A Chattanooga company pioneering new processes for extracting cannabinoids from hemp won the 2020 Spirit of Innovation award on Wednesday night.
“What Landrace has done is really remarkable,” said James Dawson, vice president of sales and marketing for winner Landrace Bioscience. “Our technology we’ve built as a delivery mechanism, it’s not just for CBD.”
Since 2001, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce has recognized local companies launching innovative products, practices or processes with its annual Spirit of Innovation award. The award’s announcement during the city’s annual Startup Week moved online this year, highlighting three groundbreaking businesses that have found creative ways to thrive during a challenging time.
Landrace, which has a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing facility off Amnicola Highway, was founded in June 2018. The company emerged shortly before Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, which allowed for the growing, processing and sale of industrial hemp.
Founded by Ryan Piersant and John Hetzler, Landrace holds a patent for a cannabinoid and plant extract delivery system that makes the product permeable and more easily absorbed by the body.