At a glance
Vertical is a California cannabis operator founded in the mid-2010s around cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, brand development and distribution. Historical profiles identify Agoura Hills as its headquarters and Needles as a key production location. Its public footprint is much thinner today than during its 2018–2020 expansion period.
Founders and leadership
Contemporary coverage identifies Todd Kaplan as founder and chief executive, Courtney Dorne as president of Vertical Brands and beverage executive Smoke Wallin as a partner and president overseeing distribution, sales and marketing. Wallin later led the separately structured Vertical Wellness hemp and CBD business. Those entities share history but should not be treated as one current company.
Integrated operating model
Vertical described a seed-to-sale platform spanning cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, co-packing, compliance, brand building and distribution. In 2019 it said strategy centered on brands rather than owning a large retail chain. That model explains the name, but current licenses and facilities should be verified directly because older profiles reference temporary licenses and plans.
Brands and products
Historical interviews claimed a portfolio of roughly 35 launched or planned cannabis brands across flower, vapes, concentrates, edibles and related formats. Public examples included Trees by Game and brand-development partnerships. The present official site does not expose a complete, auditable current catalog, so archived portfolio size is not presented as a live SKU count.
California cannabis versus hemp
Vertical's THC operations were California-centered, while Vertical Wellness built hemp cultivation and CBD manufacturing in Kentucky and pursued national wellness distribution. The hemp arm's partners included Kathy Ireland brands. Federal hemp status and state cannabis licensing follow different rules; consumers and researchers must distinguish the product entity on labels and filings.
Expansion history
In 2018 Vertical announced a $5 million Kentucky hemp facility plan and in 2019 discussed California, Arizona and Kentucky activity. Trade interviews described a 90,000-square-foot hemp manufacturing site and brand rollouts, but these were period-specific company statements. They do not establish that every facility or market remains active today.
Leadership transitions and disputes
Vertical Wellness later pursued a public-company merger, while historical court filings document disputes involving former business participants and allegations about Vertical's representations. Allegations in a complaint are not findings of fact, but their existence is material context when reconstructing a company with limited current disclosure.
Awards and evidence limits
No reliable current award ledger or competition record was found for the parent Vertical brand. Trade press recognized its integrated ambition and executives' beverage experience, but recognition is not the same as product awards. The profile therefore avoids repeating legacy claims such as largest, first or national leader without current licensing evidence.
Research basis and limits
This profile uses the live company site, 2018 Kentucky announcement, 2019–2020 executive interviews, an independent company snapshot, Vanderbilt coverage and public litigation documents. Founders and historical model are supported. Current ownership, licenses, active brands, revenue, stores and facilities remain insufficiently disclosed and are explicitly not guessed.