Former Minnesota governor Jesse “The Body” Ventura is launching an edible company.
Ventura is partnering with Retro Bakery, a suburban Minneapolis-based company that makes THC sweets derived from hemp. Ventura’s product line is to be called Ventura Farms. Ventura declared in a video released on Wednesday, “Ventura Farms is my foray into the world of cannabis!” as rock music played in the background.
Jesse Ventura, Ventura Farms Official Launch Statement
“I’m a huge supporter of the cannabis industry,” Ventura states in the release. “Cannabis saved my family’s life and now it is time for me to return to the cannabis world.”
In past remarks, Ventura has referenced the importance of cannabis to his wife in controlling her seizures.
According to Retro Bakery, preorders for the Ventura branded treats open on April 1st. The Ventura Farms lineup so far consists of gummies and a line of “Governor’s” select chocolates in a variety of flavors.
Ventura, an actor and former professional wrestler, was elected governor of Minnesota as an independent, a position he held from 1999 until 2003, where he was one of the first United States governors to publicly endorse the legalization of cannabis.
It remains unclear how Ventura plans to handle the murky situation that is Minnesota’s legal cannabis industry. Despite the legalization of cannabis in Minnesota in 2023, the chief cannabis regulator for the state has recently stated that Minnesota is unlikely to fulfill its target of beginning full-scale retail marijuana sales in the first quarter of 2025. It became legal on August 1 of 2023 to consume, possess, and produce marijuana for personal use within certain bounds in the state. However, sales remain a grey legal matter and as of now, only a small number of sovereign, on-reservation stores are now legally permitted to sell recreational marijuana in Minnesota.
Matters of regulatory practice aside, Ventura Farms plans to kickstart the brand on 420 with a special launch event in partnership with Uniflora Holistics at the Zen Arcade in Minneapolis. The event includes keynote speaker Jesse “The Body” Ventura and live music, performance, and visual arts acts, as well as food-trucks, product demonstrations, “Stoner Bingo” by Social AF, classic arcade game tournaments, and the Zen Garden smoking area and kicks off at 420 PM on April 20th!
