We didn’t start Bristol CBD with a business plan.
We started it because we were curious, skeptical, and a bit fed up.
Back in 2016, both of us—Mark and Koren—were working as therapists here in Bristol. Koren was practising as a gut health specialist and acupuncturist, and I (Mark) was teaching mindfulness and coaching clients in positive thinking techniques.
Around that time, we kept hearing incredible stories about CBD—people using it for anxiety, sleep issues, inflammation, chronic pain. It seemed like there was a quiet wellness revolution happening, and we were eager to see what all the fuss was about.
The Problem: Price and Quality
When we started looking around Bristol for decent CBD, we quickly hit a wall.
- The high-quality oils were shockingly expensive
- The affordable ones were poor quality and full of fillers
We didn’t want to put low-grade products into our bodies, and we certainly didn’t want to overpay either. So we thought: maybe we could do it better.
Finding the Right Hemp
In the beginning, we tried small-scale CBD extraction ourselves—just to understand how it worked.
But it didn’t take long for us to realise that if we wanted to make truly high-quality CBD available to more people, we’d need to do it properly.
So we began working with some of the best hemp farms we could find—people who shared our commitment to organic growing, sustainability, and transparency. Over time, we partnered with trusted labs that specialise in clean, safe, high-quality CBD extraction.
Once we had identified the right farmers with the best hemp and extraction processes, we found that we had CBD oils and pastes that genuinely worked for us:
- We slept better
- We felt calmer
- And for me (Mark), it helped ease anxiety—even on days when I didn’t meditate
The Turning Point: A Friend’s Story
Then something happened that truly shaped our journey.
A close friend visited us with heartbreaking news—his three-year-old daughter had been diagnosed with cancer. Alongside surgery, she was facing nine months of chemotherapy.
We offered him some of the CBD oil we were using at the time—sourced from the hemp farms and labs we’d begun working with. He had read about CBD’s potential to help ease the side effects of chemotherapy—things like nausea, poor sleep, and emotional distress.
And incredibly, throughout her treatment:
- She kept her appetite
- She slept normally
- Her mood stayed balanced
The doctors repeatedly commented on how resilient she was compared to other children her age undergoing similar treatments. They didn’t know about the CBD—but they noticed the difference.
That experience gave us a deeper confidence in what CBD could do—not just for us, but for others navigating very real health challenges.
Today, we’re happy to say that she’s now an 11-year-old girl getting ready for secondary school. Her strength inspired us more than we can say.
From Curiosity to Community
Shortly after that, we created our first branded bottles.
We designed labels, improved our packaging, and started making products not just for ourselves—but for anyone who needed them.
As demand grew, so did the need for support.
We began to grow the team—bringing in people who believed in our mission to help with production, customer service, and sales. Many of them were customers first, drawn in by the results they experienced and the values we stood for.
And that’s how Bristol CBD evolved—from a personal experiment into a supportive, purpose-driven community.
No hype. No big marketing machine. Just a small team doing things properly—with integrity, care, and a lot of heart.
Learning the Rules—and Raising the Bar
As we grew, we knew it wasn’t enough to just believe in CBD—we had to make sure we were doing things the right way.
We took time to learn the legal and regulatory frameworks for selling CBD in the UK. That meant keeping up with industry guidance, understanding the Food Standards Agency (FSA) requirements, and ensuring our products were compliant from seed to shelf.
In 2022, our efforts paid off.
We became part of a small group of UK CBD companies officially validated by the FSA as compliant sellers.
Shortly after, we were honoured to be recognised by the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS) as one of the best quality CBD companies in the UK.
These milestones gave us even more confidence that we were on the right path—offering trustworthy, effective CBD products in a space where regulation and transparency really matter.
Our core beliefs and values have not changed.
Why We’re Still Here
What keeps us going today is simple:
- The messages from people who’ve found relief
- The joy of helping others explore natural health alternatives
- And the belief that no one should be priced out of wellbeing
We’re still a small, Bristol-based team, making small batches with big hearts.
We still take CBD every day.
And we still believe in the power of plant-based healing.
If you’re on your own journey with sleep, stress, pain, or health challenges—we’re here for you.
With warmth,
Mark & Koren
Co-Founders, Bristol CBD: A small business with a big heart
