Charles Villanueva Promoted to Vice President of Commercialization at Pioneering Cannabis Company Azuca

NEW MEXICO (May 31, 2023) – Azuca, known for leading the fast-acting and D9 effects edibles category, has promoted Charles (Charlie) Villaneuva to Vice President of Commercialization. The announcement comes on the heels of another banner year for Azuca, with new brand partnerships and industry-changing innovations.

Villanueva brings over a decade of experience working in technology development, commercializing advanced formulations and novel pharmaceutical manufacturing platforms in private and venture-backed startups. Since joining Azuca as the Director of Commercialization in 2021, Villaneuva has been instrumental in the development of the company’s core technologies, managing the intellectual portfolio, and validating and releasing new products. Most recently, Villaneuva played a pivotal role in the successful development and launch of Whole-Plant ACTiVATOR® – a fast-acting formulation that delivers whole-spectrum, strain-specific edibles with no need for extraction.

“Charlie’s dedication and expertise has been crucial to expanding Azuca’s product portfolio. His work, especially on commercializing the Whole-Plant ACTiVATOR®, has set new industry standards for the ingestibles category and solidified Azuca’s position as an innovator in the cannabis space. We are thrilled to see him step into this new role and continue to drive our company’s mission of delivering cutting-edge technology,” said Ron Silver, Chief Creative Officer and Co-founder, Azuca.

Whole-Plant ACTiVATOR® encapsulates the inflorescence’s fingerprint, rendering the whole plant into a doseable ingredient for downstream ingestible applications. By encapsulating active cannabinoids directly in their natural cannabis flower form, this fast-acting formulation eliminates the need for extraction, and delivers whole-spectrum, strain specific edibles, with their natural terpene profiles and minor cannabinoids preserved. With Villaneuva’s successful commercialization of the ACTiVATOR® line, producers can save up to 70% by using cannabis flower instead of solventless extracts.

“Being able to work with such an innovative cannabis team that empowers me to push the envelope and help shape the future of cannabis edibles has been incredible,” Villaneuva said. “I’m looking forward to expanding Azuca’s portfolio on an even greater scale and continuing to stay ahead of the curve in advanced formulations.”

In his new role, Villaneuva will oversee product development, lab operations, and intellectual property. Additionally, he will manage the operations and production teams. Villanueva holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Mexico.

To learn more about Azuca and Whole-Plant ACTiVATOR®, visit AZUCATiME.com.

About Azuca

Azuca serves edibles and beverage manufacturers with best-in-class fast-acting delivery systems and advanced formulations. Azuca’s products are chef-created, science-forward, and powered by its patent-pending TiME INFUSION® process, which encapsulates individual cannabinoid molecules, making them “water-friendly,” for a predictable and controllable experience every time. AZUCA TiME INFUSION®  is available in dozens of SKUs, including Wana Quick Gummies, Columbia Care’s Hedy Edibles, and The Botanist Fast-Acting Gummies(Acreage) Learn more about Azuca on AZUCATiME.com and Follow Azuca on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.