Eaze Launches Program To Support Black And POC-Owned Cannabis Brands

California cannabis delivery platform Eaze announced Wednesday a major menu expansion in Los Angeles, featuring Black and POC-owned brands. In addition, the company launched its Social Equity Partners Program, designed to assist and elevate equity license holders. 

The Social Equity Partners program provides BIPOC-owned brands with financial and operational support to help them scale and succeed on the Eaze platform and beyond. Perks of the program include special financing and payment structuring, discounted access to Eaze’s Partner Portal data, incorporation into Eaze’s supply chain, and marketing support. 

“By providing equity brands with wrap-around support, Eaze’s Social Equity Partners Program helps these businesses chart a sustainable path. That’s important because BIPOC brands face so many barriers, not just to market entry but also to growth over time,” Darius Kemp, head of equity and community change, told Benzinga.  “We also want to make it as simple as possible for our customers to purchase Black and POC-owned brands because that’s a direct way to build community wealth and end the cycles of poverty and oppression."

The New Lineup

The following brands and products are included in the Social Equity Partners Program:

Blaqstar Farms

The son of the first black police officer in the city of Orange, Texas, Bryant Mitchell grew up and saw many peers, family members, and friends lost to (and affected by) the War on Drugs. It wasn’t until 2001, after he graduated college and went into consulting in the Bay Area, that he became immersed in cannabis.

These professional and life experiences led Bryant to establish Blaqstar Farms in 2012 in Los Angeles. A selection of Blaqstar Farms products, including premium flower The Glue, Thin Mint and Orange Rose to prerolls Boss OG, Doc OG, Super Sour and F3, will become available the week of September 14 on Eaze. 

Cloud9

Degi Simmons, founder of Oakland-based Cloud9, has been involved in cannabis commerce and culture since the earliest days of Proposition 215.

As a beneficiary of Oakland’s Koncepts Cultural Gallery, an organization promoting art and education funded by Better Us dispensary, Degi partnered with cultivator and DJ Clayton Whitaker to form Cloud9 in 2010. A selection of Cloud9 flower is now available on Eaze.

Dreamt

Carolina Vazquez Mitchell, a nationally recognized cannabis scientist, created the sleep aid.

Dreamt's 45-night pen and 30-night tincture contain THC, CBD, melatonin, valerian root, and terpenes, and are now available on Eaze.

James Henry SF

Co-founders Henry Alston and James Victor are on a mission to improve the stigma surrounding cannabis consumption through quality branded products and Black entrepreneurship. By partnering with accomplished medical doctors and scientists who understand the medical value of endocannabinoid therapy, James Henry SF promotes responsible consumption for a responsible lifestyle.

A selection of James Henry SF flower, including hybrids Donnie B and True Ryder and social flower Lemon Jack and Tropical Slice, are now available on Eaze.

KGB Reserve

KGB stands for killer green bud, the main ingredient used in all of their products.

As a self-funded equity company based out of Oakland, KGB Reserve is grateful for its place in the legal cannabis space. They stand for unity and believe in equality. Currently known for their top shelf infused products, KGB Reserve has consistently been on Eaze’s list of top 10 pre-roll brands in the Bay Area since its launch.

KGB Reserve’s Sauce Pen, Bambino and Torpedo products are now available on Eaze.

Oakland Extracts

Oakland Extracts, a Black-owned business, began as a way to bring the community together.

Founders Terryn Niles Buxton and Aaron Tran saw prices climbing with legalization and realized there was a need for people in Oakland to have access to quality cannabis at an affordable price. Over the years, they fine-tuned a proprietary technique that allows for maximum terpene retention.

Oakland Extracts’ Red Congolese Cookie Crumble Wax is now on Eaze.

SF Roots

Founder and CEO Morris Kelly got started in the cannabis industry 13 years ago, making edibles under Proposition 215 for local collectives. He then launched Greencuredelivery cannabis delivery service in 2015.

“Equity is about leveling the playing field for companies who paved the way for this economic green rush,” Kelly told Benzinga. “We’re this industry’s originators, it’s about getting consumers to support equity brands every day. We are partnering with Eaze to ensure that happens.”

Image from company website.