G Pen turns 10 years old

G Pen turns 10: How Grenco stays on top of the cannabis vape market

Cannabis.net talks to Grenco CTO Michael Trzecieski about the evolution of the vape market

Grenco Science has been one of the leaders in both the cannabis industry and cannabis culture for the past decade. Can you tell us a bit more about this story and how the trip was?

Our CEO and Founder, Chris Folkerts, was active in the California community long before vaporizers hit the market. His aha moment came after testing a prototype; He knew then that this was his calling. He had to do this better and faster with a unique style. Grenco Science was born in 2012. We’ve grown from a startup making a very basic portable vaporizer to a ubiquitous company offering dozens of unique products.

Since 2012 we have expanded our stationary sales nationally and internationally. We’ve teamed up with artists, musicians and other major players in the cannabis scene. Our first and most notable partnership is one for the history books – Snoop x G Pen. Snoop’s endorsement catapulted our brand above the noise and allowed us to grow and forge some of the strongest relationships in the industry. We are fortunate to have Cookies (Berner), Dr. Greenthumb (BReal) and Taylor Gang (Wiz Khalifa) as cooperation partners. Historically we have been in the music and arts industries and are now excited to expand into the athletics arena with our recent collaboration with Tyson 2.0 and Mike Tyson.

“G Pen” is one of the most recognizable names out there; it has almost become synonymous with “vape pen”. In a highly competitive and restrictive niche market like cannabis, how does a company achieve and maintain this level of brand awareness?

We were fortunate to be one of the first vaporizers on the market. G Pen has become an almost de facto way of calling a device a vape. Comparable to Kleenex or Q Tips for our world.

It’s wild to see G Pen featured in countless hip hop tracks and music videos with people who have been true fans – no contracts, no deals, just artists who actually used G Pens and were inspired tracks to write. We don’t just make cannabis smoking products; We create products that are carefully engineered to enhance the overall experience.

They are about to add the G Pen Elite II dry herb vaporizer to your lineup alongside the original G Pen Elite vape. How do these products complement each other and expand your market share and consumer accessibility alike?

The G Pen Elite and G Pen Elite II are both amazing products in the Grenco Science range. The G Pen Elite and G Pen Elite II have some great features that set them apart. The G Pen Elite has a larger oven, so if you’re a heavy user or just love getting big, rich clouds, it’s still a good choice. The only reason it’s not the best anymore is because we’ve raised the bar again –

The GPEN Elite II vaporizer opens up a new realm of technology and vaporization experience for both novice and experienced users. With its patent-pending dual heating system and firmware update capability, as well as its vibrant OLED display, the Elite II exceeds leaf vaping expectations. The G Pen Elite II is one of the most sophisticated, luxurious and user-friendly dry herb vaporizers on the market.

Since the original G Pen, they’ve introduced many upgrades to the user experience – the carrying case, the silicone case, the built-in pick tool, and more. Which features of the GPen ELITE 2 are you most looking forward to?

The feature that excites me the most is the upcoming Wi-Fi data tracking capabilities that will allow a user to track their dosage and frequency of use. Just as some people use activity trackers to track their steps, this allows a consumer to know exactly their medication history and consumption patterns.

It’s really hard to stop right there…

We are pleased to have refined the vapor quality, which is technically the combination of several features. With the G Pen Elite II, we chose a zirconia mouthpiece, which is less thermally conductive for a smoother, cooler, and more comfortable draw. It’s much easier to clean and stronger too.

We introduce a patented clean air intake. The isolated air path combined with the ceramic spiral vapor cooler gives you the best of the best in terms of vapor quality. The vapor is cool, flavorful and fully customizable.

Even though it’s less noticeable, I have to give credit to the built-in pick tool. These tools are essential accessories for dry herb vaporizers, but they’re also very easy to lose. By creating built-in storage for the picking tool, we’ve eliminated one of the few annoyances of using a dry herb vaporizer. The tiny detail makes the G Pen Elite II feel and perform like a luxury piece.

Grenco clearly prioritizes an accessible user experience as well as exciting new technologies. As you continue to push the boundaries, what’s your method for deciding which features to include?

When we try to create a new breakthrough technology product, we always keep the end user in mind. What is asked? How can we increase that? How does it have to be used in the game? What features make it a better experience? What is the product sold for? At this price point, will the product features meet demanding consumer needs, or do they need to be changed? It’s easy to make something expensive. It’s easy to make something of poor quality and extremely affordable. Where our team shines is in making affordable, high quality products that are backed by our warranty and customer service.

The Grenco team consists of industry-leading experts in several key areas. From consumer experience to product design to device usability. There are many products that we have on the drawing board that never make it to market. They are either further refined or scrapped because we don’t think they represent a great product for the growing community.

As one of the most innovative companies in the industry, Grenco has changed the face of dry herb vaporizers. How have you managed to do this while maintaining affordability for consumers?

One of the key ways we’ve accomplished this has been by offering a variety of products at every price point. From the compact G Pen Dash for under $100 to the brand new G Pen Elite II for just under $250, we design products to fit every budget. Community members are a big part of what makes this industry so special, and we want to make sure Grenco Science’s products are always accessible to the consumers that have helped us get to where we are today.

As we discussed today, Grenco has always been at the cutting edge of cannabis for the past 10 years. How do you see the next decade of cannabis culture and grenco innovation?

Grenco’s goal is to shape the future. To continue bringing breakthrough products and technologies to market. But make them reachable. To renew and further expand our IP portfolio.

We want to continue to exalt cannabis as a medicine through cutting-edge technology and precise dosing. Our products also allow for more precise dosing than traditional methods of cannabis consumption. For example, the acquisition of Vapium under the Accudose brand is a breakthrough system that aims to provide users and patients with the first-of-its-kind dosing mechanism for ground material.

We look forward to continuing our work to destigmatize what we believe to be a deeply powerful plant.