5 Things to Look for When Choosing a CBD Brand

by Jordan Bergsrud

The CBD market is crowded. A quick online search returns hundreds of brands, all claiming to be the best. Most of them look the same. Many of them are not.

The difference between a trustworthy CBD brand and one that cuts corners is usually invisible until you know where to look. Here are the five things that matter most.

1. Third-Party Lab Testing with Published Results

This is the single most important quality marker in the CBD industry. Period.

Any brand can claim their product is "tested" or "high quality." The question is: can you see the proof?

Third-party testing means the product was tested by an independent laboratory -- one that has no financial relationship with the brand. The results are published in a document called a Certificate of Analysis (COA).

A trustworthy brand publishes COAs for every product, for every batch. Not behind a contact form. Not after you buy. Before you buy.

If a brand does not publish their COAs, or if you cannot find them easily, move on. There are too many good options available to gamble on a brand that will not show you the data.

At Cross Country Wellness, we publish a COA for every product we sell. You can read the results yourself before you spend a dollar.

2. Clear, Honest Labeling

A good CBD label tells you exactly what is in the product:

  • Total CBD content (in milligrams)
  • CBD per serving
  • Type of CBD (full spectrum, broad spectrum, or isolate)
  • Full ingredient list
  • Hemp source
  • Batch or lot number

Watch out for labels that are vague. If a product says "extra strength" but does not list a milligram amount, you have no idea what you are buying. If the ingredient list includes things you cannot pronounce, that is worth questioning.

3. USA-Grown Hemp

Where the hemp is grown matters. Hemp plants are bioaccumulators -- they absorb whatever is in the soil, including heavy metals and pesticides. Hemp grown in countries with lax agricultural regulations may contain contaminants that end up in the final product.

USA-grown hemp is subject to federal and state regulations, including testing requirements. It is not a guarantee of perfection, but it is a significant baseline of quality.

All Cross Country Wellness products use USA-grown hemp, extracted by our Nevada-based partners.

4. Transparent Company Information

Can you find the company's physical address? Phone number? Email? The name of the founder or owner?

A real company has real people behind it. A company with no address, no phone number, and no team page is a company that does not want to be found. That should concern you.

Cross Country Wellness was founded by Jordan Bergsrud, the Cannabis Activist of the Year in Las Vegas for 2020 and 2021. Our address is 2105 Plaza Del Padre, Las Vegas, NV 89102. Our phone number is 702-901-1780. You can reach us at info@crosscountrywellness.com.

We are real people. We answer real questions. And we stand behind every product we sell.

5. Customer Retention -- Not Just Customer Acquisition

Marketing can get anyone to buy once. The real test of a CBD brand is whether customers come back.

Look for indicators of repeat business: subscription programs, loyal customer bases, refund rates, and reorder statistics. These numbers tell you more about product quality than any marketing copy ever will.

At Cross Country Wellness, 48% of our customers come back and buy again. Our refund rate is 0.3% across nearly 4,000 orders. We have 24 customers who have ordered from us more than 30 times. The product works. The numbers prove it.

The Bottom Line

You deserve to know exactly what you are buying, where it came from, and who made it. A trustworthy CBD brand makes all of that easy to find.

If a brand checks all five boxes -- lab testing, honest labeling, USA-grown hemp, real company information, and proven customer retention -- you are in good hands.

Shop Cross Country Wellness | Read Our Lab Results

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your physician before use.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author

Jordan Bergsrud (J Bird) is the founder of Cross Country Wellness and was named Cannabis Activist of the Year in Las Vegas in both 2020 and 2021. After losing his father to opioid addiction, Jordan dedicated himself to educating people about plant-based alternatives. He handles product sourcing, customer relationships, and education at CCW.

This article is for educational purposes. CBD products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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