THE EQUALITY ISSUE
“Bringing happiness is the ultimate goal of the brand, which radiates good vibes and positivity.”
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A FAMILY AFFAIR
Co-founder Sandip “Sunny” Saini in the company’s producer/processor facility in Bellingham, Wash.
THE STORY OF THE SINGH’S, THE FAMILY OF INDIAN IMMIGRANTS BEHIND THE KHUSH KUSH BRAND
The Singh family story is one of both great sacrifice and great success. The moral of their story, however, is singular: When you believe in something, you do whatever it takes to make it happen – whether it’s fighting for the freedom of your people, starting a new life as an immigrant to give your family a better future, or pioneering an industry ripe with oppression. In this case, that industry was Cannabis, and the success story is Khush Kush. HOW DID one family go from convenience store to Cannabis farm? Surjit Singh and his son Sandip Saini, known to most as Sunny, realized a grow-op could be their route to achieving the American dream … but the vision wasn’t always so clear. Flashback to Singh’s upbringing in Punjab, harvesting rice under the blazing Indian sun on his family’s farm before immigrating to the United States in 1989 at the age of 25. The rest of the family followed suit in 1995, landing in the town of Bellingham where they purchased a failing gas station shortly after. Singh transformed the space into a convenience store that quickly became not only profitable, but a go-to spot for the local Indian community. Stocked with familiar spices and festive Bollywood movies, it was a welcome addition to the recent influx of South Asian immigrants in the greater Bellingham area. While the newfound success of the store afforded the family a comfort-
JUNE 2022
able middle-class life, Surjit knew he wanted more. When Washington legalized Cannabis in 2012, he finally had an idea of where that “more” could come from. When he first presented the concept to his son, Sunny assumed it was a joke. Growing up in a conservative Indian family, Cannabis was considered taboo at best. So just what made Surjit look at the open plot of land available behind the convenience store and think: Let’s start a Cannabis grow? “My dad is a serial entrepreneur and knows opportunity when he sees it,” says Sunny. Once they realized Surjit was serious, the whole family quickly got on board. Sunny left his job in the Northeast with ESPN to return home and build the business alongside his father. “I had a great career, but I was always working for somebody else. There’s that inherent need to do something for yourself that’s meaningful and can evolve into something much bigger than you ever anticipated. Cannabis is the indus-
