Ben & Jerry’s cofounder launches nonprofit cannabis company
Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of the iconic Ben & Jerry’s, has rolled his passion for cannabis and advocacy into a new nonprofit venture.
Ben’s Best Blnz, or B3, looks to make an impact in the cannabis space by bringing nostalgia style-weed back to the marijuana market while focusing on social benefit.
“Our Mission is to sell great pot and use the power of our business to right the wrongs of the war on drugs,” the company said in a release.
B3 offers consumers lower THC concentrations than many of the companies currently staking their ‘quality’ reputations on THC concentration. B3 aims to target flower for it’s SloSmokes line that is terpene rich but moderate in THC.
“Because the terpenes make the music, THC is the volume. Terpene percentages are printed right on our label.”
“All of our cannabis is soil grown by some of the most conscientious independent craft growers around, using no non organic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. No non organic anything.”
For its line of Full Spectrum Vapes, set to launch later this year, B3 uses fresh frozen whole plant extract. The company will also launch High THC lines in limited batches, dubbed HiTest Buds.
Beyond the flower
“Put your money where your mouth is,” the websit for B3 reads. The nonprofit aspect of the business is heavily focused on reinvesting in creating opportunity for those most impacted by cannabis prohibition.
“While Black people have borne the brunt of the war on drugs, only 4% of cannabis businesses nationwide are owned by Black people.”
“Some states have social equity legislation that makes it easier for people in communities victimized by the drug war to get licenses to own and operate cannabis businesses. But lack of access to capital makes it extremely difficult to grow a business.”
“80% of our profits are devoted to grants to Black cannabis entrepreneurs. We’ve also established a low-interest loan fund for BIPOC cannabis entrepreneurs. Both the grant and loan program are administered in partnership with NuLeaf Project, a Black led nonprofit organization.”
The remaining 20% of profits are split evenly between the Last Prisoner Project and Vermont Racial Justice Alliance.
Cohen’s new cannabis brand is not slated to enter Missouri at this time.