Zaad Kratom was a product of Zaad Botanicals, a poetry-quoting indie artisan out of Niles, MI. This Great Lake State supplier was embraced by social media in the days before the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has since fallen off most consumers’ radar. This is unfortunate, as Zaad Kratom was one of the most ambitious brands the industry had to offer.
Zaad Botanicals made the first and – as far as we know – only kratom vape pen on the market. Although it seemed somewhat gimmicky at the time (2019), one can easily see how it filled a void in the industry. After all, smoke shops carry vape juices in just about every flavor, and the fragrance is known to civilized man, so why not one with the mellifluous aroma of Mitragyna speciosa?
This brand has been MIA in recent years, but here’s where you can look for it. We’ll tell you all about the pros and cons of Zaad Kratom, the best places to find Zaad Kratom alternatives, and why you should manage your expectations when it comes to smoke shop kratom.
Zaad Kratom’s prices were in keeping with the industry standard for wholesale kratom powder. The same is true of its specialty items, such as the exotic kratom vape pen. More on this in a moment.
Some will see Zaad as the next generation kratom experience due to its presentation; the packaging is sleek and easy to conceal, boasting a futurist color scheme. Each package was emblazoned with a picture of the brand’s one-of-a-kind kratom vape pen housed within.
I say ‘was’ because Zaad Kratom does not appear to be in business any longer. Zaad Botanicals offered kratom concentrate and hemp concentrate vape pens, for the sake of convenience as well as variety. These vape pens were slim, sexy, and ergonomic, but that wasn’t enough to keep the shutters open.
Zaad Kratom’s online reputation was all but nonexistent, which is not too surprising for a small-time smoke shop brand, but it does speak to a certain degree of neglect in terms of quality of advertising. Some of the worst brands on the market are still deeply imprinted in the public consciousness, while some of the best brands never achieve name recognition. This comes down to failed marketing opportunities and poor marketplace penetration.
You might say Zaad Kratom’s quality was middling or just meh ok; this brand’s kratom powder was sometimes fresh, sometimes stale, but consistently average. Its collection of kratom strains read like a laundry list of the most common and predictable kratom cultivars – Red Bali, Green Maeng Da, and White Indo. There were few surprises with this brand, save for its greatest innovation – Zaad Botanicals Concentrate Vape Pens.
This vendor no longer operates an online store, nor does it appear to maintain a land-based establishment. Its one-time partners in the wholesale space have removed Zaad Kratom from their collections or closed in kind. For example, Kalamazoo Vape Smoke’s Shop Lightspeed site is no longer active.
Zaad Botanicals was once active on social media, having amassed just under one hundred likes and follows in its first year in business. February 2020, saw this vendor post for the last time and no one has seen or heard from them since. There is no Zaad Botanicals land-based store in business today.
Zaad Kratom used to be carried by wholesalers, such as Kratom Roots Wholesale. However, its Zaad Kratom product page has since been deleted. Unfortunately, sites selling Zaad Kratom vape pens are no longer active. If you see this brand displayed in a local head shop, you should take into account how long it may have been sitting on the shelf.
There are no consumer reviews for Zaad Kratom, neither at online kratom forums nor on popular social media platforms. After visiting Zaad Botanicals’ Facebook profile, we were astonished to find it lacked not only consumer reviews, but, more crucially, a single, solitary star rating. Zaad Kratom does not appear to have been reviewed or rated anywhere on the internet.
Despite its lack of starred ratings or customer shout-outs, Zaad Kratom was successful at keeping its audience neutral. Our research does not indicate any sign of consternation on the part of Zaad Kratom’s patrons. No negative comments appeared on message boards or review sites.
Unlike so many successful brands, Zaad Kratom was not the subject of any hate or discouragement on sites like Reddit, nor was it named in any lawsuits, pending or otherwise. No formal complaints have been lodged with the Better Business Bureau.
