Claire Forster's Contact Details

Claire Forster's Company Details

Hempress Farms, LLC

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States • 2 Employees
Farming

When Covid-19 forced day spas to close, we pivoted and rebranded to become a luxury hemp dispensary to remain open for business. During the pandemic we offered online sales, curbside pick up and delivery for the local community and shipping across the United States. We started with 80 plants within an indoor grow, and 300 plants on 1 acre in Yadkin County, USA. We donate free hemp leaf tea to the elderly and nursing homes in our local community. Artisan, handcrafted, locally manufactured, creating jobs during the pandemic and enabling market expansion in an underserved area – these are just a few of the highlights that begin the story of Hempress Farms. As a third generation farmer, the goddess, the Hempress, CEO and founder Maya Gilliam – was no stranger to the dexterity and grit it takes to maintain a successful business. Maya didn't take setbacks as anything but a setup to bring a collective together and conquer. Transforming her day spa after the forced closure during the pandemic to the only luxury CBD cultivation facility and upscale dispensary in Downtown Winston-Salem, NC Hempress is in 100% control of the supply chain from seed to bottle.While making changes to her day – to – day services not limited to online sales, farmers markets, curbside pickup and delivery as well as a luxury hemp dispensary; Maya noticed a gap in the education and onboarding of potential minority farmers and product manufacturers in the hemp space. This provided an additional space to create tutorials and host live sessions on how to acquire certifications, tips and tricks for cultivation, product manufacturing and more. It's very important to our organization to reflect the tremendous opportunities that the global value chain has provided in creating first generational wealth opportunities for Black and multicultural communities across the US and the globe.