2025-09-05
If you want your cannabis brand on the shelf, you have to get past Julio Vasquez. As the Director of Procurement for Temescal Wellness, he manages hundreds of SKUs and dictates what sells and what sits. But Julio isn't just a buyer, he's a tastemaker. In this episode, Julio sits down with Jason to reveal the exact criteria that gets a brand onto his menu, the brutal truth behind a $20 million failed cultivation project, and how he's building Ultra Premium Gas (UPG) to finally give the Latino community an authentic voice in the cannabis industry. Chapters: 00:00 Meet the Gatekeeper: Sourcing Cannabis for the Masses 02:43 The Golden Era of Medical Cannabis vs. Adult Use Shortcuts 07:45 Rhode Island’s Co-Op Lottery & Retaining Top Talent 14:01 The Buyer's Checklist: How to Actually Get on the Menu 17:42 Why the Obsession with "High THC" is Ruining Weed 23:33 Surviving a $20 Million Failed Cultivation Project 30:51 The Upsell: How Dispensaries Survive Price Compression 41:24 Prepping for the 2-Ounce Allotment Increase 46:09 The Dirty Truth About Delta 9 Conversions & Hemp 54:12 Ultra Premium Gas: Building a Latino Cannabis Empire 01:05:43 Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling, and Cannabis Recovery 01:10:05 Why "Taste" is the One Thing AI Can't Replace in Weed 🚨 Disclaimer: This episode discusses adult-use business operations. Intended for audiences 21+. Please engage responsibly and follow your local laws.