Latest news with #JoshKesselman
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Josh Kesselman, HBI Innovations Founder, Interviewed by CelebStoner about High Times Purchase
"It's not about profits, it's about community," says Kesselman. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2025) - Josh Kesselman, founder of HBI Innovations - the independent distributors of RAW® rolling papers - was recently interviewed by CelebStoner following his acquisition of the legendary cannabis publication High Times. The deal marks a pivotal moment for the cannabis media landscape, as Kesselman teams up with former High Times executive Matt Stang to breathe new life into the embattled brand under the newly formed entity, High Times Media. "RAW's Josh Kesselman (image via Proven Media) and High Times" (Josh Kesselman founded HBI Innovations, the distributors of RAW Rolling Papers.) Founded in 1974 by countercultural icon Tom Forçade, High Times became the definitive voice of cannabis advocacy, culture, and journalism for nearly five decades. However, in recent years, High Times struggled to adapt to shifting media dynamics and mounting financial woes. After a public equity takeover in 2017 that was marred in controversy, the magazine and its assets were taken over by a lender and put up for sale. In June, it was announced that Kesselman had acquired the magazine and its related assets for $3.45 million after Hightimes Holding Co. entered receivership, weighed down by more than $20 million in debt. The acquisition made headlines in major outlets including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, signaling the magnitude of the deal not only for the cannabis world but for independent media as a whole. In his interview with CelebStoner, Kesselman reflected on the magazine's profound personal impact. His connection to the publication runs deep. As a young entrepreneur launching RAW, he actively engaged with the High Times community, "Once I got into the rolling paper business, I started sending them to High Times, and I became friendly with guys like Bobby Black, Danny Danko, and Matt Stang. They all just loved my papers, and we became friends over that. I was just so honored to be around them." The WSJ and NYT also reported on Kesselman's purchase of High Times. (Josh Kesselman founded HBI Innovations, the distributors of RAW Rolling Papers.) For Kesselman, this acquisition isn't a business play-it's a mission. He has made it clear that his priority is revitalizing High Times as a cultural institution, not a commercial enterprise. "It's not about profits, it's about community," he emphasized, "My definition of success is that each year we break even and we continue putting money into it, and that the community loves it and is thriving with it." May 1992 Issue of High Times featuring a cover story on John Lennon (Josh Kesselman founded HBI Innovations, the US distributor of RAW Rolling Papers.) The announcement has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response across the cannabis community, "When people heard I was the one buying it, they were extremely ecstatic," Kesselman said. "They know me. They know what I want to do with it." With High Times Media now in his hands, Kesselman aims to restore the publication's authenticity, amplify underrepresented voices, and ensure the legacy of High Times not only endures-but evolves. Read the full interview here. Contact: Alexa OliphantEmail: alexa@ Website: Source: Grasslands To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Globe and Mail
10-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Josh Kesselman, HBI Innovations Founder, Announces Purchase of High Times
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 10, 2025) - Josh Kesselman, entrepreneur and founder of HBI Innovations, has announced the exclusive purchase of High Times magazine, Cannabis Cup and associated assets in an all-cash transaction. Alongside partner and former 2000s-era High Times co-owner Matt Stang, this $3.5 million acquisition is intent on reviving the publishing powerhouse. Former High Times co-owner Matt Stang with Josh Kesselman, who paid $3.5 million for the High Times intellectual property rights. PHOTO: BIG FREEZY High Times was founded in 1974 and was a prominent player in the cannabis community. The counterculture publication featured legends like Charles Bukowski, Willie Nelson, Debbie Harry, Hunter S. Thompson and Bob Marley. Kesselman's purchase of High Times has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Yahoo! Finance. "This is a 'pinch yourself' kind of moment for me, just unbelievable," said Kesselman in the announcement. "Eighteen-year-old stoner Josh would be in complete disbelief that I get to bring back a piece of history that has played such an important part in culture and impacted so many lives, including my