There is no available information to indicate whether Zaad Kratom was submitted for third-party laboratory evaluation. There are no pages currently offering Zaad Kratom in any form. Our gut tells us this one was not properly evaluated prior to manufacturing. This may have even played a role in the dissolution of this brand, though we do not wish to speculate.
If you were looking forward to trying Zaad Kratom, you can find plenty of similar items on the current market. There are thousands of kratom products floating around, many of them quite exotic and robust. Here are our picks for the top three kratom brands of the moment:
Garuda Kratom, AKA Hudson Valley Botanicals, is the East Coast’s best-kept secret. You won’t find this one in search results for ‘Kratom in New York,’ but just be happy you don’t need a password to gain access to its many treasures.
As we covered in our Garuda Kratom Review, HVB carries everything from enhanced teas and horned leaf kratom to proprietary blends and coveted plain leaf strains (Green Aceh, Red Banjar, etc.). What’s more, it offers kratom kilos for as little as $83.00.
Kona Kratom was one of the top brands of 2021 for a good reason – this Colorado-based kratom vendor has forged personal relationships with the plantation owners of Indonesia and Vietnam, leading to the importation of some of the world’s finest, freshest, and most unique kratom powder.
As we mentioned in our Kona Kratom Review, this vendor is affordable, dependable, and one hundred percent pure. Its fully lab-tested catalog consists of numerous plain leaf classics, including Green Thai, Red Dragon, Super Green Malay, and White Horn.
Taunton Bay Soap Company, AKA Taunton Bay Kratom, is a Maine-based kratom supplier with a wide range of distinct cultivars, including signature blends like Chili Mix and Starburst. There are thirteen strains to choose from and a number of economic purchasing options. Like Garuda Kratom, Taunton Bay Soap Company’s bulk kratom powder is heavily discounted.
When it comes time to select a kratom brand, you should always consider the inherent drawbacks to buying from a neighborhood head shop or tobacconist. For starters, many local ma-and-pa stores do not offer refunds. By contrast, the majority of online kratom vendors provide satisfaction guarantees, which may enable you to request a return within fourteen to thirty days of receiving your order.
Most smoke shop proprietors get their products from a third-party wholesale supplier. These companies are often limited liability companies that are bound by fewer regulations than serious professional kratom processors. Remember, a wholesaler rarely deals directly with farmers and usually serves as little more than a middle man. These middlemen hardly ever concern themselves with whether products have been lab-tested or adulterated.
When purchasing kratom, whether online or in person, be sure to select a vendor who is forthcoming and fair. Look for a brand that shares certificates of analysis on its website. If you find one that looks good, but they do not automatically share this information, you should reach out and request lab results. Always demand the bare minimum of oversight and transparency.
Many of the very best kratom brands participate in the AKA’s GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) program. This unique program was established to hold the industry accountable and to keep the public safe. Those who participate must volunteer to a third-party audit in order to ensure the purity of its product(s) and the consequent safety of its patrons.
The GMP program sets forth guidelines for the manufacturing, labeling, marketing, distribution, and verification of kratom plant matter in all its varied forms. These requirements align with the tenets of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act.
You can refer to the AKA’s list of GMP vendors for a breakdown of the best smoke shop kratom brands (MIT45, Remarkable Herbs, Whole Herbs Kratom) as well as the best e-commerce kratom sites (:: clears throat:: Golden Monk, Kats Botanicals, Taunton Bay Soap Company). As you will see, the names on its list are some of the industry’s biggest brands.
In summary, Zaad Kratom was a rad brand, but it’s passing does not have to be sad. There is plenty of leaf on everyone’s street. As of this writing, there are hundreds upon hundreds of domestic vendors and the industry continues to grow.
If you have exhausted the resources provided above, you are not out of luck. There are dozens upon dozens of kratom brands that are worthy of exploration. Check out our Complete List of the Best Kratom Vendors for a full rundown of the most trusted companies in 2022.
