After launching Goldfinch, our first cannabis retail concept, Madwell Ventures set its sights higher: building a truly New Jersey cannabis brand—fully vertically integrated, licensable, and, most importantly, cool. With the state’s tight restrictions keeping quality low and access even lower, the opportunity to stand out was huge.

Once we secured one of New Jersey’s rare manufacturing licenses along with strains from the legendary Archive Seed Bank in Oregon, we created DiscoFries™: a brand built to be New Jersey’s first vertically integrated cannabis brand.

For the brand identity, we pulled from the gritty charm of the local art scene, crafting a look designed to draw people in. This wasn’t something to hide in a drawer but rather was something a want to show off and display. We also built in room for the brand to evolve, turning our packaging into a rotating gallery for local artists through limited-edition runs.

The Retail Concept:

We wanted the in-store experience to be just as memorable as the product, and set it apart from the dingy, dank dispensaries dotting the state. Our goal: make it feel inviting and exciting, premium, but never pretentious. Most importantly, make it feel New Jersey.

Taking cues from the brand’s namesake, we leaned into classic diner architecture to create a retail space that felt iconic, stylish, yet immediately comfortable.

Building upon our learnings from our Goldfinch, we created a retail flow to serve both seasoned enthusiasts and first-timers equally, carrying over concepts such as the dedicated flower bar and merchandise display.