Heavy Metal launches cannabis line in Massachusetts

Heavy Metal Entertainment announced this week that it is partnering with licensed cannabis company Berkshire Roots to launch a new line of cannabis products for the Massachusetts regulated market. Through the new partnership, the two companies will offer new flower strains and create unique cannabis products under the trade name “Heavy Metal”, a brand that rose to fame more than 40 years ago with a science fiction, fantasy and horror magazine and feature Movie.

Since the company’s inception in 1977, Heavy Metal Entertainment (HME) has made a name for itself by bringing adult-oriented science fiction, fantasy and horror entertainment into the mainstream. Heavy Metal was launched as a print publication that curated unique comic-book style stories with adult-themed themes and characters that simply weren’t available in mainstream media. Four years later, Heavy Metal and legendary producer-director Ivan Reitman released the groundbreaking 1981 film, bringing the magazine to life on the big screen and introducing adult animation to a global audience.

Heavy Metal was the first magazine to bring the work of European artists like Moebius, Enki Bilal and Pepe Moreno to the United States, while also featuring talented American talent like Richard Corben, Jim Steranko and Bernie Wrightson. The magazine continues to showcase emerging new talent and established artists through ongoing and standalone stories, artist galleries and interviews.

Under a new ownership group, HME is focused on an immersive fan experience unparalleled in the entertainment industry, delivering content across print publishing, new media and a newly formed television, film and animation content studio.

Kicking off the new take on heavy metal cannabis in Massachusetts, James Winokur, CEO of Berkshire Roots, and Tommy Coriale, President of Heavy Metal Studios, will be at the New England Cannabis Convention (NECANN) in Boston this weekend. The new product line will then be available in licensed pharmacies throughout Massachusetts beginning in April.

Courtesy of Heavy Metal

“Building on the reputation and customer loyalty that Berkshire Roots has built since its inception, we are now positioned to carry other brands looking to enter the cannabis market and in Massachusetts in particular,” Winokur said in a joint statement by the two Brands. “We want to work with unique offerings that stand out in a crowded field. As I started thinking about the Heavy Metal brand and how creative we could get in our product offerings, I developed a real passion for working with the HME team. I think this model is game-changing for the industry… Our customers will really love this combination!”

Berkshire Roots, based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is a cannabis cultivation, processing and retail company with dispensaries in Pittsfield and East Boston. In addition to the Company’s stores, Heavy Metal branded cannabis products will be available next month at other licensed retailers across Massachusetts including Budzee Delivery, Dreamer, The Goods, Honey, Nature’s Remedy, Northeast Alternatives, Nova Farms, Panacea Wellness and Zyp Run Delivery .

“When we were all introduced to Berkshire Roots, we were immediately drawn to the idea of ​​a connection between our brand and cannabis,” said Coriale. “As discussions with senior management continued and Heavy Metal got a glimpse of their follow-up product ideas, we became more and more excited as they truly understood the brand’s DNA and their commitment to enhancing our customer experience in unexpected ways. We can’t wait to see this product appeal to both longtime fans and the younger generation just getting to know heavy metal for the first time.”

The cannabis community will get their first look at the new heavy metal products this weekend at NECANNE, a cannabis industry trade show taking place March 10-13 in Boston.