An inside look at the thriving cannabis industry in Kansas City
An inside look at the thriving cannabis industry in Kansas City
Marijuana sales are booming in Missouri, with over $3 million worth of products bought every day. As the state prepares to expand licenses to microbusinesses, we get a behind-the-scenes look at one thriving cannabis manufacturing business in Kansas City.
Updated: 11:30 AM CDT Oct 1, 2023
IS HEART OF THE MATTER. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY. I’M CODY HOLYOKE. WE’VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE MORE PROGRESSIVE POLICIES PUSHED FORWARD BY PETITION EFFORTS AND VOTERS IN MISSOURI, PERHAPS THE LARGEST, INVOLVES THE LEGALIZATION OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA. WE ARE NEARLY EIGHT MONTHS TO THE DAY SINCE SALES WENT LIVE, AND BOY, DID THEY PICK UP IN A BIG WAY. OVERALL, MARIJUANA INDUSTRY SALES WERE ON PACE TO CROSS THE. $1.5 BILLION MARK IN MISSOURI LAST MONTH. THAT’S SINCE 2020 AND INCLUDES RECREATIONAL AND MEDICINAL SALES. BUT LOOK AT THIS. SINCE JUST FEBRUARY, RECREATIONAL SALES ARE CLOSE TO $640 MILLION. THAT’S ABOUT 3 MILLION SPENT IN MISSOURI EVERY DAY ON RECREATIONAL WEED. THE BOOM IN BUSINESS IS ALSO OPENING UP NEW OPPORTUNITIES. THIS WEEK, THE FIRST ROUND OF BUSINESSES WILL START GETTING THEIR LICENSES. SIX APPLICANTS WILL BE SELECTED IN EACH OF THE STATE’S EIGHT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. THAT’S 48 OUT OF MORE THAN 1600 APPLICANTS WHO APPLIED OVER THE SUMMER WITH MORE ROUNDS PROMISED IN THE YEARS AHEAD. THE GOAL HERE IS TO GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SMALLER BUSINESSES AND GROWERS AS WELL AS PEOPLE AFFECTED BY DRUG ARRESTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL CRITERIA TO QUALIFY FOR A LICENSE, EVERYTHING FROM BEING A LOW INCOME RESIDENT TO SOMEONE LIVING IN A POORER AREA. EVEN PEOPLE WITH PAST MARIJUANA CONVICTIONS. MISSOURI’S CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER FOR THE CANNABIS PROGRAM TELLS ME THAT’S AN IMPORTANT ADDITION. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT REALLY HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY. AND SO WE’VE BUILT THIS NOW LEGAL CANNABIS MARKET ON THE BACKS OF THESE LEGACY OPERATORS. SO ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MARKET IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THAT CONTRIBUTION THAT WAS MADE TO IT. IT WOULDN’T BE WHAT IT IS $1 BILLION INDUSTRY OR MORE IF IT WASN’T FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS. YOU KNOW THAT LICENSE IS MORE THAN A PIECE OF PAPER. THE STATE WILL ALSO PROVIDE CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR LICENSE HOLDERS AND WORK TO KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN. SINCE THESE LICENSES CAN ONLY WORK WITH EACH OTHER AND NOT THE LARGER BUSINESSES ALREADY UP AND RUNNING, THAT SIDE OF THE INDUSTRY IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BEAST. AS I FOUND OUT WHEN WE TRAVELED TO FRANKLIN’S A MARIJUANA PRODUCT MANUFACTURER IN KANSAS CITY DOING BIG BUSINESS ACROSS THE STATE. I’M HERE WITH MICHAEL WILSON, WHO’S CEO OF FRANKLIN’S HERE IN KANSAS CITY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US IN HERE. THIS IS THE MANUFACTURING AREA, RIGHT? TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON BEHIND US. YEAH, SO IT’S EXCITING TIMES. WE’RE A CANNABIS MANUFACTURER, LICENSED CANNABIS MANUFACTURER IN MISSOURI. WE’RE PRODUCERS OF A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS, INCLUDING BLUNTS BEVERAGES. A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW US FOR OUR JAMES LEMONADE, OUR FRANKLIN’S BLUNTS, AND HERE TODAY, WE’RE LABELING UP SOME BLUNTS TO GO OUT INTO THE MARKET THAT, YOU KNOW, DISTRIBUTING ALL ACROSS THE STATE. SO IT’S A PRETTY EXCITING TIME. YOU’VE BEEN IN THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA BUSINESS FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS WITH FRANKLIN’S WRIGHT, WHAT HAVE YOU NOTICED IN THE TIME SINCE THEN? IF SALES BEEN WHERE YOU THOUGHT THEY’D BE, DID THEY EXCEED EXPECTATIONS? HOW DID THAT? I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD WOULD AGREE THAT SALES HAVE EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS IN THE MARKET. