Garcia Hand Picked Makes Its East Coast Debut

Article Contributed by Candy and Flowers | Published on Thursday, April 15, 2021

Garcia Hand Picked Super Lemon Haze from California Wins 2nd Place in Emerald Cup’s Indoor Licensed Cultivator Flower Category As New Garcia Hand Picked Strains Launch in Massachusetts

Holistic Industries, the largest private multi-state cannabis operator in the U.S., today announced the East Coast debut of Garcia Hand Picked (GHP), a collection of cannabis products and merchandise created in partnership with The Garcia Family to honor the legacy of Jerry Garcia. Garcia Hand Picked was initially launched in California in November 2020 and will be one of the first celebrity cannabis brands available in select dispensaries in Massachusetts this month with plans to expand to Maryland in May 2021 and additional markets later this year.

“My dad would have loved to see the broad legalization and normalization of cannabis today. It gives people better options for medication, entertainment, and so many other things, which is one of the reasons we wanted to create cannabis that would honor the legacy of Jerry Garcia, delight the fans and benefit humanity,” said Trixie Garcia, Jerry Garcia’s daughter and spokesperson for The Garcia Family. “We believe cannabis is a preferred choice than both alcohol for pleasure and opiates for chronic pain. We want more people to have a better option as we push toward national legalization. We found a partner in Holistic Industries, after years of searching, who shares our values and priorities, is able to make a national brand and continues to deliver on their promise of authenticity in every aspect of the Garcia Hand Picked brand.”

From the plant genetics to packaging design and marketing, Garcia Hand Picked has been carefully curated by The Garcia Family to create an inspired cannabis experience that’s the highest quality, spontaneous, harmonious and can bring people together in the way only Jerry could. Holistic and The Garcia Family worked together to identify and select old school strains and new genetics passed down from life on tour for Garcia Hand Picked. On April 11, 2021, Super Lemon Haze from the Garcia Hand Picked’s California collection, in collaboration with NorCal Cannabis Company, took second place in the Emerald Cup’s Indoor Licensed Cultivator Flower category.

Garcia Hand Picked strains available in products at launch in April in Massachusetts include Tropicanna Haze (Sativa), Shiskaberry Mango (Indica) and Limefire Skunk (Hybrid), among others. It was important for this brand to have a variety of form factors to be inclusive and accessible for different types of consumers while also maintaining authenticity.

“We set out to create a national cannabis brand that resonates with Jerry Garcia fans, young and old, and is also accessible to cannabis consumers who are curious about the brand or just now discovering Jerry’s music and legacy,” said Josh Genderson, CEO of Holistic Industries. “We saw remarkable demand for Garcia Hand Picked across the country since the California launch, and because of our ability to scale, launch and market new brands, we’re able to start rolling out Garcia Hand Picked in new markets.”

Jerry’s fan base is diverse in generation, geography and almost every other demographic. What they share is a sense of belonging to the unique community Jerry helped build. From eco-friendly packaging to Jerry’s original artwork, [Jerry] quotes and suggested playlists for each strain, Garcia Hand Picked products and merchandise are designed specifically for the fans:

Those close to Jerry have said he rarely smoked weed by himself, it was more of a social interaction; “a joint became a bridge between him and those around him.” Holistic and The Garcia Family put an emphasis on pre-roll packs for a special experience – eco-friendly packaging made from recycled paper, matches and a custom glass tip with Jerry’s handprint.
The new line of edibles, Jerry’s Picks, are all-natural gummies shaped like Jerry’s actual guitar picks.
Each product is paired with a curated playlist of Jerry’s music that corresponds with the strains and will bring out the best in people’s GHP experience. Fans can go to the “Music Never Stopped” section of GarciaHandPicked.com to listen.
Merchandise, including apparel and accessories, with Jerry’s original artwork, the GHP logo and other designs will also be available to purchase.

“We’re excited to bring ‘Bertha,’ a custom Airstream filled with merchandise and music, to the East Coast to start touring dispensaries in Massachusetts,” said Kyle Barich, CMO of Holistic Industries. “While we’re waiting for live music, festivals and other experiences to get back up and running later this year, we are planning outdoor tour stops at participating dispensaries for Bertha to surprise and delight fans starting with a socially distant Shakedown-style event in the parking lot of one of our dispensaries in Western Massachusetts, Liberty Easthampton.”

On Saturday, 4/17, Bertha will be at Liberty Easthampton (155 Northampton St, Easthampton, MA 01027) from Noon – 6 PM; and will be at Liberty Springfield (1300 Boston Rd, Springfield, MA 01119) on Thursday, 4/20 from 2 – 7 PM. For Bertha’s upcoming tour dates and locations, please visit: https://garciahandpicked.com/on-tour.

Garcia Hand Picked is now available in more than 60 dispensaries in California, select dispensaries in Massachusetts, and will be available in Maryland in May 2021. For more information, please visit www.GarciaHandPicked.com. Garcia Hand Picked is the newest brand in the Holistic Industries’ Greenhouse of Brands that include Liberty (dispensaries),Strane and Do Drops.