What Quality-Focused Brands Should Do Right Now

  • By Jeremy Amos

Published: Monday, Nov 17, 2025

Time to Move Forward and Keep Building.

 

Last week was about processing the shock. This week is about figuring out what's next.

 

If you're a brand owner sitting with a product line that just got significantly more complicated, you're probably asking yourself: "What do I actually do now?"

 

The answer isn't simple. But there are clear steps you can take to navigate this moment with clarity and purpose.

 

Let me walk you through what we're seeing work—and what quality-focused brands should be thinking about right now.

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Step 1: Remember Why You Started

You didn't get into the cannabinoid space to navigate regulatory complexity.

 

You got in because you believed hemp had value. Because you wanted to help people. Because you saw potential for products that actually work

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That hasn't changed.

 

The path is more complicated now. The rules are clearer but harder. Some things you built need to be rebuilt. But the mission—helping people through natural wellness—that's still real. That still matters.

 

So yes, audit your products. Strengthen your partnerships. Document everything. Focus on what you control.

But also: remember why you're doing this.

 

Because the people who need what hemp provides? They still need it. The opportunity to build something meaningful? It still exists.

 

The regulations shifted. The mission didn't.

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Step 2: Audit Your Product Line With Clear Eyes

First things first: you need to know exactly where you stand.

Go through every SKU and ask:

  • Is this product clearly compliant under the new language?
  • Is this product in a gray area that might get clearer?
  • Is this product clearly affected by the prohibition?

Don't guess. Don't hope. Look at the actual formulations and the actual language of the bill.

 

For products that are clearly compliant (most CBD products, properly formulated minor cannabinoid products):

  • You're in good shape. Keep building.
  • Consider whether you want to adjust messaging to emphasize compliance.
  • Think about whether there's opportunity to capture market share from competitors who are exiting.

For products in gray areas:

  • Talk to your legal counsel (not just your manufacturer).
  • Understand the risk tolerance of your retail partners.
  • Have a backup plan if interpretations shift.

For products clearly affected:

  • Don't panic sell through inventory - continue to operate with purpose.
  • Understand your liability exposure.
  • Start thinking about reformulation or pivoting.

The key: Know your position before you make moves. Clarity beats assumptions every time.

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Step 3: Strengthen Your Supplier Relationships

This is not the time to be shopping around for the cheapest ingredients.

 

This is the time to partner with manufacturers who:

  • Have robust quality systems already in place.
  • Can document everything about their products.
  • Are prepared for increased regulatory scrutiny.
  • Will be honest with you about what's coming.

Questions to ask your current suppliers:

  • How are you interpreting the new language?
  • What changes are you making to your product lines?
  • Can you provide additional documentation for compliance?
  • What's your timeline for any transitions?

If your supplier is scrambling, that's information. If they're calm and prepared, that's also information.

 

The reality: The suppliers who were already operating at high standards are the ones who'll navigate this smoothly. The ones who were cutting corners are going to struggle.

 

Choose your partners accordingly.

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Step 4: Double Down on Quality and Documentation

When regulations tighten, quality becomes your competitive advantage.

 

Now is the time to:

Verify everything.

  • Request batch-specific COAs for all your ingredients.
  • Confirm third-party testing protocols.
  • Review your suppliers' certifications (cGMP, ISO, etc.).
  • Make sure you can trace every ingredient to its source.

Document everything.

  • Keep records of all supplier communications.
  • Document your decision-making process for formulations.
  • Maintain complete batch records and COAs.
  • Create a paper trail that shows you're operating in good faith.

Tighten your standards.

  • If you were accepting "close enough" on specs, stop.
  • If you were skipping tests to save money, don't.
  • If you were working with suppliers who couldn't answer questions, find new ones.

Why this matters: When enforcement increases (and it will), the brands with bulletproof documentation and quality systems will be fine. The ones who were loose with standards will have problems.

 

Be the first group.

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Step 5: Focus Your Energy on What You Can Control

 

Here's what you CAN'T control:

  • How regulations will be interpreted and enforced.
  • Whether lobbying efforts will soften the language.
  • What your competitors will do.
  • How quickly clarity will emerge.

Here's what you CAN control:

  • The quality of your products.
  • The strength of your supplier relationships.
  • Your documentation and compliance practices.
  • How you communicate with your customers.
  • Where you invest your resources.

The brands that thrive through uncertainty are the ones who focus ruthlessly on what's in their control.
 

Stop obsessing over the political process. Start building products that will succeed regardless of how the details shake out.

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Step 6: Communicate Honestly With Your Customers

Your customers are confused too. They're seeing headlines. They're getting mixed messages. They're wondering what this means for the products they rely on.

 

Be the source of clarity.

 

Tell them:

  • What's changing with your product line (if anything)
  • Why you're making the changes you're making
  • What's staying the same
  • How you're ensuring quality and compliance

Don't tell them:

  • Everything is fine when it's not
  • Nothing is changing when things clearly are
  • To panic and stock up
  • That the industry is dying

The tone: Honest, calm, forward-looking. "Here's what's happening, here's what we're doing about it, here's why you can still trust us."

 

Transparency builds loyalty. Especially in uncertain times.

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Step 7: Look for the Opportunities

I know. It feels tone-deaf to talk about opportunities when the week was so difficult.

 

But opportunities exist. Not because what happened was good. But because market disruption always creates openings for well-positioned brands.

 

Where to look:

  • Shelf space opening up. If competitors are exiting categories or pulling products, there's space for compliant alternatives. Can you fill that need?
  • Customer trust is up for grabs. Consumers are going to be wary of brands that seem sketchy or uncertain. The brands that demonstrate quality and compliance will earn that trust.
  • B2B partnerships shifting. Retailers and distributors are going to be very selective about who they work with. If you're a quality-focused brand with solid documentation, you just became more valuable.
  • Innovation in compliant categories. CBD formulations can still improve. Minor cannabinoids are still being explored. Delivery technologies are advancing. There's plenty of room for innovation within the boundaries.

 

The reality: Some brands will exit. Some will struggle. The ones who stay focused on quality and compliance will have more opportunities than they did two weeks ago.

 

That's not celebration. It's just market dynamics.

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What We're Here For

At Open Book Extracts, we're having these same conversations with our partners every day this week.

 

"What should we do?" "How do we navigate this?" "What's your read on the situation?"

 

And here's what we keep coming back to: Build for quality. Document everything. Partner with people you trust. Focus on what you can control.

 

That's not flashy advice. But it's the advice that works when everything else is uncertain.

 

We're not pretending to have all the answers. We're figuring this out alongside you. But we're committed to doing it with the same standards we've always had—cGMP certified, comprehensively tested, fully documented.

 

Because when the dust settles, the brands that survive will be the ones who never compromised on quality. Even when it was hard. Especially when it was hard.

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The Bottom Line

If you're feeling overwhelmed right now, that's understandable. This is a lot to process.

 

But you're not starting from zero. You built something real. You have customers who trust you. You have knowledge and experience.

Now you're adapting. That's not failure. That's what businesses do.

 

Audit your products. Strengthen your partnerships. Double down on quality. Focus on what you control. Communicate honestly. Look for opportunities. Remember your mission.

 

One step at a time. One decision at a time. One day at a time.

 

You've got this. And we're here to help however we can.