Cannabis wholesaler Rev Brands celebrated this week teaming up with former Boston Red Sox great David Ortiz, aka “Big Papi,” to produce an Ortiz-curated line of wellness products: Papi Cannabis. The launch party for Ortiz’s new brand came just a day after Sox’s mighty designated hitter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 24.
Papi Cannabis will be manufactured by Rev Brands, which operates in Massachusetts only, and sold throughout the state. The companies’ first release will be Sweet Sluggers — pre-rolled blunts featuring Ortiz’s choice strains rolled in wrappers produced with tea leaves and hemp. The THC teammates plan to expand the line later this summer with vapes and edibles and specially curated accessories by Big Papi.
David Ortiz, right, who took home three World Series rings with the Boston Red Sox, visits Rev Brands’ cannabis facility in Massachusetts. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAPI CANNABIS/REV BRANDS
The three-time World Series winner curated his line with a focus on wellness, stemming from Ortiz’s’ personal battles with pain and stress on the playing field.
“In my case, I was a guy who used to go through a lot of pain—I retired because the pain was crazy,” Ortiz told Northshore Magazine. It was through a friend’s recommendation that Big Papi first took a swing at cannabis to find the relief from his suffering.
Ortiz joins fellow names in sports who have entered the cannabis arena championing its benefits for both athletes and weekend duffers, including heavyweight fighter Mike Tyson (Tyson 2.0), the NBA’s Al Harrington (Viola) and John Salley (Deuces 22) and the NFL’s Joe Montana (Caliva). Like the others who have endured the punishment of professional athleticism, Ortiz says cannabis has brought him mental and physical healing through better sleep, stress management and pain relief.
“I’m a huge believer in medical cannabis and the power of healing. I retired six years ago and cannabis has been amazing for me, for my pain relief, my stress. Once I embraced the flow of the flower everything changed,” said Ortiz. “I look forward to sharing Papi Cannabis and my personal journey to help people understand its benefits.”
Vertically integrated in a shoe factory
Rev Brands works in partnership in cannabis entrepreneurs as a grower, extractor and packager producing wholesale cannabis and white-label products. Partners are supported by marketing campaigns and exposure driven by Rev Brands’ social media influencers — and now the fame of Boston’s 541-homerun hitter.
The company raises and processes its cannabis in a historic shoe factory in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The self-contained facility contains 40 grow rooms to prevent cross-contamination outfitted with geothermal water-cooled LED lights, automated irrigation systems and perma-therm walls to keep out contaminants and cross pollination. The company says every bud is manicured to remove small sugar leaves and inconsistencies that can compromise the smell, taste and THC levels.
Ortiz explained he chose Rev Brands as the producer for his line based on the brand’s attention to detail and creating exactly the cannabis experience he was looking for during the development process. “Before we started growing, they wanted to know what my feelings are, what I’m looking for,” Ortiz said. Customized packaging created by Rev Brands even allowed for the personal touch of Sweet Sluggers featuring artwork by Ortiz’s daughter, Alexandra.
“We are thrilled that David chose Rev Brands to work with him on this very special product line. David was extremely involved in the development process and selected some of his favorite strains,” says Tom Schneider, chief marketing officer of Revolutionary Clinics. “It’s been incredible to learn about David’s cannabis journey and the benefits he’s experienced far beyond just recreational use.”