Cheddar's Cannabiz explores the latest trends, and businesses looking to capitalize on the growing cannabis market. Cheddar's Baker Machado and Brad Smith speak with investors, business leaders, and legislators in this episode.
In the last few days several officials have announced efforts to reverse marijuana-related convictions. San Francisco's District Attorney George Gascón announced the dismisscal of more than 3,000 marijuana convictions dating back to 1975. Cheddar's Baker Machado spoke to Gascón about that decision, and the reaction he is receiving from other cities.
Recreational marijuana has been legal in California since January 1 and since then cannabis stores like MedMen in West Hollywood have been a significant bump in sales and foot traffic. Alyssa Julya Smith visited the MedMen location in West Hollywood one month after the store first started selling recreational marijuana.
Yi explains that month-to-month MedMen has been triple the amount of foot traffic and revenue in January as they had from December. He explains that more people than ever before are buying edibles and trying different forms of cannabis.
Private equity firm Privateer Holdings is looking to pioneer the future of the legal cannabis industry. The company closed a $100 Million funding round in January to further its investment in cannabis start-ups. Privateer Holdings CEO Brendan Kennedy describes how the company is planning to use this new surge in funding.
"A lot of the opportunities that we are looking at right now are outside of the United States," says Kennedy. "We'll deploy more than half of this round outside of the U.S. where we see Canada this year legalizing Cannabis for adult use."
Agricultural technology company VividGro announced Tuesday it has acquired a home grow marijuana app. The company's President David Friedman explains how this acquisition is helping VividGro expand its footprint in the horticulture industry especially for weed.
"This gives us access to the home grow market, which is a quicker and more rapid penetration point," says Friedman. "Eventually we will grow into the commercial side of the market."
Orangetheory Fitness is redefining the future of workouts with smarter tech, strength-based programming, and community-driven studios built for what’s next.
Spain's government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros or $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals. The consumer rights ministry announced the fine on Monday. The ministry stated that many listings lacked proper license numbers or included incorrect information. The move is part of Spain's ongoing efforts to regulate short-term rental companies amid a housing affordability crisis especially in popular urban areas. The ministry ordered Airbnb in May to remove around 65,000 listings for similar violations. The government's consumer rights minister emphasized the impact on families struggling with housing. Airbnb said it plans to challenge the fine in court.
Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. iRobot said that it is being acquired by Picea through a court-supervised process. Picea is the company's primary contract manufacturer. The Bedford, Massachusetts-based anticipates completing the prepackaged chapter 11 process by February.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
