Rachel King was a pastry chef who never made desserts using cannabis. That changed in 2016, after conversations with two friends who had marijuana and business backgrounds. Those chats (pardon the pun) planted the seed for the edibles company the trop launched months later.
“We just all joined forces,” King says, “and we thought Kaneh Co. would be a good business venture.”
Kaneh Co. Gourmet Edibles sells 24 different delectable and delicious baked goodies and other edibles that are all crafted by a team of culinary chefs and supervisors in a bustling San Diego kitchen.
King got her start at the Culinary Institute of San Diego before moving on to several acclaimed restaurants such as Mister A’s, Nine-Ten in La Jolla and Herringbone.
When creating new products, King is the first one in the kitchen baking and making her idea into a reality. She is the creative mind over a team of kitchen supervisors and managers who help make the kitchen waft with the smells of baked goods and THC butter.
“The kitchen started with just one other person and I,” King says. “We now have a lot of people in there baking and taking care of business. But when we create new products, it starts with me.”
Among King’s signature creations are Cherry Pistachio Dark Chocolates, Chocolate Paleo Bites, PB and J Blondie Bites and Best of Both Worlds Brownies. “All of my creations are very personal to me, but our best seller and my favorite is the Best of Both Worlds Brownies,” King confides. “I also enjoy our Lemon Sugar Cookies and our Strawberry Rhubarb Jellies. But I love them all, and I am very proud of the products we make through Kaneh Co.”
She credits her culinary knowledge with giving her a step above most of her competitors in edibles. “It has been something new for me to learn,” she says of using cannabis as an ingredient. “I learned a different process that I wasn’t sure of and am still learning. It’s been great just building this company from the ground up; we have a great team, and I am excited to see where we go.”
King is flabbergasted by the large amount of feedback she has received from people she has helped. “People use our products for many different reasons,” she explains. “It is heartwarming to get emails from people that used our products for their physical or mental ailments that they have [and it helped them].”
Having begun in medicinal shops around California before branching out to the recreational cannabis industry since last year’s landmark legalization, Kaneh Co. still puts education at the forefront by informing new and returning users about the benefits and dosing of each product sold.
“People that you wouldn’t expect to try cannabis are feeling more comfortable to see what it’s all about,” King says. “People are trying our products more, which is what we want.”
What she wants is to continue creating tasty new treats for her edible company, having abandoned any plans to be a regular culinary dessert artist again. King would also like to see Kaneh Co. products sold beyond California. “We are looking to expand in other states if the opportunity arises. But we are continuing to sell to a variety of dispensaries across the state of California, and we are looking to expand our product line.”
