To Foy’s Moose and Yon Haile, CBD’s Benefits Extend Beyond the Body
Last Update: July 20, 2023
From pain relief to stress management, by now, you likely know all about the purported benefits of CBD. The naturally occurring cannabidiol created a multi-billion dollar industry, found in everything from lattes to bath bombs. But despite the seemingly overnight explosion of the CBD industry—which took a long-illegal substance and turned it into a wellness supplement so commonplace that even your dog can use it—there are still tens of thousands of Americans incarcerated for selling or consuming cannabis in other forms.
When founding their CBD brand, Foy, brothers Moose and Yon Haile were more than aware of what they describe as an “imbalance” in the world of cannabis, which disproportionately affects the BIPOC community. Since Foy’s inception, Moose and Yon have made it a cornerstone of their business to make CBD more equitable. Most recently, they’ve partnered with the Bail Project, a nonprofit organization that works to pay bail for people incarcerated for cannabis-related charges, and to fund programs that rehabilitate, employ, and provide healthcare to those individuals.
Seed-to-Sale: Foy’s Approach to CBD Transparency
Before founding Foy, Moose and Yon both worked as managers for professional athletes. They became interested in CBD because of the results they saw it give to the athletes they worked with, who put extreme strain on their bodies every day. They felt drawn to help more people find their own relief from physical pain, stress, and anxiety through benefits of CBD.
Moose and Yon wanted to create a CBD brand that would employ organic farming practices to harvest the purest hemp they possibly could, and they wanted to build trust by sharing the process with their customers in what they call a “seed-to-sale ethos.” In an industry as frequently misunderstood as CBD, Foy’s emphasis on transparency sets them apart.
A Conversation with Foy Founders Moose and Yon Haile
We recently talked to Moose and Yon about farming cannabis sustainably, their own daily CBD rituals, and how their mother instilled in them a desire to help others from a young age. Whether they’re visiting their hemp farms in upstate New York or educating their customers about the healing benefits of CBD, Foy’s founders place care and compassion at the forefront of their business—and they believe that’s what true wellness is all about.
On founding a CBD brand:
“Before founding Foy, we were both managers and marketing agents representing professional athletes in marketing endorsement deals, community initiatives, outreach work, and business ventures.
Growing up, our family values stemmed from the importance of helping all types of people. We’ve remained dedicated to this practice throughout our lives. We’ve helped those in need navigate through mental health crises, homelessness, and other health-related challenges. We learned firsthand how love and support can heal those around us.
In working with professional athletes for nearly a decade, we knew how important wellness is to championing sport. We came across all types of wellness regimens and treatments that, unfortunately, the industry overlooked. We wanted to apply our learnings by contributing solutions to help people find their purpose through wellness. To us, that was through cannabis education and the formulation of high-quality CBD products. That’s how Foy was born.”
On being both brothers and business partners:
“It’s truly a blessing. Our mother always said the day we started working together would be the day we’d serve a greater purpose. It’s honestly such an amazing feeling to share your success and see your good intentions unfold with family. We believe that when it comes to accomplishing anything good, it takes discipline, sacrifice, and empathy. And with that foundation, any type of relationship has the power to align with your purpose.”
On working with farmers to grow hemp organically:
“We’ve had the absolute pleasure of seeing the farming process unfold. Before COVID, we spent time with the farm manager, who oversaw a team of 20 people throughout that season. His father ran a 425-acre organic farm, so he was instilled with the importance of regenerative agriculture and organic farming.
Every part of cultivating the [hemp] plant has an aspect of organic farming. The potting soil used for the seedlings is an organic mix from a local fertilizer company; the fields are prepared with organic fertilizers, such as chicken manure; for irrigation, the farm pulls from a local stream and reservoir that fills naturally from water flowing from the top of the valley; for weed control, a biodegradable mulch fabric is used in between the plant rows. The farm also tried installing clover around the plants to prevent weed growth, while simultaneously adding nitrogen back into the soil.
All of our fields go through a three-year cycle of production; after this, the farmers plant a rotational crop, such as squash, to allow the land to regenerate. We’re thankful to support sustainable farming practices, and we understand how important it is to keep educating ourselves and investing in this process.”
On promoting transparency in CBD:
“With so much consumer hesitation in the hemp marketplace, we’ve been committed to transparency from Foy’s inception. We offer [our customers] a full glimpse into our seed-to-sale process.
