INDUSTRY
CBD / Hemp Production
CHALLENGE
Rapid growth exposed inefficiencies in manual spreadsheets, making inventory tracking, production planning and order fulfilment increasingly difficult.
IMPLEMENTATION TIME
Katana MRP was implemented quickly, with the core production and inventory workflows live within a few months.
RESULTS
Cornbread Hemp gained real-time visibility of inventory, streamlined production scheduling, and reduced errors, allowing the business to scale efficiently and fulfil orders faster.
THE COMPANY
Cornbread Hemp is a fast-growing CBD brand based in Kentucky, producing high-quality, full-spectrum CBD products from seed to oil. With the 2018 Farm Bill opening opportunities in hemp cultivation, Cornbread Hemp established a vertically integrated operation growing, manufacturing and fulfilling orders in-house.
As demand grew, manual spreadsheets and ad-hoc processes couldn’t keep pace, prompting the need for a cloud-based inventory and production solution that could match their growth ambitions.
THE CHALLENGE BEFORE KATANA
As Cornbread Hemp moved into their 24,000-square-foot facility, their spreadsheet-based processes couldn’t keep up with growing production complexity. They needed a system to manage end-to-end workflows and support scaling beyond the new facility:
• Manual spreadsheets causing errors and inefficiencies
• Difficulty tracking raw materials and finished products across the production process
• Limited visibility of inventory for e-commerce and wholesale orders
• Time-consuming production planning and order fulfilment
THE SOLUTIONS IMPLEMENTED WITH KATANA
In early 2023, Cornbread Hemp implemented Katana to simplify and streamline their manufacturing and inventory processes. Customised to their vertically integrated operation, Katana became the single source of truth for every stage from seed planting and oil extraction to producing finished products. This provided the visibility, control and efficiency needed to scale into their new 24,000-square-foot facility and support future growth.
Key improvements included:
•Real-time inventory tracking for raw materials and finished products
•Automated production scheduling for efficient resource allocation
•Integration with e-commerce platforms to eliminate double data entry
•Full visibility of stock levels, helping prevent overselling and stockouts
THE RESULTS
Cornbread Hemp is rapidly outgrowing its current facility and plans to build a dedicated fulfillment and storage center. Their long-term vision is a fully integrated “Cornbread Campus,” where farming, manufacturing, and fulfillment operate from a single site—with Katana remaining the central system powering this growth.
Since adopting Katana, Cornbread Hemp has seen measurable improvements across the business:
- Centralized inventory management, improving data accuracy and reducing errors
- Saved 10+ hours per week by eliminating manual spreadsheet updates—freeing up staff to focus on growth
- Enhanced recall readiness with lot-level tracking to meet strict regulatory standards
- Improved visibility into production costs, enabling accurate pricing and protecting margins
- Streamlined returns with an integrated Shopify returns feature—saving time on customer service
- Faster order fulfillment and higher customer satisfaction
