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VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

OFFICIAL TRADE JOURNAL OF THE MICHIGAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

Yielding Results Sales and marketing company Yield Distribution applies proven business models to help cannabis brands grow

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CONTENTS

F E AT U R E S 10 COVER STORY YIELDING RESULTS A sales and marketing company applies proven business models to help cannabis brands grow By Wensdy Von Buskirk 16 SMART COOKIES Gelato teams up with a national cookie brand to launch a punchy collab By Paris Giles

10 20

20 ROOTED IN TRUST Northwoods has built its success on a team that has stayed together for more than a decade By Becky Kalajian

D E PA RT M E N T S 04 LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR By Robin Schneider 06 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE By Kevin A. McKinney, MiCIA lobbyist 08 REGULATORY AFFAIRS CRA Executive Director Brian Hanna takes the helm at international organization CANNRA By Patrick Dunn 25 PERSPECTIVE Donna Bashi of Community Choice breaks down the financial state of Michigan cannabis By Patrick Dunn

25 30

28 CANNABUSINESS AI-supported tools help cannabis companies improve operations By Paris Giles 30 ICYMI MiCIA members from across the state gathered for the seventh Summer Annual & Chronic Cup

2 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

Fundraiser for Sen. McCann: Back row (from left): John McLeod, Mitten Extracts; Tom Farrell, The Refinery Kalamazoo; and Aaron Smith, Highway Horticulture. Front row (from left): Nick Sayers, Highway Horticulture; state Sen. Sean McCann; and Robin Schneider.

COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF YIELD DISTRIBUTION. THIS PAGE: 10 COURTESY OF YIELD DISTRIBUTION; 20 COURTESY OF NORTHWOODS CANNABIS; 25 COURTESY OF COMMUNITY CHOICE CREDIT UNION; 30 BY KENZIE TERPSTRA

VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

Growth takes more than a seed. It takes a strategy. Michigan’s cannabis market is evolving fast — we help you stay ahead. Oversupply. Shrinking margins. Shifting regulations. In Michigan’s competitive cannabis landscape, success isn’t just about producing great product — it’s about running a smarter business. At Maner Costerisan, we specialize in helping cultivators, processors, dispensaries, and vertically integrated operators navigate growth, restructuring, and compliance with confidence. As longtime members of the MiCIA, we understand Michigan’s unique market challenges — and how to turn them into opportunities. Whether you’re preparing for expansion, considering a sale, or trying to tighten operations, our team delivers: • • • • •

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LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

It’s Crunch Time

MiCIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

s the fall flies by, the November midterm tries to help cannabis businesses market and election is looming over all of us at the sell their products as effectively and efficiently MiCIA. In just a few short weeks, Michas possible. As it turns out, collaboration can igan will elect a new governor and a new state produce better results for everyone. Legislature, among other key officials on both the Gelato’s latest product line is another state and federal levels. It’s hard to overstate collaboration greater than the sum of its parts. just how greatly Michigan’s choice of elected The cannabis brand teamed up with Fat & Weird leaders will affect our industry. That’s why the Cookie to create a wholly unique treat in line MiCIA has been working so hard to support with Gelato’s fun and funky character. Read cannabis-friendly candidates who will shepherd more about the partnership and what’s next for the industry through to better times ahead. Gelato on page 16. To that end, the MiCIA has endorsed Michigan cannabis companies are also finding Republican nominee John ways to put artificial intelligence James for governor. John has and other new technology to taken the time to meet with work. Our story on page 28 MiCIA members to improve his explores a couple of different avunderstanding of the challenges enues for harnessing AI — safely licensees are facing as a result and responsibly — in cannabis of the 24% wholesale tax. He operations to improve workflow has vowed to repeal or sharply and productivity. reduce the tax and has released Northwoods Cannabis has clear statements explaining also employed automation as a his stance on cannabis and his key part of maintaining quality goals to support the industry and attention to detail along its Robin Schneider while keeping the public safe. journey from a basement grow With our endorsement, we applaud his advocacy to a multistate operator. Most important, though, for the industry. says CEO Brett Etengoff, is the company’s I second the plea by our lead lobbyist, Kevin culture. Turn to page 20 to read the whole story McKinney, on page 6 to get involved in this behind Northwoods and its team. year’s election. In order to achieve the outcomes I hope you enjoy this issue of MiCIA Magazine we want for our industry, we need to put in the and are inspired to pitch in to help usher in work. The MiCIA welcomes everyone’s contribua brighter future for our entire industry. I’m tions and efforts as we near the home stretch. hopeful that if we all work together, we can make In this issue of MiCIA Magazine, we feature meaningful change. some of the innovators bringing new and exciting products, processes, and business models to the state’s cannabis industry. Yield Distribution, the focus of our cover story on page 10, has Robin Schneider, Executive Director applied the lessons learned from other indus-

CHAIR

4 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

MICHIGAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION 216 N. Chestnut St. Lansing, MI 48933 micia.org FOLLOW US AND LIKE US

MiCIA STAFF ROBIN SCHNEIDER Executive Director robin@micia.org KENZIE TERPSTRA Membership Coordinator kenzie@micia.org MICHAEL J. PATTWELL Corporation Legal Counsel mpattwell@clarkhill.com KEVIN A. MCKINNEY Lobbyist kevin@mckinneyandassociates.net For membership inquiries, email info@micia.org PUBLISHING PARTNER

5750 New King Drive, Ste. 100 Troy, MI 48098 Phone: 248.691.1800 / Fax: 248.691.4531 CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Ed Peabody MANAGING EDITOR Olivia Sedlacek ART DIRECTOR Mike Wagester PRODUCTION MANAGER Crystal Nelson PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Alessandra Taranta ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Cynthia Barnhart, Karli Brown, Donna Kassab, Mary Pantely CONTRIBUTORS Patrick Dunn, Paris Giles, Becky Kalajian, Kevin A. McKinney, Wensdy Von Buskirk

VICE CHAIR

MiCIA Magazine is published exclusively for the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association by Hour Custom Publishing, a division of Hour Media, LLC. Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. No portion may be copied or published without the express written consent of the publisher. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the MiCIA or Hour Media.

