Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. (“AWH” or the “Company”) (CSE: AAWH.U), a multi-state, vertically integrated cannabis operator, and Edie Parker, a luxury fashion brand known for its vintage-inspired clutches and handbags, today announced an exclusive wholesale licensing agreement to bring the most coveted products from Edie Parker’s sister brand, Flower by Edie Parker, to AWH retail locations in Illinois and Massachusetts.
The agreement will allow AWH to produce Flower by Edie Parker pre-rolls for sale at AWH’s retail locations in two cannabis markets expected to nearly triple in size between 2020 and 2022, according to data from CB Insights and state reports. Flower by Edie Parker first expanded beyond California earlier this year with the launch of sales in Colorado, their presence now spanning four states with the addition of Illinois and Massachusetts. This agreement reinforces AWH’s position as an industry-leading operator on the forefront of bringing popular West Coast brands to Midwest and East Coast markets.
“Edie Parker is a nationally-recognized, celebrity-backed brand and we’re thrilled to bring products from its cannabis-centric sister brand, Flower by Edie Parker, to our consumers on the Midwest and East Coast,” said Abner Kurtin, Chief Executive Officer of AWH. “This partnership provides Ascend with a unique opportunity to expand key product categories such as pre-rolls and target the rapidly growing female consumer sector. We are continuously working to diversify our Ozone offering and meet the distinct preferences of all consumer segments, and we’re delighted to introduce a female-focused brand to our Midwest and East Coast clientele.”
“Partnering with AWH allows us to bring our line of attractive and considered cannabis products to new audiences and empower even more modern consumers to openly celebrate the role that cannabis plays in their lives,” added Brett Heyman, Founder and Creative Director of Flower by Edie Parker. “As an East Coast resident, I’m proud to finally share Edie Parker’s distinct product line with my own community of cannabis enthusiasts.”
AWH and Edie Parker are eager to provide the market’s sophisticated, fashion-forward female cannabis consumer segment with an ultra-luxury brand and product line that caters to their interests. The female demographic now represents the fastest-growing consumer segment in the cannabis industry despite being underserved by the market. Women accounted for only 35% of legal cannabis sales in 2019, but their market share increased 1.6% year-over-year to 36.6% in 2020. The arrival of Flower by Edie Parker products to AWH retail locations will help meet the growing demand for female-centric brands and products to better serve female consumer demographics.
