Cameron Clarke, Co-Founder and CEO of KANHA Gummies – Interview Series

Along with the smokeless and odorless aspects of cannabis gummies, this particular product type presents the opportunity to prominently feature cannabinoids, such as CBN and CBG, that aren’t as prevalent in flower and concentrate brands.

Mycannabis.com had the pleasure of speaking with Cameron Clarke, Co-Founder and CEO of KANHA Gummies, who, notably, boasts experience in various other fields, including research technology for courtrooms and more. For more information about the KAHNA brand and how one goes from courtroom technology to cannabis edibles, read on.

 So what subjects and specialties in electrical engineering did you primarily study at Stanford? Did you ever envision you’d eventually go from such a prestigious university to operating an internationally known cannabis gummy brand?

I initially focused on software engineering, which was my passion at the time. It was an exciting era—the rise of the personal computer—and I was also driven by a desire to be an entrepreneur. Back then, plant medicines were far from my understanding, so the transition to cannabis over the past few decades has been fascinating.

What I find most remarkable is that all of my life experiences seem to have led me here. My passion for nutrition sparked an interest in the healing power of plants. Three years of travel through indigenous communities, numerous encounters with shamanic traditions, and my experience building a national CPG brand with the Acai berry from the Brazilian Amazon (AMZN ) all contributed to this path. These journeys have given me a deep appreciation and understanding of the transformative power of cannabis.

Before founding Visionary Information Systems Inc., what experiences in entrepreneurship and software engineering did you have?

My first company was Delphi, which was an international trading business, primarily selling steel from Eastern Europe to North America. This experience gave me a global perspective, which made it easier to expand KANHA into international markets.

How did courtrooms and attorneys alike utilize the Visionary Information Systems platform, and what courtroom duties did the software expedite?

The VISI system was revolutionary for its time. It allowed lawyers to easily access and display deposition videos, documents, and transcripts during trials in ways that had never been possible before. This software was even used in cases involving hundreds of millions of dollars.

When did you make the professional switch from software development to biology research and biotech? What catalyzed this professional change?

I have always loved science and engineering, so when I heard in the late aughts that DNA manipulation was getting easier and easier, I jumped on the bandwagon studying Synthetic Biology at home, and signed up a few years later at the first biohacker space in Sunnyvale, California. At that time, the concept behind “Synthetic Biology” was that you could design biological systems to operate like software. My software engineering background was a perfect fit for this concept, and it was an exciting time in the molecular biology field.

When would you say was the moment you decided to create KANHA, and what were some influencing factors in that decision?

I was working in my hackerspace lab in San Diego, engineering algae to produce high-value compounds for cleaning dirty water. One day, a friend came over and showed me a small CO2 extractor he had purchased to extract oil from cannabis. I was blown away by the technology, as I had been thinking about using a similar approach to crack algae cells.

After reflecting on it for a day, I called a few friends—including my old college housemate, with whom I had always bonded over our love of plant medicines—and told him that cannabis was about to explode because I realized that with extracted oil, you can make a wide variety of products. We quickly put a team together, and within a couple of months, we had a business plan and were raising money to build our production lab.

That sparked the birth of KANHA in late 2015 and early 2016. From the beginning, we knew we wanted to do it differently: with intention, scientific rigor, safety, consistency, and a deep respect for the plant. Those principles still shape how we approach everything we do today – and always will.

What are the most cornerstone values of the KANHA brand, and what is the significance of that name?

At KANHA, our cornerstone values are purity, consistency, transparency, and joy — and at the heart of all of them is our unwavering commitment to clean. We were one of the first cannabis edible brands to put “clean” at the forefront, long before it became a buzzword. For us, it means formulating products with all-natural ingredients, zero artificial flavors or colors, and rigorously testing every batch and ensuring that each gummy is free of pesticides, heavy metals, and microbials, with accurate potency. Our gummies are precisely dosed and made in state-of-the-art facilities that meet the highest food safety standards, because consumers deserve the same level of quality and accountability in cannabis that they expect from any wellness or food product.

This clean ethos also extends to how we show up as a brand — with honesty, integrity, and care for our community. We take pride in being transparent about our ingredients and processes, and we continuously invest in research and innovation to make our products even safer, more effective, and more aligned with our consumers’ evolving health and lifestyle goals.

