Missouri lit up during its first year with legal recreational marijuana — the state raked in ~1.3 billion in 12 short months. But just where do all those grass gummies grow? Who is distributing to the dispensaries? Well, it’s high time you learned.
The cannabis industry is heavily regulated and differs state-to-state. Some states have legalized marijuana, while others have simply decriminalized it. Local and federal laws make it complicated to transport products across state lines, so dispensaries can’t help but sell home baked goods.
One such local manufacturer is Franklin’s. Editors Charmaine + Madison recently visited its top secret headquarters here in KC for a behind-the-scenes look at how the reefer is rolled.
Manufacturing marijuana products
Be buzzed into the unmarked building, take about 100 steps down the hallway, and you’ve arrived at the packing plant (or the plant packing). Here in this modest ~3,000-sqft facility, a small team assembles all of Franklin’s finest finds, like Guy’s Infused Root Beer.
“We just have a manufacturing license so we have to buy bud [mainly from Vivid in Grandview, MO], convert it into a product, and then sell that to dispensaries,” said Michael Wilson, co-founder and CEO of Franklin’s.
Franklin’s asserts itself as the largest maker of pre-rolled blunts in the state. It currently delivers to ~75 dispensaries across Missouri which includes everywhere “from St. Joe, to Maryville, to Jeff City.”
While this industry garners many varying opinions, Wilson views Franklin’s as simply another small business start-up that is helping local families achieve their dreams.
“These are all normal people here trying to chase a dream to change our economic station in life, and we see that this is an opportunity to do that.”
The small biz, made up of about 20 employees, recently celebrated its one year anniversary. That may not seem like much but, in the cannabis industry, they’re smokin’ the competition.
“There were 411 licenses six months ago. Long-term, those people are now getting weeded out — no pun intended,” Wilson said. Franklin’s is projecting that 25 different companies will hold all the licenses by June.
And Franklin’s plans to not only survive like a hard-to-kill small business weed, but to thrive. Wilson sees 2024 as a year of growth.
“If by the end of year we doubled our sales and we’ve hired probably another half dozen people and they’re doing well financially…to me, that’s the biggest goal.”
If you’re 21+, crazy for cannabis, and interested in joining Franklin’s, you can email your resume to team@franklinsstashhouse.com.
