Live Resin. Terp Sauce. You’re probably familiar with HTE (High Terpene Extract). HTEs are full-spectrum blends of cannabinoids with a high concentration of terpenes. They give us robust, “saucy” concentrates that preserve the complex range of compounds within the raw cannabis plant. HTEs tend to have a cannabinoid potency of around 50%, whereas HCEs (High Cannabinoid Extracts) have around 90%.

When it comes to using HTEs as your flavor and terpene inputs in vape formulation, there are potential drawbacks. Here, we highlight a few:

• Use of high THC material: High THC material means you’re restricted in crossing state lines. This hinders your ability to back a nationally standardized product line.

• Use of frozen material: While the fresh-frozen processing method preserves the valuable terpenes, there are inherent risks. Not only is the quality of the terpenes diminished through the freezing process, but mold and other microbes can contaminate the plant if the process is done incorrectly. Freezer burn can also occur, leaving the plant unusable.

• Need for decarboxylation: Most often done through heat exposure, the process of decarboxylation risks degrading the most valuable volatile essential oil compounds of the plant if it’s not done properly.

• Inclusion of fats and lipids: These are becoming undesirable compounds in high-quality vape product lines.

• Lack of batch consistency: Batch to batch variance from inconsistent sources makes maintaining flavor and menu surety far from a guarantee.

• Difficulty in sourcing HTE at consistent prices in local markets: This leads to supply chain constriction and scaling issues.

Opportunities for HTE Vapes

By adding a 2-5% cut of Fresh Never Frozen® to vapes, you can enhance your current product flavors (or create a new product category) with consistency. This is typically useful for people decarbing HTE and burning terpenes. This positions you to standardize live products across state lines and scale with more ease.