20 Black-owned Michigan cannabis companies you should support

By on Fri, Apr 15, 2022 at 2:47 pm

African Americans — one of the groups that have been harmed the most by the War on Drugs — remain underrepresented in Michigan's new legal cannabis industry.

In 2020, only 4% of the respondents of a survey of cannabis license holders conducted by Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs identified as Black, though the group makes up 14% of the state’s population. High start-up costs are to blame for limiting who can enter the industry, though some municipalities have social equity programs that offer reduced fees for minority groups, as well as for people with previous drug offenses.

Meanwhile, Detroit, the biggest Black city in the country, stepped into the recreational marijuana game pretty late, recently approving an ordinance for its use. Despite the challenges, these Black Michiganders are helping to shift what the cannabis industry looks like, one bud at a time. —Lee DeVito, Alex Washington, and Jerilyn Jordan

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Primitiv primitivgroup.com Primitiv is a cannabis brand founded by former Detroit Lions players Calvin Johnson and Rob Sims. The partners have been growing the plant at their facility (with a staff of about 15 people) in Webberville, and selling it into the Michigan distribution system for more than a year. Photo courtesy of Primitiv

Primitiv

primitivgroup.com

Primitiv is a cannabis brand founded by former Detroit Lions players Calvin Johnson and Rob Sims. The partners have been growing the plant at their facility (with a staff of about 15 people) in Webberville, and selling it into the Michigan distribution system for more than a year.

Photo courtesy of Primitiv
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Icewood Platinum Rose Lil’ Blade, the son of late Detroit rapper Blade Icewood, partnered with HYMAN Cannabis to produce a strain in honor of his father. The strain, Platinum Rose, is the first step in what Lil’ Blade says is his way of cementing Blade Icewood’s legacy and developing Icewood as a brand. The strain is available at a variety of local dispensaries and a complete list can be found here. Photo courtesy of Sxrreal and HYMAN Cannabis

Icewood Platinum Rose



Lil’ Blade, the son of late Detroit rapper Blade Icewood, partnered with HYMAN Cannabis to produce a strain in honor of his father. The strain, Platinum Rose, is the first step in what Lil’ Blade says is his way of cementing Blade Icewood’s legacy and developing Icewood as a brand.

The strain is available at a variety of local dispensaries and a complete list can be found here.

Photo courtesy of Sxrreal and HYMAN Cannabis
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BLK Sapote blksapote.com/ Blk Sapote is a no-smoke cannabis experience that uses hemp teas, and aims to expand the traditional thinking around cannabis use. The brand was founded by childhood friends, Ashley Parks and Courtnie Pierce, and works to curate experiences and provide a luxurious cannabis experience to members of their “High Tribe.” Photo via BLK Sapote / Instagram

BLK Sapote

blksapote.com/

Blk Sapote is a no-smoke cannabis experience that uses hemp teas, and aims to expand the traditional thinking around cannabis use. The brand was founded by childhood friends, Ashley Parks and Courtnie Pierce, and works to curate experiences and provide a luxurious cannabis experience to members of their “High Tribe.”

Photo via BLK Sapote / Instagram
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Premiere Provisions 710 Perry Ave., Big Rapids; 231-629-8188; premiereprovisionsbr.com It's a family affair: Premiere Provisions is owned by Kenneth Bryant Jr and son his Aaron, with his other son Kenneth Bryant III serving as the store's purchase manager. The business started in 2017 in Ann Arbor, but soon moved to Big Rapids, where they now offer medical and recreational pot. "We like to think of ourselves more like a Foot Locker," Kenneth Bryant III says. "Everybody else is trying to be Nike, they want to manufacture their own stuff, but we want to bring in all the coolest brands into one store." Photo courtesy of Premiere Provisions

Premiere Provisions

710 Perry Ave., Big Rapids; 231-629-8188; premiereprovisionsbr.com

It's a family affair: Premiere Provisions is owned by Kenneth Bryant Jr and son his Aaron, with his other son Kenneth Bryant III serving as the store's purchase manager. The business started in 2017 in Ann Arbor, but soon moved to Big Rapids, where they now offer medical and recreational pot. "We like to think of ourselves more like a Foot Locker," Kenneth Bryant III says. "Everybody else is trying to be Nike, they want to manufacture their own stuff, but we want to bring in all the coolest brands into one store."

