​​On April 8, 2021, Virginia became the first southern state to legalize the possession and use of marijuana by adults, and the bill was signed into law July 1 of the same year. Although Virginia’s laws regarding cannabis are a bit nuanced, the Commonwealth is still taking the lead with dabbling in the cannabis industry in the South.
The cannabis market generates multi-billions of dollars and is rapidly growing in states where recreational marijuana is legal.
State legalization is a small step in continuing to grow the market, but barriers such as outdated misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding the use of marijuana fuel the opposition of federal legalization.
Despite banning the consumption of a substance, the consumption of said substance fails to cease.
The modern day war on drugs stemmed from the Nixon administration and the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, signed by President Reagan, but we can draw parallels from that to the Prohibition era of alcohol in the United States from 1919 to 1933.
They are no longer looking to simply “get blazed out of their minds,” but instead are looking for specific products to target certain symptoms.
Society in the United States is gravitating towards a more health-conscious future, emphasizing needs for premium taste and flavor, quality of ingredients, and presentation. Utilizing extensive product knowledge is key to note during this consumer shift.
As cannabis is becoming more legitimized, consumers are taking notice and are looking for a more nuanced high.
To pay homage to the Prohibition era and how “taboo” it can be to talk about marijuana, especially in the South, Double Baked is a cupcake bakery with a twist proposed to launch in Richmond, Virginia.
All of our baked goods will be made of sustainable, premium ingredients of the freshest quality to capture the needs of health-conscious consumers.
The bakery store “front” is your average cupcake bakery, but the moment you find a secret entrance, you are able to step foot into a modern-day “speakeasy” dispensary, where you can purchase a specialty “Double Baked” cupcake and marijuana. Our “Double-Baked” cupcakes are offered in similar flavors as our regular cupcakes sold in the store front, but are infused with the premium cannabis strains we sell in our in-house dispensary. Our speakeasy patrons can spend time in the general speakeasy lounge or in our sativa-inspired sensory and our indica-inspired chill rooms.
the team
Dinma Onyekwere
Bradley Wells
Anh Nguyen | my role: creative direction, branding