The Rise of San Juan Sun Grown: How Leo Matz, Marcus Naramore and Their Team Built a Cannabis Empire in Washington State
In the competitive landscape of Washington's cannabis industry, few companies have demonstrated the resilience, innovation, and strategic growth of what is now known as San Juan Sun Grown. Originally established as San Juan Sun Grown, later becoming Edgemont Group, this company's evolution reflects not just the changing cannabis market in Washington, but also the vision and determination of its leadership team, particularly Leo Matz and Marcus Naramore.
Humble Beginnings and Early Challenges
The story of San Juan Sun Grown begins with David Rice, who returned to his home on San Juan Island after finding success as a medical cannabis grower in California. In 2014, Rice established a one-acre outdoor grow operation on his sister's 76-acre horse ranch, marking the birth of San Juan Sun Grown.
However, the company's journey was immediately met with significant obstacles. Shortly after launching, the facility faced a devastating legal battle initiated by neighboring property owners. This lawsuit, which wasn't resolved until 2016, resulted in the shutdown of their San Juan Island operation and tragically cost David's sister, Jenny Rice, her beloved horse farm.
Most entrepreneurs might have abandoned their cannabis aspirations after such a challenging start, but Rice persevered. The company relocated to Wenatchee in 2015, and by fall 2016, they began selling flower under a new identity: Edgemont Group. This transition also marked the entry of Leo Matz into the leadership team, who would later become the company's CEO.
Strategic Pivot and Market Adaptation
When the company first launched, their primary focus was flower production. They cultivated cannabis in various environments—outdoor grows, light deprivation techniques, hoop houses, and mixed-light greenhouses—establishing themselves as expert cultivators who produced exceptional quality cannabis flower.
However, market dynamics in Washington were shifting. Under the strategic guidance of Leo Matz and Marcus Naramore, who joined as Director of Business Development, the company demonstrated remarkable adaptability. Recognizing emerging consumer preferences, they began expanding their extraction operations.
"When we started, we were flower guys first and foremost," Naramore explained in a 2019 interview. "We had an extraction arm that we were building out. In the three years that have passed, our extraction business has grown and grown and grown. Now we're at a point where we have committed entirely to extraction."
This pivot represented a significant strategic shift. Rather than selling flower and pre-rolls directly, the company focused on producing cartridges, PAX Pods, and hash oil. They simplified their production process, growing entirely outdoors and extracting in-house with CO2 technology—a model they proudly describe as "soil-to-oil."
Building a Brand Portfolio
One of the most impressive aspects of the Matz-Naramore leadership has been their ability to develop and manage multiple successful cannabis brands under one corporate umbrella:
- Leafwerx - An approachable, mood-based line of THC and terpene-focused vapes
- Full Spec - A space-age, sci-fi approach to live resin products
- Solr Bear (formerly Solar Bear) - A high-end, natural approach to solventless live rosin
- Thrills - Another notable product line in their portfolio
Each brand has been carefully positioned to appeal to different market segments while maintaining the company's core commitment to quality and consistency.
Strategic Partnerships
In 2021, the company made a significant move by partnering with international cannabis brand Cookies. This exclusive partnership allowed Edgemont Group to apply their extraction expertise to Cookies' renowned genetic library, producing concentrates and cartridges featuring popular Cookies strains like Berry Pie, Pomello, and Sweet Tea.
"Cookies is constantly pushing industry boundaries," Leo Matz stated when announcing the partnership. "Through this partnership, we're able to apply cutting-edge extraction and formulation techniques to the authentic Cookies genetic library."
This collaboration with Cookies, founded by Berner and Jai "Jigga" Chang, has further elevated the company's profile and expanded their distribution network to over 200 retail locations throughout Washington state.
The Pandemic Growth
While many businesses struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, cannabis companies generally saw significant growth as they were deemed essential businesses in most states, including Washington. With consumers at home and government stimulus checks providing extra purchasing power, high-quality cannabis products at fair prices became increasingly popular.
The management team at Edgemont Group capitalized on this opportunity, focusing on efficiencies in production processes and expanding their product lines to fill gaps left by companies that couldn't weather the changing market conditions.
Rebranding as San Juan Sun Grown
In December 2022, Edgemont Group announced yet another evolution in their corporate identity, rebranding as San Juan Sun Grown. This name change paid homage to their cultivation philosophy—growing cannabis under the natural spectrum of sunlight to enhance terpene and cannabinoid profiles.
"For us, San Juan Sun Grown is cannabis in its most natural form. We love cultivating our cannabis in the sunlight, where it can benefit from breezy fresh air and the full-spectrum light of the sun, with minimum environmental impact to boot," explained Marcus Naramore, now Chief Revenue Officer of San Juan Sun Grown.
Leo Matz, as CEO, emphasized their unique approach: "Countless numbers of people have attempted to mimic the sun. We chose to focus on it. We proudly harness sustainable San Juan Sun Grown cannabis into our brands for a catered customer experience."
Building a Corporate Culture
Beyond their business acumen, Leo Matz and Marcus Naramore have built a company culture centered on quality, innovation, and sustainable practices. They've established a team of extraction experts, including Eric Holywater, a leading extraction technician and inventor of High Terpine Extract (HTE), who serves as the extraction artist for their Cookies manufacturing in Tacoma.
The company has built strong relationships throughout the Washington cannabis industry, focusing on reliability and delivering on promises. Their commitment to quality at every price point has enabled them to become the 12th largest producer/processor in Washington out of 700 licenses—an impressive achievement considering they operate as a Tier 2 facility limited to 10,000 square feet of canopy.
Looking Forward
Today, San Juan Sun Grown continues to solidify its place in the Washington market while looking beyond state lines. The leadership team sees opportunities to expand their brands and business model nationally, leveraging their seven-plus years of operational experience in the legal cannabis industry.
"We're really looking to take what we've perfected here and grow that nationally, because there's no reason to reinvent the wheel," representatives have stated. "There's upstart companies spending way too much money and way too much time trying to figure out things that we've had dialed in for years. There's proven ways that we can help."
With this vision of controlled, strategic growth and their proven track record of adaptation and innovation, Leo Matz, Marcus Naramore, and their team at San Juan Sun Grown are positioned to continue their ascent in the cannabis industry, bringing their Washington-grown expertise to new markets across the country.
Their journey from a small outdoor grow on San Juan Island to becoming one of Washington's premier cannabis companies exemplifies the resilience, strategic thinking, and commitment to quality that defines successful entrepreneurs in this rapidly evolving industry.
By Michael
Sources:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210809005206/en/International-Cannabis-Brand-Cookies-Debuts-New-SKUs-in-Washington-State-Through-Partnership-with-Edgemont-Group
https://ikes.com/blog/a-brand-new-day-at-leafwerx/
https://www.marijuanaventure.com/growing-the-right-way/
https://tacomaweekly.com/8-25-21-pages.pdf
WA States Advertising Disclaimer. Just In Case.
- "This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming.";
- "cannabis can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug.";
- "There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product."; and
- "For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children."
