PotAround is the brainchild of cannabis entrepreneurs Richard Fuller and Andrew Ward (pictured left and right of the 'Green Lady'), who started Cannabis Central (CC) in Fourways Gauteng, to launch the franchise concept 18 months ago.

There are currently 15 PotAround franchises and the duo expect to have 25 by the end of the year. They have ambitious plans to expand the footprint to 160 stores countrywide over the next five years, using this network to dominate the distribution of quality cannabis and related products in the industry.

Ward and Fuller say that a part of the franchise’s success is that outlets benefit from the group’s innovative marketing campaign as well as the variety, locations and the brand as a whole.

“Who says cannabis marketing has to be associated with peace, love and understanding? asks Ward. "

"How about extreme car racing, martial arts and extreme bike jumping? It’s not an obvious fit and that’s why our brand exposure has grabbed public attention. It is a risk that is paying off, but we still have a fair way to go.”

PotAround’s brand icon is ‘The Green Lady’, a Ford Falcon V8 super car that made its debut last month at Kyalami Race Track. The Green lady has been entered in the Extreme Festival with five races to go.

The Green Lady concept works because Fuller,  a racing enthusiast who delights in the competitive nature of the sport, literally drives the marketing campaign. “He gets behind the wheel and I don’t think he knows where the brakes are” says Ward.

Tht may be true. Fuller won driver of the day on his debut race. It was a novelty TV moment, watching a cannabis-branded race car plastered all over the Super Sport screen!. “Hands on marketing at its best” smiles Ward.

Other elements of PotAround’s marketing is its support for boxing/martial arts and extreme moto x jumping. Fuller and Ward explain that the rationale is to appeal to younger consumers.

“The younger millennials and Gen Z’ers did not grow up in the shadow of prohibition” says Ward. “Whereas earlier generations of plant consumers put their energy into challenging an unfair system, younger people have grown up in an environment where it’s assumed plant is legal. They need to identify with new challenges that push boundaries which is why they identify with our brand – the new challenges are all about pushing oneself”.

Ward and Fuller developed the PotAround concept while setting up CC, Africa’s first dedicated ‘cannabis mall’, which gave them wide exposure to the first wave of cannabis product development.“We had access to over 2500 products at our finger tips” says Ward.

“This gave us the opportunity to see which products were the fast-movers and in demand. We saw that there was a need for quality alternative medicinal and recreational products for people from all walks of life and we developed the PotAround stock model around this”.

The  PotAround franchise is based on the private club model in that consumers sign up as members to ensure that products are restricted to those within that ‘closed loop’.

“We are very strict on compliance and ensure there is track and traceability on all products” says Ward. “We are also very strict on where products are sourced from”.

Franchise setup fees are R700 000,00, which they say provides an average return on investment in eight to 12 months and includes stock, signage and shopfittings. What they require from the franchisee is a location of at least 60 square metres and from the shop is custom designed.

“We give the franchisees a ‘white box’ to work with and then do the set-up for them. During the set up phase we provide system training and product training. The full process from signing the lease to opening their doors is approximately six weeks” says Ward.

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