Rick Duchin is the founder and CEO of HopXL. An innovative and results-driven beverage formulator with over a decade of experience developing and optimizing beverage formulations, Rick’s focuses his efforts in hemp and THC, ready-to-drink products, functional beverages, and plant-based alternatives. His expertise in sensory evaluation, ingredient sourcing, regulatory compliance and leading cross-functional teams has driven him to discover a need for cost containment and feature set improvements in the brewing industries, something that has been confirmed with recent market trends.

Rick has developed and launched over 22 beverage products, including functional drinks and dairy alternatives. He has conducted sensory evaluations and consumer testing to refine flavor profiles and ensure market readiness which has added to the proprietary nature of HopXL’s custom formulation features. He is an expert in sourcing sustainable and innovative ingredients. He has scaled formulations for mass production while maintaining quality standards and adhering to FDA regulations, including nutritional and informational labeling. Rick has designed bench-top experiments to create prototypes for new beverage concepts based on market trends, while optimizing recipes for cost efficiency without compromising taste or quality and partnering with marketing teams to align product features with consumer preferences.

In developing the patented HopXL process, the company depended on Rick as an expert in extraction using CO2, ethanol, steam, and hydrocarbon processes, among others.             

Alex Hinshaw is a seasoned chemical process engineer and cannabis operations expert with deep expertise in extraction, distillation, isomerization, and process optimization. He holds a B.A. in Fermentation Science from Pitzer College and is also a Nationally Registered EMT-B.

Alex began his career co-founding Midas Touch Extracts during California’s Proposition 215 era, where he led award-winning extraction efforts recognized by the High Times Cannabis Cup. Midas Touch was also the primary extract provider for the Noah’s Ark Foundation, supporting pediatric epilepsy patients with life-changing medicine.

He has served as Facility Head and Production Manager for leading California manufacturers like HeliBiotech and SW Ventures, and co-founded AJCC, consulting over a dozen cannabis and hemp brands nationwide through licensing and operational setup. He has been tapped by firms such as HybridTech, Phytologix, and ICC NW as a Process Train Expert, and consulted Fortune 500 companies like Worthington Industries and Tate Inc. exploring cannabis entry.

Beyond cannabis, Alex has worked across the beverage and flavor industries—collaborating with breweries, wineries, and fragrance companies. He served as Brewer at Sour Cellars, Southern California’s largest sour beer producer.

Alex brings a unique interdisciplinary approach to scaling operations, refining sensory profiles, and ensuring production consistency. His commitment to education and industry standards is reflected in his past role as a Scientific Advisory Council member for the National Cannabis Industry Association, and as moderator for online forums like the Cannabis Extraction subreddit.

Jacob is an innovative chemical process engineer and OSHA Certified Safety & Health Official (CSHO) with extensive experience in extraction, distillation, isomerization, and process optimization. He is also Six Sigma Black Belt trained and holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Pitzer College.

He began his career co-founding Midas Touch Extracts during California’s Proposition 215 era—an award-winning extraction company recognized by the High Times Cannabis Cup and a key provider for the Noah’s Ark Foundation, supplying critical medication to children with Dravet and Epileptic Syndrome.

As co-founder of AJCC, Jacob has consulted on dozens of licensed cannabis and hemp facilities across the U.S., supporting clients through successful licensing, operational design, and process engineering. He’s been retained as a Process Train Expert by top firms including HybridTech, Phytologix, Vista Green Group, and ICC NW.

With deep expertise in workplace safety and compliance, Jacob has helped AJCC’s clients optimize performance while minimizing risk. Under his guidance, client facilities have operated without downtime or major incidents—even while adopting cutting-edge technologies in a fast-paced, competitive industry.

A former Chair and active member of the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Manufacturing Committee, Jacob is committed to advancing industry standards, public education, and responsible regulation.