California-based Stone Road, stewards of sustainably-grown cannabis products, announced on Tuesday a partnership with Gamut Cannabis to bring Stone Road’s line of products to Michigan in early 2023.
Michigan-based Gamut Cannabis works with established brands from California and Colorado with a goal to become the go-to supply-chain partner in the Great Lakes State.
Stone Road's flagship products will initially roll out in Michigan, including the company’s 1g solventless hash-infused pre-rolls. Continuing the brand’s commitment to sustainability, Michigan residents will also be able to try Stone Road’s signature 5-pack of .7g pre-rolls in recyclable tins—fashioned from 100% post-consumer materials.
“Michigan is a market that has been on our radar for a while, as it's one of the more mature cannabis markets in the U.S.,” says Stone Road Chief Operating Officer Sabrina Wheeler. “We've been eager to launch, but we strategically waited for the perfect time and partner to bring the brand into Michigan—in proper Stone Road fashion. This is the fourth state we’ve officially launched into, but we have a few other exciting ones in the pipeline.”
Before Stone Road, Wheeler gained experience at every stage of the cannabis supply chain: from a sales trainer and events liaison in the retail space to helping scale California-based Old Pal into an MSO in operation in seven states.
Gamut Cannabis co-founder and Managing Director Brian Lange joined the announcement, saying Stone Road was “at the top of a short list.”
New York City native Lex Corwin—then age 23—launched Stone Road in 2016 as a family-run, queer-led cannabis brand with a focus on quality with affordability. Stone Road’s leadership is inspired by the organic farming practices with cannabis typically grown on California soil. Forbes profiled Corwin in 2018, who launched several businesses by age 25 as a young entrepreneur.
“As we continue to expand Stone Road across the U.S., we seek out partners who share in our belief of quality over everything,” Corwin stated in the announcement. “Brian, RJ, and the rest of the Gamut team share in our commitment to high-quality and affordable products and we can't wait to bring our 100% natural products to consumers all across Michigan.”
The move into Michigan is indeed strategic: Michigan’s adult-use market doubled in 2021—surpassing Colorado’s medical and adult-use markets combined.
“Gamut was a natural choice as our core business values, ethos and mission were very much aligned,” Wheeler says. “They are equally as committed to supporting small family farms and operating in an environmentally sustainable manner, so it just made sense to partner.
“After touring their network of farms and meeting the team, we knew we could trust them to uphold our stringent sourcing and production standards,” says Wheeler. “It’s crucial to us that we keep our same high standards nationwide that have defined us in California.”
Seven hours north of Los Angeles, Stone Road’s original family-run biodynamic farm on the top of a hill in Nevada City, California is where it began. There, the land remains 99% wild and untamed, drawing the water straight from a 460-feet-deep well, at the ideal 6.4pH.
“Sustainability is a pillar of our brand—from seed to sale,” says Wheeler. “Our farm is completely off-grid; we are 100% solar-powered and only utilize water from our own artesian well. We are mindful about lessening our footprint, especially in an industry that's notoriously wasteful.”
The new partnership in Michigan will continue Stone Road’s commitment to sustainability.
“With that in mind, all of our products to date have been packaged in 99% plastic-free packaging made from 100% post-consumer goods,” says Wheeler. “We went as far as sourcing shrink wrap made from plant proteins, but in the new year we will be moving away from all plastic sources. We plan to revamp our pre-rolls packs from shrink wrapped cardboard boxes to airtight metal tins. The new packaging is not only more beautiful than it already was (and infinitely recyclable) but people will want to reuse and repurpose them as well.”
Stone Road’s sustainable and organic products will add a nice touch to the state. Look for Stone Road products early next year at dispensaries and cannabis stores in Michigan.
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