As we're only days out from Green Street Festival, the 2-day weed celebration hosted by Gary Vee and Harry Mack, we felt it absolutely necessary to highlight one of the most reputable brands we spotted on the bill: CannaCraft.
We spoke to one of CannaCraft's founding partners, Justin Capri, to learn more about the storied history of the cannabis maverick.
Started in 2014 by Dennis Hunter and Ned Fussell, CannaCraft is a leading innovator in the world of cannabis. With Dennis' 30 years of growing experience at the time of the company's formation, CannaCraft has always had a leg up on their competition.
From the time when Dennis and Ned started cultivating, when weed didn't have as clear of a future, to today, one thing has stayed the same: the duo's adoration for cannabis and its many applications.
When CannaCraft was founded, California was on the brink of recreational legalization, along with Nevada, Maine, and Massachusetts. This meant there was about to be a boom of sorts in the cannabis market. As state governments were making their peace with their populations' undeniable need for marijuana, Dennis and Ned were at the forefront of the industry, creating markets for some of the most popular products today, like 100% cannabis oil vape pens, microdosed edibles, and CBD:THC ratio products.
Since 2014, CannaCraft has continued to exercise a very high level of attention to detail. From its conception, the company has employed the help of leading researchers, along with utilizing manufacturing equipment and techniques from the pharmaceutical, beauty, and food & beverage industries. This integration of proven approaches into their product devision is one of the many things that gave them an edge from the start.
From there, the company's love for cannabis sparked growth for itself and the industry surrounding it.
Today, CannaCraft has over 200 products amongst its many brands, which includes Farmer and the Felon, AbsoluteXtracts (ABX), and Care by Design (CBD).
As if that's not impressive enough, the company even has a partnership with Lagunitas for Hi-Fi: a cannabis-infused sparkling water. Turns out that partnership arose from their neighboring headquarters and a shared love for weed and beer. The two companies would have meet-ups after work where they'd share the fruits of their respective labor.
Innovation usually comes with a price, and CannaCraft's journey has been no exception to that rule. Although (since cannabis' legalization) they've taken every precaution necessary, trouble has arisen on multiple occasions.
One of their most recent run-ins with the law came in 2016, when their headquarters was raided and co-founder Dennis Hunter was arrested with a $5 million bail. The state was accusing Dennis and CannaCraft's brand 'Care by Design' of "running a meth lab-type of operation" in Santa Rosa, which was actually just a factory for creating extract products.
Before long, that $5 million bail and the eye-catching allegations that came with it turned into a $0 bail and a dismissal of all charges. This is all thanks to the cannabis community, which quickly banded together to petition online and in person at the time of this predicament. Within 48 hours of his arrest, Dennis Hunter was released from jail, and CannaCraft got back to work.
In all of its years, the company has never been shy about these trying times. They've alchemized this misfortune into social good through their 'Farmer and the Felon' brand, which donates a portion of all its proceeds to helping find justice for non-violent cannabis offenders.
Now you probably see why we're so excited to link up with CannaCraft at Green Street Festival in Los Angeles this week. CannaCraft will be featuring products from Farmer and the Felon, AbsoluteXtracts, Hi-Fi Sessions, and Kayla Extracts.
Along with CannaCraft, Green Street will be featuring other noteworthy brands and even an appearance from Juicy J. If you're in Los Angeles this Friday and Saturday, head to the Green Street building in Downtown LA to experience the magic for yourself.
