SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - They’re two best friends making candy and having fun doing it. In 2015, they opened a candy store in the East Village.
“The original recipe is my mom's,” said Jena Perez. "It's been a roller coaster ride."
Perez and her best friend Desiree Glade created Sweet Bricks and in two years it became a big hit, thanks in part to their huge Instagram following that fell in love with their video recorded antics in the candy shop.
Their business grew and the money started pouring in and they got more recognition. They placed second in the world in the Artisan Toffee Awards by the International Chocolate Salon.
That's when Oakland-based cannabis company, Jetty Extracts took notice and reached out to them about a partnership. The company was founded in 2013 by a few San Diego surfers with a passion for cannabis.
“They have something called the Shelter Project which is for every cartridge of oil they sell, they give one to someone with cancer,” explained Perez.
That touched them both since Jena lost her father to cancer and Desiree lost her mother to cancer as well.
"I wish I would've known more about the benefits of cannabis and CBD,” said Glade.
“It just felt like they were in it for the right reasons so we just wanted to partner with them,” said Perez.
After months of experimentation and lab testing, they created a new line of toffee called Mind Tricks infused with cannabis. Their product is in 150 dispensaries statewide, including Southwest Patient Group in San Ysidro.
"This is a 100 mg bag of one our most popular flavors. This is cookies and crème,” described Perez.
They still use her mom’s recipe.
“It’s kind of funny to tell my mom hey, we're going to put weed into your toffee,” said Perez.
"The process hasn't really changed. We're just adding one great ingredient that pushes it over the edge a little more,” explained Glade.
They're both blazing a trail in the legal marijuana industry said to be dominated by women. That industry is predicted to make 50 billion dollars by 2026.
"It's hard to think that far ahead right now,” said Perez.
They both worried what their original customers would think, but it turns out they've gotten a lot of support.
They do still sell their original toffee. In fact, they're the only edibles company to make a non-medicated version of their product.
