Ricardo Almanza. The first Mexican to export to Europe.
Ricardo Omar Almanza Valencia, a 44-year-old Mexican, is a born entrepreneur, as he recognizes himself. He holds a degree in International Commerce from the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac and in Law from the Universidad Latinoamericana, in addition to several diplomas ranging from the FINTECH area to certifications abroad (Canada) in managing cannabis facilities.
Ricardo shares his journey in the challenging and ever-changing cannabis business and the reason why he chose an industry with so many challenges. He is the co-author of the book “HABLEMOS DE MARIHUANA,” available on Amazon, which, according to its description, is a very simple guide to learning about this great plant. It is aimed at those who are starting in the cannabis world or who want to learn about the topic as general culture.
Ricardo is a firm believer that this plant and nature, in general, have always been there to heal us in body, mind, and soul. He explains that the essential purpose, both personal and business, is: “To collaborate in the well-being of millions of living beings through natural medicine in harmony with oneself and one’s environment.” Currently, he is working on opening international markets to bring medicinal cannabis to other geographic destinations from his company in Colombia, which has licenses for the production of psychoactive and non-psychoactive flowers, derivatives, and exportation.
He declares himself passionate about this project and shares his purpose with everyone around him in a way that truly inspires and convinces. He tells us: “I believe that for years we have been made to think that allopathic medicine is the solution because of its convenience, but in reality, it is only a palliative that does not solve the underlying problem. However, natural medicine has the ability to heal us from the origin and find the root of our illness, of course, with personal work that must include spiritual and physical well-being.” To achieve this, he suggests always having professional support because, being all so different as living beings, medicine must be personalized and not a pill for millions.
Ricardo tells us that this project started in 2018 and that to this day, a lot of human and economic resources have been invested to get to this point. However, they still have the challenge of building a profitable company by 2025. “This industry is very different from others because, in addition to dealing with companies, you deal with entire countries, and you depend on the legislation of each place,” he says. As a lawyer, he has had to study the legislation and regulations of different countries to understand what is happening in each of them and how doors of opportunity open. He explains that this industry must be as resilient as a steel bar in complying with very strict legislation, but at the same time, as moldable as clay because every day there are changes in the world regarding the subject, and you have to adapt.
Ricardo is part of the International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA), and on September 19, he was invited to participate in the CB Expo forum to be held in Dortmund, Germany, where he will talk about the challenges that the legislation in Latin America represents regarding the legalization of cannabis as medicine. Regarding this, he comments that he had to carve a path and cross borders outside of Mexico because, according to his historical-political-economic reading, Mexico will not finish legislating on the subject until the northern neighbor has a federal approval beyond the 39 states of the American Union that are currently legal.
He is currently carrying out export processes to Europe for medicinal CBD flower (cannabidiol), promoting respect for Colombian growers and supporting them so that they can obtain fair payments for their work. “I am extremely grateful to my Colombian brothers who opened the doors for me and have always welcomed me with enthusiasm. To all of them, my way of thanking them is by negotiating fair prices abroad that reflect the amount of effort and work they put into their lands and processes,” he commented.
Today, his company 420 LATAM is registered in Colombia and Mexico. Starting in March 2024, it will also have a company in the Czech Republic, which he recently acquired to enter that market more strongly. There, in addition to medicinal flower, he will also export cosmetic products made with cannabis seed oil and others with CBD. Five of these products are his own brand, and others are from industry allies. This would not have been possible without the support of excellent allies who have been carefully selected for their commitment to the industry, but above all for their quality as people. Their honesty, dedication, and commitment to global health are essential to align with the purpose of 420 LATAM.
Ricardo also tells us that during the development of this project, several collaborators and partners have passed through the company. Some remain, and others have had to leave, as the project has always presented difficulties, but he is extremely grateful to each and every one of them for the learning they have provided. “I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to getting us here today. I am grateful to my family for their trust and openness to the topic, putting aside the stigma and learning another story. I am grateful to my wife, my son, and my son’s mother for their unconditional support and encouragement when challenges have arisen, and of course, I am grateful to the infinite universe for its wisdom.”
