Hartford Business Journal

6 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | NOVEMBER 2, 2026 Kite founder Oz Pariser (left) and Chief Operating Officer Trent Lynch at the cannabis company's New Britain manufacturing facility. Contributed Photo Wellness Pitch New CT cannabis brand targets consumers seeking more than a high focus on Kite's brand and product portfolio. East Coast Growers was his first partnership with Trent Lynch, who is Kite's chief operating officer. Lynch has a long history as a cultiva- tion specialist, beginning a decade ago in Massachusetts. Finding new markets Kite, which holds a product manu- facturer license from the state Depart- ment of Consumer Protection, is based at a 14,000-square-foot facility on Slater Road in New Britain, where Pariser said the company is building out its operations. Kite has five employees, including Pariser and Lynch, and said it is hiring for sales and manufacturing positions. It expects to add staff as its products reach more dispensary shelves. The company is producing pre-rolls, or prerolled cannabis joints, including versions infused with cannabis concentrates. It is also filling vape cartridges and plans to add a lab to produce its own concentrated cannabis ingredients for use in edibles and vapes. Its vape lineup includes Tangie, marketed for daytime activities and creativity, and Banana Cream Cake, marketed for evening relaxation. "As the market matures and (consumers) become more educated, I think people will start to understand that there are different isolates and cannabinoids and formulations that can give you different effects," Pariser said. The company said it is currently distributing through six dispensaries — Rodeo, The Liv, Naature, Nightjar, Budr and Clone — with Fine Fettle, Trulieve and The Harvest Corner expected to follow. It aims to have its products in 40 stores across the state by the end of the year and all Connecticut cannabis retailers by the middle of 2027, Pariser said. Kite also plans to educate dispen- sary sales staff, known as budtenders, about its products and how to explain its wellness approach to customers. Anne Donohoe, a managing director at communications agency KCSA, heads the firm's cannabis and psyche- delics practice. She said she sees a growing number of companies like Kite pursuing the wellness market by launching new product lines or changing their marketing strategies. "The only way you can grow a market is by finding new products for new consumers," she said. "And there's only so many people who are going to be recreational or adult users." Like Pariser, she said the emphasis is shifting from potency and the "high" to how consumers want to feel or function. She pointed to brands such as California-based Offfield, which markets gummies specifically to runners. But she also cautioned brands against making specific medical claims and said research on cannabis and wellness remains limited. Connecticut law also restricts cannabis businesses from making medical or therapeutic claims and limits employees' promotion of cannabis for wellness purposes, with exceptions for substantiated claims By Harriet Jones hjones@hartfordbusiness.com A new cannabis brand in Connecticut is positioning itself in the growing "wellness" market, tapping into a nationwide trend. Kite calls itself a cannabis brand designed for modern, intentional living and markets its vapes and pre-rolls around what it describes as "supporting relaxation, recovery, creativity, connection and presence." Its marketing emphasizes those effects rather than the potency of THC, the main intoxicating compound in cannabis. The shift toward wellness marketing comes as cannabis companies look for ways to stand out in a maturing market. Gallup recently reported that 47% of Americans have tried cannabis at least once. At the same time, in 2025, U.S. regulated cannabis sales declined year over year for the first time. The same was true in Connecticut, where combined adult-use and medical marijuana sales fell 1.2% last year, according to data from the state Department of Consumer Protection. As a result, companies are seeking to differentiate their products and draw in new consumers. Meanwhile, pending federal restric- tions on hemp-derived THC products could further reshape the market. Many hemp brands emphasize wellness, and tighter restrictions could create an opening for state-licensed cannabis producers to reach those customers, industry observers say. Kite was founded by real estate entrepreneur and athlete Oz Pariser. He is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter who still coaches Brazilian jiujitsu. "There's a huge overlap between the jiujitsu community and the cannabis community," Pariser said, citing local competitions called High Rollerz, where competitors use cannabis before they get into the ring. "Jiujitsu is a very intellectual art, like phys- ical chess. So when people smoke cannabis, it allows them to think in more creative ways, and you can solve that problem that's in front of you. It's an interesting tool people use." Pariser holds a bachelor's degree in health science and a doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Hartford. He sees potential uses for cannabis in pain management, recovery, sleep and mental focus. He also said some consumers view it as a healthier alternative to alcohol. "I'm a big proponent of intentional cannabis use," he said. "Not using it as an escape from life where it can become a downward spiral, but rather a tool for more presence, connection to life." Pariser is better known in Connecticut for his real estate busi- ness, which he said he continues to run. He owns multiple apartment units in Hartford and New Britain, along with 100 mobile home park lots in West Virginia and Ohio. He has also dabbled in the cannabis business before, investing in a Cana- dian company and then becoming one of the founders of East Coast Growers, which proposed a cultivation facility in East Hartford. Pariser said he is ending his involve- ment with East Coast Growers to AT A GLANCE KITE Industry: Cannabis Product Manufacturing Top Executive: Oz Pariser, Founder HQ: 436 Slater Road, New Britain Employees: 5

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