Kyle Hudson
Former U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Kyle Hudson knew he wanted to start a business that gives back to the veteran community.
Having heard a number of stories about wounded warriors treating physical and mental ailments with cannabis, Hudson decided to find his niche in the cannabis industry. The former Marine founded California-based Highlanders Distribution on the same standards that were instilled in him from his years in the armed forces, including taking care of his fellow vets. Today, his company supports organizations such as Makeovers That Matter, Operation EVAC (Educating Veterans About Cannabis), Tactical Patients, the Weed for Warriors Project and groups that help feed the Los Angeles homeless community.
“We volunteer time and money with a local group, where we made around 1,000 bagged lunches that we handed out to the homeless at Skid Row this last time,” Hudson says.
Highlanders Distribution handles supply-chain logistics for above-board producers and dispensaries across California.
Hudson met his future business partner, Mike Garcia, a fellow veteran, while attending the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.
“He brought up the fact that it was announced that third-party distribution would likely become mandatory (under new statewide regulations),” Hudson says. “It seemed like the perfect time to jump into it.”
Highlanders Distribution moves product from 19 producers into more than 100 dispensaries that reach across the state from San Diego to San Francisco.