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Final Stretch The time is now to engage in advocacy for your industry

y the time this edition is published, we will be less than 30 days away from the Nov. 3 general election. The Legislature will remain in recess with no meaningful session days scheduled until after the election. The outcome of the election will have a direct impact on the probable lame-duck session and any possibilities for significant movement on policy. Legislative majority leadership staff have been compiling priorities from their caucus members to negotiate between the two chamber leaders and — to a lesser extent — with the governor’s administration. The governor, who has been absent most of the year in direct negotiations, does have a few remaining priorities she would like to accomplish if the opportunity should arise. The House speaker, who loves the art of dealmaking, might find one or two more opportunities to make a deal with the governor if the Senate consents, but all of this depends on the election results. If the Democrats should flip the House, they will not likely participate in any lame-duck activities, much like the House Republicans did last lame-duck session, which crashed the last Democratic trifecta’s dreams of finishing strong. Over 200 Senate-passed bills died in the House due to early adjournment. If John James should prevail, and the House remains under Republican control, there is little reason for Speaker Matt Hall to negotiate with the Democrats rather than wait since he will have much greater leverage with the James administration. So there remain many scenarios, but in all of them, little to nothing will happen during the lame-duck session. Given that most of the MiCIA’s legisla-

6 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

tive priorities need a supermajority vote to pass, it will be challenging during this time of the session calendar. Additionally, only the intoxicating hemp package (Senate Bills 599-602) is in the second chamber, and to date, neither House leadership nor House Regulatory Reform Committee Chair Joseph Aragona has expressed strong interest in addressing this serious public health issue. Unfortunately, it will be next session before we can get this passed, no matter what the U.S. Congress does with the hemp issue in December. As for the MiCIA’s other priorities, capping statewide licenses needs a continued push and a new champion given that the Senate sponsors — Sens. Sam Singh and Jeremy Moss — will not be coming back next session. Regulating cannabis beverages to expand their market beyond

cannabis retail establishments would be a significant boost in business opportunities for processors, but that legislative path will be complicated by the beer and wine wholesalers and liquor establishments wanting to work outside of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act. Most challenging and most important will be to address the 24% wholesale tax next session. And despite the unmistakable evidence that this tax is crushing the industry and coming up far short of the revenue projections, labor and the other major stakeholders counting on the local road funding won’t make it easy to negotiate the critical repeal or modifications. Nor will the newly elected legislators be too excited about finding new revenue streams to offset the cannabis tax. All in all, the MiCIA’s legislative priorities, including reducing or repealing the wholesale tax, may not have any movement in what remains of the current legislative session. I encourage all members to continue to be engaged — with the MiCIA and with their local lawmakers. Attend lawmakers’ in-district events such as coffee hours, get involved with election campaigns, build relationships with local and state elected officials, and keep these important conversations going. I commend the MiCIA for being straightforward in its stated position to support candidates based on their position on the tax, and for being strategic and judicious with its campaign PAC contributions. The industry is under great distress, and members and their employees are exhausted from fighting to keep their businesses open.

Kevin A. McKinney

Kevin A. McKinney is the lead lobbyist for the MiCIA.

COURTESY PHOTO

By Kevin A. McKinney

Est. 2018

Flint, MI

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REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Stepping Up CRA Executive Director Brian Hanna takes the helm of the international Cannabis Regulators Association By Patrick Dunn

What does the CANNRA president role entail, and how does it differ from your previous work on the CANNRA board? Serving as CANNRA president is really about helping bring regulators together around the common issues we’re all facing. As a member of the board, I had the opportunity to contribute to 8 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

It’s an honor. State cannabis regulators have been building this industry in real time for more than a decade, often without a federal road map to follow. To be selected by my peers to serve as president is both humbling and a reflection of the tremendous work being done by the entire team at Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency.

What does your new role mean for Michigan’s influence on national and international cannabis policy?

those conversations and help shape the organization’s direction. As president, my responsibility expands to helping set priorities, facilitating collaboration among our members, and ensuring that CANNRA continues to be a trusted resource for cannabis regulators across the United States and internationally. It’s less about representing any one state and more about helping create a forum where regulators can learn from one another, share best practices, and work through complex policy questions together.

What does your new role at CANNRA mean to you on a personal level?

Michigan has consistently been willing to participate in difficult conversations and share our experiences with regulators around the country and the world. Serving as CANNRA president gives us another opportunity to contribute to those discussions. Every state has taken a somewhat different approach to cannabis regulation, and there is value in that diversity of experience. Michigan has one of the nation’s largest regulated cannabis markets, and we’ve learned important lessons about licensing, enforcement, consumer safety, testing, and social equity. Through CANNRA, we have another opportunity to share those lessons while also bringing new ideas back to Michigan.

