A Kosher Exchange With Blend’s Headman, Philip Anh, Talking Wellness, Goals and Reaching People
By: Rina Pritchard
It’s no debate that CBD has taken the nation by storm, particularly among athletes and gym rats who have taken a shine to its myriad of benefits, including pain relief. I sat down with Philip Anh, co-founder of Kosher Blends, and immediately saw the sparkle in his eye. Getting down to brass tacks, this guy meant serious business. The introduction to our exchange — imbued with silly banter and virtual fist bumps —spawned the essence of our conversation, where we dove into the heart, the depths of his project, his company, his brainchild, Kosher Blends.
We kept it raw. We kept it conversational. We kept it kosher.
RP: Why CBD?
PA: The founders — me, Justin and Krissa— are pretty active, all in our 30s. For me, for example, I just went on a 20-mile bike ride, will play golf in a bit and will train in jujitsu — and that’s a normal thing for me. I work out two times a day. Without CBD, I don’t think I’d be able to do that type of stuff. With wear and tear on our bodies, CBD helps with recovery, getting our mind right and bringing balance. You need to bring goodness back into you. It’s a natural solution compared to over-the-counter.
RP: Story behind the name?
PA: The word kosher can mean multiple things. It’s another word for legitimate, genuine or good. Krissa came up with it — and living in southern California, there’s a group of us that use it as a type of slang. “That’s kosher,” “What’s good? That’s good.” That’s where it originally came from.
RP: Kosher…Like you’re messing with the real deal, right?
PA: Mhm. If it ain’t kosher, don’t mess with it.
RP: What are you doing when you’re not spearheading Kosher?
PA: Golfing, training in jujitsu, cycling and working out. Something outdoorsy.
RP: Goals for Kosher Blends?
PA: I didn’t really know what CBD was until Krissa mentioned it. She said she was using it. It was helping her with her back pain. I started looking into it and I started using it. I noticed it worked for me. I guess our goal really is… We found something that works for us in a natural form and want to share it with others as much as possible.
RP: And who are you trying to reach?
PA: Proactive wellness seekers, someone who is active, health-conscious. As for age-wise, 20s to mid-40s. Our weekend warriors and real pros. We work for mixed martial arts individuals, surfers, wrestlers.
RP: Brewing anything in the near future?
PA: A lip balm.
RP: Flavored?
PA: Yep. Lavender peppermint.
RP: If you were to release a new gummy flavor, what flavor would it be? What would you call it?
PA: Blueberry
RP: Just blueberry?
PA: I don’t know what the name would be, just blueberry.
RP: Ah, keeping it classic: “Just blueberry.” If I saw Just Blueberry gummies, I’d get it. So, what’s the secret sauce? How are you keeping it kosher?
PA: Besides us being badasses?
RP: Haha.
PA: From my experiences, at trade shows and farmers’ markets, when I talk to people, I think knowing that we are normal people like they are. Going through the same problems, going through the same pain.
RP: I’m sensing authenticity, here. Three people from SoCal, “Hey, here I am, backpains in our 30s…”
PA: Yeah, quality and transparency. We’re not trying to be — we’re just normal people, like everyone else. We found something that works for us and want to share it with everybody.