KANSAS CITY, Mo. — James Ryan was in shock. When Missouri announced the winners of the 48 microbusiness licenses for its recreational marijuana program in early October, Ryan’s company was the first selection.
“I just stared at my phone for a minute,” he said. “And then, very excited.”
Ryan launched Higher Love KC in 2018. It’s a pop-up bakery selling products infused with CBD. The new microbusiness license means Ryan will now be able to cultivate marijuana and produce products with THC.
“That’s what I wanted to do, take my life down that direction with things, knowing how it helps people along with how delicious I can make these items,” Ryan said.
The first infused baked good he made was a red velvet cookie. He experimented with the concept because his mother suffers from tremors. Cannabis calmed her shaking, but she didn’t like smoking it. Ryan’s baked goods solved the problem.
Ryan’s business partner Bill Wald got his start with a similar, medicinal approach. He creates flavored marshmallows at The Modest Mallow. He infused candies to help his sister during chemotherapy and radiation treatments years ago. The goodies kept her appetite up and reduced some pain. Wald’s sister lives a healthy, cancer-free life today.
“We have the right mindset,” Wald said. “Neither of us started doing this because we loved marijuana. We started doing this to help other people.”
As a micobusiness wholesale facility, Higher Love KC cannot sell directly to consumers. It must supply micro-dispensaries who will sell Higher Love’s baked goods. Ryan and Wald believe their products are better and much more craft-based than the cookies and brownies currently for sale at chain dispensaries.
Missouri created the microbusiness model to give smaller companies a chance to enter the cannabis industry. To qualify, businesses had to meet certain criteria, like live in an impoverished neighborhood, be a disabled veteran or have a connection to a non-violent marijuana conviction — this is how Higher Love KC qualified.
Ryan believes it will be about six months before Higher Love KC renovates its facility, passes state inspections, grows flowers and begins manufacturing THC edibles. He plans to offer vegan and gluten free options, and most of his baked goods use coconut oil instead of butter.
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