Mindy Segal, winner of the 2012 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in the Country, announced the launch of an Illinois-based medical cannabis infused product line on Tuesday.
Segal, owner of the successful Chicago establishment Hot Chocolate Restaurant, is partnering with Illinois’ largest cannabis cultivator, Cresco Labs. She is the first celebrity chef to attach her name to a commercial cannabis enterprise.
According to a press release issued by Cresco Labs:
[Segal’s] initial products will include a line of chocolate brittle bars, a line of infused granola bites, an infused chocolate drink that is intended to be warmed to enhance the soothing effects, and a ready-made mix with do-it-yourself instructions.
While the product line will be designed first and foremost as medicine, the goal is to not let that detract from the flavor of the infused delicacies. “With my recipes and Cresco’s technology, we’re developing this line of products to be consistent every time and absolutely enjoyable to eat,” said the acclaimed chef.
“Having someone with Mindy’s name brand and credibility enter the cannabis industry says a lot about where this industry is headed,” said Charles Bachtell, founder of Cresco Labs.
The products will be distributed to medical marijuana patients via dispensaries around Illinois, and there are plans for distribution agreements that would allow the branded products to be produced and distributed across five additional states.
Photo Credit: Nick Harris