Golden Road Botanicals, AKA The Golden Road Kratom, is a California kratom supplier that’s made quite a splash over the last few years.
While it is hardly uncommon for kratom vendors to say they’re in the business for their customers, it is rather odd for this vendor given its track record.
In May of 2020, The Golden Road Kratom was served with a warning by the United States Federal Trade Commission after it made erroneous assertions on its website. According to the Commission’s notice, Golden Road Botanicals or its writers falsely claimed that kratom could prevent or treat COVID-19.
What’s more, this vendor claimed that kratom powder contained chloroquine, the controversial immunosuppressive anti-malarial drug that was once touted as a remedy for the novel Coronavirus.
This unethical claim was damaging not only to the business but to its customers, some of whom could have suffered critically from this kind of fraudulent advertising.
The company has since removed such claims from its e-commerce site and continues to grow and learn. Of course, the question remains, “Is Golden Road Kratom legit?”
Read on to find out everything you need to know.
It’s all about Girl Power on the Golden Road. This vendor bears the distinction of being the first female-owned kratom brand in the United States.
Jessica and her team started The Golden Road Kratom four years ago after she and her husband first discovered kratom in a Huntington Beach headshop. After a transformational life experience, she felt a burning desire to become a part of the kratom industry.
Jessica has distinguished herself from other kratom company owners by maintaining one-on-one relationships with customers. After years in the business, she continues to get on the phone and field questions.
The brand’s customer-friendly attitude and devotion to cleanliness has kept them prosperous throughout a pandemic that cost some kratom vendors their livelihoods. Sales continue to climb for this striking new kid on the block.
Naturally, the brand suffered a bit of a PR setback in the wake of its bogus COVID claims, but Jessica now claims its daily sales mushroomed after a lockdown was first announced.
While it is certainly in poor taste for a vendor to brag about profiting from a global health crisis, it’s not exactly unethical. After all, vendors with access to quality herbs have an ethical duty to provide them to consumers in times of need.
Nevertheless, Golden Road Botanicals remains at a crossroads between legitimacy and immorality. On the one hand, it is said to be staffed by down to earth people who keep things clean, while on the other, it is not approved by the AKA (American Kratom Association).
On the downside, Golden Road Kratom has made no attempt to participate in the AKA’s GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) program. More alarmingly, it does not disclose any third-party laboratory results.
The Golden Road Kratom collection is plentiful, to say the least. Variety was never this seller’s problem area.
Whereas some online artisans focus on diversity by importing all sorts of ethnobotanicals, The Golden Road Kratom takes things back to basics. It’s all about kratom. Plain and simple.
This Orange County vendor currently stocks 21 kratom strains and blends. Additionally, it carries extracts and kratom potentiators.
Raw kratom powder is a must-have for anyone with a DIY spirit. If you like to get your hands dirty, you’ll have a blast with Golden Road Kratom’s nano powders.
They are perfect for sprinkling over food, mixing into a smoothie, or brewing into a fine cup of tea. You can even use it to make your own kratom capsules.
This seller’s strains include Green Indo, Green Maeng Da, Green Malay, Green Thai, Red Borneo, Red Indo, Red MD, White Borneo, White MD, and White Thai.
Green Indo Kratom has long been a favorite around here, with many of our staff members rating it high on their lists of go-to strains. For a time, Green Vein Indo was quite rare in the United States.
Today, this long-lasting green vein kratom powder is widely accessible and priced more reasonably. It remains one of the oldest and most unique strains on the market.
Green veins are known for being younger than red and white veins, and yet, they are said to have a more protracted duration. This is an unforgettable aroma that doesn’t dissipate for hours.
Golden Road Botanicals’ proprietary blends include Dark Star # 2, Gamma Green, Lyra Kratom, Red Rigel Indo, and Ursae Major Kratom.
Most of its blends start at $11 for twenty-five grams of powder, with five hundred grams going for $85.00. You can also get a kilo for $125.00. This is actually an incredibly low price for bulk kratom blends.
For example, most kratom vendors charge a minimum of $120-125 for a kilo of plain leaf. Meanwhile, some charge an obscene fortune for kratom blends. If you take a look at Happy Hippo Herbals you’ll see what we mean.
Extracts are typically prepared manually using a water or alcohol-based solution. The intention is to remove large concentrations of key alkaloids from multiple kratom leaves, for the purpose of infusing them into a small portion of kratom plant matter.
