Native American Owned Canndigenous Grows Its Product Line

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Last year, Rob Pero, a member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, started Canndigenous with a goal to honor and support his Native American heritage by sustainably growing, sourcing and producing quality Wisconsin hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) products. That mission continues with the launch of several new items and a subscription box option.

According to Pero, Canndigenous is the first Native American owned CBD hemp company in Wisconsin. It’s a vertically integrated company that grows organic hemp on its Wisconsin farm near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The consumer wellness products crafted from that hemp are sold at Ripley Green, a retail apothecary location at 226 W. Main St., in Cambridge.

The latest product release from Canndigenous includes two varieties of gummies—For The Mind, and For The Body. According to a press release issued by Canndigenous, “For The Mind gummies include CBD and cannabigerol (CBG) molecules that attach to the brain’s CB1 and CB2 receptors, causing an increase of the neurochemical anandamide, or the ‘bliss molecule,’ that is responsible for feelings of happiness and mental balance.” For The Mind gummies contain 25 milligrams (mg) of CBD and 25mg of CBG.

“I was very excited to learn we had the ability to create a product featuring CBG, as it has become one of my favorite lesser cannabinoids,” says Lindsay Wehmeyer, Ripley Green store manager and brand ambassador for Canndigenous.

For The Body gummies contain 25mg of CBD and are designed to alleviate inflammation and manage pain naturally with organically grown hemp distillate. Formulated to be “hemp-forward,” the gummies let the earthy flavors of organically grown cannabis plant shine.

Wehmeyer adds that when our bodies experience outside stressors, like pain, anxiety and sleeplessness, the natural endocannabinoid system tries to regulate and bring the body back to balance.

The three-month subscription box features a rotating lineup of carefully curated CBD products including CBD-infused honey. Canndigenous has partnered with Wisconsin's Humming Meadows Apiary to create honey with approximately 40 mg of CBD per spoonful.

Canndigenous’ latest CBD flower strain, Sour Suver Haze, features a powerful aroma with a piney flavor with slight scents of cheese. Canndigenous also offers several strains of CBD flower and pre-rolls through its online store. Pero packages the pre-rolled flower in tubes made with reused ocean plastic. All Canndigenous products contain less than 0.3% THC—the federally legal limit— and can be shipped nationwide.

Producing Hemp ‘In a Good Way’

Pero and the Canndigenous team are committed to honoring values set by preceding generations of Ojibwe people. Pero’s core values are rooted around tenets of love for family, support for the community, respect for the natural world and a commitment to doing everything, as the Ojibwe say, “in a good way.” 

“The commitment to do things ‘in a good way’ is not just an affirmation of our Ojibwe roots,” says Pero. “It’s a daily mandate and a driving force in everything we do. It’s a spiritual stance with tangible actions that lead us to produce health-focused CBD products.”

Canndigenous CBD products, including hemp flower, pre-rolls and tinctures, are available online through canndigenous.com or at Ripley Green, ripleygreen.com.