Photo courtesy of Premiere Provisions

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Calyxeum calyxeum.com Calyxeum is a Black woman-owned medical cannabis growing and processing business in the 7th District on Detroit's west side. Headed by Latoyia Rucker and Rebecca Colett, Calyxeum is creating a minority inclusive space in the cannabis cultivation and processing industry. Photo courtesy of Calyxeum

Calyxeum

calyxeum.com

Calyxeum is a Black woman-owned medical cannabis growing and processing business in the 7th District on Detroit's west side. Headed by Latoyia Rucker and Rebecca Colett, Calyxeum is creating a minority inclusive space in the cannabis cultivation and processing industry.

Photo courtesy of Calyxeum
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Noble Road nobleroadco.com Brandon Riley, co-founder of Nobel Road, says he got into the industry because he noticed there were very few Black people in the edible market. “There's a real shortage, and it's a problem,” he says. What started as an idea on a golf course became a reality thanks to Riley’s experience in hospitality and his partner’s experience in beverage service. Together, they have come to offer cannabis-infused cookies, with flavors including peanut butter, chocolate chip, and molasses, as well as gummies and distillates, out of a historic bakery in Lansing. But Riley says Noble Road wasn’t necessarily an easy road, adding that he and his partner “bootstrapped the whole thing” without much seed money. He says that not having access to capital is what keeps the cannabis industry from being more inclusive. “It's a very capital-intensive industry,” he says. “And if you don't have those relationships, that's the first biggest hurdle.” Noble Roads offers its products in dozens of metro Detroit dispensaries and will roll out seasonal flavors for the holidays, like pumpkin, candy cane, and sugar cookies. Photo via Brandon Riley

Noble Road

nobleroadco.com

Brandon Riley, co-founder of Nobel Road, says he got into the industry because he noticed there were very few Black people in the edible market. “There's a real shortage, and it's a problem,” he says. What started as an idea on a golf course became a reality thanks to Riley’s experience in hospitality and his partner’s experience in beverage service. Together, they have come to offer cannabis-infused cookies, with flavors including peanut butter, chocolate chip, and molasses, as well as gummies and distillates, out of a historic bakery in Lansing. But Riley says Noble Road wasn’t necessarily an easy road, adding that he and his partner “bootstrapped the whole thing” without much seed money. He says that not having access to capital is what keeps the cannabis industry from being more inclusive. “It's a very capital-intensive industry,” he says. “And if you don't have those relationships, that's the first biggest hurdle.” Noble Roads offers its products in dozens of metro Detroit dispensaries and will roll out seasonal flavors for the holidays, like pumpkin, candy cane, and sugar cookies.

Photo via Brandon Riley

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Funky Extracts pincanna.com When Detroit native Jujuan "Funk" Coleman came up with a logo for his cannabis company Funky Extracts, he picked a smelly sock. "When you speak of cannabis, 'funk' is good," he says. "So I correlated 'funk' with the quality of our products." Coleman doesn't shy away from the, let's say, dank aspect of marijuana. Once he started making cannabis-infused gummies, he decided to use full spectrum cannabis oil as opposed to a cannabis oil distillate. That means his gummies have more of a cannabis taste, but the effects last longer. Made with a partnership with Farmington Hills-based Pincanna at their facility in Pinconning, the products are available only for medical marijuana customers for now. His initial offerings include fruit punch, orange, green apple strawberry, and grape flavors, with more on the way, "but I want to save the best for last," he says. For now, his products are carried at Gage Cannabis Co. stores across the state, at the Pincanna Market in Kalkaska, and Green Genie and Green Pharm in Detroit. Photo via Funky Extracts

Funky Extracts

pincanna.com

When Detroit native Jujuan "Funk" Coleman came up with a logo for his cannabis company Funky Extracts, he picked a smelly sock. "When you speak of cannabis, 'funk' is good," he says. "So I correlated 'funk' with the quality of our products." Coleman doesn't shy away from the, let's say, dank aspect of marijuana. Once he started making cannabis-infused gummies, he decided to use full spectrum cannabis oil as opposed to a cannabis oil distillate. That means his gummies have more of a cannabis taste, but the effects last longer. Made with a partnership with Farmington Hills-based Pincanna at their facility in Pinconning, the products are available only for medical marijuana customers for now. His initial offerings include fruit punch, orange, green apple strawberry, and grape flavors, with more on the way, "but I want to save the best for last," he says. For now, his products are carried at Gage Cannabis Co. stores across the state, at the Pincanna Market in Kalkaska, and Green Genie and Green Pharm in Detroit.