How would you characterize the current state of the cannabis regulatory landscape at the state, federal, and international levels? What role do you hope for yourself and CANNRA to play at each of those levels? We’re at an important point in the evo-

COURTESY HEADSHOT

ince the Cannabis Regulators Association’s inception in 2020, Michigan regulators have been closely involved in the organization, sharing insights from the state’s market and learning from industry peers. Building upon that legacy of leadership, in June, Cannabis Regulatory Agency Executive Director Brian Hanna became the second Michigander to be elected president of CANNRA. He will serve a one-year term ending in 2027. “Director Hanna is the right person to serve as president of CANNRA in this moment,” says Gillian Schauer, executive director of CANNRA. “This is an unprecedented and dynamic time for cannabis policy change in the U.S. and abroad, and Brian’s leadership will help CANNRA continue to bring government officials and stakeholders together for essential conversations in this important moment. CANNRA is also honored to have Director Hanna be the first U.S. veteran to serve in the role of CANNRA president.” MiCIA Magazine chatted with Hanna via email about his goals for his term as president, the current state of cannabis regulation, and how he views CANNRA’s role in the industry.

REGULATORY AFFAIRS

PHOTO COURTESY OF CANNRA

lution of cannabis policy. More states continue to establish regulated markets, discussions continue at the federal level, and countries around the world are examining different approaches to cannabis regulation. Throughout all of that, regulators need opportunities to exchange information and learn from one another. CANNRA provides that forum. At the state level, we help regulators share practical solutions to common challenges. At the federal level, we can provide policymakers with the perspective of the officials responsible for implementing these programs every day. Internationally, we can exchange ideas with regulators facing many of the same questions while learning from their experiences as well. Ultimately, CANNRA’s role is not to advocate for a particular policy outcome but to ensure that regulatory decisions are informed by practical experience and a commitment to protecting public health and safety.

What are some of the key issues or policies you hope to focus on as CANNRA president?

Why is CANNRA an important organization at this current moment in the industry?

One of my priorities is continuing to strengthen communication among regulators. As this industry evolves, we’re all confronting new questions involving public health, product safety, enforcement, emerging products, consumer education, and the interaction between state and federal law. I also want to continue expanding opportunities for collaboration with our federal partners and international regulatory organizations. The more we can share information and best practices, the better equipped regulators will be to address future challenges. Most importantly, I want CANNRA to remain a trusted resource where regulators can have thoughtful, practical discussions that ultimately strengthen cannabis regulation across jurisdictions.

The cannabis industry continues to evolve rapidly. New markets are opening, existing programs are maturing, federal discussions continue, and regulators are constantly adapting to new products and new challenges. No single state has every answer. CANNRA creates a space where regulators can learn from one another instead of each state having to solve every issue independently. That collaboration ultimately benefits regulators, policymakers, licensees, and consumers alike. The need for that collaboration has never been greater than it is today.

How do you see your new leadership role fitting into the broader history of Michigan’s leadership in CANNRA? Michigan has been deeply engaged with CANNRA for many years. I’m proud to follow former CRA Executive Director Andrew Brisbo, who also served as CANNRA president. Having two leaders from the same state serve in that role reflects Michigan’s long-standing commitment to collaboration and regulatory leadership. Our goal has always been to contribute to the broader conversation while remaining willing to learn from others. I’m honored to continue that tradition and to help ensure that Michigan remains an active partner in advancing thoughtful, effective cannabis regulation.

2026-27 CANNRA Executive Board Clockwise from top left: Owen Parker (Iowa), President Brian Hanna (Michigan), Executive Director Gillian Schauer, immediate past President Adria Berry (Oklahoma), Andrew Goff (Hawaii), Treasurer Kirsten Davis-Franklin (Illinois), Lila McKinley (Connecticut), Shawn Carroll Casey (Virginia), and Amy Moore (Missouri). micia.org 9

COVER STORY

“ We’ve built an ecosystem here that someone can plug into whether they need a reset, whether they’re looking to grow or stabilize — whatever the case may be.” —Aaron Lanctot, CEO of Yield Distribution

COVER STORY

Yielding Results Sales and marketing company Yield Distribution applies proven business models to help cannabis brands grow BY WENSDY VON BUSKIRK

PHOTOS COURTESY OF YIELD DISTRIBUTION

Left: Yield Distribution promotes its clients’ brands at industry events throughout the state. Inset: CEO Aaron Lanctot.

or years, Michigan’s cannabis industry has operated like a startup. Cultivators, processors, and brands have built their own sales teams, managed their own marketing, coordinated deliveries, and juggled compliance, often duplicating the same functions hundreds of times across the state. As the market matures and margins continue to tighten, that model is becoming harder to sustain. Instead, cannabis operators are beginning to borrow a page from more-established industries such as alcohol and consumer packaged goods, where specialized partners can handle everything from sales and marketing to fulfillment. Birmingham-based Yield Distribution is helping to bring that model to Michigan. Yield has built a portfolio of sales, marketing, and brand management services for dozens of cannabis brands. All together, Yield’s services are creating the kind of infrastructure common in mature industries but still emerging in cannabis. Rather than inventing something new, says Yield CEO Aaron Lanctot, “We’re bringing in a model that has already been done in other industries that our state needs to be sustainable long-term.”

