Cookies operates over 45 retail locations across five countries, with a presence spanning the United States, Canada, Israel, Spain, the Netherlands, and recently expanding to Jamaica. In the U.S., Cookies dispensaries serve customers in Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, California, and through partnerships in Ohio.The brand offers a collection of over 70 proprietary cannabis cultivars and more than 2,000 products. Their product lineup includes indoor and sun-grown flower, pre-rolls, gel capsules, vape cartridges, CBD products, and medicinal mushrooms. Beyond cannabis, Cookies SF operates as a global streetwear and accessories brand with retail locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and Vienna, Austria.Master breeder Jai is responsible for iconic strains including Girl Scout Cookies, Cherry Pie, Sunset Sherbet, Gelato, and Biscotti. The company maintains complete control from seed to sale, with Berner's business portfolio also including Lemonnade (their sativa-focused sister brand), Hemp2o Water, Santa Cruz Shredders, Vibes, and Social Club.
Cookies was founded in 2010 by Billboard-charting rapper and entrepreneur Berner (Gilbert Milam Jr.) and legendary Bay Area cultivator Jai. What started with Berner's work at a San Francisco dispensary called The Hemp Center evolved into a revolutionary vision for branded cannabis. The breakthrough came when Berner and Jai introduced the world to what would become one of the best-selling strains of all time: Girl Scout Cookies (now GSC).Berner's clever strategy involved creating branded t-shirts and featuring them in his music videos, effectively trademarking the name through apparel when cannabis trademarks weren't possible. His connections in the music industry, including collaborations with Wiz Khalifa, Chris Brown, and A$AP Rocky, helped propel Cookies into mainstream consciousness.In 2021, Cookies became the first cannabis brand ever named one of "America's Hottest Brands" by AdAge. By August 2022, Berner made history as the first cannabis executive to grace Forbes magazine's cover, with the brand conservatively valued at $150 million. Today, Cookies stands as the most globally recognized name in cannabis culture.
Cookies exists to bring people together and make them feel good, believing that feeling good allows people to have a positive impact on someone's day. The company values the power of the plant and focuses on creating game-changing genetics.Cookies actively works to enrich communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs through advocacy and social equity initiatives. Berner is passionate about getting people from the illicit market into the legal scene and actively seeks to empower minority entrepreneurs.The brand prioritizes authenticity, refusing to incentivize budtenders to push products and instead letting the quality speak for itself. Cookies involves the public in their research and development process, allowing customers to help select new phenotypes and strains. Through premium products and genuine community engagement, Cookies aims to normalize cannabis as a legitimate business while staying true to its street culture roots.
What sets Cookies apart at Calm Effect is their unmatched authenticity. Unlike many cannabis companies that distance themselves from their pre-legalization roots, Cookies boldly embraces Berner's hustler history and street culture origins, creating a brand that feels genuine rather than corporate.Their vertical integration is impressive—with dispensaries reportedly earning between $100,000 and $200,000 daily, and their Melrose location frequently exceeding $450,000 a day. But it's not just about the numbers. Cookies has mastered the balance between premium quality and cultural relevance, creating strains that became industry standards while maintaining street credibility.For deal-seekers, Cookies dispensaries showcase 30% their own brand and 70% other brands, creating a curated platform that helps customers discover quality products beyond just the Cookies name. Their loyalty programs and community-focused approach mean you're not just buying cannabis—you're joining a global movement that genuinely respects the plant and the culture.