When you step into one of Utah’s 15 medical cannabis pharmacies, you’re greeted by a vast array of brands—61 in total—all competing for your attention. However, beneath this impressive selection lies a more straightforward reality: most of these products can be traced back to a small group of cultivators and processors. Understanding this “family tree” of Utah’s cannabis industry not only reveals where your medicine truly comes from but also empowers you to make more informed decisions about the products you choose to put into your body.
Though Utah’s cannabis market operates under a limited number of licenses, it has transformed into a remarkably diverse ecosystem. When the state launched its program in March 2020, Dragonfly Wellness was tasked with opening its doors at the height of COVID, offering a sparse selection that reflected a ‘take it or leave it’ mentality reminiscent of the black market. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has drastically evolved. Pharmacy menus now boast over 30 different strains from multiple licensed growers, offering patients a true library of options. This intricate network of cultivators, processors, and brands provides a wide array of products, all connected to the same foundational sources. Understanding this family tree is crucial for patients looking to navigate the complex web of offerings in Utah’s cannabis market.
Cultivators: Where Utah’s Cannabis Journey Begins
At the heart of Utah’s medical cannabis industry are its eight licensed cultivators. These cultivators are responsible for growing every cannabis plant that eventually becomes the products you see on pharmacy shelves. Spread across different regions of the state, they form the foundation of Utah’s cannabis ecosystem. In 2023, these growers collectively produced around 25,000 pounds of cannabis biomass, supplying nearly 90,000 patients with a wide variety of strains and products. Though small in number compared to other states, these cultivators are the backbone of Utah’s market, ensuring consistent access to high-quality medical cannabis for the state’s growing patient community.
Understanding who grows your cannabis can provide valuable insight into its quality and consistency. For example, some cultivators focus on large-scale production, which may prioritize yield over quality. Others operate with a focus on craft cannabis, ensuring smaller, more precise batches that appeal to patients who want premium-grade products.
Utah’s Cultivators by County:
- Box Elder County: Riverside Farms, Standard Wellness Utah, True North of Utah
- Davis County: Wholesome Ag
- Sanpete County: Dragonfly Greenhouse (2 locations)
- Sevier County: Zion Cultivars (2 locations)
- Tooele County: Tryke Companies
- Weber County: Beehive Gardens, Harvest of Utah, Standard Wellness
Each cultivator is held to rigorous state standards and must meet Utah’s strict guidelines for medical cannabis production. These guidelines ensure that patients receive products grown in clean, controlled environments. However, once the cannabis is harvested, it still has a long journey ahead.
Processors: Turning Plants into Products
Once harvested, cannabis moves on to the next phase: processing. Utah is home to 14 licensed processors, who are responsible for taking raw cannabis and transforming it into the wide array of products patients depend on. These processors are licensed to create everything from edibles and vape cartridges to tinctures and topicals, depending on their specific processing licenses. Tier 1 processors handle the entire process, while Tier 2 focus solely on packaging and labeling.
Processing cannabis is not simply about extracting THC or CBD. It involves a series of intricate steps to ensure that each product meets Utah’s high standards for safety, potency, and efficacy. These processors take the plant material and refine it into the consistent, therapeutic products that patients rely on for relief from conditions like chronic pain, anxiety, and nausea.
Processors in Utah:
- Box Elder County: Riverside Farm, Standard Wellness Utah, True North Organics
- Davis County: Curaleaf, Wholesome Goods
- Salt Lake County: Dragonfly Processing, Pure Plan, Wasatch Extraction, Zion Alchemy
- Sanpete County: Dragonfly Processing
- Tooele County: Curaleaf
- Utah County: Life Elevated, Pure UT
- Wasatch County: Boojum Med
- Weber County: Beehive Brands
In some cases, cultivators and processors are vertically integrated, meaning they control both the cultivation and processing of cannabis. Companies like Zion Medicinal, Dragonfly Wellness, Curaleaf, WholesomeCo and Standard Wellness, for instance, manage multiple points along the cannabis supply chain. This vertical integration can create a consistent experience for patients, as the product is handled by fewer entities, reducing the chances of contamination or inconsistent quality.
The Brands You Know: The Final Step in the Cannabis Journey
After processing, cannabis is packaged under various brand names and distributed to all of Utah’s medical cannabis pharmacies. Here, patients encounter a plethora of brands—each offering different strains, potency, formulations, and delivery methods. However, the abundance of brands can sometimes be misleading. Often, the cannabis products you see on shelves come from the same processors or cultivators, just rebranded and repackaged.