Photo via Funky Extracts

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Midwest CannaNurses mcn.health MIdwest CannaNurses helps bridge the gap between healthcare and cannabis. Founded by nurses Biyya A. Lee and Ebony Smith, a Detroiter, Midwest CannaNurses aims to help promote safe and effective plant-based therapy in more diverse communities. The CannaNurses are advocates for the de-stigmatization of cannabis in urban communities and communities of color. Photo via Midwest CannaNurses/Instagram

Midwest CannaNurses

mcn.health

MIdwest CannaNurses helps bridge the gap between healthcare and cannabis. Founded by nurses Biyya A. Lee and Ebony Smith, a Detroiter, Midwest CannaNurses aims to help promote safe and effective plant-based therapy in more diverse communities. The CannaNurses are advocates for the de-stigmatization of cannabis in urban communities and communities of color.

Photo via Midwest CannaNurses/Instagram
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Mother of Green motherofgreen.com Mother of Green is a cannabis lifestyle beauty brand founded by native Detroiter Sydney Bowden. Mother of Green currently offers full-spectrum CBD products including body butters, lip balms, and topical roll-on oils. Bowden is committed to de-stigmatizing marijuana use and normalizing cannabis use among women and minority communities. Photo via Mother of Green/Instagram

Mother of Green

motherofgreen.com

Mother of Green is a cannabis lifestyle beauty brand founded by native Detroiter Sydney Bowden. Mother of Green currently offers full-spectrum CBD products including body butters, lip balms, and topical roll-on oils. Bowden is committed to de-stigmatizing marijuana use and normalizing cannabis use among women and minority communities.

Photo via Mother of Green/Instagram
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Michigan Agricultural Services michagricultural.org Michigan Agricultural Services is dedicated to the development and cultivation of cannabis in Michigan. It broke ground last spring on a $6 million growing and processing facility in Inkster. The facility, located at 2615 Bayhan, will operate as both a medical and recreational cannabis facility. Photo via Michigan Agricultural Services / Instagram

Michigan Agricultural Services

michagricultural.org

Michigan Agricultural Services is dedicated to the development and cultivation of cannabis in Michigan. It broke ground last spring on a $6 million growing and processing facility in Inkster. The facility, located at 2615 Bayhan, will operate as both a medical and recreational cannabis facility.

Photo via Michigan Agricultural Services / Instagram
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1st Quality Medz 286 Burke St., River Rouge; 313-406-4688; firstqualitymeds.com Vertra Stephens, owner of 1st Quality Medz in River Rouge, was the first to open a recreational dispensary in Wayne County — Michigan’s most populous county. Stephens is CEO of PTN Group, which operates the dispensary and a cultivation center. Upon opening, she says the demand for recreational marijuana was high, and her dispensary services more recreational customers than medical ones. “There’s a very strong demand,” Stephens says. “We have some great products here. I am a proponent of natural products.” Offering both a medical and recreational menu, 1st Quality Medz has a variety of flower, edibles, tinctures, and concentrates. Photo via 1st Quality Medz

1st Quality Medz

286 Burke St., River Rouge; 313-406-4688; firstqualitymeds.com

Vertra Stephens, owner of 1st Quality Medz in River Rouge, was the first to open a recreational dispensary in Wayne County — Michigan’s most populous county. Stephens is CEO of PTN Group, which operates the dispensary and a cultivation center. Upon opening, she says the demand for recreational marijuana was high, and her dispensary services more recreational customers than medical ones. “There’s a very strong demand,” Stephens says. “We have some great products here. I am a proponent of natural products.” Offering both a medical and recreational menu, 1st Quality Medz has a variety of flower, edibles, tinctures, and concentrates.

