Blockchain Technology to be Applied to Enhance Safety Efforts and Tackle the Black Market
SACRAMENTO, Calif., (June 16, 2022) –CA State Fair Cannabis Awards today announced a new partnership with
KOLAS to provide, for the first-time, a registered digital certification via Blockchain technology to the CA State Fair
Cannabis Awards to authenticate and protect the award-winning product. The CA State Fair Cannabis Awards is a state
agency-sanctioned competition open to all licensed California cannabis cultivators that will celebrate the 2021/2022
harvest of the California-grown, cannabis flower.
KOLAS Technology SBM (Stop Black Market), a subsidiary of Sacramento-based cannabis giant KOLAS, will provide each
of the 70 CA State Fair Cannabis Award Winners a certificate with a unique QR code that will link to the specific details of
the award-winning entry. Award winners will then have the option to utilize customized medallions for packaging that
will verify the authenticity of each product, enhance safety, and forever protect it from fraud via the illegal underground
economy known as the black market.
“This new technology will provide unfalsifiable certificates so that consumers know the exact origins of the product, and
most importantly, provide one more layer of safety,” said KOLAS Co-founder Garib Karapetyan. “This will also protect
and preserve the grower’s craft and the specific genetics of the plant. Not only is this good for the consumers but also
for the cultivators, producers and testing labs. We are thrilled to launch our new technology with this first-ever event.”
Sacramento-based KOLAS currently operates several cannabis dispensaries, delivery, e-commerce, and manufacturing
labs in California. The company is also dedicated to developing new technologies to support the legal cannabis market
and thwart the black market.
“We are pleased to welcome KOLAS as our presenting sponsor, and to launch this new technology in conjunction with
this historic cannabis competition,” said James Leitz, CEO of Cultivar Brands and executive producer of the Awards. “The
digital authentications will add even more value to our contest and the participating cultivators. KOLAS shares our
passion to continue the normalization of the legal cannabis industry, support safe consumer use and protect California
legacy and craft.”
The cannabis competition is the latest edition to the CA State Fair and will join a roster of coveted, annual competitions
celebrating California’s rich agricultural history and dynamic industries including wine, cheese, olive oil and craft beer.
More than 70 silver, gold and double gold medals will be awarded, including coveted Golden Bear trophies for “Best in
California.” The award winners will be celebrated and showcased at the CA State Fair from July 15-31, 2022, at the Cal
Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento, California.
The awards have been developed in partnership between the California Exhibition & State Fair and Cultivar Brands, a
California-based cannabis marketing and events agency who specializes in the creation of programs that continue to
move cannabis into the mainstream. For more information on the CA Cannabis Competition & Awards, visit www.castatefaircannabisawards.com.
About the CA State Fair
The CA State Fair is an international award-winning fair, receiving top honors at the International Association of Fairs
and Expositions out of more than 1,100 fairs worldwide. The CA State Fair is dedicated as a place to celebrate the best
the state has to offer in agriculture, technology, and the diversity of its people, traditions, and trends that shape the
Golden State’s future. www.calexpostatefair.com
About KOLAS
Founded in 2007, KOLAS is an industry-leading vertically integrated cannabis and hemp company headquartered in
Sacramento, California. Fueled by the ambition to educate individuals on the benefits of cannabis/hemp products, the
professionals at KOLAS seek to remove the negative stigma associated with cannabis and cannabis-related products
while also building awareness of the benefits of the plant and its derivatives. The company operates several retail stores,
delivery, cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and compliance services and is a strong advocate for cannabis via civic,
governmental, and cultural initiatives.
About Cultivar Brands, Inc.
Cultivar Brands, Inc. is a strategic marketing agency specializing in cannabis. With years of travel experience and
proprietary research and insights, Cultivar Brands offers thought-leadership at the forefront of the cannabis travel trend.
Our brand consulting and events divisions foster deep relationships within the cannabis and hemp industries, offering
our clients and partners decades of campaign development and event management expertise.www.cultivarstrategies.com
Media Contact:
DeeDee Taft
Spin Communications
deedee@spinpr.com, T: +1-415-515-1229
