Berner, American rapper and founder/CEO of Cookies and Vibes Papers, announced that his cannabis brand will open a store in Thailand next August, calling it "a huge step into the global market," as Green Entrepreneur first reported.
"I wonder if anyone from different parts of Asia will fly in?," Berner posted on Instagram. "We've been working on this for almost 2 years. The first store in Asia, pretty wild," he wrote.
Las Vegas-based Audacious (CNX: AUSA) (OTCQB:AUSAF) partnered with Golden Triangle Health, a Thailand-based food manufacturer to create private-label products. They are also an exclusive distribution partner for Cookies in Asia.
Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr., better known as Berner started his cannabis career as an ID check guy at a Bay Area dispensary when he was 18 and "ended up building one of the most well-known cannabis lifestyle brands in the country."
"From the earliest days in a San Francisco garage to global growth, our goal has remained the same: authenticity and innovative genetics. Our control of the entire experience from start to finish, seed to sale, sets us apart," expressed Berner. "We take pride in our in-house cultivation, global varieties, and a full lineup of strain-specific products."
"Cookies was named one of America’s Hottest Brands of 2021 by AdAge; the first cannabis brand to ever receive this accolade," reads Cookies' website. In addition to Cookies, Berner has also founded or co-founded 1212 Ventures, Lemonnade, Cookies SF, Weedmaps, Vibes, Santa Cruz Shredders, Hemp2o Water, Bern One Entertainment music label, and Social Club."
Cookies Into Thailand’s Marijuana Market
Berner's brand was introduced into Thailand's cannabis market after the Southeast Asian country legalized medical cannabis in 2018, also becoming the first in Asia to decriminalize adult cannabis use in June 2022. Now, Thailand's residents are allowed to cultivate marijuana for personal use. The government even gave out 1 million cannabis plants for residents to grow on their own.
Thailand's growing cannabis market for many young entrepreneurs also bolsters the potential to drive tourism dollars. Some estimate that Thailand has the potential to generate $10 billion in its first three years.
Berner Continues Building His Cannabis Empire
Recently, Greenlane Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNLN) sold its stake in VIBES Holdings LLC, one of Berner's brands, for $5.3 million in cash.
"We are very excited to complete this strategic transition. As a brand builder, we feel that VIBES is just scratching the surface and its future trajectory is extremely compelling,” stated Berner as a founder and CEO of VIBES. “We appreciate everything Greenlane has done as a partner to get VIBES to this level, and we look forward to leveraging their distribution expertise and vast customer network in the future as we continue to make VIBES a staple product on shelves around the globe."
In addition, Berner participated at Miami Benzinga Capital Cannabis Conference last April where he expressed "I like to be a part of cool things and am humbled to be included in this conference. Cannabis is setting the table for Psychedelics and I'm excited to talk about two important topics that I feel extremely passionate about."
Image by El Planteo