Photo via 1st Quality Medz

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Huron View 3152 Packard St., Ann Arbor; 734-882-2970; a2huronview.com Mother-daughter duo Christina and Teesha Montague opened their Ann Arbor dispensary in 2017, becoming one of the only locally owned dispensaries in the area. They care deeply about the community: during the coronavirus pandemic, the Montagues started a "Meds and Meals" program that pairs in-need customers with free meals from a local restaurant. They're open for medical and recreational marijuana sales. “We've got some of the best chronic in the state right now,” Teesha tells Metro Times. Photo by Doug Coombe

Huron View

3152 Packard St., Ann Arbor; 734-882-2970; a2huronview.com

Mother-daughter duo Christina and Teesha Montague opened their Ann Arbor dispensary in 2017, becoming one of the only locally owned dispensaries in the area. They care deeply about the community: during the coronavirus pandemic, the Montagues started a "Meds and Meals" program that pairs in-need customers with free meals from a local restaurant. They're open for medical and recreational marijuana sales. “We've got some of the best chronic in the state right now,” Teesha tells Metro Times.

Photo by Doug Coombe

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CannaVibes Emporium Dispensary 1135 West Dickman Rd., Battle Creek; 269-282-1984; mycannavibes.com CannaVibes Emporium is a family-owned dispensary owned by LaTosha and Jesse Potter. The dispensary, located in Battle Creek, was one of the first Black-owned cannabis businesses in the area. Photo via CannaVibes Emporium / Facebook

CannaVibes Emporium Dispensary

1135 West Dickman Rd., Battle Creek; 269-282-1984; mycannavibes.com

CannaVibes Emporium is a family-owned dispensary owned by LaTosha and Jesse Potter. The dispensary, located in Battle Creek, was one of the first Black-owned cannabis businesses in the area.

Photo via CannaVibes Emporium / Facebook
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KAHN Cannabis 1600 Clay St., Detroit; 313-474-2592 Former NFL player Ron Bartell is part-owner of KAHN Cannabis at Detroit’s Russell Industrial Center. If Bartell’s name sounds familiar, he also owns Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles. Photo via Kahn Cannabis / Instagram

KAHN Cannabis

1600 Clay St., Detroit; 313-474-2592

Former NFL player Ron Bartell is part-owner of KAHN Cannabis at Detroit’s Russell Industrial Center. If Bartell’s name sounds familiar, he also owns Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles.

Photo via Kahn Cannabis / Instagram
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Cultivate MI Solutions cultivatemisolutions.com Founded by entrepreneur Tatiana Grant, Cultivate MI Solutions is the state's first licensed recreational cannabis marketing and events agency. Cultivate offers marketing, matchmaking, and logistical support for cannabis events. Photo courtesy of Tatiana Grant

Cultivate MI Solutions

cultivatemisolutions.com

Founded by entrepreneur Tatiana Grant, Cultivate MI Solutions is the state's first licensed recreational cannabis marketing and events agency. Cultivate offers marketing, matchmaking, and logistical support for cannabis events.

Photo courtesy of Tatiana Grant
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Lucky Pistil Catering facebook.com/luckypistil Chef Enid, aka Chef Sunflower, owns Lucky Pistil, a catering service that specializes in cannabis-infused cooking. Chef Enid’s dishes challenge what the average person thinks about edibles by providing elevating fine dining dishes (she also creates non-infused dishes as well). She sources local ingredients for her cooking and is an advocate for cannabis criminal justice reform and sustainable farming. Photo via Lucky Pistil / Instagram

Lucky Pistil Catering

facebook.com/luckypistil

Chef Enid, aka Chef Sunflower, owns Lucky Pistil, a catering service that specializes in cannabis-infused cooking. Chef Enid’s dishes challenge what the average person thinks about edibles by providing elevating fine dining dishes (she also creates non-infused dishes as well). She sources local ingredients for her cooking and is an advocate for cannabis criminal justice reform and sustainable farming.

