When you think of cannabis flavors, fruits, cakes, and gas typically come to mind. Liquid cheese will soon be on the menu thanks to a new collab from Colorado burrito purveyor Illegal Pete’s and vape brand O.Pen.
The Illegal Pete’s Queso Cannabis Vape hits select dispensaries on September 20th, which also happens to be National Queso Day. The distillate vape cart will contain cannabis-derived terpenes from U.K. Cheese, a classic strain known for its distinctly dairy-forward flavor.
Available through October 31st, the liquid gold vape cart can be followed up by its munchie namesake. Anyone who buys a Queso Cart can bring their empty package to Illegal Pete’s for a free order of—you guessed it—chips and queso.
Illegal Pete’s has long worn its support of Colorado’s cannabis industry on its sleeve. Fixtures in the stores are plastered with stickers representing weed brands, and consumers feel right at home while enjoying their Mexican Coke carnitas or taco salad.
O.Pen’s parent company, Slang Worldwide, is also developing an Illegal Pete’s edible line. The restaurant has ten locations throughout Colorado, with two more opening soon.
“They have been tangential to our industry for a long time, and there has always been a lot of overlap in the types of things we sponsor, our consumer bases, and brand identification,” Slang Worldwide CEO John Moynan said in an interview with Westword. “It was cool to be able to get their feedback on strain profiles and what they wanted out of it, and how we should lean into National Queso Day.”
Partnerships between marijuana brands and mainstream restaurants continue to grow in numbers. It’s a pairing as natural as cheese and crackers. With national brands like Jack in the Box, Wingstop, and Fatburger marketing directly to the cannabis demographic, we’re only likely to see more plant-focused products hit the scene.
