Established in 2018, Canni Hemp Co (pronounced ‘can-eye’) is dedicated to helping Milwaukee understand the hemp plant and its products, and find alignment. After the 2018 Farm Bill changed the country’s ability to grow and sell hemp-derived products, Colin Plant, founder and owner of Canni Hemp Co, saw an opportunity to “open something that educated people, made hemp products accessible, and did so in a comfortable environment.” From the beginning, “I wanted it to be somewhere that my mom and my aunt and my grandmother could come and be patrons,” Colin explains.
The team at Canni Hemp Co takes education very seriously as a pillar of the business. Colin finds that there is not only a lack of education surrounding hemp-derived products, but a lot of misinformation. Colin finds that people typically have an awareness of marijuana, but often don’t know as much about hemp. “We’re here to help guide people,” he conveys. He aims to demystify the plant and help people find the right products and dosage to suit their needs. Their mission is to “filter through the 90% bullshit that’s in the market,” and help Milwaukee find alternatives to pharmaceuticals and alcohol in their search for things like better sleep and relaxation.
One thing Colin wants to help create more awareness around is the distinction between CBD and full-spectrum hemp. “CBD is one cannabinoid out of many.” While they focus on hemp products, at Canni’s core, “we’re a plant-based apothecary,” Colin explains. CBD is just one tiny part of why their products work. The three main reasons people turn to hemp, he explains, are to help with sleep, anxiety, and inflammation or pain. Canni Hemp Co formulates its lines specifically to meet these needs, using targeted terpenes for each. Colin mentions that being Milwaukee’s first hemp specialty shop meant they were able to “partner with some of the best manufacturers in the state of Wisconsin” to design their own formulas and ensure top quality.
Partnering with local manufacturers and third-party testing sites was important to Colin from the beginning. With hemp, he points out, one could easily outsource products from California for a lower cost, risking a lower quality product, but “keeping it local, locally grown, locally processed, was an important thing for us,” Colin discloses. Canni wanted to make sure they were supporting Milwaukee not only by providing a new variety of wellness products but also by “propping up our local industry here.”
For Colin, wellness is “finding things, be it practices, habits, or supplements that can put you in a productive and comfortable existence.” Colin elaborates that he has been fortunate to not have to rely on prescriptions throughout his life, but when it comes to things like anxiety and stress, “I don’t think anybody’s really exempt,” he admits. For him, relief often comes in the form of hemp-derived products. “I feel grateful that cannabis has been there for me,” he says. Even for those who don’t find a solution in hemp, Colin urges people to explore the world of plant-based wellness. There are so many holistic options, he continues, to help people avoid the “negative effects that the pharmaceutical industry frivolously and carelessly kind of pushes on people.”
In his search for wellness, Colin focuses on finding a sense of alignment. He explains that he doesn’t like the word balance, as it implies directing the same amount of energy toward every aspect of well-being. Alignment, however, allows for ebbs and flows in life, for directing more energy towards relaxation one day and socialization the next. Rather than achieving perfect balance, Colin strives for a sense of alignment every day. For anyone curious about including hemp products in their personal search for alignment, Colin recommends Canni Hemp Co’s tinctures as their most entry-level products. Their most common tincture, and overall best seller, is a 600 mg line called Coast, which was formulated for anxiety relief. His other favorite non-psychoactive offerings include their Whole-Spectrum Fruit Chews and a topical salve that is both effective and fast-acting for pain relief. For anyone interested in trying hemp products but unsure what they need, Colin recommends stopping by the shop and talking to someone. “We enjoy the dialogue… answering questions – there’s never a dumb question,” he contends.
The CanniBus, Canni Hemp Co’s mobile counterpart, will be at events throughout Milwaukee all summer long. As for their brick-and-mortar store, you might notice some dust throughout the summer as they renovate and reimagine the space from a retail location to a wellness cafe, complete with kava, coffee, and adaptogenic mushroom-infused beverages – but don’t worry, they’ll also retain a small retail area where you can stock up on your favorite hemp goodies. Keep up with their progress in person at 810 S 5th St in Walker’s Point, or on their Instagram. Whether it’s stopping by the shop, or waving hello to the CanniBus as it drives by, the team appreciates the chance to interact with the community. “We thank everyone that has even just a small interest in what we do,” Colin finishes.