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYONE WAS SURPRISED ABOUT ESPECIALLY WHO WHO WOULD BE COMING OVER FROM THE BORDERS. I MEAN, KANSAS HAS REALLY SUPPORTED KANSAS CITY. YOU KNOW, AND KANSAS CITY ITSELF HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE INDUSTRY. SO, YOU KNOW, IT’S BEEN A PRETTY WILD RIDE, BUT IT’S DEFINITELY EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS. LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE, YEAH, I MEAN, WE WERE A STATE LINE CITY WRIGHT STATE LINE METRO. HOW MUCH OF YOUR BUSINESS IS COMING FROM KANSAS? WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DON’T GET A FULL, TRANSPARENT LOOK INTO THAT, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE’RE A MANUFACTURER. WE RELY TO BUY PRODUCT FROM THE CULTIVATOR AND SELL IT TO THE DISPENSARIES. BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT’S SIGNIFICANT. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE’S DEFINITELY A STRONG FOLLOWING FROM FRANKLIN’S AND MULTIPLE OF THE BORDER STATES, BUT ESPECIALLY KANSAS. AND IT’S DEFINITELY MADE AN IMPACT THAT THAT MAKES JUST KANSAS CITY A VERY SIGNIFICANT SIZE OF THE MARKET IN COMPARISON TO THE WHOLE STATE. SO, YOU KNOW, GOD BLESS KANSAS CITY FOR PUTTING IT ON FOR, YOU KNOW, THE THE FUTURE OF CANNABIS. YOU KNOW, IT’S A VERY SUPPORTIVE CITY. YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF A SMALLER COMPANY, BUT YOUR FOOTPRINT IS PRETTY LARGE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI. TELL ME ABOUT THAT. YEAH. SO I MEAN, WE’RE AN INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURER, BUT WE’RE DISTRIBUTED IN 137 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE STATE. YOU KNOW, PRACTICALLY EVERY MAJOR CHAIN HAS OUR PRODUCT CURRENTLY OR WAITING TO GET OUR PRODUCT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT’S AN EXCITING, AN EXCITING JOURNEY TO BE ON IN LESS THAN A YEAR. SO. SO IT’S A BRAVE NEW WORLD, RIGHT? AND YOU HAVE, WHAT, MICROBUSINESS LICENSES OR IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW, STATE OF MISSOURI IS WORKING ON THAT. HOW WILL THAT SHAPE YOUR BUSINESS AND HOW YOU DO THINGS? SURE. YOU KNOW, IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME FOR MICRO LICENSES TO GET ON. AND I THINK EVERYBODY’S SUPPORTIVE AND WANTING TO SEE THOSE COME ONLINE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT’S A MARKET THAT THE TWO OF THOSE CAN EXIST WITH ONE ANOTHER. YOU KNOW, THE MICROS HAVE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THE REGULAR INDUSTRY HAS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES. BUT I THINK THE FUTURE OF THAT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, ONCE PEOPLE ARE ONLINE, THERE’S GOING TO BE SUPPORT ALL OVER MISSOURI FOR IT. AND WE’RE VERY I MEAN, EXTREMELY EXCITED TO SEE PEOPLE THAT COMING FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS GETTING INTO THE INDUSTRY AND ACROSS THE BOARD. IT’S I SEE PEOPLE BEING EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF IT. I THINK IT SPARKS HEALTHY COMPETITION. SURE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I LOVE COMPETITION. I THINK THAT’S KIND OF LIKE THE HEART OF AMERICA, RIGHT? BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON’T VIEW ANYBODY IN THE TRADITIONAL MARKET AS A COMPETITOR TO THE MICROS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYBODY THAT’S OVER HERE IN THE REGULAR LICENSE, THE COST TO GET INTO THIS BUSINESS IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND IT’S BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THE MICROS TO BE IN IT. SO IT’S KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT BEASTS, YOU KNOW, ON HOW IT’S PRODUCED. BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE’S VERY EXCITED TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE BE A PART OF THE INDUSTRY. IT’S SUCH A GROWING INDUSTRY AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE HAPPENED SO QUICKLY IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, EVEN JUST PARTNERSHIPS AND CROSS PROMOTION WITH BUSINESSES LIKE GUYS OR CRANE BREWING THAT SORT OF THING. OTHER OTHER BUSINESSES AROUND HERE, DO YOU SEE THAT THAT KIND OF BEING THE DIRECTION WHERE THE INDUSTRY GOES FROM HERE? SURE. YOU NEVER REALLY COULD TELL BECAUSE THAT’S ULTIMATELY POLICY DECISIONS AMONGST, YOU KNOW, OUR REGULATORY AGENCY. