38_European_Business_Magazine_Summer_2020

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James Storie-Pugh, Founder of Mellow talks to European Business Magazine industry wide regula on to further legi mise our industry. In the UK, legal CBD products must contain ‘no trace’ of the psychoac ve compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), guidance which causes confusion as there is no standard tes ng regime to meet this requirement. For comparison, in Germany the threshold is 0.2% and in Switzerland it’s 1%. As part of our onboarding process, we make sure the brands we curate as part of the mellow marketplace adhere to the highest level of quality control and industry tes ng. Were there any other legal issues in the UK? There are a few obstacles to overcome. The latest legisla on classes CBD as a novel food and all products containing CBD which are consumed by humans must be approved to be placed on the market by 31 March 2021. CBD products for use by animals is a grey legal area in the UK. CBD for use in pets can currently only be prescribed by veterinarians and CBD pet products should be approved by the Veterinary Medicine Directorate. There are also restric ons on CBD adver sing. Classificaons can differ depending on whether they are food, food supplement, novel food or medicine and so unsupported health claims have to be avoided. Google also bans ads with any CBD-related keywords, and Facebook/Instagram do not allow paid adver sing of CBD products. So marketing plans need to take into considera on what’s possible. What is mellow’s USP? How did mellow start? Mellow is a fully managed, curated online marketplace for global CBD (cannabidiol) brands. Myself and Neil (co-founder) set up mellow earlier this year when we realised the huge poten al for the growing CBD market in the UK. We wanted to provide a pla orm where consumers could have the confidence to make smart and confident purchasing decisions and enjoy the poten al benefits of CBD including pain relief and help with sleep concerns, and also connect premium CBD brands with a global audience. We’re also hoping to with expand into other (nonCBD) sectors that promote wellness as a key part of a posi ve healthy lifestyle. Is the pla orm legal in the UK? Our marketplace pla orm is 100% legal in the UK. The legali es surrounding CBD itself are complex and are at infant stage – something we are really mo vated to educate consumers and investors on, and encourage more 16 europeanbusinessmagazine.com

Our key USP is the technology offered to our premium brands, integra ng tools that allow them to successfully sell, reach a global consumer base, and grow their demand. These tools include a fully func oning mul -merchant pay-out capability, bespoke merchant onboarding, scalable business intelligence and seller data analysis tools, and mul -currency banking and pay-out solu ons, a par cularly significant differen ator in our sector. Our own personal experience also sets us apart from our compe on; myself and Neil have a combined forty years of experience working with and around marketplaces. Is mellow the first CBD marketplace in Europe? Our marketplace is the first in the UK to offer consumers’ access to global brands that have been fully ve ed to ensure their quality and that otherwise wouldn’t be easily accessible. It is also unique – for example, contrary to popular belief, Amazon does not sell CBD products, allowing us to serve a growing consumer demand that the marketplace giant cannot.


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Articles inside

Do Black Lives Matter in Business?

6min
pages 112-116

Almost one fifth of SMEs don’t think they’d survive another lockdown

3min
page 111

Businesses are paying the price of stressed staff as pandemic

6min
pages 94-95

HOW SEARCH ENGINES REALLY WORK

25min
pages 98-104

Can Europe Overcome The Next Wave Of The Pandemic

5min
pages 90-91

money pressure takes its toll How to conduct risk assessment of your receivables

6min
pages 96-97

Reframing ‘Work / Life Balance

6min
pages 92-93

Ten years in compliance: Reflecting on the UK Bribery Act

4min
pages 88-89

US vs Europe: Tensions Rise

5min
pages 86-87

Refinitiv battle reveals unease over power of modern stock markets

5min
pages 84-85

Why You Should Consider Starting a Business in Bermuda, Too

6min
pages 82-83

SMEs Post Lockdown 5 European Google competitors to watch

5min
pages 80-81

European App Developers Create New Service to Help Struggling

1min
page 79

What happens to innovations in a crisis?

28min
pages 65-73

Why Dating Apps are Old News and Matchmaking Services are Booming

6min
pages 74-75

Irene Valenti, founder of Valenti International

8min
pages 76-78

Romain Gerardin-Fresse, Ceo and Founder of GFK Conseils-Juridis

26min
pages 56-64

Odd Sverre Østlie, CEO of Pexip

11min
pages 50-53

Building a finance function from the ground up

4min
pages 54-55

Max Studennikoff, Ceo and Founder of CC Forum

7min
pages 46-47

Work from Home Revolution: Video-conferencing is About

6min
pages 48-49

Tens Of Thousands Protest Pandemic Restrictions In Berlin

3min
pages 44-45

Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery and New Market Space in China

6min
pages 40-43

Why Iceland is the Perfect Spot to Do Business

4min
pages 38-39

Can Industries Bounce Back after the Coronavirus Outbreak?

9min
pages 30-33

Cloud, cyber security & leading in a threat environment without decelerating innovation

5min
pages 36-37

Safe-Haven Assets: Coronavirus Market Crash Make Investors

6min
pages 28-29

What is the Future of Money and Are We Ready For It?

6min
pages 26-27

Iowa: A Smart Investment in America’s Midwest

6min
pages 34-35

Latest News

13min
pages 8-11

Mass exodus from the UK

4min
pages 22-23

Bumper year of sport to boost air charter industry in 2021

4min
pages 12-13

Digital Confidence Will Play A Critical Role In Allowing

5min
pages 18-19

Why The Moroccan Pharma Industry Matters To Europe

3min
pages 24-25

The World Economic Forum Suggests a Different Post-Covid

5min
pages 14-15

Social media: Are we in control?

6min
pages 20-21

James Storie-Pugh, Founder of Mellow

3min
pages 16-17
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