Pyramid Seeds is one of the oldest cannabis seed producers in the global market. The company’s history began more than 18 years ago. Before that, the founders of the seed bank had been growing cannabis themselves for many years.
Pyramid Seeds has just launched a new collection of seeds featuring American genetics, including Lemon Larry OG, autoflowering versions of Gorila, Cookies USA, Black Cherry Punch, Gelato, Do-Si-Dos and several other remarkable strains.
This was the reason for our meeting with Ricardo, one of the founders of Pyramid Seeds.
- Hi, Ricardo! How are you? What’s new?
- Everything is great. We’ve just returned from a trade show in Chile, the THC Expo, where we presented our new Heart Notes seed collection. I’m very happy!
- Oh, you just spoiled all the suspense!
- Really?
- Yes, that’s exactly what I wanted to talk about. And since we’ve jumped straight to the point, I’ll ask you the first question that’s in the air. I hope it won’t seem too provocative. But I wouldn’t be forgiven if I didn’t ask it.
- Really? Well, go ahead! I’m ready! (laughs)
- You’ve just launched several new American strains. The collection looks fantastic and promising! But! Many seed banks released similar genetics earlier. Why did you delay for so long?
- If you were hoping to catch me off guard, I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you. The answer to this question is very simple: it’s the philosophy of our company.
- (surprised) I think I don’t quite understand you.
- Let me explain with an example. Tell me, what do you associate with the brand Volvo?
- Let me think... Quality, reliability, family car?
- Well, the last one doesn’t really apply to our conversation, but the first two are spot on! Volvo’s success comes from maintaining high standards of quality, both in production and in the materials used. This ensures customer trust and a high level of satisfaction.
And most importantly: Volvo introduces innovations, but it doesn’t try to be the first. The key is to ensure the reliability of those innovations, and that takes time.
- So you mean to say...
- I mean that our priority isn’t the speed of implementing innovations, but the highest quality and reliability of the product.
Pyramid Seeds is the Volvo of the cannabis world. So, we first carefully select and test new genetics, then our breeders choose the best options, and finally, we check their reliability. Only when we are absolutely sure of the final result do we release the seeds onto the market.
In our company, the process of releasing a new strain can take two years, sometimes longer.
- But customers are constantly looking for new things. Aren’t you afraid that other producers will beat you to it?
- Customers have different behavior patterns. And this isn’t just about the cannabis seed market; it’s the same in any market. Some people want to be among the first to try new things. Others prefer to wait until others have tested these new strains, and only then decide if they need them.
- So you’re not afraid of losing customers?
- We’re actually making sure that customers who share our values stick with us for as long as possible. We constantly keep an eye on new trends in the cannabis seed world, on fashion. But we’re not ready to implement everything immediately, because we don’t want to experiment on our customers.
So if you’re looking for bold experiments with unpredictable results, you might want to check out other seed banks. But if you’re looking for guarantees of quality, reliability, and compliance with the stated characteristics, welcome to Pyramid Seeds!
- Okay, then let’s break down your ideology using your new collection as an example. Why is it called Heart Notes?
- Because, in addition to the quality and stability of the genetics in the collection, our breeders also aimed for a unique terpene profile.
- I get what you’re saying, but let’s clarify for our readers. What if not everyone fully understands what that means and why it’s important?
- It’s really important because many customers focus only on the basic characteristics: yield and THC/CBD levels. But our industry has evolved. What are terpenes? They’re organic compounds that give plants their scent and flavor. For example, limonene gives a citrus smell...
- Oh, yes! My favorite is myrcene!
- I understand. It has a sweet or even spicy aroma. Some terpene profiles can interact with cannabinoids (like THC and CBD), enhancing or even changing their effects. This phenomenon is called the “Entourage effect.”
Unfortunately, not all customers yet understand that it’s not just the characteristics provided by the producer that influence the result—what your experience will be is influenced by more factors
- But you want to change that?
- We want to show our customers how rich the world of strains with unique terpene profiles can be! We want them to see for themselves how the effect and intensity depend not just on the numbers in the characteristics table.
- And that’s how we come back to Heart Notes...
- Exactly. It’s a well-known concept, used, for example, in perfumery. Every fragrance is divided into:
Top Notes – the first scents you perceive immediately.
Heart Notes – these begin to emerge after the top notes evaporate. They form the “heart” of the fragrance and are usually deeper and more complex. They define the overall character of the scent.
