Willy Vlasic

While getting high certainly had its appeal, Willy Vlasic knew his appreciation for cannabis was destined for something greater.

His first flirt with cannabis was in high school, like so many others. After graduating from Cranbook Schools in 2014, Vlasic went to the University of Miami for film production and screenwriting before reassessing career goals and transferring to University of Michigan for business.

During this time, Michigan’s marijuana scene was undergoing dramatic changes and Vlasic could foresee the opportunities.

At age 18, he convinced the state to give him a medical caregiver license. He was the youngest recipient at the time, he said. He just needed to persuade his family.

His dad, Rick Vlasic, wanted to make sure of his son’s reasons for growing marijuana in the basement, Vlasic recalls, before providing space and 50 percent of the necessary startup funding.

“I made a deal with him. If I passed three drug tests, I could do three harvests,” he said. “I wanted to learn how to grow it more than anything.” He proved his business prowess and at 22, acquired proper licensing to grow 6,000 plants, far outgrowing his initial basement business.

Today, Vlasic is partners in various marijuana brands and businesses in multiple states, including a new venture in Las Vegas, which is generating in 900 pounds of cannabis a month.

Yet it is his CBD/hemp wellness product line that he is most proud of, and the one that he ultimately felt was finally worthy to bear the Vlasic name.

As a grandson of the famous pickle patriarch – which had its humble beginnings in Imlay City, about an hour north of Birmingham – he recognizes his responsibility in keeping the trust people have in the Vlasic name, even though the family pickle business was sold decades ago.

So, when the idea of developing CBD products for physical and cognitive health under the moniker Vlasic Labs was proposed, Willy once again turned to the family for approval, and got more than he expected. In addition to his grandfather’s okay, the new venture brought his father out of retirement and his older brother Jack joined the board of directors to help steer the business. Willy is the current CEO of Vlasic Labs.

Vlasic Labs has developed a potent line of CBD products that deliver relief for a multitude of physical and cognitive issues.

“For me, the CBD line is more impactful and helping of families then marijuana ever could be,” he said. He explains that CBD works similarly to an antibiotic, with patients needing a certain buildup in their system to see the best results. While most CBD gummies are 5 or 10 mgs, Vlasic Labs gummies start at 25 mg.

From a roll-on that is sweeping the pickleball scene at places like Wolverine Pickleball in Ann Arbor to bottles of gummies flying off the shelf at Antonino Salon in downtown Birmingham to the pet aisle at pet stores, Vlasic Labs offers a variety of products for humans and pets. The CBD dog market is already a billion-dollar industry with room to expand, and Vlasic is looking at other pet treats.

Vlasic is also making a big impact with the Vlasic Classic Golf Tournament, supporting The Great Lakes Expungement Network (GLEN) and Freedom Grow, two organizations helping to support thousands of non-violent cannabis prisoners.

While Vlasic could live anywhere, he prefers to stay close to his roots. A resident of Franklin, Vlasic appreciates being close to his family and the center of Vlasic Labs.

“It’s my home. I love it here,” he said. “It’s our first market, it’s where the team is, it’s where I want to be.”

Story: Gretchen Van-Monette

Photo: Laurie Tennent