Starting next year, Green Thumb Industries will launch its RISE Express medical cannabis dispensaries “adjacent” to Circle K stores throughout Florida, the first partnership of its kind in the U.S. The company plans to initially open 10 dispensaries as part of the collaboration.
In a statement, Green Thumb Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler described the deal as a “game-changer.”
“The new RISE Express model is a huge step forward in making it easier and more efficient for patients to purchase high-quality cannabis as part of their everyday routine when stopping by their local convenience store.” — Kovler in a statement
Green Thumb entered the Florida market in 2018 and currently owns and operates medical cannabis dispensaries in Bonita Springs, Deerfield Beach, Hallandale Beach, Kendall, Oviedo, Pinellas Park, and West Palm Beach. The company did not indicate which Circle K locations would host the RISE dispensaries.
The products sold at the RISE Express shops will come from Green Thumb’s cultivation facility in Ocala, which is expected to come online by the end of the year. Green Thumb also has a cultivation and processing facility in Homestead.
Through the exclusive agreement, Green Thumb can lease space from Circle K, where the convenience store retailer currently operates approximately 600 locations.
According to Florida Department of Health figures, more than 700,000 Floridians are currently registered active cardholders in the state’s medical cannabis program.
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