Green Thumb Industries and Cookies Enter Exclusive Partnership to Open Cookies on the Strip in Las Vegas

CHICAGO and LAS VEGAS, Aug. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Thumb Industries Inc. (Green Thumb) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of Rise and Essence retail stores, and Cookies, a leading North American cannabis lifestyle brand, today announced an exclusive partnership to open Cookies on the Strip in Las Vegas, the first Cookies store in Nevada. Cookies on the Strip will sell the acclaimed portfolio of Cookies, Lemonnade, Runtz, Minntz, Collins Ave, Run The Jewels and Grandiflora products in the brand’s signature retail environment and is expected to open in the first quarter 2021, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Based in the Bay Area, Cookies' Founder and CEO Berner is a prolific rapper and entrepreneur along with his partner, Jai, a highly respected cannabis cultivator and breeder.

"We have been working on Las Vegas for a very long time and we wanted to do it right which is why we chose to partner with Green Thumb,” said Cookies Founder and Chief Executive Officer Berner. “Everybody comes to Vegas, whether it be for a wedding, bachelor or bachelorette party, birthday, anniversary or just to celebrate in general. Vegas has always focused on spoiling the visitor with five-star restaurants, hotels and entertainment. With a store right on the Strip and our cultivation partners dialed in, as well as an exclusive five-star menu dedicated just to the Nevada market, we are more than ready for Vegas. It won’t be hard to find us either, we have a very special design for our store."

The Essence and Rise retail locations in Las Vegas, Henderson, Spanish Springs and Carson City will also offer Cookies products including popular favorites such as London Pound Cake 75, Gary Payton and Cereal Milk.

Green Thumb Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler said: “We have long believed that cannabis brands that offer a consistent and authentic customer experience is key to winning in the industry – and Berner has created a phenomenal brand with a loyal following. This partnership allows us to explore bringing the unique Cookies experience to market in a must-visit destination for Las Vegas visitors and residents.”

The Essence store located at 2308 South Las Vegas Boulevard will be rebranded to Cookies on the Strip. The store will remain open during the transition. Green Thumb currently owns and operates seven stores in the state, five of which are in the Las Vegas area, and manufactures and distributes its branded products including Cannabiotix, Dogwalkers, incredibles and Rythm in Nevada. The company has licenses to open six more retail stores in the state.