CRAFTING A COMPANY Lanctot had a background in craft beer and cider before stepping into cannabis. His first day in the industry happened to fall on April 20, 2020. “[It] was literally the national cannabis holiday, which was crazy,” he says. That date turned out to be a good omen. Within three years, Lanctot helped take his brand from “bottom of the barrel” to the “top three in its category,” he says. Along the way, he saw firsthand how fragmented Michigan’s cannabis supply chain had become. Every brand was calling on retailers individually, while dispensaries fielded constant sales pitches from companies competing for limited shelf space. Lanctot realized the industry needed a better system. Drawing on lessons from beverage distribution, he founded Yield in May 2023, alongside co-founders Bri Rodriguez and Isabel Maier. “We were solving problems on both sides of the plate,” he says. “This seemed like a natural progression.” Yield launched with four clients and a small team comprising Peri Hudson, Michael Graham, Peter Jensen, Kasey Trojan, and Kelle Lanctot. Just over three years later, the company has grown to more than 25 employees representing over 20 partner companies and 40-plus brands. micia.org 11

COVER STORY

GROWING TOGETHER Emerald Canning Partners has worked with Yield since both companies were in their infancy. The two companies launched just a few months apart. Emerald Canning manufactures cannabis beverages for a variety of brands. While its founders were good at making drinks, Michigan’s cannabis industry presented an entirely different learning curve. “We knew how to produce quality product,” says Matthew McAlpine, president

of Emerald Canning Partners. “What we didn’t know was the cannabis industry, its customers, its relationships, its accounts.” At nearly the same time Emerald Canning was entering the market, Yield was building its own statewide network. “Timing and fate seem to have worked out,” McAlpine says. Since the beginning, Emerald Canning has relied on Yield for marketing and sales. The Yield team goes account by account, introducing dispensaries to Emerald Canning’s various brands through vendor days, in-store promotions, and ongoing education. Yield has worked not only to make sales but to change negative perceptions about cannabis beverages while helping retailers

understand how the category fits into their shelves. Over the past three years, Emerald Canning has grown into Michigan’s largest cannabis beverage manufacturer, producing up to an estimated 85% of the state’s cannabis beverages, according to the two companies. McAlpine credits Yield’s statewide sales force and marketing support with helping to fuel that growth. “You’ve got access to 25 [reps] across the state,” he says. “They really take the time to learn and know the products, and they can speak intelligently to them.” Rather than building a large in-house sales organization, Emerald Canning relies on Yield’s established network to maintain relationships with dispensaries across Michigan. The partnership has also given Emerald Canning access to market intelligence that would be difficult to develop on its own. “They’re an incredibly data-driven company,” McAlpine says. “My best advice is ‘Just listen to them.’ They’re doing all the analysis for us.” The results have been tangible. “We’ve had three record months back to back to back since May,” McAlpine says. “Best six months in the company’s history.”

“You’ve got access to 25 [reps] across the state. They really take the time to learn and know the products, and they can speak intelligently to them.” —Matthew McAlpine, president of Emerald Canning Partners 12 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

PHOTOS COURTESY OF YIELD DISTRIBUTION

“We’ve built an ecosystem here that someone can plug into whether they need a reset, whether they’re looking to grow or stabilize — whatever the case may be,” he says.

COVER STORY Emerald Canning Partners President Matthew McAlpine (left) and Shane Averitt represent Emerald Canning’s brands at The Exchange networking event.

COVER STORY

Yield Distribution organizes promotional campaigns year-round to highlight its clients, including 4/20 Match Play (above) and The Melt (left).

Yield’s representatives are strategically spread throughout Michigan so they can meet with dispensaries, attend buyer meetings, host vendor days, and educate budtenders about new products. They’re regulars at trade shows and industry events, connecting brands with retailers while keeping a pulse on what’s happening across the state’s cannabis market. Rather than treating every client as a silo, Yield looks for opportunities to help brands work together. A single trade show booth might showcase multiple companies. Retail events, sponsorships, and promotional campaigns are often coordinated so several brands can benefit from the same investment, stretching marketing dollars and giving retailers a simpler experience. Instead of asking retailers to juggle separate vendor relationships, promotional calendars, and marketing materials, Yield coordinates many of those moving parts into unified campaigns that are easier for both dispensaries and brands to execute. 14 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

“They’re an incredibly data-driven company. My best advice is ‘Just listen to them.’” —Matthew McAlpine, president of Emerald Canning Partners

Among group promotions Yield has organized are 4/20 Match Play golf-themed advertising to celebrate the national cannabis holiday, 710 programming to mark “Oil Day,” and The Melt summer series to highlight extracts. Yield also supports individual brands’ events — as many as 15 each month — including golf outings for Puff Cannabis Co., Vlasic Labs, and King of Budz. “We’re supporting these businesses as an extension of their team,” Lanctot says.

