Edibles Producer May Beef Up Offerings With Infused Meats

Just Released! Get realistic market forecasts, state-by-state insights and benchmarks with the new 2024 MJBiz Factbook member program, now with quarterly updates. Make informed decisions.


Infused products companies are known for their cookies and candies, but producers are getting creative by adding cannabis to everything from spaghetti sauce to, now, meat.

Colorado’s The Sausage Queen plans to sell marijuana-infused jerky, sausage, smoked salmon and chocolate-covered bacon in recreational shops and medical marijuana dispensaries, the Aspen Times reported.

While the company isn’t the first to offer infused meats, the number of products it plans to offer is notable. A Seattle company offered pork from pigs fed marijuana, while a California business has made a product it calls “reef jerky.”

The meat from North Denver Sausage Co., whose owner Katherine Laurienti will become a partner in the infused-products business, will be sent to The Sausage Queen’s Aspen location for infusion and distribution to retail outlets. High Mountain Taxi owner Todd Gardner also be a partner in the business and provide space at his Aspen Business Center facility.

The Sausage Queen, partially owned by Colorado alcohol and beer consultant John Conlin, already has received a license to produce the infused meats from the state but must get county approval. Collienti Enterprises, the parent of The Sausage Queen, will go before the Pitkin County commissioners on May 27, according to the Times.

New regulations governing the edibles industry that regulate per-package and per-item THC limits, labeling and testing went into effect on Feb. 1.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will inspect the meat from North Denver Sausage, but will not inspect the products once they’re infused. In fact, a company in 2012 was forced to pull infused meat products from shelves due to an investigation by the department.