Willie's Reserve launched on Oct. 25 across Michigan. This is the packaging for Nelson's brand.
The Michigan cannabis market has been rock n’ rolled by country singer Willie Nelson after his line of products, Willie’s Reserve, nearly sold out at all 15 dispensaries across the state after the product’s launch on Oct. 25. Willie’s strains range from 24 to 30 percent THC, which is slightly higher than the average potency of cannabis products.
Lansing-based grower Aardvark Industrees brought the singer’s brand to Michigan with a project that began nearly 8 years ago, Aardvark Industrees CMO Hilary Dulany said.
Dulany first met with the Willie’s Reserve team in 2015. It wasn’t until the company launched its collaboration with actor Cheech Marin in 2022 that the partnership with Willie’s Reserve was rekindled.
“A project with Willie was sort of my dream,” Dulany said. “It’s an amazing thing to be able to see your dream come to fruition.”
Aardvark Industrees is working Willie's team to distribute the brand around the state as well as help growers throughout the state grow Willie's specific strain of cannabis.
Dulany entered the cannabis industry 15 years ago working for a handful of different companies and establishing her own vaporizer brand, AccuVape. By 2015, Dulany co-founded Aardvark Industrees in Bend, Ore. and eventually moved the business to Lansing once Michigan legalized recreational marijuana in 2018.
“Michigan had a great cannabis market for over a decade before,” Dulany said. “Because of that, it developed into a very strong market when licensing became available.”
Now, Lansing is the second largest cannabis market in the country.
“Lansing is the hub where everything gets decided,” Dulany said. “All the governing takes place here and that plays into our industry.”
The company currently sources their strains from small growers across Michigan and is looking to expand the cannabis farming industry in Lansing to meet high demands, according to a statement from Aardvark communications specialist Roberta King.
One store sold out of Willie's products within 24 hours of the launch, Dulany said. The next product drop is set for Nov. 22, also known as Green Wednesday.
Willie’s Reserve products can be found at Stone Depot in Jackson, Green Stem in Niles, Verts Neighborhood Dispensary in Traverse City, Mood Center Line in Center Line, Planet 420 in Flint, Endo in Adrian and all Puff locations in Bay City, Traverse City, Hamtramck, Kalamazoo, Madison Heights, Monroe, Oscoda, River Rouge, Sturgis and Utica.