Photo via Lucky Pistil / Instagram
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Copper House copperhousedet.com/ Copper House is a Black- and queer-owned “bud and breakfast.” While the home serves essentially as a canna-friendly Airbnb-style house, its owners Jess and Cara Jackson are actually very involved in social equity and cannabis activism. The Copper House hosts a Homegrown Cannabis series that is an educational series whose events have included learning how to legally grow cannabis at home, how to make edible gummies, and even assistance with the medical marijuana patient registry. Photo via Copper House / Instagram

Copper House

copperhousedet.com/

Copper House is a Black- and queer-owned “bud and breakfast.” While the home serves essentially as a canna-friendly Airbnb-style house, its owners Jess and Cara Jackson are actually very involved in social equity and cannabis activism. The Copper House hosts a Homegrown Cannabis series that is an educational series whose events have included learning how to legally grow cannabis at home, how to make edible gummies, and even assistance with the medical marijuana patient registry.

Photo via Copper House / Instagram
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Viola 4473 W. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-724-6486violabrands.com Described as a “Black-owned cannabis company on a mission to increase minority representation and entrepreneurship in the space,” Viola had been priming itself for nearly a decade before opening a flagship store in Detroit in 2019. Founded in 2011 by NBA Veteran and pot mogul Al Harrington, and named after his grandmother who treated her glaucoma with cannabis, Viola first launched out of Colorado before expanding to California, Oregon, and Michigan. “This is a very special time for Viola. We have been developing our brand for over 10 years, producing ultra-premium products rooted in purpose and social equity,” Harrington said in a press release. “The launch of our first flagship store in Detroit is a testament to the growth and overall expansion of Viola.” In addition to flower, concentrates, and edibles, Viola also has a program called Viola Cares, which focuses on “education, entrepreneurship, expungement, and incubation.” Harrington is also leading the fight on removing marijuana from the NBA’s banned substances list. Though the New Jersey native never played for the Pistons, Harrington began the process of opening a Detroit location in 2016, but Viola’s cultivation center was raided by police in 2018, losing everything. “We've been through a lot to get here, so we're excited to be able to start to serve the community,” he said. Photo courtesy of Viola

Viola

4473 W. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-724-6486violabrands.com

Described as a “Black-owned cannabis company on a mission to increase minority representation and entrepreneurship in the space,” Viola had been priming itself for nearly a decade before opening a flagship store in Detroit in 2019. Founded in 2011 by NBA Veteran and pot mogul Al Harrington, and named after his grandmother who treated her glaucoma with cannabis, Viola first launched out of Colorado before expanding to California, Oregon, and Michigan. “This is a very special time for Viola. We have been developing our brand for over 10 years, producing ultra-premium products rooted in purpose and social equity,” Harrington said in a press release. “The launch of our first flagship store in Detroit is a testament to the growth and overall expansion of Viola.” In addition to flower, concentrates, and edibles, Viola also has a program called Viola Cares, which focuses on “education, entrepreneurship, expungement, and incubation.” Harrington is also leading the fight on removing marijuana from the NBA’s banned substances list. Though the New Jersey native never played for the Pistons, Harrington began the process of opening a Detroit location in 2016, but Viola’s cultivation center was raided by police in 2018, losing everything. “We've been through a lot to get here, so we're excited to be able to start to serve the community,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Viola

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Grizzley Gas Rapper Tee Grizzley debuted his line of cannabis, Grizzley Gas, last August. The full line of products includes The Original Grizzley Gas, Marshmallow OG, Jet Fuel Gelato, and East Side OG, and are available to purchase at Levels Cannabis in Center Line. If you’re curious about what the strains are like, read our review. Photo via Alex Washington

Grizzley Gas



Rapper Tee Grizzley debuted his line of cannabis, Grizzley Gas, last August. The full line of products includes The Original Grizzley Gas, Marshmallow OG, Jet Fuel Gelato, and East Side OG, and are available to purchase at Levels Cannabis in Center Line. If you’re curious about what the strains are like, read our review.

Photo via Alex Washington
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Higher Learning Institution 17 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac; 248-977-1574;yourhigherlearning.com Founded by Sammy Rogers, Higher Learning Institution is a cannabis vocational and technical school in Pontiac. The school offers courses on budtending, cannabis cultivation, and cannabis extraction. Photo via Larry Gabriel

Higher Learning Institution

17 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac; 248-977-1574;yourhigherlearning.com

Founded by Sammy Rogers, Higher Learning Institution is a cannabis vocational and technical school in Pontiac. The school offers courses on budtending, cannabis cultivation, and cannabis extraction.

Photo via Larry Gabriel
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