Blazy Susan and Azuca (pictured here) have made the Inc. 5000 list for a second, consecutive year.
Eight cannabis-related companies were named to the 2024 Inc. 5000, a list of the fastest growing private companies in the United States.
The representation of cannabis companies has seen a substantial drop-off over the past two years, from a high of 22 companies represented in 2022 down to 11 companies in 2023, before another decline this year. The 2024 honorees also lean more toward the intoxicating hemp sector, led by Cornbread Hemp at No. 122, Tallulah CBD at No. 505 and CBD.market at No. 920.
Cornbread Hemp, a vertically integrated company manufacturing full-spectrum hemp products, saw three-year growth of 2,797%. The Kentucky-based company, founded in 2019, made the Inc. list for its first time.
“This recognition adds further validation to THC and CBD wellness products becoming more mainstream in America,” Cornbread Hemp CEO and co-founder Eric Zipperle said in a press release. “We started Cornbread Hemp in my living room over five years ago, and now we are employing more than 50 people. It’s proof that the American dream is still alive and is possible in rural America.”
Other cannabis-focused companies on the list were Blazy Susan (No. 382), Abstrax Tech (No. 627), Azuca (No. 1000) and Treez (No. 2955).
Cheba Hut Toasted Subs, a sandwich shop that has nothing to do with cannabis — other than some clever branding and stoner-focused marketing — made the list at No. 3084.
With 170% growth over the past three years, Treez made its fourth consecutive Inc. 5000 list, peaking at No. 812 in 2021 (followed by No. 1834 in 2022 and No. 2018 in 2023).
Blazy Susan and Azuca were both on the Inc. 5000 for their second year in a row. They were the top two cannabis companies on the list in 2023, with Blazy Susan at No. 97 and Azuca at No. 214.