The result is purportedly stronger than plain leaf, although some users have questioned the veracity of such claims. Regardless, kratom extracts remain a much-coveted product in the contemporary marketplace.
This vendor carries two kratom extracts in both powder and capsule form—Titan Daytime Kratom Extract and Titan Nighttime Kratom Extract, respectively. These singular kratom capsules are said to deliver a “full spectrum” experience.
You can get five grams of powdered extract for $15 or five grams worth of caps for $20.00. You may also get ten grams of powder for $25 or ten grams in capsules for $32.00.
This West coast brand pays attention to trends in packaging, advertising, and more. It also pays attention to what its customers want.
If there’s one good thing we can say about The Golden Road Kratom it’s that it knows how to put a smile on a patron’s face. The site is exquisitely designed, with a smooth, subtle layout, and calming visuals.
Its straightforward menu makes it easy to navigate the different pages, and its sales are significant. As a matter of fact, we have yet to come across another vendor offering 30% off to ALL customers. Such sales are commonly reserved for return customers, such as email subscribers.
Most kratom powders start at eight dollars for an ounce, with 50 grams selling for $15.00. You can get 500 grams for $70.00 or a kratom kilo (1,000 grams) for an industry-low $105.00.
Golden Road Botanicals’ prices are much lower than your average big name kratom vendor. For example, Kraken Kratom charges $111.99 for 455 grams of kratom, while Happy Hippo Herbals charges as much as $130 for a half kilo.
It’s worth remembering that the cheapest doesn’t always mean the best. Some of the least affordable brands may have the highest quality and vice versa.
All orders ship via USPS (United States Postal Service), with standard shipment via Priority Mail. Users can also upgrade to Express Mail for expediting shipping.
Unlike some reputable vendors who provide a 30-day money-back guarantee, the folks behind Golden Road Botanicals give you 24 hours from the time that your order arrives to request a refund or exchange.
All returned products must be unopened and unused, with original packaging intact. This is inconvenient since it would require opening the product in order to determine whether it is fresh or not.
The same rules apply to orders that were shipped or received in error. You may not open the product and you only have 24 hours to contact the company about a return.
The Golden Road Kratom may well be the most inclusive vendor where payment options are concerned. It currently accepts crypto, e-Check, Mastercard, and Visa.
It also accepts Amazon gift cards and PayPal, among others.
The coupon clipper will find plenty to love at this seller’s online store. Golden Road Botanicals provides its patrons with kratom coupon codes, free samples, and weekly specials.
You can use the coupon code ‘STAYGOLD’ to receive 25% off your initial order.
Alternatively, you can use the promo code ‘GOLDENDEALS’ for a limited time to receive 30% off white vein kratom powder.
When you buy from this seller, you’re automatically registered for Loyalty Rewards. Once you’re signed up, you can earn points towards future orders by purchasing, reviewing, or referring customers to this brand and its products.
Rewards include points per purchase as well as free gifts and special offers. The program’s “Gold Bars” are redeemable at checkout.
If you experience an issue or need a question answered, you can reach out any time via email or phone. The owner can be contacted directly by emailing Jessica@goldenroadkratom.com.
You can call this vendor’s Huntington Beach office at 714-947-3709. Alternatively, you can reach its EU offices at +44231292390. Offices are open from nine to five between Monday and Saturday.
This vendor has a sizable following on social media, no doubt owing to its constant specials and signature blends. Consumers everywhere are becoming keenly aware of this brand for this very reason.
I Love Kratom has been sponsored by Golden Road Botanicals in the past as part of its monthly giveaways. Those who logged in received free kratom powder and kratom capsules from The Golden Road.
It is on the ILK’s Approved Vendors list and has been featured in the forum’s Brand Spotlight series.
After careful consideration, it would seem that this vendor has learned from its mistakes. However, customers should be wary of any vendor lacking widespread brand recognition.
Without Reddit comments and substantial reviews to espouse it, it is difficult to trust this brand. Trust is something it must earn and, more importantly, earn back.
Thus far, there have been no notable Reddit posts regarding Golden Road Botanicals in 2021.
It is easy to say that everyone deserves a second chance. It is more difficult in practice, particularly when it comes to a company that would exploit a global pandemic for personal gain.