Base Notes – the deepest and most lasting notes that become noticeable once the fragrance is fully developed. Heart Notes are what create your lasting impression. It’s what you remember. And we worked hard to make familiar genetics reveal their potential in a completely new way for the customer.
- That sounds incredible! If it’s not a secret, how did you achieve that?
- Of course, it’s a secret! (laughs) But, to put it briefly: terpene profiles can vary depending on the strain, growing conditions, and processing method. Different cannabis strains have their own unique terpene profiles. In the lab, we analyze the terpenes to determine their concentration and profile in cannabis samples, which helps us choose the ones with the desired characteristics.
- I imagine that requires a lot of money, right?
- And time. We’re back to where we started: any innovation requires, above all, an investment of time and money. But we’re confident that our customers are in for a completely new level of experience.
- For example?
For example, Auto Black Cherry Punch. Its Heart Notes are reminiscent of the complex aroma of freshly baked cherry pie. Auto Do-Si-Dos has an amazing scent of rain on a tropical beach. There’s freshness, wet sand, and the sweetness of tropical flowers and fruits.
- That sounds intriguing! What’s your favorite strain from the new collection?
- All of them!
- But if you had to choose one, where would you recommend starting?
- Try Mendocino Purple Kush. First, it’s an incredibly beautiful plant with purple buds. Second, it has the scent of morning dew and sweet flowers. It’s a true pleasure for all the senses.
- And which strain has the most unusual aroma?
- All the strains in the collection have unique aromas. Just check out their descriptions on our website. We’ve done our best to describe the results of our work in detail, and we’re incredibly proud of them!
- You know, I’ve been thinking… All of this sounds really cool. I’ve seen a lot of catchy names and impressive features from your competitors…
- I prefer to call them colleagues in the industry.
- Okay, your colleagues. It always sounds very appealing, but the price! You’re still in a very affordable price range. With this approach, you could have raised your prices long ago.
- We could have, but for what purpose? We’ve been in this market for almost 20 years. We’ve seen brands rise and fall. After the pandemic, many companies shut down, as you know. But a huge number of new brands also appeared. Honestly, I can’t imagine how an average customer (especially a beginner) can choose among them. Brands are fighting for every customer, investing tons of money in marketing and eye-catching ads, just to stay afloat.
We’ve been working for a long time. We know our value and the value of our product. Our customers understand that behind a price that’s too low lies low quality. And what lies behind a price that’s too high?
- Too high quality? (laughs)
- Are you sure? Experience suggests that’s not always the case. Sometimes behind a too-high price is simply… a too-high price. But we are free people. Every producer has the right to set their own product price based on their perceptions or the market situation. I don’t judge anyone. We see our mission as providing the customer with a fair price. Maybe that sounds old-fashioned, but that’s how I was raised.
- You’re about stability, I get it.
- In certain matters, yes. But that doesn’t mean we’re behind the trends. We just have our own path.
- But it’s not just fashion that influences the emergence of new strains, it’s also science and new discoveries, right?
- Absolutely. We closely follow the work of scientists from different parts of the world. By the way, we’ve launched our own blog, which is mainly dedicated to this topic. So, if you’re interested in news about the use of cannabis in medicine, veterinary science, and agriculture, or the discovery of new cannabinoids and their properties, check out our website.
- Since you mentioned other seed banks, what’s your opinion? How is the cannabis seed market evolving right now?
- The market has changed a lot in recent years. As I mentioned, the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact. Not all seed producers were able to work effectively in the new conditions, when traditional methods of advertising, selling, and delivering no longer worked as they used to. Some producers left the market, but new competitors arrived.
- And what’s happening in the new markets, where legalization has happened recently?
- In the new markets, the situation is even more complex. Local consumers don’t have much experience and don’t understand the difference between seeds from well-known brands and anonymous products. Chasing low prices, some customers buy low-quality seeds, and as a result, they don’t achieve good outcomes. This damages the industry as a whole.
- Do you think the situation will improve?
- I’m sure it will. Over time, customers will gain the necessary experience, choose their favorite seed banks and strains, and enjoy both the process and the results.
As for us, we’re always ready to share our knowledge, experience, and advice with all enthusiasts and growers. Stay in touch with us; we’re always open to dialogue and collaboration!
- You’ve wrapped it up beautifully! Ricardo, I sincerely thank you for this conversation and your time. I’m sure the readers will appreciate it!
- Thank you, too. It’s been a pleasure.
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