Hip-hop star Wiz Khalifa is teaming up with Ontario marijuana producer Supreme Cannabis to bring his brand Khalifa Kush to Canada, the company announced in a press release on Thursday. Under the terms of the deal, Khalifa Kush Enterprises (KKE) will provide consulting services to Supreme Cannabis to develop and launch a line of premium cannabis products. Supreme Cannabis will be the exclusive producer of Khalifa Kush products in Canada and with approval, other international markets outside the United States.
Khalifa said in the release that he started his company to share his appreciation for cannabis.
“In 2015 I saw an opportunity to introduce the highest quality cannabis products I love and enjoy, to the American market. KKE USA was the first move in bringing amazing cannabis and cannabis experiences to our customers,” said Khalifa.
Canada ‘Perfect Start’ for Brand Expansion
Khalifa believes that a presence in Canada, where recreational cannabis was legalized in October, is a natural progression for KKE.
“Canada is a very important place to me with the idea for ‘Kush and Orange Juice’ being created in Toronto, it’s the perfect start for the international expansion of Khalifa Kush,” he said. “My team and I have spent the past year finding a partner that shares our vision, values and passion for cannabis. The team at Supreme Cannabis understands the importance of high quality cannabis and how to produce high quality cannabis at scale. I am very excited to be working with them to bring Khalifa Kush quality products to Canada and other international markets.”
John Fowler, the president and founder of Supreme Cannabis, said that Khalifa and his proprietary cannabis strain are well respected in the industry worldwide.
“Wiz is a globally-recognized cannabis taste maker and connoisseur. KKE has had incredible success in U.S. adult-use markets, establishing a brand that is synonymous with ultra-premium quality, based on world-leading genetics. When I first met the KKE team, I was impressed by the quality of the “Khalifa Kush” strain and the level of care and involvement Wiz had with developing the strain and working with the cultivators to continue to improve quality batch-by-batch.
Khalifa Kush prerolls, extracts, capsules, and other products will be manufactured at 7Acres, a subsidiary of Supreme Cannabis with a 342,000 square foot indoor cultivation facility in Kincardine, Ontario.
“With 7ACRES we’ve developed Canada’s first truly high-end cannabis brand based on our commitment to premium quality flower. We’re excited to be working with KKE Canada to build another brand with the same commitment to quality to continue the premiumization of our brand portfolio,” said Fowler.
In the five-year deal, Khalifa Kush Enterprises received 5.7 million shares of stock in Supreme Cannabis and $1 million cash and will collect yearly royalty payments based on sales.