Peter Thiel-backed Marley Natural Enters Cannabis Distribution Game

By Chris Roberts on August 26, 2016@cbloggy


One of the first state-approved cannabis distributors in California will carry the red, gold, and green flag.

Marley Natural — the venture capital-backed cannabis brand licensed by the heirs of reggae legend Bob Marley — received approval to open a cannabis processing and distribution center in Santa Rosa this week.

California’s Medical Marijuana Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act requires all cannabis products to pass through a state-licensed distribution center before reaching retail shelves. On Tuesday, city officials in the Sonoma County city gave the green light to Marley Natural to open a “processing, manufacturing, and distribution center” in a business park, according to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

With its easy access to cannabis-producing regions via US-101 and its proximity to population centers in the Bay Area, Santa Rosa is an ideal center for cannabis commerce. At least, city officials hope so.

Marley Natural is the first cannabis business to receive city approval under interim zoning rules meant to encourage marijuana businesses. Other major cannabis brands, including Cannacraft’s Care By Design and AbsoluteXtracts, also do business in the city — despite a June raid by local law enforcement on its property.

Marley Natural’s move represents a push to control several stages of the supply chain.

Various strains of cannabis and other cannabis- and hemp-derived products under the Marley Natural label went on sale in California in April. The brand launched in Oregon earlier this week, and there are plans to expand to Washington.

The company licenses existing growers to produce outdoor cannabis under the Marley Natural label.

Privateer Holdings, the cannabis venture capital fund launched following a $75 million investment from Peter Thiel‘s Founders Fund, is based in Seattle. In addition to investing in Marley Natural, Privateer has also sunk capital into cannabis information website Leafly.

For now, Santa Rosa is the planned headquarters of its California operations. The company plans to employ up to 40 people there, the newspaper reported, and obtain state license as soon as they become available in 2018.

Have you tried the Marley Natural strains? Tell us about your experience.
Chris Roberts has written about medical cannabis, drug policy, and legalization ever since spending a few months in Humboldt County in 2009, with bylines for the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, and SF Weekly. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @cbloggy.

Peter Thiel-backed Marley Natural Enters Cannabis Distribution Game

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7 celebrities looking to cash in on the cannabis industry's 'Green Rush'

• by 
 
• Tom Huddleston, Jr.

• @tjhuddle

 JANUARY 26, 2015, 3:07 PM EST

Celebrities look to cash in on a growing industry while entrepreneurs hope famous names will help their products stand out in a crowd.

While the alcohol industry has long had celebrities like Sean “Diddy” Combs and Bethenny Frankel endorsing brands, we’re just starting to see marijuana brands endorsed by musicians, actors and, well . . . Bethenny Frankel again.

Entrepreneurs across the U.S. are flocking to the burgeoning cannabis industry as more and more states pass legislation legalizing the sale of marijuana in some form. That proliferation of pot-related businesses means that business-owners are scrambling for ways to make their brand stand out in the minds of consumers. Cue the celebrities, who have been popping up across the marijuana industry recently with product endorsements as well as their own pot-related brands.

When you think of celebrities and pot, a host of well-known weed advocates likely spring to mind. Music icon Willie Nelson is an outspoken supporter of marijuana legalization who often throws his support behind political candidates with similar views. Meanwhile, actress and co-host of The View Whoopi Goldberg penned a column last year that details her love of her vaporizer pen — a tool for inhaling weed and other herbs — and comedian Sarah Silverman even showed off her own “vape” pen on the red carpet before attending last year’s Emmy awards.

In other words, there seems to be no shortage of celebrities who would surprise no one by jumping into the legal pot business. Here’s a look at several famous names who are already looking to cash in on the “green rush”:

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Photograph by Tom Hill — WireImage/Getty Images

Sure, the reggae legend has been dead for more than three decades, but he’s still a household name and his fondness for marijuana was no secret. At the end of 2014, Marley’s family teamed up with pot-focused venture capital firm Privateer Holdings to announce a series of cannabis strains inspired by the legendary singer as part of a brand called Marley Natural. Fans could be enjoying the Marley-branded pot later this year in areas where marijuana is legal in some form.

Billionaire investor and PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel appears to be a believer. Thiel’s investment firm, Founders Fund, recently committed “multi-millions” of dollars to a $75 million funding round for Privateer, which also counts a medical marijuana growing facility and a Yelp-like website for marijuana among its holdings.

7 celebrities looking to cash in on the cannabis industry's 'Green Rush'