EXCLUSIVE: Inside the Wyld–Grön Acquisition, According to CEO Christine Apple

The new year got off to a notable start for the cannabis industry on Monday when edibles brand Wyld announced it had entered into an agreement to acquire women-led brand Grön. The deal, which brings together two companies founded and headquartered in Oregon and creates a powerhouse in the $4.8 billion edibles market, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals, the two companies said in a joint statement. Terms were not disclosed.

“This acquisition is about scaling a brand that’s already winning,” Aaron Morris, founder and CEO of Wyld, said in a joint statement. “Grön has built exceptional products and a deeply trusted brand. Our goal is to support its continued growth by pairing Grön’s creativity and innovation with Wyld’s infrastructure, reach, and operational strength—without compromising what makes Grön special.”

In a Zoom interview with IgniteIt, Grön CEO Christine Apple shared the reasons the two companies joined forces and talked about the companies’ plans once the transaction is finalized.

“It’s a kind of a symbiotic union of two brands that were really cut from the same cloth out of Oregon. We’ve grown up together side by side,” Apple explains, noting that “there’s a high level of respect for what the brands have done independently.”

She adds that as both brands have matured, “we’ve grown to coexist in different markets together without eating each other’s market share, which is remarkable.”

Looking ahead, Apple says the two companies will initially remain separate operations.

“Our leadership team is not changing immediately. We are staying in place, and it is business as usual. What we’re doing is working, and it’s very successful,” she says. “So, it’s business as usual. We’re right back to work, and we will continue to provide the fantastic level of service and great products to our customers that we always have.”

M&A Deal Gives Grön Access to New Markets

Wyld products are sold in 16 U.S. states and Canada, reaching roughly 7,500 regulated cannabis retail locations. Grön offers 75 products across nine U.S. states and Canada, with distribution in nearly 4,500 retail locations. Apple sees benefits from Wyld’s acquisition of Grön for both enterprises.

“I think this really solidifies for Wyld a true platform of brands,” she explains.

“By Grön coming on board, it really puts this platform of brands as a massive, massive player in the category and in the industry in general.”

While Wyld establishes this platform of varied brands, Grön will have access to additional significant regulated cannabis markets, including California, Washington, Colorado and Michigan. Apple says expanding into those states will be easier with Wyld’s existing footprint than without an established partner.

“There’s so many similarities with the product and the facilities that are needed to make these product types that Grön is able to really just run through the stream of production in a lot of these existing markets where Wyld is the dominant player,” she says.

“It allows us to enter into mature, saturated markets that otherwise would take us a much longer and more difficult road to climb towards success.”

Once the acquisition is completed, Apple says that she expects 2026 to be an eventful year for both brands.

“Grön is marching forward with its own projections and its own kind of growth in our core markets, while we work hand in hand with Wyld and look at how we’re going to bring Grön into existing markets that we’re not currently in,” she says.

While acknowledging the significance of the deal for Wyld and Grön, Apple says the acquisition is also a milestone for the broader cannabis industry.

“This is a really important time for the industry and for brands in general,” she explains, adding, “I think this is a really exciting moment, and the industry deserves some wins, and this is a win for everyone.”