usa's first fully gmp-compliant cannabis extraction laboratory

Refined Processes is a Native American-owned cannabis manufacturing and distribution company. We are proud to partner with Prodigy Processing Solutions to create the USA's first fully GMP-compliant cannabis extraction facility. Our state-of-the-art BHO extraction laboratory positions us to produce the highest quality, pharmaceutical-grade cannabis and hemp products at an unrivaled processing rate.

We are deeply committed to enriching and protecting the sovereign tribal cannabis economy. We do this by serving as America's number one provider of high-quality cannabis and hemp products for all sovereign tribal nations and offering our experience and insight as advisors for the progressing legislation.

We bring over 20 years of combined professional experience as licensed cannabis operators in the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC)-regulated market.

Our mission is to unite the tribes of America. Our goal is to be the first vertically integrated Native American-owned cannabis company that paves the way for sovereign inter-state cannabis distribution and import-export between sovereign nations internationally. We are committed to working with federal and tribal law to create this legal sovereign pathway. In the meantime, we are distributing connoisseur quality cannabis in the regulated California Indigenous tribal market. And we are shipping the highest quality hemp-derived products nationwide, following Farm Bill regulations.

Refined Processes
Trust The Process

We understand the unique challenges that tribal cannabis businesses face.

Lack of unifying systems. State-to-state distribution will not have a legal pathway without a unifying seed-to-sale tracking system. Having first-hand experience in the METRC system, we can attest that it is NOT the only solution. We bring the expensive and cumbersome lessons learned from the state market and see this as an exciting opportunity to innovate where METRC has fallen short. We have thoroughly researched and are beta-testing an improved alternative seed-to-sale system used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Threat to our sovereignty. Tribal cannabis companies that want to engage in business with the state markets face pressure to waive their sovereign immunity. This is simply unacceptable. The unique economic opportunity that cannabis offers should be protected as a sovereign right, as it is with gaming.

The agricultural growing conditions for oranges are only ideal in some states, so we import them from California or other sunny locales. The same principle applies to cannabis. The West Coast will always have the best quality cannabis at the most competitive price due to its ideal outdoor growing conditions and the sheer size of the state's market. By working together through tribe-to-tribe distribution on our improved seed-to-sale tracking system, we offer all sovereign tribal cannabis companies a competitive cost and quality edge—sourcing the highest quality cannabis from California at the best prices.

Overcoming the limitations of the state market. While cannabis is still federally illegal, each state that has voted to approve medical and/or recreational cannabis faces limitations of trading only within their state. Our grandfather's indigenous trade routes offer a unique opportunity to spearhead a more efficient economy for the nation. By protecting sovereign rights and uniting through tribe-to-tribe distribution, we can effectively supply the country with the highest quality cannabis at the best prices without the high taxes that have devastated the state markets.

These unconventional obstacles present an unprecedented opportunity to leverage our sovereignty in unity.

Honoring the spirit animal that represents strength and protection, Sugar Bear Cannabis is the leading Native American-owned cannabis brand consumers can trust for clean, high-quality, connoisseur-level cannabis products.

When consumers see the guardian of handcrafted tribal products, they can be confident they get the highest-quality, pesticide-free cannabis products. Proudly made on tribal land under FDA cGMP compliant standards, Sugar Bear consumers know they're supporting and reinvesting back into the Native American economy.

Sugar Bear cannabis is the gold standard of premium Native American-owned cannabis brands.

GUARDIAN OF HANDCRAFTED TRIBAL PRODUCTS

SUGAR BEAR

> PACKAGED CONNOISSEUR FLOWER
> DIAMOND INFUSED PREROLL
> HASH INFUSED PREROLL
> VAPE PRODUCTS
> LIVE ROSIN
> LIVE RESIN SAUCE

> CBD TINCTURE
> FUNCTIONAL MUSHROOM TINCTURE
> CHOCOLATE
> HARD CANDY
> DISSOLVABLE STRIPS
> TOPICAL MUSCLE LOTION & ROLL-ON

> LIVE RESIN DIAMONDS
> THCa CONCENTRATE
> THCa DIAMONDS
> GUMMIES
> SYRUP TINCTURE
> DRINK SHOT

PRODUCT OFFERING

CANNABIS

Add revenue to your tribe with our turnkey cannabis and hemp retail solutions. We offer smart vending machines featuring AI-powered inventory control and enhanced age verification via mobile app and scanners. Our prefabricated, fully stocked tribal cannabis dispensaries are turnkey revenue solutions, complete with ordinance support and training SOPs.

