PRESS RELEASE

Boulder, Colo. (August 14, 2019) – Wana Brands has once again ranked on the annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The company has earned the rank of #1536 and comes in #9 for companies based in Boulder. 

“There is a perception that the cannabis industry is printing money. But the reality is that you have to have a strong constitution and be able to deal with a lot of uncertainty to be successful in this industry,” said Nancy Whiteman, Founder & CEO, Wana Brands. “We have worked really hard over the past decade to produce a reliable and tasty cannabis edible experience that our customers can count on. Having Wana Brands included on the Inc. 5000 for the 2^nd year in a row is recognition of the company’s explosive growth. With Wana’s expansion into California and the launch of our Wellness line this Fall, we expect to climb even higher on the list in 2020.”

Intrigued by Colorado’s then-emerging cannabis industry and a unique opportunity to create a product-based business, Nancy Whiteman launched Wana Brands in 2010 with less than $60,000, focusing on edibles at a time when few others were doing the same. In less than a decade, Wana Brands has become the No. 1 infused-edible company in the U.S., grossing $18 million in 2018 with a presence in seven states and plans to be in 14 by the end of 2020.  

The Inc. ranking is the latest accolade for the company’s efforts. The company ranked 1087 on the 2018 Inc. 5000. Earlier this month, Wana Brands was listed as a Top 100 Cannabis Company by Green Entrepreneur. In April, Wana became the first company to be named the Cannabis Manufacturer of the Year in the Colorado Manufacturer Awards presented by CompanyWeek. Wana has been named one of the Top 50 Companies to Work for by MG Magazine (2018), has been the recipient of the NCIA’s Excellence in Innovation Award for Infused Products and Extractions (2018) and The Cannabist People’s Choice Awards for Best Edible (2017). 

Wana Brands is one of only a handful of infused-product companies that is owned and run by a woman. Heralded as “The Queen of Legal Weed” by Inc. (May 2017) and “The Martha Stewart of Edibles” by Entrepreneur (Jan. 2019), Whiteman is one of just six women included in this year’s High Times 100, and she was listed No. 3 in this year’s Cannabis Business Executive’s Top Women in Cannabis list, too.

Not only have the companies on the 2019 Inc. 5000 (which are listed online at Inc.com) been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists. The 2019 Inc. 5000 achieved an astounding three-year average growth of 454 percent, and a median rate of 157 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $237.7 billion in 2018, accounting for 1,216,308 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.

“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have followed so many different paths to success,” said Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. “There’s no single course you can follow or investment you can take that will guarantee this kind of spectacular growth. But what they have in common is persistence and seizing opportunities.”

The Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. 

To schedule an interview with a Wana representative, please contact [email protected].

Wana Brands: Enhance Your Life.

Included in the 2018 Inc. 5000 list at #1087 and boasting a three-year growth rate of 455%, Wana Brands is the No. 1 edibles brand in the United States, with more units and dollars sold than any other brand, according to BDS Analytics 2018 Brand Share Report. Wana leads the industry in quality, consistency and potency, providing a range of different options that enable customers to create the specific cannabis experience they want. Wana products offer diverse product forms including edibles, vapes and extended release capsules, four different CBD/THC ratios as well as a variety of different dosages, onset times and duration of effects. The portfolio is designed so products can be used singly or in combination to address specific health, wellness and recreational needs.Wana products are available in Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon dispensaries, with California and Florida (as regulations allow) among the states imminently coming online. Wana Brands expects to expand internationally to Canada by 2020. For more information or to subscribe to Wana’s e-newsletter, visit www.wanabrands.com. Follow Wana on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube,Pinterest and Facebook.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

The 2019 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2015 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2015. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2018. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2015 is $100,000; the minimum for 2018 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. 

About Inc. Media

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today’s innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 20,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates the remarkable achievements of these companies. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.

For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.