Kiva Bar Review: Price, Dosage, Flavors, Ingredients, & More
1 CommentKiva Confections and their “Kiva Bar” have quickly become a household cannabis brand. You can find them stocked at hundreds of cannabis dispensaries across California. But what makes them so special? Let’s take a look.
First, edibles can often lead to one of two kinds of experiences: a mild buzz or a very potent high. Even though most brand name edible companies display their products’ THC/CBD doses on the packaging, it doesn’t mean these doses are 100% standardized. Such labels should be taken with a grain of salt.
Different extraction methods, different strains with varying potencies, and different third-party testing facilities might mean that two similar edibles from two different manufacturers can vary significantly in potency, even if advertised as equals. So it’s almost more important to know the company behind the products you’re consuming than it is to know the actual number of milligrams contained within.
Beyond the different types of “edible-highs” (euphoric buzz vs. melting couch-lock), edibles consumers likely fall into one of two camps: medical marijuana patients who often avoid smoking altogether (combustion is bad) and solely rely on edibles to treat their symptoms, or recreational consumers who simply enjoy product variety.
Luckily for us cannabis enthusiasts, Kiva Confections keeps both camps in mind by creating a line of marijuana edibles that cater to inexperienced consumers and cannabis connoisseurs alike.
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Kiva Confections Products
Kiva was founded in 2010 by Scott Palmer and Kristi Knoblich when the edible market was desperately underserved. Products were untested, unlabeled, and inconsistently potent, which the founders became committed to changing.
By working with experienced cannabis cultivators, and *wait for it* expert chocolatiers, Kiva Confections was launched with a commitment to efficacy, food safety, and business integrity.
As stated on their website, Kiva’s mission is to make sure that their edibles are safe, innovative, and delicious. They “are dedicated to developing innovative ways for people to consume cannabis which nurture, enhance & improves lives” and claim to already deliver the safest, most convenient and delicious tasting medical cannabis edibles to a discerning, deserving community.
They’re also a California not-for-profit collective, in accordance with California cannabis laws.
The relatively large size of the brand (for an edibles company) and its strict adherence to lab-testing means that it aims to meet a uniformly (and objectively) high standard of quality. Their main products are:
The Kiva Bar:
Their flagship product, the Kiva Bar is a chocolate bar that comes in two doses—60mg and 180mg of THC and are made in six different flavors. The Kiva Bar has become a household name to most in the cannabis industry after winning Best Edible at both the San Francisco and Los Angeles High Times Cannabis Cup in 2013. Kiva’s bars have also appeared in a Forbes article related to appropriate cannabis branding. Despite its multiple awards, low-tolerance consumers shouldn’t fear!
Kiva Minis:
For anyone who’s just looking for a single dose or is very bad at math, they also offer Kiva Minis, which are just single squares of their standard Kiva Bars, available in the same six flavors and contain a quarter of the full bars’ dosage—clocking in at 15mg and 45mg THC, respectively.
Kiva Terra Bites:
Their third and final product is Kiva Terra Bites, wildly-popular chocolate-covered espresso beans or blueberries, depending on your preferred flavor. Each tin contains 24 “bites” at 5mg each, for a total of 120mg of THC in each tin. You can find them at almost any of your local dispensaries.
Doses, Price, Flavors, Taste & Effects
The 60mg chocolate bar comes in two flavors, Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate, while the 180mg bar comes in Vanilla Chai Milk Chocolate, Blackberry Dark Chocolate, Mint Irish Cream, Milk Chocolate and Tangerine Dark Chocolate. Each is produced from a mixed blend of indica and sativa strains, sourced from the highest quality California cannabis.
The bars themselves are separated into four breakable squares, making it easy to control the amount of THC you’re intaking (the company says it’s working on a CBD-based product). Elderly folks with weak hands or those who suffer from arthritis might need help separating the bar into smaller pieces.
I tried the Mint Irish Cream flavor, which tasted about as good as any artisan chocolate bar and better than your typical mass-market stuff. The cannabis flavor that turns some consumers away is present, but not unpleasant; it’s very mild and contributes to the taste in a way that’s more unique and enjoyable than anything else! Many users even report not tasting the cannabis whatsoever.
The standard price for one 180mg Kiva Bar is around $20, and the 60mg bars are generally sold for around $10. There’s no doubt these edibles err on the more expensive side, but they ARE effective. For practically anyone—novices and experienced smokers alike—each bar is going to contain multiple doses. That’s why it’s super important to know how to control your cannabis dosing.
SEE ALSO: Review of Kiva Terra Bites Chocolate Covered Blueberries
How Is Kiva Chocolate Produced?