ALL FOR ONE As Michigan’s cannabis market continues to evolve, McAlpine believes the companies that succeed will be the ones willing to pool

resources instead of duplicating them. It’s a model that’s worked in more-mature markets like California, according to Lanctot, and McAlpine is certain it’s the future here. Regardless, Yield will continue to provide the infrastructure that allows brands to grow while guiding retailers through an increasingly complex marketplace. “The Michigan market has evolved and continues to evolve daily, weekly,” Lanctot says, “whether it be the industry itself or the state throwing different things at us to make us pivot. But we’ve been able to help our partners navigate [not only] the regulatory challenges but also the market challenges.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF YIELD DISTRIBUTION

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TRENDING NOW

Smart Cookies Gelato teams up with a national cookie brand to launch a punchy collab

elato Canna understands the power of the buzz — the THC kind and the word-ofmouth kind. Born in California and also operating in Michigan and Arizona, the company prides itself on high-quality, fun, and innovative products that tap into the “ooh” factor. Due to heavy competition in other product categories, Gelato found that the best way into the Michigan market was via edibles: dessert- and candy-themed offerings including Dubai chocolate bars, sugar cones, and cereal bites with names like Funky Pebbles and Coco Clods.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF GELATO

BY PARIS GILES

TRENDING NOW

From there, the company branched out. “After we were able to establish a presence in the stores, we started bringing in the vapes,” says Gelato owner and CEO Chris Hindo, who’s a Michigan native. Earlier this year, Gelato partnered with Fat & Weird Cookie — a mainstream brand out of Florida shipping mountainous cookies with ooey-gooey centers — on a line of infused cookies that Gelato sells through its dispensary partners. The concept emerged from the treats themselves. One of the Gelato employees kept DoorDashing these “monster cookies,” Hindo says. “We started asking, ‘What are these things?’ We started following the company. It was a viral cookie. … Like, the weirdest thing you could see in a cookie was available. So we’re like, ‘Man, how cool would it be for us to do a collab with these guys?’” Hindo says the team at Fat & Weird was immediately receptive to the idea of collaborating. The batch of specialized cookies came to Gelato sans psychoactives, and the company then infused each individually packaged cookie with 200 milligrams of THC, sent the cookies out for testing, and then shipped them to dispensaries across the state. Hindo notes the two brands took care to work out the particulars of shelf stability; Gelato likes for its products to be able to sit on dispensary shelves for at least a year. Part of Gelato’s process is to enrobe the cookies in a chocolate that helps to preserve them. “Every single item that crosses our desk is a little bit different, but we have a great team that’s in-house that literally is working on these things,” Hindo explains. “One of the things that’s a blessing and a curse [is that] we do a lot of innovations.” Hindo believes this to be the first official edible collaboration between a cannabis

“We started following [Fat & Weird Cookie]. It was a viral cookie. … Like, the weirdest thing you could see in a cookie was available. So we’re like, ‘Man, how cool would it be for us to do a collab with these guys?’” —Chris Hindo, owner and CEO of Gelato

Right: Gelato CEO Chris Hindo. Below: Gelato and Fat & Weird’s Dubai chocolate THC-infused cookie. Bottom: Gelato's First Bite cereal balls.

micia.org 17

TRENDING NOW

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GELATO

Clockwise from top left: Gelato's signature products include Last Bite mini sugar cones. Gelato collaborated with Tyson 2.0 to create new cannabis-infused sugar cones, releasing this fall. Gelato CEO Chris Hindo (center) poses with Joseph Tuchman (left) and Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Dawood (right) for a segment on Fox2 Detroit. The Pitchen Tents cookie evokes the classic s'more.

18 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

TRENDING NOW

“ While we are all in [the industry] to make money to support our employees and the organization, I think about longevity. And company and a mainstream one. While supplies last, customers can find five flavors of the Gelato/Fat & Weird cookies on Michigan shelves with giggle-inducing names. There’s Big Sexy, a caramelforward creation; Pitchen Tents, a s’mores reimagining; Cookie Anonymous, a bluehued mashup of all your favorite cookies; Massive Eruption, a take on chocolate lava cake; and Dubai chocolate, the trendy pistachio-heavy treat. The two companies’ branding melds seamlessly in the product line. Gelato and Fat & Weird have similar ways of drawing the eyes of customers, especially on social media — and both seem to have mastered the art of packaging a good time. Think strong visuals, punchy colors, and an open invitation to consumers to join the party. Hindo is hopeful about the prospect of federal cannabis legalization and what it could mean for Gelato’s growth. In the meantime, Gelato is reinvesting in the company to pave the way for the future. “While we are all in [the industry] to make money to support our employees and the organization, I think about longevity,” Hindo says. “And so we’re taking a lot of that and putting it back into branding awareness events and creating that following.” In early July, Hindo and the Gelato team were preparing for the California State Fair, which ran from July 17 to Aug. 2. For all 17 days of the event, they occupied a 5,000-square-foot space decked out in the brand’s signature hot pink. Hindo says the team is also working on a collaboration with Mike Tyson’s Tyson 2.0 cannabis brand that will involve a new iteration of Gelato’s fan-favorite Last Bite cannabis-infused sugar cones. That’s

so we’re taking a lot of that and putting it back into branding awareness events and creating that following.” —Chris Hindo, owner and CEO of Gelato

expected to roll out in the fall. Plans to expand the company into Florida and New York are also in the works. “[We’re] really trying to build a lifestyle brand,” Hindo says. “We want to become a household name brand for cannabis.” micia.org 19

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Rooted in Trust From a basement grow to a multistate operation, Northwoods Cannabis has built its success on a team that has stayed together for more than a decade BY BECKY KALAJIAN

20 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

al of those same employees remain at the company’s leadership table. For Etengoff, founder and CEO of Northwoods Cannabis, that continuity is no coincidence. “I think that is the secret or key to our success,” he says. “The building can change. The techniques can change. Everything like that can change. But if you have a good core group of people that you trust and that are part of your culture, that’s the most important thing.” Together, Etengoff and his core team transformed a modest basement operation

in Marquette into a multistate cannabis company with approximately 100 employees across Michigan, Ohio, and Maine.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Northwoods’ story began while Etengoff was attending college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. After moving into a rental home, he noticed evidence that cannabis had previously been cultivated in the basement. He asked his landlord whether he could revive the setup and received permission to begin growing.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORTHWOODS CANNABIS

hen Brett Etengoff looks across Northwoods Cannabis’s operation today, he sees far more than cultivation rooms, automation systems, and expansion projects. He sees the same people who were there when it all began. Some of Northwoods Cannabis’s managers first met Etengoff as teenagers. Some joined him during college. Many helped tend plants in makeshift grows long before cannabis became a regulated industry. More than a decade later, sever-

