Mike Fulone is the Director of Wholesale for Coast Cannabis (“Coast”), a women-owned, family-operated manufacturer headquartered in Wareham, Massachusetts. Prior to starting at Coast, Mike worked in beer and liquor sales but, while enjoying his work, always kept his resume active on Indeed. Unexpectedly, he received a call from Angela Brown, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Coast, and they discussed the possibility of him coming over to Coast to ply his sales trade. Within five minutes of their discussion, Mike knew he wanted to make the transition to cannabis and work for Angela and co-founder Brian Cusick. He was previously aware of Coast’s dedication to crafting high-quality products – having found the S’mores bar particularly delightful – but, more importantly, he found that Coast’s values aligned with his personal values, as discussed further below.
Immediately prior to Mike’s move from beer sales to cannabis, he had just welcomed a second child into the world and was not sleeping as well during the few opportunities he found to rest. Abandoning his previous “remedy” – alcohol – he turned to cannabis as a natural remedy to combat his wakefulness. As we reflected on the beauty each of us finds in our cannabis use, Mike shared that his use has made him a more compassionate partner to his wife and a more patient father with his kids, with whom he enjoys spending every spare second he can find.
Mike’s been at this for over two and a half years, with no end in sight. During this time, he transitioned from the sole sales rep of Coast to the Director of a built-out sales staff and grew the number of Coast retail partners to over 170 (his team still maintains a much higher goal, so if you’d like to discuss a retail partnership with Mike, please find his contact info below). The Massachusetts industry is not the same as when Mike entered the scene. There are substantially more brands on the market, most of exceptionally high quality but some not so much, which has made sales more competitive. However, Massachusetts consumers are picky and intelligent, and Coast’s range of products and dedication to consistent quality has made Mike’s job just slightly easier. Despite flower continuing to hold the largest market share, consumers have shifted towards more ratioed edibles inclusive of the minor cannabinoids (what Mike calls “products with a purpose”), and he believes Coast has risen to the occasion to provide the market what consumers demand.
Coast Cannabis manufactures a variety of chocolate and gummy edibles crafted with clean and organic ingredients. My conversation with Mike reminded me of the first time I met Angela at Burns & Levinson’s annual State of the Cannabis Industry Conference when she enthusiastically walked me through the origin and process of the chocolate used in Coast products. Believe me, it is premier chocolate. Consistency in both dosing and experience is a demand of Massachusetts consumers and has become a cornerstone of the Coast manufacturing process.
Coast was the first manufacturer to create a cannabinol (CBN) product and recently introduced a tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) gummy that it is excited about. See their website below for more products and where you can find them.
The cannabis market is saturated with products, many of them of high quality, so I asked Mike what makes Coast stand out and continue to succeed. His answer sounded less like a sales pitch and more like someone describing the best meal of their life or a moving piece of art. Ownership is visible, honest, and upfront; the dosage of each product is reliable and the effects consistent; there is a commitment to the consumers from management to employee; and it performs its own distribution with no minimum or delivery fees.
Moreover, this local operator walks the talk and displays a commitment to its community, which has been an irreplaceable partner in its success. You can find Coast employees:
- staying true to the company name and cleaning up coastline and beaches
- volunteering at Damien’s Place Food Pantry in Wareham
- organizing backpack drives for underprivileged children
Employee participation is not mandatory, and their time is unpaid, but that doesn’t seem to stop Coast from putting together a veritable army for these volunteer projects.
Consumers, I encourage you to try out Coast next time to stop by your dispensary. My personal favorite is the Cookies and Scream (seasonal), but I am eager to get my hands on the Tangerine Gummies (THC:CBD:CBG).
Operators, below is Mike’s contact info. Chances are you already have Coast Cannabis products on your shelves, but if not, give him a buzz.
Accolades Earned by Coast Cannabis:
- Silver Medal (edibles) – 2021 High Times Cannabis Cup
- Third Place (edibles) – 2022 Cultivators Cup
- Featured in Marijuana Venture Magazine as one of the Best Edibles in North America
- Featured in the Boston Business Journal
- Featured on front page of Cape Cod Times (October 19, 2022)
- Featured on CBS News for its work with THCV and their Raspberry Lime Gummies