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE’RE ALWAYS TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS, WORKING WITH COOL BRANDS THAT EVERYBODY LIKES AND DOING THAT IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY. WHEN WE MAKE IT INTO A THC PRODUCT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE, YOU KNOW, GUYS CHIPS AND JAMES LEMONADE AND CRANE HAVE BEEN AMAZING PARTNERS AND IT’S BEEN EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED. AND THAT’S COOL, YOU KNOW, TO BE A PART OF BIG KANSAS CITY BRANDS, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE WILLING TO COLLABORATE WITH, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT THING IN CANNABIS AND THE NEXT GROUP IN CANNABIS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO POSITION OURSELVES AS A BOULEVARD OF WEED OR A JAY RIEGER OF WEED, YOU KNOW, A KANSAS CITY STAPLE THAT’S AROUND HERE FOR THE NEXT DECADE. SO YOU MENTIONED POLICY. IS THERE A SENSE OF I DON’T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT MAYBE WALKING ON EGGSHELLS BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO COME OUT OF JEFF CITY IN THE NEXT SESSION. SURE. YOU KNOW, I GUESS I’M MORE OF A REALIST THAN MAYBE SOME OTHERS. BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS THE THE INDUSTRY WE DECIDED TO BE IN. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FEDERALLY SOON TO BE FEDERALLY REGULATED INDUSTRY. YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE IN ANY OTHER LINE OF FOOD PRODUCTION, WE’D BE OVERSEEN BY THE FDA AND MANY OTHER REGULATORY AGENCIES. SO, YEAH, WHILE IT’S A SURPRISE, EVERY NEW MARKET IS GOING TO BE A SURPRISE AND YOU JUST HAVE TO ADAPT WITH THE NEW REGULATIONS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, YEAH, IT’S A CHALLENGE, BUT NO CHALLENGE TOO BIG FOR A GROUP LIKE US. WHAT OTHER CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING RIGHT NOW AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO OVERCOME IN THE NEXT YEAR? WELL, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT’S BEEN PRETTY COOL TO SEE WHERE THE MARKET’S GONE. YOU KNOW, THE AVAILABILITY OF PRODUCT HAS BEEN GREAT. YOU KNOW, IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR US TO GET ONLINE. AND NOW THAT OUR BUSINESS IS UP AND GOING, IT’S BEEN PRETTY INCREDIBLE. BUT THE NEXT YEAR, WE’D REALLY LOVE TO SEE MORE FRANKLIN’S PRODUCTS AND MORE PEOPLE’S HANDS. YOU KNOW, WE’D LOVE TO SEE MORE FRANKLIN’S HOODIES OUT THERE. WE’D LOVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, YOU COME BACK HERE IN SIX MONTHS, INTERVIEW OUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT HOW GREAT OF A FACILITY WE RUN AND HOW GREAT IT IS TO WORK HERE. YOU KNOW, WE’RE REALLY TRYING TO PRODUCE A GREAT MODEL FOR BUSINESS AND CANNABIS AND BEYOND. AND, YOU KNOW, IT’S EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. MICHAEL WILSON WITH FRANKLIN’S. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US AROUND. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. REST ASSURED, KMBC NINE NEWS WILL STAY ON TOP OF ANY POLICY CHANGES OR MOVEMENT ON MARIJUANA IN BORDER STAT
An inside look at the thriving cannabis industry in Kansas City
Marijuana sales are booming in Missouri, with over $3 million worth of products bought every day. As the state prepares to expand licenses to microbusinesses, we get a behind-the-scenes look at one thriving cannabis manufacturing business in Kansas City.
Updated: 11:30 AM CDT Oct 1, 2023
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