"I wanted to change the way people saw cannabis," says Jessica VerSteeg. A model, entrepreneur, and formerly, Miss Iowa, VerSteeg is the mastermind behind AuBox (Au as in the element of gold), a San Francisco-based cannabis subscription box that launched in early January.
From sativa-infused coffee, to handcrafted THC marshmallow peeps and hemp face creams, the assortment of products offered in one of the first ever cannabis subscription boxes runs the gamut.
The mission? To market luxury cannabis goods so that, "it doesn't feel like an 18 year-old stoner just sent you something marked with pot leaves," VerSteeg jokes. "I love Whole Foods. I love Neiman Marcus. I drive a Tesla. I like nice things," and AuBox is no exception. The carefully curated box is perfectly packaged and embossed with a signature gold seal, "as if you maybe just got something from Nordstrom."
The mission? To market luxury cannabis goods so that, "it doesn't feel like an 18 year-old stoner just sent you something marked with pot leaves."
AuBox's contents? They're top notch, too. Not just any old pot brownies, VerSteeg wanted cannabis-infused goods with certified labeling and nutrition facts. "I want research done on all of my products and I make sure all of the companies we use send me lab tests. For the people in this community who want to be responsible, I wanted to give them that."
VerSteeg is always on the hunt for innovative products through local SF vendors. So who makes the cut? "Packaging is really important and then I get to know the brand, find out how long they've been around, and make sure they all have proper documentation."
If you weren't already intrigued, Au Beauty Box (along with Intimates Box, Man Box, and Pet Box) is slated to launch later this year. Skin elixirs, shampoos, conditioners, and bath balms are just a few of the goodies available to subscribers, touting anti-inflammatory properties that benefit the skin. "My bathroom is filled with everything, but ever since I found cannabis-infused beauty, I'm hooked."
For now, all of AuBox's deliveries are done through a courier service in California due to federal regulations. Eventually, the goal is to open up to other states. "I want to be like the Amazon of cannabis," VerSteeg says. We say: all right, all right, all right.
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