The name KANHA is inspired by the Sanskrit name for Krishna — a figure associated with love, compassion, playfulness, and joy. That symbolism perfectly captures our mission: to help people feel more connected, more balanced, and more alive through the power of clean, consistent, elevated cannabis experiences.

How did you successfully market the brand across multiple states that are very distant from one another? Was it more challenging to release the brand in one state over another?

From day one, we believed that controlling our process in every state was the key to building a consistent, trusted brand. That’s why we never license our brand or formulations—instead, we build and manufacture in our own facilities in each new market. This approach allows us to maintain the same high standards for quality, clean ingredient sourcing, batch testing, and production protocols no matter where we operate. We never compromise on the quality and we never ship anything that doesn’t meet our rigorous standards.

So, when we talk about our product being our brand, we really mean it. Consistency isn’t just about flavor or dosage—it’s about trust. Consumers know a KANHA gummy will deliver the same safe and clean experience whether they’re in California, Massachusetts, or Illinois.

However, different regulations in every state can be challenging. For example, Illinois was more strict with its advertising regulations. We weren’t allowed to use our signature tiger mascot because the state prohibits imagery that could appeal to minors, including animals and cartoons. That forced us to adapt our marketing strategy and focus on education, transparency, and age-gated digital channels—all while staying true to our core values.

But overall, recognizing that a brand is trust between a consumer and a manufacturer drives all of our marketing efforts and aligns our teams’ ethos on how we build our brand.

How did the expansion out to Thailand first begin, and how would you describe the overall state of the Thai cannabis industry? Are they using the US states as a framework, or are there major differences?

When I first visited Thailand, I saw a cannabis market that was full of energy but lacked structure. There were a lot of shops opening up, but very few recognizable brands—just loose buds in plain jars and highly questionable edibles, with little consistency or transparency. Nothing was properly labeled nor tested. It reminded me of the early days of cannabis in the U.S. and I saw a real opportunity to help shape the market in a positive way.

We knew KANHA could bring something different: a trusted, established brand with a deep commitment to clean, reliable, and precisely dosed products. By entering early and doing things the right way, we could help build credibility in a market that was still finding its footing and offer Thai consumers something they could trust.

As for the regulatory environment, it’s very different from the U.S. They didn’t have much regulation in the beginning, though that’s changing now. The truth is that the Thai cannabis industry is still evolving. There’s a lot of opportunity, but also a lot of uncertainty. That’s why we’ve approached the market thoughtfully, working with local partners, staying compliant, and being part of the conversation around responsible growth. Ultimately, we see ourselves as a wellness lifestyle brand leading consumers to live their best lives. That philosophy fits perfectly within the global cannabis markets, and we are proud to be an important driver as adoption grows. 

What is the current legal status of cannabis in Japan, and how do you think a Japanese cannabis market would operate? Since so many Japanese companies have been so incredibly innovative in so many industries, do you think Japanese cannabis companies will be equally as innovative?

Right now, CBD derived from hemp stalks is legal in Japan, while THC remains strictly prohibited. Still, there’s growing consumer interest in wellness and natural remedies, and we’re beginning to see early momentum around other cannabinoids in tightly regulated forms.

Japan also has a long-standing history of plant-based medicine, from traditional Kampo herbal remedies to natural healing practices that are still widely respected today. That cultural foundation, combined with Japan’s reputation for precision and innovation, makes me confident that when the market does evolve, Japanese cannabis companies will approach it with both intention and ingenuity.

I believe Japan will develop a cannabis industry that reflects its strengths: clean, safe, meticulously crafted products grounded in both tradition and forward-thinking innovation. It’s a market to watch closely—and one that has the potential to lead in its own unique and compelling way. But this will take some time, and we hope to be a leader in the market working towards this future. 

What are some other exciting future plans for Kanha?

We’re in an exciting period of growth. One of our top priorities is expanding into new markets—you’ll definitely see more of KANHA in new East Coast markets soon. We’re also continuing to build our global footprint, with plans to enter the European and Australian markets soon. As one of the first truly global cannabis edible brands, we have a lot of responsibility to do it right, and we are keen to show consumers how our products can change their lives.

Beyond geographic expansion, we’re constantly innovating. We have several new products and categories in the pipeline, always guided by our commitment to clean ingredients, precise dosing, and an elevated consumer experience. Whether it’s a new delivery format, a functional formulation, or a completely new category, we’re focused on staying at the forefront of what’s next in cannabis.

Thank you for joining us, Cameron! For more information on KANHA, please visit its website.