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Etengoff says he had always been passionate about cannabis, but learning how to cultivate it opened a new world of possibilities. “Once I discovered I could grow it, that really intrigued me,” he says. What began as a personal passion soon expanded into operations in a few warehouses. Still, the idea of building a longterm business did not fully materialize until Michigan’s first commercial medical cannabis licenses became available starting in 2017. “That’s when the light bulb went off that, you know, this could actually be a sustainable long-term thing,” Etengoff says. Commercial licensing requirements introduced new financial and regulatory hurdles. Like many caregivers entering the legal market, he says, Etengoff faced challenges proving he met capital requirements. Northwoods ultimately partnered with an investor to help navigate the process and secure licensing. Looking back, Etengoff says entering the regulated market was one of the “most pivotal” decisions in his company’s history. Many growers in the caregiver model had uncertainties about the new market, Etengoff says, but he believed that the future was moving toward licensed cultivation. “There were a lot of unknowns,” he says. “But we dived into it, and I’m happy we did.”

“The building can change. The techniques can change. Everything like that can change. But if you have a good core group of people that you trust and that are part of your culture, that’s the most important thing.” —Brett Etengoff, founder and CEO of Northwoods Cannabis

CULTURE FIRST In 2020, Northwoods relocated to Traverse City and constructed a cultivation facility from the ground up. The move also represented a turning point. Etengoff says Traverse City offered the perfect balance between his roots in metro Detroit and his years spent in the Upper Peninsula. It provided access to labor, resources, and a thriving business community alongside the northern Michigan lifestyle he valued. Perhaps the most important thing that came south with him wasn’t the equipment. It was people. Several members of the original team relocated from the Upper Peninsula to

Northwoods Cannabis has cultivation facilities in Traverse City, Portage, and Ohio. The team culture is a key part of the company's success, according to CEO Brett Etengoff. micia.org 21

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

CRAFT AT SCALE Today, Northwoods operates cultivation facilities in Michigan and Ohio and maintains a sister company in Maine.

Northwoods has come a long way since Brett Etengoff (pictured at right) started growing cannabis in his basement during college. One of his original caregiver grows is pictured at left.

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Growth has required sophisticated technology and innovative cultivation systems, but Etengoff insists that scale has never changed the company’s philosophy. To him, craft cannabis isn’t defined by the size of an operation. Instead, it comes down to attention to detail. “[It’s] the process that went into it,” he says. That process begins with genetics: Nearly all of Northwoods’ strains — including Triple Beam, a Northwoods signature — are hunted and selected in-house. It continues through cultivation, harvesting, curing, and quality control. Etengoff says maintaining craft standards at scale relies on leaning into practices that made the company successful in the first place, such as daily inspections, individualized plant care, and a commitment to correcting problems no matter how small they appear. “If you see a plant that’s not looking good, … you fix [it],” he says. “You get everything to that same health level and standard.”

HIGH-TECH HELP Technology supports those efforts. Northwoods employs advanced environmental monitoring and irrigation systems that allow cultivators to track moisture content, humidity, and other critical metrics around the clock. Etengoff says automation provides otherwise-unattainable visibility into plant health, enabling growers to make real-time adjustments that improve consistency and quality. “We don’t rely on automation,” he says. “We more so use it as a tool to make decisions.” Northwoods’ most recent expansion took the company to Ohio, where it just sold part of its first harvest after an accelerated eight-month facility build-out finished in October 2025. The custom-engineered, multitier cultivation system features grated floors that help to capitalize on vertical space while maintaining the precise environmental controls required for premium flower. “Sometimes [with] tiering, you can get in some trouble with quality and

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORTHWOODS CANNABIS

Traverse City, helping to establish the culture that still defines the company today. “Every single one of them — if they wanted — came down to Traverse City with me and got a job,” Etengoff says, adding that many now serve as managers and leaders throughout the organization. That approach has also fueled Northwoods’ expansion into new markets. When the company acquired cultivation operations in Portage, expanding later into Ohio, Etengoff relied on longtime team members to launch the facilities. Rather than create entirely new leadership structures, Northwoods sent experienced employees who already understood the company’s culture and standards. “You’ve got these guys that you trust more than anyone else,” Etengoff says. “You trust them to go to these new facilities and implement all the stuff that has made us successful.”

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Left: Northwoods' signature Triple Beam strain. Right: CEO Brett Etengoff (left) and Ben Siecinski, Ohio director of cultivation, on top of the triple-tier system during construction at the Ohio facility. Below: Spencer Johnson, Traverse City head grower, among the plants.

consistency, which is why we did it in such a unique way,” Etengoff says. “We did three true floors with a track system on each floor. … The floor beneath you is grated so you can see through it.” Since launching the system, he says the company has found “zero hot pockets” and that environmental conditions remain remarkably consistent throughout the facility.

