Kenny Morrison is a cannabis industry pioneer and the founder of VCC Brands and CQ Drinks. With a background in documentary filmmaking and early cannabis retail, Kenny has been instrumental in shaping the cannabis-infused beverage category since 2008.
VCC Brands, originally Venice Cookie Company, is a legacy cannabis company focused exclusively on beverages since 2020. Its flagship brand, CQ (Cannabis Quencher), creates micro- and macro-dose drinks designed to be approachable, flavorful and stigma-free.
Founded in Venice Beach, VCC Brands embodies the area’s countercultural spirit with a refined, modern twist. CQ was born partly in response to early San Francisco regulations requiring “cannabis” to appear prominently on product labels. Today, the brand operates in seven states (soon to be eight) through a mix of licensing partnerships and hemp distribution, aiming to normalize cannabis consumption with clean branding, fast-acting nanoemulsification technology, and a lifestyle-oriented appeal.
Kenny got into the cannabis industry by helping friends transition from underground cultivation to legal retail, ultimately co-founding one of LA’s first dispensaries.
VCC Brands began as a baked goods company but pivoted fully to beverages to focus on “the future of drinking.”
CQ Drinks emphasizes approachability by avoiding stereotypical stoner branding and designing products with women and first-time consumers in mind.
Kenny compares CQ’s brand positioning to “the Corona of cannabis” — a laid-back, beachy vibe grounded in authenticity.
Nanoemulsification helps cannabis beverages hit faster, making them more comparable to alcohol and easing consumer adoption.
Despite being a cannabis entrepreneur, Kenny uses the product less than most of his family and believes in freedom of choice across alcohol and cannabis.
He stresses honesty, reliability, and customer service as keys to building trust in the cannabis space, especially for new users.
Regional product tweaks — like adding seasonal flavors in Massachusetts — have helped CQ Drinks grow in both the dispensary and hemp markets.
QUOTES
“Visiting one of these early stores, it was almost like an anthropological experiment for me, which really just means that I’m a thrill seeker.” (Kenny)
“Ever since I was a little kid, my father never hid his cannabis use from me. Even when I was nine, he’d say, ‘Hey Kenny, I’m going to go get some grass, want to come with me?'” (Kenny)
“We’re basically, you know, the original prohibition cannabis beverage brand… the things we’ve been through to keep this thing alive, it’s a frickin’ novel.” (Kenny)
“The goal is to get to a place where we can really tell that story in sort of a deep, profound way.” (Kenny)
“My theory has just been, look, if girls like to drink it, guys are going to drink it.” (Kenny)
“We’re all trying to target the alcohol consumer looking to moderate their alcohol consumption… and when a cannabis drink affects you as quick as an alcoholic drink does, that’s going to increase consumership.” (Kenny)
“Cannabis should be perceived as a benefit to be promoted rather than a harm to be tolerated.” (Kenny)
“Something that makes cannabis very different than alcohol is because cannabis is non-toxic… tolerances vary far greater than people’s tolerance for alcohol.” (Kenny)
“You’ve got to have great customer service and you’ve got to be honest. Especially in cannabis.” (Kenny)
“We’re gathering a ton of information based on the success of those products in their territories… then we can release the greatest hits in our hemp lineup.” (Kenny)
“I just think we’re in this season where the general knowledge of cannabis is slowly, gradually building up.” (Kenny)