We’d love to showcase the logos of these brands for clarity, but Utah’s stringent regulations on target marketing prevent us from doing so without putting the companies at risk of costly violations. Instead, we’ve relied on publicly available information and detailed research—often obtained through GRAMA requests—to give you the most comprehensive breakdown of Utah’s medical cannabis landscape. Gathering this data isn’t easy, but we believe it’s essential for patients to fully understand the origins of their medicine. The more insight you have, the better equipped you are to make informed decisions about your health. If compiling this information is this challenging for Utah’s independent cannabis magazine, we can only imagine the frustration patients face trying to navigate this landscape on their own.
Processors and the Brands They Produce:
- Beehive Brands: Cookies, Buzz, Beeline, Beehive Extracts
- Boojum: Boojum Blissed Out, Boojum Grow, Boojum, Boojum Med, Dose, Deep Blue
- Curaleaf: Select, Grassroots, Find, Jam Chews, Curaleaf, Herbology
- Dragonfly: Dragonfly Cannabis, Dragonfly Wellness, Brand Zero, RAD Rapid Advanced Delivery, Betty
- Life Elevated: Jilu Premium, Jilu Premium Jems
- Pure Plan: Pure Plan, Another State
- Pure UT: Moxie, Valley Lows, Origins, Proper Cannabis Co, Releaf Society
- Riverside Farm: Hoodoo, Hygge Chew, Elude, Riverside Farm
- Standard Wellness: Black Sheep, The Solid, The Standard, Standard Wellness
- True North Organics: LadyLike, High Variety, Wave, The Flower Shop, True North Collective
- Wholesome Goods: WholesomeCo Cannabis, Hilight, Ritual
- Wasatch Extraction: Fruit of Life, Snow Bird Strains, Utah Cannabis Co.
- Zion Alchemy: Sugar House Selects, Zion X Soma, Castra, Zion Cultivars, Zion Medicinal, Plush, Press, Zion Pharmaceuticals, Hedy, Azteca Rosin, Chew & Chill
For patients, knowing which processor or cultivator is behind their favorite brand can be a game-changer. If you’ve had success with one product, chances are you’ll find similar benefits with another product from the same source—even if it’s sold under a different name. This deeper understanding allows patients to make better-informed choices that suit their medical needs.
Why Knowing the Family Tree Matters
It’s no longer just a claim—it’s a guaranteed reality. While those relying on the outdated black market might believe they “know their grower,” Utah’s medical cannabis program ensures that every patient can trace their herb back to a licensed source. With verified origins and traceable cultivation practices, patients can leave behind the uncertainties of the black market. Every strain and product available on pharmacy shelves is directly linked to one of the state’s licensed cultivators, offering transparency at every stage. This system not only empowers patients to make informed choices, but also fosters trust in the consistent quality and safety of their medicine.
Furthermore, understanding this family tree helps patients avoid products from cultivators or processors that don’t meet their high standards. If you’ve had a negative experience with a brand, tracing it back to its source gives you the power to make better choices going forward. After all, it’s better to have lived and learned, rather than toked and choked.
The Future of Utah’s Cannabis Market
As Utah’s medical cannabis program evolves, the landscape may shift with increased
competition, but for now, a small group of cultivators and processors holds the reins. This controlled system, however, allows for a wide array of rebranded products, ensuring patients continue to access a diverse selection from reliable sources.
When compared to more established markets like Nevada—where over 150 production facilities create nearly 400 distinct cannabis brands—Utah’s more streamlined ecosystem stands out for its transparency and consistency. And if you’re reading Salt Baked City, you’re getting the most comprehensive guide to navigating it. In larger markets, the sheer volume of choices can be overwhelming, making it harder to trace a product’s origin or ensure consistent quality. Utah’s more contained system, with fewer cultivators and processors and a clearer supply chain, gives patients greater confidence in where their medicine comes from and how it’s produced. This difference highlights why Salt Baked City is your essential guide to understanding the family tree of Utah’s cannabis market. While patients in states like Nevada may be overwhelmed by a dizzying array of choices, Utah patients benefit from the clarity we provide, knowing exactly where their cannabis is grown and processed. Whether you’re a seasoned consumer or new to the program, Salt Baked City equips you with the knowledge to navigate this market with confidence, ensuring a more transparent, reliable, and informed cannabis experience. After all, what else would you expect from an independent magazine built by Utah medical cannabis patients, for Utah medical cannabis patients?