Etengoff and his team have their eyes on the future with additional projects in Ohio and Michigan. The company is developing a dispensary in Columbus, Ohio, and retrofitting a 120,000-square-foot greenhouse in Adrian, Michigan. For Etengoff, growth remains exciting, but he hasn’t forgotten the uncertainty of the early years. One memory in particular stands out. At age 21, after completing a major harvest at a warehouse more than an hour from home, he loaded workers into his car and began the late-night drive back. As people slept, Etengoff reflected on the fact that he had just paid the crew with the last money he had. “I remember thinking on that drive back, ‘I hope this is all worth it because I don’t have anything left,’” he says. The harvest succeeded, more harvests followed, and the company survived. Etengoff says the lesson remains the same even now: Facilities grow, markets change, and technology evolves. Success, however, ultimately comes down to those who have stuck around. “The most important thing to me,” he says, “is the people behind the product.” 24 MiCIA MAGAZINE | VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3 • 2026

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORTHWOODS CANNABIS

LESSONS FOR A LIFETIME

PERSPECTIVE

Riding Out the Storm I

COURTESY HEADSHOT

t’s been a tumultuous year for the Michigan cannabis industry, to say the least. At the beginning of this year, Michigan’s new 24% wholesale tax on adult-use cannabis caused seismic shifts in an industry already under pressure. April brought some sorely needed good news at the federal level, as the U.S. Department of Justice placed medical cannabis products in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. However, the full impact of that change on Michigan’s industry has yet to be determined. In the midst of these major disruptions, MiCIA Magazine sat down with Donna Bashi, vice president of business development at Community Choice Credit Union, to discuss the current financial state of the industry and where it’s headed next. Farmington Hills-based Community Choice Credit Union has been working with Michigan cannabis clients since 2020, just after adult-use cannabis sales began in the state. Bashi shared her insights on the industry’s current financial challenges, the bright spots she’s seeing amid the tumult, and her advice for licensees to survive trying times. Editor’s note: The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How would you describe the current financial state of the cannabis industry?

Donna Bashi of Community Choice Credit Union breaks down the troubled financial state of Michigan cannabis By Patrick Dunn

It’s really rough for our people. The good news is a lot of people that are invested in cannabis are investors and they’ve learned to do other things to try to make up for what they’re losing. But it’s been hard to watch the 24% tax [come into effect] — plus, the price of the product has drastically gone down, so we’re seeing a difference there. We saw a ton of money leave, and we do have more than 900 cannabis-related entities [as clients].

How are the cannabis clients you work with responding to those challenges? [Those who have shifted their attention to other investments are] doing good. They’re making it work. But we’ve seen a lot of accounts shut down and a lot of licenses just get closed. I’ve seen a lot of their property on the market. Or we close one account and then we open it under a new name with a new license because someone bought it, which is good. But still, they’ve invested so much money. I mean, some of these guys put their 401(k)s into it from the get-go. So it’s hard.

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L E TRTSEPRE CFTRIOVM P E EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The 24% wholesale tax is the gigantic challenge for the industry right now, but what other challenges are you seeing? Certain areas have been oversaturated with licenses. I hear a lot of people complain that they open up and then they find out a couple weeks later that there are four or five new locations opening up right up the road from them. I get that the city zones certain areas for licenses, but it makes it difficult because [licensees] think, “OK, this is a really good investment. I’m going to go all in.” And then that happens.

Are there any financial bright spots for the industry, or is it all pretty doom and gloom? I’m seeing a lot [of bright spots]. New Buffalo has been a really hot area, so a lot of people are thinking about going out that way. With Indiana not being licensed, a lot of people are like, “Oh, we’re just going to go in those outskirt areas to get some more business.” … So I think people are being strategic and opening up in areas where they know they’re going to get some traffic from other areas.

What tips would you give licensees as they navigate this challenging financial picture? I’m just trying to help them be able to save money. If they own a home, let’s look at your mortgage rate, refinance it, and get you a lower rate. We’re really just trying to get them into some investment products to try to put some money away and have them earn some interest. A few hundred dollars in a savings account every week adds up. It’s your emergency money. I think sometimes they just don’t stop and think about it because they’re focused on their business.

It sounds like the strategy is waiting out the chaos that’s been created from the new tax. Is that right? Yeah, for sure. And I know that MiCIA is working so hard, and that’s why we try

STOCK PHOTO

Is that oversaturation being counterbalanced at all by market contraction from the new tax? Or are those two problems operating parallel to each other?

We’re still seeing a lot of people open [new businesses]. Today, I had three new opportunities: a processor, retail, and a cultivation [business]. But I think it’s because they already have the land. They’ve already invested so much into it that there’s no going back now, so a lot of them are just taking the chance.

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PERSPECTIVE

to help support. Hopefully, it goes away. If it doesn’t, we’re trying to find strategic ways to kind of offset it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMUNITY CHOICE CREDIT UNION

There’s also a pretty big paradigm shift about to happen at the federal level, with the recent rescheduling of medical cannabis. What banking or financial changes do you think are going to happen in Michigan as a result? [If the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act, which would establish new protections for financial institutions that do business with cannabis clients, passes,] it’s [likely] going to … improve access to financial services. Right now, we can bank it, but there are a lot of rules, compliance, and everything around it. It’s really expensive, and it’s a lot of work. … So it’s going to lessen the risk. There are still a lot of parameters that we’d have to go through, but it’s going to lessen the risk where it

[may] open it up to even the regular traditional banks. Right now, … those bigger ones [often] don’t want to touch it and [sometimes will] shut you down if you are even an investor in it, whereas we’ll take you but there’s a lot of due diligence.