Turnkey Modular Vending Machines & Dispensaries Delivered Nationwide

+ ORDINANCE SUPPORT TO IMPLEMENT CANNABIS ORDINANCE TO YOUR TRIBE
+ AI-POWERED INVENTORY CONTROL; ACCESS REAL-TIME STOCK LEVELS VIA A MOBILE APP
• ENHANCED AGE VERIFICATION VIA MOBILE APP AND SCANNER ON THE MACHINE ENSURES COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
+ DIGITAL ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES ON VENDING MACHINE; OPPORTUNITIES TO MONETIZE ADVERTISING SPACE AND CROSS-MARKET YOUR OTHER TRIBAL BUSINESSES
+ DOESN’T REQUIRE STAFFING, MAKING THIS AN IDEAL REVENUE GENERATOR WITHOUT THE LARGE STARTUP INFRASTRUCTURE OF INVESTING IN A CANNABIS OPERATION
+ state-of-the-art DESIGNED & PREFABRICATED RETAIL DISPENSARIES featuring security, shelving, pos system, safes and all required equipment
+ management & employee TRAINing and support
+ fully stocked with the highest quality products
+ integrated erp inventory control, crm & pos systems

Want to add revenue to your tribe?

Aaron R. Thomas is the CEO of Refined Processes, a biotech consulting firm-turned Native American-owned and tribal-focused cannabis company that has specialized in cannabis operations since 2016. Mr. Thomas has successfully consulted, built, and operated eight cannabis businesses in the State of California, including being judge-appointed to run a receivership-run operation. He has successfully raised more than $100MM in the industry. Mr. Thomas pioneered the California cannabis licensing process and worked alongside cities to pave a safe and legal pathway for cannabis manufacturing. As a result, he was appointed the first manufacturing license in the State of California in San Diego in 2016. He has extensive knowledge of the licensing process and the technical know-how of efficiently operating licensed cannabis businesses. Mr. Thomas’ visionary mindset continues to pioneer in the industry, as he now focuses on the Native American Tribal cannabis market.

Stefanie Phan-Thomas is COO of Refined Processes. Previously, she was CEO of Touchstone SNA, the first California manufacturing facility licensed under Orange County Fire Authority in Santa Ana, California. Under Ms. Phan-Thomas' direction, Touchstone SNA provided white labeling manufacturing and packaging services for some of the state's most successful cannabis brands, including Dosist, Pacific Stone, Mario Sherbinski, STIIIZY, FlavorRX, Dr. Norms, Select, Muha Meds, Napalm, Double Barrel, and more. She brings her experience navigating the California state cannabis industry to the tribal cannabis market and is excited to make accessible, compliant, clean plant medicine to the masses through Refined Processes' national distribution plan.

The husband-wife team have been married for twelve years and bring more than 20 combined years professional cannabis experience.

Aaron R. Thomas is the CEO of Refined Processes, a biotech consulting firm-turned Native American-owned and tribal-focused cannabis company that has specialized in cannabis operations since 2016. Mr. Thomas has successfully consulted, built, and operated eight cannabis businesses in the State of California, including being judge-appointed to run a receivership-run operation. He has successfully raised more than $100MM in the industry. Mr. Thomas pioneered the California cannabis licensing process and worked alongside cities to pave a safe and legal pathway for cannabis manufacturing. As a result, he was appointed the first manufacturing license in the State of California in San Diego in 2016. He has extensive knowledge of the licensing process and the technical know-how of efficiently operating licensed cannabis businesses. Mr. Thomas’ visionary mindset continues to pioneer in the industry, as he now focuses on the Native American tribal cannabis market.

