Ejuice Magazine: Can you introduce yourself and give us a little bit of your background?
Robert Hummer: My name is Robert Hummer and I am the CEO and Co-Founder of LA Ejuice LLC, better known as Five Star Juice. In 2014 my business partners and I started our company with our Five Star Juice Line in a small warehouse in Gardena, CA and since then have expanded to two warehouses in Torrance, CA. We are a leading manufacturer for both TFN and delta 8 products.
EM: How were you introduced to the vape industry, and what made you want to get into the industry?
RH: Five Star Juice was created by passionate partners who had the vision and expertise to provide the world a much needed service and products. Our goal was to provide an alternative option to combustible cigarettes and help people quit smoking. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved thus far and very excited about the future!
EM: With Five Star having multiple lines, what is your personal favorite line from Five Star and why?
RH: Throughout the years I’ve had a few favorites but my new daily vape is our TFN Lush Ice disposable. It’s a smooth blend of watermelon and honeydew.
EM: What are you most proud of, that Five Star as a company has accomplished?
RH: We have had several proud moments at Five Star Juice, from growing from a one brand company to where we are today with several different products. We started with 3 people and now we have over 50 employees, even through COVID we were able to keep our doors open and our employees were able to stay working to provide for their families. It’s been fun working with people like Lamar Odom on his CBD line. Also it’s crazy to think that we have a head chemist that formulated some of the top flavors and brands in the industry.
EM: How has Five Star overcome some of the challenges that have been presented to the vape industry over the last 2 years?
RH: Even through all the challenges and blows the vape industry has had the last few years, we have grown stronger and bigger. Our company is committed to keeping our products in stock for our customers. We have invested a lot of money to be fully compliant with regulations, FDA, PMTAs and the latest, the PACT Act. To help navigate through these tough times we have started manufacturing TFN (Tobacco Free Nicotine) products, Delta 8 products. When COVID hit, we manufactured hand sanitizer and donated it to several hospitals, women’s shelters, police departments, nursing homes and schools.
EM: Where do you see the vape industry going in the next five to ten years?
RH: Sadly a lot of companies have struggled to stay in business after the FDA PMTAs and a lot of denial letters have been sent out lately. Our company is going the alternative route and manufacturing with TFN. A lot of people are counting on this industry, no one wants to go back to smoking cigarettes and we will keep standing as long as we can.
EM: Is there a message you would like to send to all of our readers?
RH: At Five Star Juice we are committed to you! We manufacture our products in a controlled environment. With our ISO7 cleanrooms, we are able to manufacture a higher quality product with greater consistency. We will continue to manufacture our products as long as we can!