Cannabis edibles have come a long way from their homemade magic brownie days. THC gummies, also known as weed gummies or Cannabis-infused edibles are one of the fastest growing segments in the weed industry, offering a smoke-free alternative to consumers. And despite regulatory hurdles, gummies are here to stay, with unique infusions and flavors that are shaking up the fast-moving ecosystem.
Tapping into this highly competitive world is the first Mexican-owned edibles brand in California, Dulzé. The artisan gummy brand founded by Chef Mike Moya offers traditional Latino flavors in a variety of doses, including horchata, mango chamoy, margarita, Piña Colada, and chili watermelon gummies, a personal favorite of Moya’s that kicked off his company six years ago.
“We started off with a chili watermelon. Because that’s my favorite Mexican candy, the paleta sandia,” says Moya, “I knew if I could recreate that into a gummy that I would have a home run. And after seven, eight months of trial and error, we were able to put something out that was very emotionally attached to us and could really resonate with our past.” Dulzé offers flavor variations for every consumer, with 2 mg microdose gummies for new snackers and beginners, to macro-dose gummies for heavy-dose regulars.
Chef Moya was born in Florida, but spent his childhood between Ciudad Juárez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas. He attended a trade school program in culinary arts during his last two years of high school, which would eventually lead him to Southwest Minnesota State University, where he studied Culinology and Restaurant Management.
At 22 years old, Chef Moya became executive chef at a local restaurant in Texas, before the California dream came knocking at his door. A friend had brought over a DVD, which featured a woman making THC-infused butter. Moya, who was already partial to smoking, was inspired by this serendipitous encounter. “It was just like a sign from God, letting me know– That’s what we’re gonna do.”
Moya wanted to experiment with the butter recipe, but since marijuana is illegal in the state of Texas, he set his sights on California, the first state to legalize the use of recreational and medicinal marijuana use. But before making the big move, Moya returned to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, to share the news– and the recipe with his family.
He brought infused cookies, and his family, including his grandmother, aunt (who is a retired nun), sister, and mother tried the cookies together. “Seeing the effects that my cookies had on my family, seeing it in real time, not with people that (are) already consuming, but with people that need the consumption and aren’t aware of it. Seeing that change, it literally put the stamp on my decision that I wanted more for my family and for myself. And Texas was not going to be the place to do it. So I had to sacrifice my career and everything that I know and (it) was safe for me to live out this dream of being a cannabis chef.”
Dulzé cannabis gummies proudly dons an “Abuelita approved” slogan, a true claim that is based on his grandmother’s figurative thumbs up. “My grandma has polio, so she’s been in a wheelchair her whole life. And seeing the effects that cannabis had on her, she literally kept leaning into me and telling me that she was feeling so good. So good that she asked me, is it gonna last forever? And we just, we just had such a great laugh because I was like, grandma, if you feel this good forever, I’m gonna be a millionaire.”
As Dulzé Gummies spearhead Latino flavors into the THC Gummy market, there is one dream flavor that Chef Moya is still working on– hibiscus flower, also known as Flor de Jamaica. Due to its high Ph level, the hibiscus flower has a “deteriorating” effect on the gummies.
“I haven’t been able to nail the hibiscus gummy,” says Moya, adding, “I attempt different things and I just, I have not been successful. So I guess that would be the dream flavor to create something that I have in my head, but that I haven’t been able to reach.”
Dulzé products are now available in legal dispensaries in California and New Mexico. Visit weedmaps to see a list of vendors carrying Dulzé.