Holistic Industries, one of the leading private multi-state cannabis operators in the U.S., today announced the availability 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 will be available in select dispensaries in California starting in mid-November 2020 with plans to expand into additional states in 2021.
“We handpicked the best possible partner in Holistic Industries to create this brand in Jerry’s honor in an authentic way that would delight the fans,” said Trixie Garcia, Jerry’s daughter and spokesperson for the Garcia family. “After a five-year search for the right partner to bring this idea to fruition, we chose Holistic based on shared values, a proven track record of successful operations, scalability across multiple states and their ability to launch and market new brands; not to mention they have a senior leadership team full of Deadheads.”
Every aspect of Garcia Hand Picked has been carefully curated by the Garcia family to create an inspired cannabis experience that’s 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. Strains available in products at launch in November include Chemdog (Sativa), SFV OG (Indica) and Fire OG (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 saw this partnership as a unique opportunity to honor Jerry’s legacy in a fun and authentic way while leveraging the unwavering popularity of the Grateful Dead, demonstrated by a new generation of fans and recent brand collaborations, to create what will be one of the first truly national brands in cannabis,” said Josh Genderson, CEO of Holistic Industries. “Quality and wanting the best of the best is one of the core values that we share with Jerry Garcia, and because of this we went to great lengths to ensure every aspect of this brand is of the highest quality, from plant genetics to packaging design.”
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, quotes from Jerry and suggested playlists for each strain, Garcia Hand Picked products and merchandise were 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 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 had planned to launch the brand earlier this summer during festival season with an exclusive concert, but due to COVID, we pivoted to a safer experiential activation,” said Kyle Barich, CMO of Holistic Industries. “As we roll out the new brand in California, we will also debut “Bertha,” a custom, COVID-friendly, Airstream that will start touring dispensaries throughout California in November, filled with merchandise, music and magic.”
Holistic industries launched a contest for fans in September to hire a brand ambassador to drive Bertha on tour this Fall. Tour dates and dispensary locations for Bertha will be released in November. For more information, please visit www.GarciaHandPicked.com.
Garcia Hand Picked is the newest brand in the multi-state operator’s greenhouse of brands that include Liberty, Strane and Do Drops.
