Bud Empire
The industry is emerging into the light, ready to be seen as a legitimate business that already employs thousands of people across the country. In this seven part series, History Canada's Bud Empire follows Bob Kay, one of Canada's most charismatic marijuana advocates. An uncompromising, wily entrepreneur who's leading the charge in this nascent, high stakes world. But the road to success is no easy journey with the law still looming large over a grey industry that is only quasi-legal. The race to the top has begun. It starts with a bud but who can turn it into a dynasty?
- 2017-2017
- 1 season
- Magnolia Pictures
- Reality
The industry is emerging into the light, ready to be seen as a legitimate business that already employs thousands of people across the country. In this seven part series, History Canada's Bud Empire follows Bob Kay, one of Canada's most charismatic marijuana advocates. An uncompromising, wily entrepreneur who's leading the charge in this nascent, high stakes world. But the road to success is no easy journey with the law still looming large over a grey industry that is only quasi-legal. The race to the top has begun. It starts with a bud but who can turn it into a dynasty?
Season 1 Episode Guide
7 Episodes 2017
Episode 1
4:20
Bob and his team head to Vancouver's English Bay to set up shop at this year's "420 Festival," a sprawling market dedicated to all things marijuana. With 80,000 people expected to attend, Bob wants to sell $15,000 worth of pot edibles, including brownies, cookies and lemonade. But will his "Be Kind" brand stand out among the competition?
Episode 2
Be Kind
After eight years in business without any legal action, Bob Kay's medical marijuana dispensary has been put on notice: City Hall wants to shut it down. Will Bob be able to persuade the politicians they're wrong? Or are their threats part of a cynical scheme to put the little guy out of business so that Big Retail can completely take over the cannabis trade?
Episode 3
Grow Your Own
Bob has one of the largest marijuana grow licenses in Canada, but he's too busy running his retail empire to grow for himself. So he invites Vancouver-based pot entrepreneur Jo Le to Kelowna. They want to partner on an "LP" -- a federal grow "license to produce" unlimited amounts of weed for retail sale. But first, they have to find a warehouse big enough to suit their grandiose ambitions.
Episode 4
Edible Overload
Bob attends an early Christmas charity event with his family, but Santa won't let the kids sit on his knee because he doesn't want to be associated with anyone who promotes marijuana. Tanner tries to come up with a 'smooth' oil for Be Kind's edible products. But when the team mistakenly puts way too much cannabis oil in a new batch of treats, Bob has an 'edible crisis' on his hands.
Episode 5
Sticky Fingers
With the city of Kelowna threatening to shut down his store, Bob is looking for greener pastures. He and Christie head to a nearby city to open another dispensary. But when marijuana-infused lollipops go missing at Be Kind, everyone becomes a suspect. Co-managers (and twin sisters) Cathy and Christie live in a house that Bob rents them -- right across his backyard fence. Christie frets over when and how to ask Bob for a long-overdue raise.
Episode 6
City Spliffers
Bob's business is booming, so he takes his mom car shopping. Meanwhile, he can't keep shatter (a potent marijuana concentrate) on the shelves. They run out every "Shatterday" -- to store manager Cathy's ever-growing frustration. In Vancouver, pot entrepreneur Jo Le offers to sell Bob his licensed retail store in downtown's prime shopping district.
Episode 7
Generation Bud
Bob and his 16-year-old son Kaleb visit Lift, a high-end pot conference in Toronto, and get a giddy eyeful of the multi-billion-dollar recreational market looming on the horizon. They also tour the sprawling grow op at Tweed, Canada's largest publicly traded pot company, where it's clear that big business has already taken over the industry. Undaunted, Bob goes to Vancouver, to make an offer on Jo's flagship Robson Street location. But can he get Jo to come down from his $5 million asking price?
