Nick Kovacevich
Nick Kovacevich says he might consider filling his own Kush Bottles packaging with cannabis if federal legalization ever happens.
“But then who is going to handle the logistics behind getting Spokane County (Washington) cannabis to a dispensary or retail store in New York City?” the entrepreneur says. “Somebody is going to have to manage that.”
Kovacevich could easily be that “somebody” as he has already made Kush Bottles one of the more recognizable names in the industry. Now a publicly traded company, Kush Bottles ranked No. 774 on the 2015 Inc. 5000, a listing of the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the nation. Headquartered in Southern California, Kush Bottles also has satellite operations in Seattle and Denver.
After graduating from Southwest Baptist University in 2010, Kovacevich began looking for an opportunity in the cannabis industry.
“We knew that compliance and safety was going to be a big driver for the transformation and legitimization of the cannabis industry,” Kovacevich says.
His goal was to provide an ancillary product that would meet the needs of the industry, while building an ongoing relationship with the unique players in the industry, rather than just a one-time capital expense. Like bottle manufacturers after the end of alcohol prohibition, cannabis packaging has seen explosive growth as more states legalize. Since Kush Bottles launched in 2010, it has sold more than 100 million bottles and regularly services 3,000 clients in North America.
“The way cannabis is being regulated is giving small, mom-and-pop businesses an opportunity to grow and flourish into a large organization,” he says. “It’s the best part and I don’t think you will find that in any other industry.”