MELBOURNE, Australia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Australia’s leading cannabis franchise group, Releaf Group, has just announced its new partnership with North American cannabis lifestyle brand Cookies.
As part of the agreement, Cookies’ world-renowned cultivars will be available to be dispensed via prescription in Releaf dispensaries Australia wide.
Brainchild of recording artist and entrepreneur Berner (Gilbert Milam), Cookies currently has over 46 retail locations in 4 countries including in 9 states in the U.S., selling lifestyle apparel as well as recreational and medicinal cannabis products as legalizations allow.
The partnership comes as Releaf Founder and CEO Gary Mackenzie looks to expand current service offerings across its established and emerging franchise sites. With dispensaries currently operating in VIC and recently launching in the QLD market, Releaf plans to expand clinical services nationally within the next 12 months.
“Partnering with Cookies allows Releaf Group to have a greater impact on the Australian cannabis economy, we are honoured to be working alongside a global leader in the cannabis space,” said Gary Mackenzie, founder and CEO of Releaf Group.
“The immense popularity of the Cookies brand and their library of cannabis cultivars will help us in furthering our mission and expanding within our community driving new revenues and earnings. Releaf Group will launch dedicated Cookies lifestyle dispensaries and Cookies Corners inside all Releaf Dispensaries across Australia, creating new employment and supporting local cultivation and manufacturing,” Gary adds.
Cookies, California’s top-selling cannabis and the first branded pharmacy in Israel, has quickly established an international presence with the hope to expand further into markets in Europe and Australia. In addition to the new Releaf partnership, Cookies has a branded coffee shop in Amsterdam, Cookies Social Club in Barcelona, and recently opened its first store in Ontario, Canada.
“Coming out of my cancer battle, the first thing I told myself was that I wanted to see the world and travel to new places, when I was back on my feet,” said Berner, Co-Founder and CEO of Cookies. “I couldn’t be more humbled and excited about our partnership with Releaf, and the opportunity to show Australia an incredible experience, when it comes to purchasing cannabis. I know Australia has been embracing cannabis for a long time, and with multiple flagship stores with a broad rollout throughout the country, I think the people in Australia will get that genuine experience and quality it deserves. With that being said, I’m getting myself ready for that long flight.”
Releaf Group is also in the process of opening and operating flagship Cookies lifestyle stores in St Kilda (VIC) and Bondi (NSW). With both sites set to open later in 2022, each will create a highly demanded ‘cannabis hub’ for those local communities.
For more information or to speak to a GP about cannabis treatments, visit www.releaf.com.au/
About Releaf Group Ltd
Releaf Group Ltd is Australia’s leading cannabis franchise group, with plans to expand their franchising model into international markets via their medical and lifestyle divisions. The company has a vertically integrated model that incorporates cultivation/ import and manufacturing to service its end distribution Clinics & Dispensaries franchisees.
About Cookies
Cookies, founded in 2010 by Billboard-charting rapper and entrepreneur Berner and Bay Area breeder and cultivator Jai, is the most globally recognized cannabis company in the world. Cookies values the power of the plant and focuses on creating game-changing genetics. The company offers a collection of over 70 proprietary cannabis cultivars and more than 2,000 products. Cookies also actively works to enrich communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs through advocacy and social equity initiatives. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company opened its first retail store in 2018 in Los Angeles and has since expanded to over 40 retail locations in 17 markets across 4 countries. Cookies was named one of America’s Hottest Brands of 2021 by AdAge; the first cannabis brand to ever receive this accolade. Learn more at cookies.co.
Contacts
Jade Bentley
PR to Releaf Group Ltd
T: 0487 214 300
E: jade.bentley@communicado.com.au