Grower Stories #78: Keenan Hollister

Tia Moskalenko, author of the AskGrowers blog, brings a unique blend of content to her readers. She is known for conducting insightful interviews with key figures in the cannabis industry, including brand representatives, manufacturers, and experts. In addition to her interview skills, Tia has a keen focus on CBD. She expertly curates product selections and reviews, offering her readers detailed insights into the various effects and benefits of CBD. Tia's ability to combine in-depth interviews with comprehensive CBD analysis makes her a valuable asset to the cannabis community, offering a well-rounded perspective on the industry.

Published

Apr 18 2021

Updated

Oct 22 2023

Interviews

380

5 min

Family Roots: An Interview With Keenan Hollister, Founder of Alaska-Based Pakalolo Supply Company

When it comes to the cannabis industry, it’s a family-run operation for Alaska-based cannabis brand Pakalolo Supply Company. Founded by a family of cannabis lovers and medical patients, the brand was one of the first of its kind in The Last Frontier. That’s why AskGrowers sat down with Keenan Hollister, the founder of Alaska-based Pakalolo Supply Company about the origins of the brand, the challenges of growing in Alaska, and the future of the industry.

Tia (AskGrowers) : Tell us your origin story! How did you guys get started?

Keenan Hollister : Back in 2014 here in Alaska, my family had already been looking into cannabis as medicine. My little sister has epilepsy and has seizures, so my family has always been cannabis-friendly. In fact, my Dad used to be a grower himself back in the day. So as the conversations started happening for my sister around the idea of medical cannabis, we all kind of opened up to one another about our personal use.

Once everyone was comfortable and out in the open about their feelings for cannabis, growing, and such, it all came full circle for us. It only made sense for my Dad to get back into the business with his kids!

Pakalolo Supply Company products picture

Tia : What is it like to be a cannabis brand in Alaska? What are the major difficulties?

Keenan : While we might not have the population of somewhere like California, we actually ended up legalizing before them! We’ve been doing this here legally since 2016 and our brand was actually the first in the state to make a legal sale of cannabis. We were the first licensed cultivator to get their plants growing, the first harvest, the first company with a product to sell.

As far as brands in Alaska go, we’re probably the most established. We’ve been doing it longer than anyone and we just want to make the best cannabis possible and put out the best for our customers.

Tia : What problems did you face at the beginning of your development and what is stopping you now?

Keenan : The indoor growing, obviously since we’re in Alaska, and the energy requirements are the biggest challenges we face.

Tia : Tell us what sustainable methods do you use in your work?

Keenan : Our goal is always to close the loop and be as sustainable as possible. We know that the cannabis industry can be very high waste, so we try our best to be as eco-friendly as possible.

We grow indoors, using LED lights, and just try to stay as conscious as possible of our footprint. We really care about that and love taking care of the environment.

We make sure to use organic, sustainable growing practices, keep our waste-water salt and artificial fertilizer free, and focus on naturally growing all of our products.

Tia : Do you personally use cannabis? Do you have any product and brand preferences?

Keenan : I’ve been doing a lot of infused drinks recently. Cold brews, lemonades, and such. I like them because they hit your system a bit faster than the standard edible or smoking!

Tia : What values does your company adhere to?

Keenan : Natural growing practices, protecting the environment, diversity of backgrounds and people, and overall sustainability. We have a very diverse crew and we love that here at Pakalolo.

Tia : Please share your wildest predictions for the Alaska cannabis industry for the next five years.

Keenan : The industry here, and nationwide, is consistently growing. New people are trying and loving cannabis all the time. We see new people come into our stores daily, people that are brand new to the legal cannabis industry.

So as it’s legalizing, more and more people are entering the industry and expanding their minds.

And here in Alaska, we recently approved in-location use! So we’re expecting cannabis cafes, lounges, and coffee shops to start opening up over the next few years.

Tia : Do you have any favorite brands in Alaska? Now is the time to give them a shout-out!

Keenan : Yeah totally! Green Life Products in Las Vegas grow in the same ways we do for longer than us. They’ve been a huge inspiration for us. Since we got started we’ve been watching them grow and progress faster than us. I’m a big fan of them.

Here in Alaska, I love Midnight Sun Concentrates. Their oil pens and such are great. Goldfield in Seattle as well! I always make sure to check out their newest, latest, and greatest stuff whenever I travel up that way.

Tia : If you could have a chance to smoke with anyone in this world, dead or alive, who would that be and why? :)

Keenan : Oh man, that’s a tough one. I just recently watched that new Woody Harrellson doc, and he’s a major cannabis advocate. Sharing a joint with him would be amazing.

And, even though it might be kinda cliche, [tooltip title="Robert Nesta Marley" content="Singer, musician, songwriter and one of the pioneers of reggae."]Bob Marley[/tooltip] would be a great choice! I love reggae and would love to burn one down with the Godfather of this whole thing!

You can follow Pakalolo Supply at:

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Thank you so much, Pakalolo Supply team, for taking the time to do the interview. To learn more about them, head on over to their website.

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