Lifestyle Brand Weekend Unlimited Expanding Into Key US, Foreign Markets

With four established brands and a number of exciting recent acquisitions, Weekend Unlimited, Inc. (CSE: YOLO), a vertically-integrated cannabis company, is positioned not only for a potential leadership role in the nascent cannabis industry, but as a truly top-of-mind lifestyle brand.

The company aggregates and scales small to medium brands, and with its diverse and expanding product line, Weekend Unlimited is well placed to capitalize on its industry relationships to deliver premium products to meet the demands of a steadily growing market.

Canada legalized cannabis for recreational adult use in October, and the mid-term US election saw three more states loosen regulations surrounding cannabis, with Utah & Missouri both legalizing cannabis for medical use, while Michigan voters passed an amendment legalizing adult recreational use. In total, 33 states have now legalized cannabis for medicinal use, while 10 states and Washington, DC have legalized adult recreational use. With great change comes great opportunity, and lifestyle brands have the potential to create significant revenues in both established and new markets, comprised of experienced cannabis users and curious new consumers alike.

Recent Acquisitions

On November 1, Weekend Unlimited announced its intent to expand into Jamaica pursuant to the company’s LOI to acquire Jamaican-based R&D Pharma, one of only three approved Tier-3 licensed cannabis cultivators in the country. To accelerate the plan, R&D is building a ganja café and therapeutic spa on its 98-acre property in Ocho Rios, which contains the cultivation operation and will showcase products and deliver experiences to visitors from around the world, and distribute medical products domestically and to medical tourists.

Having decriminalized adult use and legalizing medical marijuana in 2015, the island has a head start in the legalized cannabis industry, and tourists with an existing medical prescription from their home country will now be able to purchase a permit allowing them to consume marijuana while in Jamaica.

The Jamaican government understands the benefit of establishing itself as an early key player in the growing cannabis market and has approved the export of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes, as well as working with governments who’ve legalized adult recreational use to become a top export supplier to this market as well.

On November 8, Weekend Unlimited announced its plan to acquire equity interests in California’s Canna Candys and Canna Medibles, adding a 31-flavor edibles portfolio. Canna Candys are a CBD-only edible, while Canna Medibles are infused with THC. The operations team is experienced, having built distribution in Southern California to 380 retail stores, and the company is currently developing several new edibles as well as a beverage line. Canna Candys will be a featured exhibitor, promoting Weekend Unlimited at MJBizCon in Las Vegas from November 14th to 16th.

Weekend Unlimited has also acquired Verve energy drink, which includes its Champ CBD beverage, and plans to develop and market several cannabis-infused beverages.

The Jamaican acquisition allows Weekend Unlimited to produce and export internationally-recognized strains from one of the world’s lowest-cost areas for growing cannabis and capitalize on Jamaica’s flourishing medical tourism industry, and gives the company an early foothold in what is shaping up to be a world leader in cannabis cultivation, extraction, and export to international legal markets. Verve will allow rapid growth in the growing beverage market, while Canna enables Weekend Unlimited to capitalize on the increasing demand for edibles, and gives it a strong presence throughout California, the largest legal cannabis market in the world.

Initial Portfolio

Drawing on its roots in the commercial tree fruit industry, Weekend Unlimited’s Orchard Heights Growers, located in central Washington, is a Tier 3 producer/processor focused on premium quality indoor cultivation and processing. The company brings advanced farming practices to the cannabis industry, ensuring consistent quality at a competitive price, and is positioned as a B2B solution for independent growers looking for premium genetics, guidance, processing and distribution solutions.

British Columbia-based Northern Lights Organics is on track to become Canada’s first high CBD-focused hemp & cannabis farm, and the Northern Lights Organics campus will include vegetative, clone and genetics rooms and an extraction facility for CBD hemp oils and concentrates.

Jerome Baker Designs was Weekend Unlimited’s first entry into the retail cannabis market. The three-time High Times Cannabis Cup winner creates custom glass artwork – most notably ‘Bongzilla”, the world’s largest bong, which stands 23 feet tall, requires a blowtorch to light, and an elevator to get to the mouthpiece – and through JBD, the company plans to launch a line of CBD products.

With research showing millennials value experiences over possessions, and an understanding of positive experiential brand identity, the company has launched Weekend Unlimited Live, a live-event concept through which Weekend Unlimited USA will sponsor concerts, music festivals, glass blowing, exclusive parties, destination travel, sports, charity and other special branded events to raise the profile of its product brands.

Looking Ahead

Weekend Unlimited is aggressively adding to its portfolio of brands, focused on high value consumer sectors like cannabis- and hemp-based products (beverages, edibles) and top markets (Jamaica, California, Canada, Washington). Combined with the company’s cannabis lifestyle marketing, it’s an interesting story to follow as Weekend Unlimited continues to diversify and add revenue streams.

For further information, please visit their website. https://www.weekendunlimited.com/

Disclaimer

The above article is sponsored content. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, has been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.