggressive strategy to enter at least three new markets across the U.S. in 2022, as well as international.

SS: Tell me about the Binske name – where did it come from?

JAKE PASTERNACK: When my brother and I were growing up, we would refer to a joint as a Dubinsky. When I went to college, my entire circle of friends began using the word too, and overtime, the ‘Dub’ part was dropped, and it just became the word Binske. What can I say, it clearly stuck! 

SS:  You have a beautiful aesthetic to your packaging.  Tell me where the art came from and how it was developed.

JP: When crafting the Binske brand, we wanted our visual identity – from our product packaging to our website – to be stimulating, sophisticated, striking and alluring to the senses. 

We commissioned an iconic European artist to create a set of collages for us, which helped secure our position as a staple in the cannabis space. Our unique artistry has truly become the backbone of our brand aesthetic and elevates our product differentiation in a highly competitive space.

SS: What types of products do you offer under the Binske brand?

AP: Binske offers a full suite of cannabis products, with more than 150+ skus, from flower and edibles to concentrates and vapes, that enhance any consumer’s state of being.

SS: What sets Binske products apart from other cannabis brands?

JP: Our immaculate attention to detail and commitment to the highest quality consumer experience sets us far ahead of the status quo. 

At Binske, innovation is in our blood. When we first started making edibles, our competitors viewed raw food ingredients as a carrier for the high – simply put, most were solely focused on delivering THC to the consumer. Competitors at the time did not care about the quality of the raw ingredients being consumed. For Binske, research and development surrounding the quality of our ingredients has been a huge part of our competitive edge, guiding us to differentiate from the status quo industry in a meaningful way. 

We realized very early on those raw ingredients needed to be thoughtfully considered in development. We are continually driven by one single ambition: to make the best-tasting and highest quality cannabis products.  It is why every single one of Binske’s farm-to-table products are made with artisanal ingredients from all over the world. 

SS: With this being our annual food issue, we have to delve into the edibles you offer.  In my opinion, the way you have managed to source chocolate and other food products really makes your edibles shine.  Tell me about some of your premiere products and the ingredients that go into them.  

AP: Our unmatched edibles have amassed a serious following that continue to win us awards.  In fact, all of our chocolate products are made with one of the rarest, most prized varieties of cacao, exclusively sourced by Binske from the heart of Peru. 

We also recently announced a new line of cannabis coffee products, where our chocolate bars – already on shelves in Nevada and beyond – infuse Intelligentsia Coffee beans as a key ingredient. Intelligentsia is a highly regarded specialty coffee brand on a never-ending quest for the most extraordinary coffee in the world – the synergies with the brands are crystal clear. 

Finally, we also offer flavor-packed, vegan gummies and extra virgin infused olive oil, made with freshly harvested olives from a certified organic farm in the Santa Ynez Valley of California.

Ultimately, investing in our R&D process, combined with our commitment to innovation, has been critical. Consumer loyalty for Binske drives our expansion across new and existing territories.

SS: Where can readers find Binske products here in Nevada?

AP: Binske products can be found across the state on the shelves at top retailers including MedMen, Planet 13, Silver State Relief, Thrive, Pisos, NuLeaf, and Inyo. To find the closest retailer, readers should visit Binske.com.

SS: What will we see from Binske in the future?

JP: The future for us is quite simple: we will continue to develop innovative, world-class IP and allocate our resources towards enhancing consumer patronage by elevating consumer experience with our products. 

SS: Do each of you have a favorite strain and/or consumption method?

JP: I am partial to the sweet, fruity genetics (Banana, Blueberry, Mango) and the gassy OG’s (Merovingian OG, Cleopatra OG). I am an old school type of consumer, and enjoy flower. Joints or ‘binskes’ with just a sprinkle of hash is my typical go to.  

AP: I use cannabis mostly for sleep, so I prefer heavy indicas. Currently using flower products more than vapes, but it’s come in waves. Our solventless hash line that’s being rolled out is insanely tasty, and I can’t get enough of it.

SS: How can readers follow the Binske brand on social media? 

AP:  We encourage readers to throw us a follow on Instagram (@binske) or visit our site at Binske.com.