CHRIS DURAND

UC DAVIS 2004-2021 that he was growing on his own. His experience and passion for the plant led to his role on campus in becoming the Director of Greenhouse Research Operations for 15 years. During these vital years, Chris worked on over 400 different projects ranging from yield trials, to genetic expression and eventually developing the Athena ® Blended Line.

With Chris on the forefront of manufacturing and now heading up the R&D department, Athena ® has excelled at bringing some of the cleanest most consistent fertilizers to the cannabis market; Pro Line and Blended Line.

Our commitment to R&D has enabled us to develop innovative and unique products that meet the needs of our customers. We invest millions of dollars in R&D, and we partner with renowned experts in the industry, such as Dr. Bruce Bugbee at Utah State University & Chris Durand, former Director of Greenhouse Operations at UC Davis , to ensure that we remain at the forefront of the industry. Bringing plant science and continuous testing together with incredible cultivators has been our recipe for success.

Our R&D process is rigorous and extensive. We have multiple R&D rooms based out of one of Jungle Boys' LA facilities, where we trial products side by side under different light sources with different mix ratios. We also conduct continuous testing to ensure that our products are of the highest quality and meet the needs of our customers. Our dedication to R&D has enabled us to develop our Pro and Blended lines, which have become household names in the industry.

We took our commitment to R&D to the next level in 2021. We invested even more time and money into R&D, testing countless products that didn't make it to market. However, our dedication paid off, and we were able to develop three products that have become game-changers in the industry: the TC Kit, VPDome, and Fade. These products are a testament to our commitment to innovation and our determination to develop products that exceed our customers' expectations. We will continue to invest in R&D to ensure that we remain at the forefront of the industry and continue to develop products that set us apart.

In conclusion, R&D is at the heart of everything we do at Athena. It is what has enabled us to develop unique and innovative products that meet the needs of our customers. We are committed to never stop innovating. Innovation distinguishes a leader from a follower.