Debra Borchardt
Surterra Wellness today announced that it has changed its corporate name to Parallel effective today. In June, Private cannabis company Surterra Wellness closed on the initial $100 million Series D funding round and expanded its Board of Directors. The company noted back then that the participants in the round included existing and new investors including former Patrón Spirits Company CEO, Ed Brown.
Brown was once the President and CEO of The Patrón Spirits Company, until retiring last year after nearly 20 years at the company. Under his leadership, Patrón grew from 118,000 cases sold in 2001 to more than 4.1 million in 2016, and is currently the top-selling ultra-premium tequila in the world. Brown’s plan to apply his expertise in the premier spirits business to Surterra’s strategic global brand building seems to be paying off.
“The introduction of our new parent company brand, under the name Parallel, reflects our transformational growth over the past year and our long-term vision. We need a corporate name that unites the diverse parts of our organization and all of our associates,” said William “Beau” Wrigley Jr, CEO and Chairman of Parallel. “We chose the name Parallel because we are improving the well-being of our consumers today through our proprietary, innovative brands while at the same time stepping into the future through robust innovation. We like the name because we see well-being along a spectrum of what quality of life means to different people at different points of their lives, and our brands cover the full range of what they need.”
Parallel also announced today the introduction of Goodblend, the company’s new global retail brand. This store brand will become a recognized source across multiple markets where consumers can find a consistent and trusted selection of the company’s cannabinoid brands. Goodblend will roll-out initially in Florida over the course of the next several months. Parallel has a house, or portfolio, of consumer brands. Each of these brands has its own instantly recognizable name, imagery, appeal, and unique and differentiated positioning. Our proprietary consumer brands include Surterra Wellness, Coral Reefer, Endless Summer and Float.
“The philosophy behind our collection of brands is that the consumer is at the heart of everything that we do. Because consumers have different needs states across the well-being continuum, each brand is distinct. Yet, all our brands focus on improving the lives of our consumers and reflect our uncompromising commitment to consistency, quality, safety and efficacy,” said Wrigley. “Goodblend will simply reinvent what retail can be. Goodblend stores will be welcoming and inclusive of all our consumers and will allow each of our distinct brands a chance to shine – having their own stage under one roof.”
Parallel’s integrated footprint includes 37 retail dispensaries across the United States, including 34 in Florida; almost one million total square feet of cultivation and manufacturing operations across the platform; R&D facilities in Massachusetts, Florida, Budapest, Hungary and Medellin, Colombia; and an exclusive partnership with global biotechnology company Intrexon to drive its science and technology-led innovation.