Are there any other trends that you’re noticing in the industry right now? Not really. We’ve been one of the first few that have opened up cannabis banking, and we did it because we knew there was a need out there. We’re all about helping people. It makes me proud that we’ve been able to help people, and even if the SAFE Banking Act goes into play, I feel like people are not going to want to leave a lot of these relationships we’ve created because we helped them and helped their businesses when everybody was shutting them down.

“I’m just trying to help [cannabis licensees] save money … and have them earn some interest. A few hundred dollars in a savings account every week adds up. It’s your emergency money. I think sometimes [licensees] just don’t stop and think about it because they’re focused on their business.” — Donna Bashi, Community Choice Credit Union

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CANNABUSINESS

New Tools of the Trade AI-supported software helps cannabis companies improve operations By Paris Giles

rtificial intelligence has caused a stir across countless industries, and cannabis is no exception. Michigan’s cannabis companies are employing AI throughout their businesses, and AI solutions are also being rolled out at cannabisadjacent companies that partner with producers and retailers. It’s their hope that AI will be one of the tools that helps steady the soil underneath a precarious industry that, like the technology itself, is rife with opportunity. Testing labs are one area where AI use looks promising when applied judiciously. Kairos Labs — a Warren-based testing facility that evaluates flower, vapes, edibles, and other cannabis products for composition and safety — uses AI software to automate appropriate administrative tasks and support its operations. Kairos Chief of Staff Jessica Baird says AI is especially useful in augmenting

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employees’ work internally to allow the company to communicate sample issues and results with clients more quickly, crucial in an industry where, as Baird puts it, “Time is money.” She says it’s not just about being fast, though — it’s about

Jessica Baird

being accurate. “AI is only as good as the information that you feed it,” she says. “So a lot of what we’re building is making sure our systems are clean and organized for that AI system to run as best as it can and to be useful. … When we have these methods in place and it just speeds up the process in the right ways, it really helps our customers.” Kairos is just a handful of years old, and AI has always been a part of the ride. Baird says the company’s tech-savvy leadership makes it a point to stay tuned in to how AI is evolving and adopt and implement new solutions so far as they gel with the company’s goals. To the point of AI-fueled progress, Baird says Kairos has no plans to replace any jobs with AI. She says the company is committed to human oversight and decision-making, using these emerging technologies merely as useful tools to aid

COURTESY HEADSHOTS

CANNABUSINESS

its team and benefit its customers. “AI is there to support people doing their work,” she says. “It’s not to substitute them.” Superbud is another company that takes full advantage of AI technologies. Its software — launched in January 2026 after months of development — allows cannabis brands to build easy-to-use platforms where retailers can make wholesale purchases and, on the backend, sellers can manage product catalogs as well as view and analyze sales data. The solutions within the Superbud wheelhouse make data easier to interpret and act upon, and the software streamlines the ordering process for both buyer and seller, freeing up time. Brands can also connect their favorite large language models — such as ChatGPT or Claude — to Superbud’s platform so they can work directly with the AI tools of their choice to manage their operation. Skylar Van Dyke, Superbud’s director of accounts, calls that particular feature a game changer. “Because we developed this platform really in the age of AI, we developed our data structure specifically for AI agents to be able to utilize it in a much more easy and efficient manner than a lot of the other platforms out there,” he says. AI can be harnessed in a number of ways throughout the Superbud experience. When a company is building its online wholesale storefront, for example, AI can quickly turn product menus into shoppable inventory and consolidate product variants, automatically rolling different sizes and other options into a single listing for efficiency. It can also simplify tasks like contacting customers for reorders or replenishing inventory. “Superbud was always meant to build side by side with customers to intimately understand the conflicts, the problems, and the opportunities,” says CEO Arman Ghosh. “This AI revolution has taken certain people like us and equipped us with a ton to redefine what the future can look like. So we’re on the tip of the spear of a lot of narratives and the investments being made around responsible approaches to AI.”

Arman Ghosh

Skylar Van Dyke

“How are you going to continue to grow with limited budgets, limited people, limited resources without some of these new tools? I really think AI is going to be the answer to that in Michigan specifically.” —Skylar Van Dyke, director of accounts at Superbud

As businesses in and outside the cannabis industry adopt AI solutions, the public is voicing concerns about possible downsides — from environmental effects to job losses. Focusing on cannabis, Baird says she’s seen AI take a large hold in marketing. Depending on your outlook, this is a tally for the “pro” column, allowing alreadystrapped business owners to free up resources. On the other hand, this could mean a loss of creative communication jobs and a rise in so-called AI slop. But Baird knows of brand owners who’ve instead invested in AI education for their staff, hoping to work with the emerging technology to foster growth. The team at Superbud also recognizes the potential dangers of AI, specifically those that come from moving too quickly without a well-considered application strategy. Security and privacy should

also be top of mind for brands looking to implement AI. Still, Superbud sees the potential for progress in the face of unique challenges, a way for cannabis to benefit from the technological innovation that’s helped to accelerate other industries. But coordination and education will be key. “How are you going to continue to grow with limited budgets, limited people, limited resources without some of these new tools?” Van Dyke says. “I really think AI is going to be the answer to that in Michigan specifically.” Ghosh agrees, citing the widespread impact AI tools could have on the cannabis industry. “I think it’d be one of the best examples of how this technology can impact an industry across so many levels: process optimization, people, costs, performance.”

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