Ann Arbor’s C3 Industries, a cannabis producer and retailer, has opened its first dispensary, High Profile, in Detroit. This is the first of 15-20 dispensaries the company plans to open in the next two years, and the next two locations will be in Ann Arbor and Grant (north of Grand Rapids).
The Detroit location is at 20327 Groesbeck Highway, near Eight Mile Road.
“Ann Arbor has long been at the forefront of cannabis culture and advocacy,” says Ankur Rungta, CEO of C3 Industries. “We’ve been waiting a long time to enter into a licensed and regulated marketplace in Michigan, and we see a great opportunity to provide the state’s patients and consumers with the highest-quality products and a premium retail experience.”
Each High Profile location will offer flower, edibles, vaporizers, concentrates, topicals, and tinctures. C3 is working with many of the leading brands in the market and will also feature its own line of products with the completion of its cultivation and manufacturing facility, scheduled to open in Webberville this fall.
Brothers Ankur Rungta and Vishal Rungta as well as Joel Ruggiero launched C3 in Oregon in 2018. The brothers are University of Michigan graduates, and the company has since moved to Ann Arbor.
C3 will invest more than $15 million in Michigan’s cannabis industry between its headquarters, a manufacturing facility, and the High Profile retail network. The company anticipates it will employ more than 300 people when everything is up and running.
“The lack of current supply in Michigan is severely impacting medical marijuana users by driving up prices and limiting availability across the state,” says Vishal Rungta, president and CFO of C3. “With our Webberville (growing) facility producing the highest-quality flower and concentrates and our retail stores carrying the most curated selection of leading brands, we are excited to enter the market and provide Michigan patients with an elevated and consistent cannabis experience.”
The location will be open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. every day.
In related news, California’s STIIIZY, a cannabis brand, is expanding into Michigan with a High Times Cannabis Cup event on Aug. 17-18, when Michigan cannabis retailers and consumers will have an opportunity to become acquainted with the brand.
STIIIZY was founded in 2017 and has since expanded into Washington and Nevada. The company is known for its device innovations and quality concentrates.
“I created STIIIZY to make innovative, quality cannabis goods that are accessible and reflective of our culture,” says James Kim, co-founder and a managing officer of STIIIZY’s parent company, Shryne Group. “As a brand, we follow our instincts and aren’t afraid to take risks. Staying true to our authentic roots and connected to our community is what has allowed us to grow and succeed quickly. I’m proud to expand our community and be able to share STIIIZY with our fans in Michigan.”
STIIIZY is Shryne Group’s marquee brand. It is sold in about 70 percent of all licensed cannabis retailers in California.
“The popularity of our STIIIZY brand outside of California speaks to the growing acceptance of cannabis in our broader culture and society,” says Brian Mitchell, CEO and co-founder of Shryne Group. “When Michigan’s legislators voted last year to legalize adult use, they weren’t only giving consumers access to cannabis, they were opening the door to create new jobs and economic opportunities. We’re excited to be a part of that wave.”