own. This feels like a dream. Having Matt Stang, an OG and a former owner-operator of the magazine, involved in this acquisition just makes it all come full circle. It's surreal to be a small part of giving back to the community that helped make me." "High Times was founded in 1974 and taken over by a private equity group in 2017." New York Times. "Our goal is to rebuild the voice of authenticity that defined High Times' legacy, to cut through the controversy of inaccurate information, create a truly cross-generational community, and restore High Times to its rightful place as an international beacon of counterculture," Josh Kesselman added. "And most importantly? HAVE FUN while doing it." An additional $1.85 million has already been pumped to support kickstarting the magazine and to cover the additional costs including trademark fees and digitizing High Time's extensive archive of content. Kesselman and Stang also plan to introduce licensing deals to create High Times products. Kesselman and Stang also plan to introduce licensing deals to create High Times products, including the famous High Times T-shirts, rolling papers through RAW, and connect their readers with cannabis social media influencers according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. High Times will soon be relaunched as a comprehensive platform serving as a hub for information and connection, mixing legacy with modern relevance. Plans include: Relaunching the print magazine in limited-run, collectible editions. Reintroducing the iconic Cannabis Cup event series, with third-party judging and zero pay-to-play involvement, returning legitimacy to the industry's most revered competition. Rebuilding the digital platform to host a curated network of cannabis podcasts, experts and community voices. Commemorating the brand's 50-year legacy and heralding the future of free thinking. Protecting the truth of the power of the plant. To view the source version of this press release, please visit
Globe and Mail
02-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Josh Kesselman, HBI Innovations Founder, Featured in Wall Street Journal Piece on High Times Purchase
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 2, 2025) - Josh Kesselman, who founded HBI innovations, recently spoke with the Wall Street Journal about his purchase of the iconic counterculture publication, High Times. Kesselman is partnering with Matt Stang, former High Times co-owner, to revive the print version of the magazine, with special-edition releases and relaunching the flagship Cannabis Cup pot competition. "The old High Times, the monetization one, had to be completely destroyed down to the ashes. That way of thinking had to go away," Kesselman said. Former High Times co-owner Matt Stang with Josh Kesselman, who paid $3.5 million for the High Times intellectual property rights. PHOTO: BIG FREEZY Josh Kesselman, who founded RAW® rolling papers, paid $3.5 million for the High Times intellectual property rights. Kesselman and Stang also intend to roll out licensing deals to create High Times products, including rolling papers through RAW, and create community by connecting readers with cannabis social media influencers. The Wall Street Journal wrote, "Kesselman is candid about the magazine's prospects in an era of fractured media attention: He expects the magazine to lose money initially. He just hopes to pick up enough business with die-hard marijuana enthusiasts to eventually break even, he said." The article also reported that Kesselman, "has already pumped an additional $1.85 million into jump-starting the magazine, covering costs including trademark fees and digitizing old content." "I know typically in business people have this whole plan," Kesselman said. "But the funny part, Matt and I always tell people, is we have no plan. The most important thing to us was to actually save High Times." The Wall Street Journal article states, "Trans-High Corp., or THC, the magazine's publisher since its 1974 founding, sold its assets to private-equity firm Oreva Capital in 2017. The new parent company, Hightimes Holding, entered into receivership in April 2024 and the website hasn't been updated in months. Its last print edition came out in September." "Kesselman, 54, was introduced to weed culture in High Times as a teen, when marijuana was illegal in the U.S., stashing a copy wrapped in brown paper away from his parents." The decision to bring back High Times' print issue by Kesselman and Stang is in line with a recent trend of publications expanding or reviving their print operations, including the Atlantic, the Onion and the Tablet. Read the full article here. Source: Grasslands
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Josh Kesselman, HBI Innovations Founder, Featured in Wall Street Journal Piece on High Times Purchase
