Humo is an award-winning Mexican-American-owned cannabis brand born in California. Gaining quick notoriety since its 2022 founding for its unique storytelling and sweet, decadent cultivars, Humo is now dropping a special-release run of strains called Reserva De La Familia. The lineup features exclusive genetics from legendary breeders and was launched just in time to celebrate Humo’s one-year anniversary.
The Spanish word for “smoke,” Humo paints a picture for consumers of that taste and moment the cannabis is ignited. Humo works to eliminate the stigma surrounding cannabis in the Latin community by honoring its rich cultural history with the plant. Humo’s craft cannabis is sustainably grown in Smart Greenhouses powered by its parent company, POSIBL. They are based in Salinas, California.
The brands are both meticulous in their R&D processes. “POSIBL has performed R&D with over 200 different strains through its breeding partnerships,” says POSIBL CEO Jesus Burrola. “Our goal is to highlight the strains that we feel are unique and that can only be found in limited quantities through the Reserva De La Familia.”
The grow has some kitschy architecture that underlines how international the brand’s ethos is. “POSIBL operates 100,000 square feet of greenhouse and a 6,000 square-foot processing building. Prior to POSIBL, a Japanese family owned a chrysanthemum cut-flower farm on this property, leaving behind a 4,500 sq ft contemporary Japanese-inspired house,” says Jeana Ceglia, Chief of Staff at POSIBL. “This house serves as our main office on a 10,000-square-foot lot that has zen gardens with bonsai trees and beautiful Japanese decor.”
Humo and POSIBL both provide year-round career opportunities to those hit hardest by the War on Drugs. They also facilitate criminal record expungement clinics that help those impacted most return to work. “Through Humo, we want to help repair the harms caused by the War on Drugs, and de-stigmatize the cannabis plant through action, especially in the Latino community,” says Ceglia. “Action for us means creating more jobs and helping normalize and accept cannabis through career opportunities. We hire people that are passionate about the plant, but most passionate about our brand, vision, and operations.”’
POSIBL’s cannabis farm has produced over 2,000,000 units of product to date. Already the engine for several of California’s leading brands, POSIBL is redefining what it means to produce the highest quality cannabis. Leveraging a state-of-art system that uses less to do more, POSIBL brings the best greenhouse technology and expertise from traditional agriculture into cannabis, and pairs it with the best possible genetics to produce the perfect flower — grown in an ethical, sustainable, pesticide-free and cost-efficient way, year-round. POSIBL’s Smart Greenhouses use best-in-class climate control, require less water per pound of flower, and are three times more energy efficient than indoor growers.
Each nug is cured for optimal terpene expression, 100 percent hand trimmed to protect trichome integrity, and carefully packaged in sleek, matte-and-gold pouches. Humo respects the work of the breeders and the art of growing cannabis. Humo is featuring genetics from Conception Nurseries and Purple City Genetics for its inaugural strains in Reserva De La Familia. “It’s a pleasure to work with a group who values their community and high-quality genetics as much as POSBIL,” shares Oakland-based collective Purple City Genetics Co-founder Ethan Frank.
The first two strains available in the Reserva De La Familia lineup are Neverita and Crema Naranja. Consumers will be able to get their hands on the limited-batch, sustainably grown strains which are grown in mixed-light technology. “As a breeder, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing your cultivar grown to perfection and enjoyed by people who care and can truly appreciate it,” says award-winning geneticist Micaiah Phillips aka Abakaba, Director of Horticulture at Conception Nurseries.
“Reserva De La Familia was created to highlight the best of the best from our R&D program while paying homage to our incredible breeding community,” says Max Rudsten, Chief Revenue Officer at POSIBL. The company’s extensive R&D program leverages best-in-class cultivation techniques to bring exclusive genetics to life. “The flower that makes it through our R&D process is exceptional in look, taste and effect, and can only be found in limited quantities. It typically takes up to 8 months to determine whether or not a strain makes the cut and the entire team vigorously taste tests the final product before determining if it’s deserving of the Reserva stamp of approval.”
While every strain offers unique experiences and flavor profiles, Rudsten says his personal favorite of the moment is Crema Naranja. “It’s an uplifting and euphoric sativa-leaning strain born from crossing Blue Gelato with Tuscan Dream. Originally bred by Abakaba via generation-zero tissue culture clone lab, Conception Nurseries, the sharp citrus and sweet aroma from this cultivar highlights its mood-boosting terpenes, and presents with a smooth and creamy exhale. Crema Naranja (orange cream / pronounced cremah-naranhah) is what I have at the top of my head stash and also what I love to give to friends because we are the only ones who have it.”
There are benefits to outdoor, indoor, and mixed light production. Every grower has their preference so I asked CEO Burrola, why does he prefer Humo and POSIBL cultivate in greenhouses? “Greenhouses provide a much more sustainable and environmentally-friendly operation as they utilize natural resources (sun and climate) to grow cannabis,” says Burrola.
“POSIBL is state-of-the-art because we enhance those natural resources with supplemental LED lights, automated vents, and a high-tech irrigation system that provides a nutrient strategy that gives us the best expression of the flower,” says the CEO. “Less sustainable cultivations, like indoor, create a bigger carbon footprint as they produce their own ecosystem by using lots of energy to create their version of the sun and prime climate for growing.”
Burrola leaves readers with some advice on standing out in the hyper-competitive marketplace. “With high competition and little shelf space in the California market, the brands that successfully connect with consumers are the ones that are consistent, unique, and most importantly, authentic,” says Burrola. “When Humo was created, we saw the opportunity to support our community, the Latino community, through cannabis flower. Like POSIBL, we are on a mission to eliminate the stigma surrounding cannabis in the Latino community by celebrating our rich cultural history with the plant and normalizing its use. We have stayed focused on our authenticity by using nostalgic strain names to iconic events and apparel that connect with the consumers.”
Humo’s high-quality, terpene-forward flower is now on shelves at hundreds of retailers throughout California. Humo supports The Social Impact Center of Los Angeles, a queer and woman-led nonprofit that provides educational programming centered on harm reduction, equity, and transformative justice.
Follow Humo, Humo Familia, POSIBL, The Real Purple City Genetics, and Conception Nurseries on Instagram.