It all begins at our sustainable upstate New York farm. There, we not only cultivate high-quality organic hemp, but hemp that is heavily tested and regulated for quality assurance. As an added bonus, once our hemp is harvested, it is sent to our kosher-certified processing facility for extraction. From there, we are privileged to create the purest hemp oil through a post-refinement process. Throughout the journey, we send products out to credentialed third-party labs for comprehensive testing.”
On diversity and equity in the wellness industry:
“Our motivation to support diversity within our industry is something that differentiates Foy [from other brands]. We’re proud to be a Black-owned wellness brand driven to craft top-of-the-line products that are both cost-efficient and beneficial to your health.
Thanks to the support of our loyal customers, we’ve also been able to help under-represented communities and deliver resources to many people in need. Since our March 2020 launch, we’ve partnered with food banks to provide meals to those affected by COVID-19, gifted products to essential workers and nurses on duty throughout the pandemic, and aligned ourselves with social justice and equality initiatives that wholeheartedly embrace love and change in favor of a better future.
In February 2021, we partnered with The Bail Project. Our first (and current) initiative is aimed toward bailing out young Americans who have been arrested for cannabis-related crimes, while others are still profiting (or freely consuming) due to the imbalances surrounding different state cannabis laws. We want to focus on funding not only their bail, but also investing in programs that assist the accused with resources as they go through the trial process—in addition to covering the costs of reemployment, health care, and rehabilitation services. Unfortunately, pre-trial detention can have a devastating impact on a person’s life, and our goal is to help lessen that excruciating blow.
Our ultimate objective is to give a second chance to young adults disproportionately targeted for cannabis charges who are facing injustice. At Foy, we’ve embarked on an ongoing mission to invest in—and support—various communities as we continue seeking out justice while providing the needed tools for a better quality of life.”
On the healing benefits of CBD:
“We believe everyone could use not only more digital detoxification, but major help with de-stressing. Both of these issues have contributed negatively to our overall well-being (especially during the pandemic), and it’s time to reclaim the freedom to be the best versions of ourselves. Just like clean eating can benefit your diet, we believe organically grown medicine (like CBD) can help us become happier, healthier humans.
We believe in the science that the right type of CBD can help calm stress and anxiety levels, produce a better inflammation response in the body, boost immune health, offer better sleep quality, and so much more.
Our advice to folks on the fence: Find a company you trust. One that has nothing to hide. Learn about their farming practices, their extraction process, their testing, their packaging and their overall mission. If you can align with a brand that complements your personal values, don’t be afraid to give CBD the shot it very much deserves.”
On giving back to the community and being a mission-driven brand:
“Everything we do is rooted in good intentions and empathy, due to the fact we’ve seen and experienced various levels of racism and injustice. To be able to leverage our profits to provide hope, resources, and opportunities to the ones that need it the most is a must. Life is all about love, and we want everything we do at Foy to represent just that.”
How Foy’s Founders Use Foy CBD Products:
Yon: I like to take a full dropper of Foy 1500mg Organic CBD Oil before I go to sleep and a full dropper in my morning tea. If I’m feeling a little sore after a workout, I apply the Foy 750mg CBD Relief Cream to expedite my recovery.
Moose: Whenever I want to relax or take the edge off, I add some Foy 1500mg Organic CBD Oil to my favorite juice, tea, or coffee and enjoy.
How to Add CBD to Your Own Routine:
2 Hemp Extract Drink Recipes for Morning and Night
Watermelon Mint Hemp Extract Smoothie Recipe
Lavender & Vanilla Moon Milk With CBD Oil Recipe
3 Ways to Cook With Hemp Extract Oil
Learn More About CBD:
Need Some CBD Clarity? Our Guide for Choosing the Best Hemp Supplements
Farmer Cee of Green Heffa Farms Grows Organic Hemp with Heart & Soul
Celebrating Hemp History Week With Dr. Bronner’s
*These statements are not medical advice. Please consult your doctor before adding CBD to your routine.
This article is related to:
CBD, Hemp, Regenerative Agriculture, Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Brands
Amy Roberts
Amy Roberts is Thrive Market's Senior Editorial Writer. She is based in Los Angeles via Pittsburgh, PA.
Download the app for easy shopping on the go
By providing your mobile number, you agree to receive marketing text messages from Thrive Market. Consent not a condition to purchase. Msg & data rates apply. Msg frequency varies. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.