Kiva prides itself on producing only the best chocolate, which starts with the best cocoa beans (obviously). The company sources its chocolate from a third-party, who sources their cocoa beans from around the world, focusing on quality and the ability to deliver a premium chocolate experience.
Kiva’s chocolate is derived strictly from cocoa beans that contain no other flavors or additives (natural or artificial). The company uses 54% Cacao semisweet for their dark chocolate bars and Kiva Terra Bites, while their milk chocolate bars are made with a minimum of 34% Cacao.
The result? A rich chocolate experience that delivers an indulgent, velvety smooth taste without the strong cannabis flavor.
The Kiva Bar Does (Almost) Everything Right
It’s hard to fault the Kiva Bar for anything (aside from maybe the premium price) that ultimately makes sense given what you’re getting. I’ve personally paid more than the price of a Kiva Mini or Terra Bites for a product that had virtually no effect.
Quality over quantity, always.
Ultimately, Kiva Confections’ claims are all justified: the Kiva Bar is both effective and delicious. Safety is guaranteed by the prominently displayed labeling both on the cardboard package and on the foil wrapper, which even notes the THC content of each square.
And for those obsessed with accurate, high-quality lab testing, you can rest easy knowing that Kiva tests for accurate cannabinoid profiles, potency in each bar, and residual contaminants before performing a routine quality test one last time prior to distribution. The company claims all their raw ingredients are constantly tested to make sure they’re free of pesticides, fungicides, and miticides.
Additionally, all Kiva products are gluten-free, but they’re produced on shared equipment that may contain milk, soy, and/or traces of nuts, so if you have food allergies exercise caution!
SEE ALSO: Six Vegan Marijuana Edibles You Should Try Today
Kiva Created a “Standard” Dose, But Always Exercise Caution
But seriously, Kiva has quality and quantity. It’s worth repeating that for the new or infrequent medical marijuana consumer, a 60mg bar will contain four solid doses at the very least. And even veteran cannabis users should be pleasantly satisfied by one of the four doses contained in the 180mg bar. If not, eat more; it’s that simple. Just understand you can’t eat less, so space your doses out accordingly (at least 45-60 minutes between dosing is recommended).
For anyone consuming more than a 45mg at once is strongly discouraged, and should only be attempted by someone already familiar with Kiva products who has diligently observed their previous experiences with them. Eating a whole Kiva bar would be mental suicide for most so don’t try it at home, folks.
Even though the product goes out of its way to draw attention to the fact that it contains four doses, it’s best to go in with prior knowledge of exactly what you’re getting (as with any medical product). And because edibles are sometimes sold in single doses, educating patients about the varying THC amounts in different products should always be a primary focus for edibles brands.
Thanks, Kiva. We appreciate your transparency and commitment to accuracy.
Customer Testimonials
“These are hands down the best candy bars I have ever had as far as medical marijuana is concerned. Other candy with weed in it can make me sick to my tummy but these don’t. I recommend the mint ones they taste just like thin mints and the feeling lasts several hours. I have fibromyalgia and these candies help my pain so much. My favorite product.” —Heather R.
“It’s bomb try the mint version I’m loving it.” —Alexander K.
“This isn’t just a cannabis delivery mechanism. It’s also a good, quality chocolate bar. Not quite as amazing as something like a Vosges bar, but miles ahead of a Hershey bar. And much better than your typical edible. I’ve found that the dosage is consistent every time I get these. I really like that because I feel like I don’t get consistent results with all edibles. I’m a daily smoker and 1/3rd of a square takes care of me for a whole day.” —Elsie M.
Should I Try the Kiva Bar?
The answer is almost definitely YES. As long as you exercise caution when deciding the proper dose to take, you’re almost always guaranteed to have a good experience. And since Kiva Confections is dedicated to a safe and scientific approach to creating their products, you’ll always find a dosage that works for you. Anyone interested in trying an edible for the first time or just purchasing a high quality product is definitely going to find what they’re looking for in the Kiva Bar.
Where to Buy Kiva Confections
While we love sharing awesome content on our blog to help cannabis patients better understand the plant they love, we’re also pioneering the way for easy, quick, and professional cannabis delivery.
Nugg lets you find and order delivery online from local cannabis dispensaries in more than 60 California cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Think of it like GrubHub for cannabis. It’s free to use, every order is backed by 24/7 customer service, and you can choose from thousands of marijuana products across hundreds of dispensary menus.
Just put your address and the product you’re looking for into the search bars and instantly get a list of where you can find it the cheapest and closest to you!