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 2, 2025) - Josh Kesselman, who founded HBI innovations, recently spoke with the Wall Street Journal about his purchase of the iconic counterculture publication, High Times. Kesselman is partnering with Matt Stang, former High Times co-owner, to revive the print version of the magazine, with special-edition releases and relaunching the flagship Cannabis Cup pot competition. "The old High Times, the monetization one, had to be completely destroyed down to the ashes. That way of thinking had to go away," Kesselman said. Former High Times co-owner Matt Stang with Josh Kesselman, who paid $3.5 million for the High Times intellectual property rights. PHOTO: BIG FREEZY Josh Kesselman, who founded RAW® rolling papers, paid $3.5 million for the High Times intellectual property rights. Kesselman and Stang also intend to roll out licensing deals to create High Times products, including rolling papers through RAW, and create community by connecting readers with cannabis social media influencers. The Wall Street Journal wrote, "Kesselman is candid about the magazine's prospects in an era of fractured media attention: He expects the magazine to lose money initially. He just hopes to pick up enough business with die-hard marijuana enthusiasts to eventually break even, he said." Kesselman plans to, "revive the publication that was a voice of counterculture for decades." The article also reported that Kesselman, "has already pumped an additional $1.85 million into jump-starting the magazine, covering costs including trademark fees and digitizing old content." "I know typically in business people have this whole plan," Kesselman said. "But the funny part, Matt and I always tell people, is we have no plan. The most important thing to us was to actually save High Times." The Wall Street Journal article states, "Trans-High Corp., or THC, the magazine's publisher since its 1974 founding, sold its assets to private-equity firm Oreva Capital in 2017. The new parent company, Hightimes Holding, entered into receivership in April 2024 and the website hasn't been updated in months. Its last print edition came out in September." "Kesselman, 54, was introduced to weed culture in High Times as a teen, when marijuana was illegal in the U.S., stashing a copy wrapped in brown paper away from his parents." The decision to bring back High Times' print issue by Kesselman and Stang is in line with a recent trend of publications expanding or reviving their print operations, including the Atlantic, the Onion and the Tablet. Read the full article here. Contact: Alexa OliphantEmail: alexa@ Source: Grasslands To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Josh Kesselman, Founder of HBI Innovations and Raw Rolling Papers Featured in MSN Writeup on Victory at the End of 9-Year Legal Battle
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - June 24, 2025) - Josh Kesselman, who founded HBI Innovations, was recently featured in an MSN writeup about the end of HBI's 9-year legal battle against Republic Tobacco. HBI Innovations is the independent provider of high-quality rolling papers and smoking innovations, widely known for its RAW® brand of rolling papers. Kesselman founded RAW in 2005. "RAW is here to stay, we love what we do and there is no amount of money they could offer us that we would trade this love and passion for," said Kesselman. "Large mega-corporations often try to buy out competitors or sue them into submission, but we survived the gauntlet and are stronger and wiser for having gone through it." The MSN feature highlights the decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which rejected Republic Tobacco's appeal and upheld the 2021 jury verdict. That ruling found that Republic Tobacco and its OCB® brand had willfully infringed RAW®'s trade dress and advertising design used for their RAW ® Organic Hemp rolling paper products - a key element in RAW's unique brand identity. The Court's ruling affirmed the jury's verdict that Republic willfully replicated RAW ®'s trade dress and ad design for its OCB® Organic Hemp product and that RAW's brand integrity and product design remain protected under copyright law. MSN's piece outlined HBI's statement on the ruling where Josh Kesselman noted that all of the net award proceeds - totaling in the high six figures - were donated through the RAW Giving initiative to various charitable groups from social justice organizations to animal rescues with a goal of helping uplift people that were negatively impacted by cannabis laws. The MSN article also included trial exhibits that demonstrated the similarity of the companies' trade dress: Trial Exhibit. Trial Exhibit. Trial Exhibit. The full article can be read here. Contact: Alexa OliphantEmail: alexa@ Website: Source: Grasslands To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
