AFS MARYLAND

LAB FEATURE

DEDICATED PRODUCTION STAFF

DOWN THE COLUMN CUSTOM EQUIPMENT

KNOWN FOR TOP-NOTCH CARTRIDGES DIAMONDS

ADAM MERCADO

Bolstered by an agreement with Cresco Labs in mid-2019, AFS Maryland has rapidly begun expanding the vision of its small town medical Cannabis operations in 2020 - matching the might of its newfound national partner.

“It’s been a great transition,” said Manufacturing “They’re another one that just creates really, really Manager Adam Mercado. “And we’ve managed good products in Maryland,” Mercado said. to keep it local. No one came from corporate Since pairing with Cresco Labs, AFS has expanded headquarters or from out of state. Whether it’s law its staff from 10 to 16, while maintaining its producenforcement, veterans, folks from the pharmaceutical tion in a small, inconspicuous building eight miles or food industry, we’re all locals.” from the Atlantic Ocean. From outdoors, its signless

Mercado, 25, oversees production at the Snow yellow exterior leaves little to the imagination. But Hill based plant, the most eastern located processor once indoors, the hard working, cohesive staff and in all of Maryland. The Columbia native manages high-tech lab is capable of servicing every dispensary a staff of 16 highly dedicated “connoisseurs” who in Maryland with a variety of products from shatter to pride themselves on creating what they consider the wax to diamonds, and much more. best concentrates on the Maryland “Maryland is a dab heavy state medical market. “It’s a heavily connoisseur “It’s a heavily and right now dispensaries are coming a little short on that,” market, and we have a staff of connoisseur Mercado said. “There are times connoisseurs who take it very seriously,” said Mercado, who got his feet wet in the industry with Curio Wellness in 2017. “We’re only market, and we have a staff of when I’m looking forward to picking up and there’s nothing on the menu that I would want to put on a dab rig. So we’re trying putting out products that we would want to try as a staff.” Cresco Labs is one of the largest multi-state Cannabis operators in connoisseurs who take it very to put high quality products on the shelves that you’re going to enjoy dabbing.” A graduate of Towson Univerthe United States, holding a stake in 25 production facilities and 62 retail dispensaries across 12 states. seriously.” -Adam Mercado | Cresco Labs sity, Mercado isn’t just a creator - he’s also a consumer. He was diagnosed with epilepsy at the They are publicly traded in the Manufacturing Manager age of nine and struggled with U.S. and internationally, claiming recurring seizures throughout his $66.4M in revenue last quarter formative years. In high school alone. Their strong financial backing has allowed he began experimenting with Cannabis, much to the AFS Maryland to increase their monthly production chagrin of his parents. He continued his use during more than threefold ($150k to $500k), despite being college as he studied biology and exercise science, in the midst of a global pandemic. trying to find alternative methods to combat the side

“They know what they’re doing,” Mercado said. effects - such as weight gain and mood swings - that “So we take the information they’ve gained from prescription drugs produced. their success in other states, bring it here, and tailor it “I had to get more in touch with my health and my towards the Maryland market.” wellness,” Mercado said, explaining his choice of de

AFS Maryland has been creating concentrates in gree. “When I began experimenting with Cannabis, I concert with Grow West and Holistic Industries since noticed that I didn’t feel those symptoms anymore.” prior to its partnership with Cresco. This past month, Mercado calls it “a win-win,” being able to create it added SunMed Growers to its list of clientele. products that keep him seizure-free and alleviate the

“We’ve been really impressed with what they’ve ailments of thousands around his home state. been able to do,” Mercado said of the Warwick “We’re not putting out [subpar] products just for based cultivators. a profit,” he said. “It’s about whether this is actually

“They really figured things out over there and going to help somebody or be an enjoyable expebegan making some really good products.” rience. And it’s always high quality. We make it our

The AFS Maryland staff hopes to use flower from due diligence to source from better growers and get SunMed and Holistic in their upcoming rollout of better material. And our turnaround happens quickly. butane hash oil (BHO) pens, which are set to hit the We get it, extract it and it goes out the month after.” market in July. The company uses Grow West prod“We’re just trying to bring some love to Maryland,” ucts primarily for fresh frozen carts or live resin. he said with a hearty smile.