What It Took: 15 Years of Grit, Growth, and Game-Changing Edibles

By Kristi Palmer, Co-Founder of Kiva Confections

Fifteen years ago, if you had told me that a side hustle in my kitchen would grow into one of the most trusted cannabis edible companies in the country, I would’ve laughed- and then gone back to hot-wiring the washing machine to make another batch of chocolate.

Yes, that actually happened.

Kiva Confections started in 2010 in our home kitchen in California. Back then, edibles were... rough. No one knew what they were getting into- dosages were inconsistent, flavors were questionable, and the experience was often way too intense and, shall we say, unpalatable. I had introduced my husband Scott to cannabis in college and we really believed in the plant, but couldn’t find products we could recommend to friends and family. So Scott and I set out to create edibles that were delicious, precisely-dosed, and above all, trustworthy. We had no idea the incredible journey we were in for.

When you tell people you make edibles, they immediately picture a psychedelic Willy Wonka–type chocolate factory. The truth is, taste testing edibles in the early days was tricky. We were constantly developing and refining recipes, but it was impossible to taste test our products for potency all on our own (even with 7 roommates). For that we would need a professional cannabis testing lab, which were thankfully beginning to emerge at this time. These labs became essential partners, helping us ensure that each batch was safe and dosed exactly as intended. That early collaboration laid the foundation for the reliable products we make today, where consistent, perfectly-dosed edibles are still the backbone of our company and our promise to consumers.

Over the last 15 years, we’ve expanded from chocolate bars to chocolate bites, mints, gummies, and chews. Every format required painstaking R&D to perfect the extracts, dosing, flavors, and packaging- not to mention the unique identity of each brand. Creating new, useful ways for people to consume cannabis is what drives this company. Some of our biggest product wins have included:

• Kiva Bars were among the first professionally packaged, precisely dosed, lab-tested edibles in California.
• Terra Bites were chocolate pieces dosed at 5mg THC each that made grabbing a measured bite super convenient.
• Petra Mints introduced microdosing to many consumers for the first time.
  
  
• Camino Midnight Blueberry pioneered the use of CBN in edibles for sleep support, launching a whole new category of products.
  
  
• Lost Farm became the first strain-specific 100% live resin and live rosin edible on the market.

These products were built around what we believed consumers deserved: consistency, craveworthy flavors, thoughtful formats, and moments of delight. They weren’t easy to create, but each began with the conviction that something better was possible.

There are so many unforgettable moments from those early years. One that stands out: Scott once raced to a big tradeshow with a trunk full of chocolate bars and hash oil splattered across his clothes after a small production mishap. He got pulled over on the way, heart pounding, but by some twist of fate, the officer was called away before asking any questions. It’s wild to think how close we came to a very different ending.

As the company grew, Scott and I realized that making great products wasn’t enough- we had to fight for the future of the industry too. I joined and led state cannabis business associations to advocate for consumer protections, common-sense regulations, and a fair playing field for legitimate businesses. I’m incredibly proud of the work we did with the CCIA and CCMA to help keep the industry, and small businesses, alive through countless challenges.

Today, despite the odds, the setbacks, and the regulatory hurdles, Kiva is flourishing with a team of more than 400 truly fantastic, talented, passionate people across the country. We’ve expanded beyond California to dispensaries, delivery services, and retail shelves across the nation, and our Camino hemp gummies can now be delivered legally and safely to most states.

But what matters most to Scott and me isn’t our size- it’s the trust we’ve built. We know edibles can be intimidating, and we keep that first-time consumer in mind with everything we do. There are so many people out there who want to feel better, sleep more soundly, laugh a little easier, and still feel confidently in control. Products like Camino help make that possible.

Fifteen years ago, we were just two twenty-somethings in a recession with a belief in this plant and a lot of chocolate. No funding, no blueprint- just conviction, curiosity, and grit. Today, we’re crafting award-winning products that help millions of people feel more like themselves.

To everyone who’s been part of this wild ride: thank you. Your support, your trust, and your belief in us and this community mean the world. It’s taken everything we had to get here, and everything we’ve learned is going into what’s next.

— Kristi