ButACake debuted the first legal New Jersey infused edible weed cookies at the Bakin’ Bad Dispensary in Atlantic City.
While they are a licensed New Jersey cannabis manufacturer*, the parent company of ButACake known as CannPowerment, made a deal with the large cannabis corporation Multi-State Operator (MSO) Columbia Care to get to market in New Jersey and Delaware.
They have created infused edible Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin weed cookies.
“We wanted to come to the market with products people already know and love,” she explained.
Figaro said they are 10 mg each, fast-acting “and handmade with love.” There is one cookie in each bag. The cookies are made with no refined sugars or bleached flower.
“We’re really proud and excited to bring this to market, especially as a Black woman-owned company,” she added.
Unfortunately, they are not gluten-free.
Figaro emphasized the love and care that goes into the ButACake weed cookies.
“It comes from a place of love,” she explained.
A lot of companies that did not go through the difficult blood, sweat, and tears have gotten to market as white labelers or “super” white labelers by making deals with large MSOs. The brands and products that have done so vary widely.
Many others were on the scene to celebrate. That included the Dispensary Guy Mike Wiehl who reviews dispensaries and products and hosted the 2024 NJ Dispensary Awards Show. I joined him in videos he made about the new weed cookies.
Local Black Woman Owned Small MSO ButACake
ButACake already launched the first legal New Jersey weed brownie earlier this year in April 2024
ButACake first launched with cannabis-infused flavored strips last December 2023.
CannPowerment received its annual legal cannabis manufacturing license necessary to open from the NJCRC last September 2023 after first winning a conditional license in October 2022.
Figaro is partners in CannPowerment with her old friends Jimmy Barret and Yasmine Obie.
Figaro is an African American pastry chef from Jersey City with more than 15 years of experience in food and health regulation and compliance, who created ButACake as a brand to distribute recreational edible products to dispensaries in New Jersey and Delaware to date.
Being in two states makes them a small MSO.
Bakin Bad Dispensary Open in Atlantic City
Bakin’ Bad says it’s New Jersey’s 1st African-American, Social Equity, and disabled veteran-owned dispensary to open. It has a modern blue and white motif. It’s fairly spacious with many display cases.
When Heady NJ visited, Bakin’ Bad smelled good, like treats. They have an attached space where Figaro held her debut party. Bakin’ Bad dispensary is planning to turn its event space into a legal consumption lounge.
They are located by the Tropicana hotel and casino in Atlantic City.
Bakin’ Bad opened in April 2024 to happy crowds. ButACake held an event debuting her brownies* there in April.
Atlantic City and Ownership Details
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) sent a letter to Edward Wilson of Atlantic City in July 2022, informing him he had won a conditional cannabis dispensary license. According to his LinkedIn he is a serial entrepreneur who has already opened at least one business. According to Yahoo, he has a business in Texas, too.
Wilson noted that while the casinos have thrived, Atlantic City has not always shared in that prosperity.
“We are of the culture and from the culture. Customers understand what’s real and what’s not,” he told Yahoo.
That means they probably have strong underground legacy connections, which makes sense since, to be a Social Equity license holder, you need to have gotten one felony or two misdemeanors related to marijuana.
Yahoo has noted he’s been involved in coaching Little League baseball.
Fox 29, which covers South Jersey, quoted Mike Reid as a co-owner at the opening.
Atlantic City is unique since the Casino Redevelopment Authority (CRDA) controls what businesses are opened by the casinos. So Bakin’ Bad dispensary had to win the approval of CRDA, which it did.
The challenge to stay operational and to grow in a competitive market has fostered the working relationship between ButACake and Bakin’ Bad. Their collaboration could prove the State’s economic and social impact missions are working for businesses and owners of disadvantaged locations and populations.