Stefanie Phan-Thomas is President of Refined Processes. Previously, she was CEO of Touchstone SNA, the first California manufacturing facility licensed under Orange County Fire Authority in Santa Ana, California. Under Ms. Phan-Thomas' direction, Touchstone SNA provided white labeling manufacturing and packaging services for some of the state's most successful cannabis brands, including Dosist, Pacific Stone, Mario Sherbinski, STIIIZY, FlavorRX, Dr. Norms, Select, Muha Meds, Napalm, Double Barrel, and more. She brings her experience navigating the California state cannabis industry to the tribal cannabis market and is excited to make accessible, compliant, clean plant medicine to the masses through Refined Processes' national distribution plan.

The husband-wife team have been married for 12 years and bring more than 20 combined years professional cannabis experience.

Leading manufacturers in the California cannabis market

MEET THE TEAM

Richard Tallbear Westerman is Refined Processes' Director of Business Development. He brings extensive experience as a developer and entrepreneur in Native American gaming, renewable energy, and cannabis & hemp industries. He has developed over $100MM in projects in his respective fields of expertise. Mr. Tall Bear Westerman brings first-hand experience as a Native American-owned cannabis operator under Tall Bear Cannabis, a vertically integrated cannabis company in South Dakota. He has also served as a consultant for several Native American tribes in developing their cannabis businesses, offering his expertise in tribal medical and recreational cannabis ordinances, tribal cannabis commission rules and regulations, facility design and construction, and writing SOPs for cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensary operations.

BRANDS WE'VE PREVIOUSLY SUPPLIED

A PERSONAL STORY OF RETURNING HOME

Our company was founded from a personal journey of healing. After surviving a 30-foot fall, Aaron R. Thomas found himself in the ICU with multiple broken bones and a Traumatic Brain Injury.

Having never experienced cannabis before his fall, he tried it as a last resort while fighting depression and suicidal thoughts. The feeling of wellness was immediate and inspired him to change careers from art and design to create a consistent cannabis medicine for the masses.

However, after pioneering the California cannabis market for more than ten years, Aaron felt dissatisfied. The lack of transparency, integrity and imminent greed of those who dominated the market with a soul-less drive to simply capitalize left him wanting to leave the cannabis industry altogether.

"Cannabis saved my life. When I learned that tribal communities were experiencing severely limited access to reliable, clean, high-quality cannabis products, I knew I found my calling."

In 2024, Refined Processes launched its first Native American-owned cannabis brand, Sugar Bear Cannabis, and sister CBD brand, Sugar Bear Medicinals. Refined Processes is dedicated to serving all Native American tribes the highest quality cannabis and CBD products. Our mission is to unite the tribes of America by offering the first vertically integrated Native American-owned cannabis company to pave the way for sovereign inter-state cannabis distribution and import-export between sovereign nations internationally. We acknowledge that this pathway requires clarity in regulations and we're committed to working with federal and tribal law to pave the path forward.

Aaron R. Thomas, Refined Processes CEO & MESCALERO APACHE

frederico luna & aaron r. thomas in new mexico

After reflecting and turning inward, Aaron, a descendant of Apache tribal warriors Geronimo and Black Knife, felt called to dedicate his expertise to the land and people of his heritage. "Cannabis saved my life. When I learned that tribal communities were experiencing severely limited access to reliable, clean, high-quality cannabis products, I knew I found my calling," Aaron states. In the spirit of Geronimo, the Native American war hero who devoted his life to fighting for his people, Aaron R. Thomas has committed to making Refined Processes a company for his people.

“While living, I want to live well.”

— Geronimo, Apache warrior and ancestor of Aaron R. Thomas

family

sovereignty

respect

all in all the time

our values

We are a family-owned and operated business, deeply invested in building and leaving a legacy

We have deep respect for our sacred land, fellow tribes, Indigenous culture, and heritage

We believe in protecting Sovereign rights as we navigate tribal cannabis legislation

The pioneer's path is not always easy. We are committed to executing our mission; we're all in, all the time.

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