This Boston startup, Cloud Creamery, is reinventing America's favorite dessert by adding a little kick from cannabis.

There is a burgeoning marijuana industry across the nation, and it fostered plenty of cannabis-related companies and startups. But what makes Cloud Creamery stand out is its take on ice cream which it infuses with cannabis.

David Yusefzadeh, a former sous chef at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong, is the owner of the company. Before Cloud Creamery, he had never intended incorporating marijuana to his culinary dishes. But when he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, life has changed for him.

Yusefzaheh tried various treatments and medication, but ultimately found relief with cannabis. However, the lack of palatable choices propelled him to forge a career out of cannabis-infused foods.

"When I would go to dispensaries, the edibles were garbage," said Yusefzadeh for Boston Magazine. He noted he could make better brownies at home, and this sparked an idea.

Some of the flavors that Cloud Creamery plans to sell will be seasonal as the company works with farmers to source natural and sustainable ingredients for its ice cream. Most of its flavors will still be available throughout the year, however.

According to Americaninno, Cloud Creamery plans to roll out its products to dispensaries, hospitals, and medical facilities "with the goal of creating an alternate source of wellness for people seeking pain relief from auto-immune diseases and conditions."

"I think it takes people like us to push the envelope and start to do something different that really helps people. There are so many benefits," Yusefzadeh told ChowHound in 2018.

Cloud Creamery doesn't plan to sell directly to customers because getting a permit may be diffcult since their ice cream contains not just CBD (Cannabidiol) but also THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is still illegal in most states.

Currently, Cloud Creamery sells its ice creams at private events and dispensaries.

Cannabis is a booming industry in the U.S. and it's expected to grow even more in the coming years. By 2021, Inc. notes "the legal industry is expected to reach $21.6 billion."

The global market for medical cannabis is currently estimated at $150 billion (135 billion euros) and could reach $272 billion in 2028, according to Barclays Bank
The global market for medical cannabis is currently estimated at $150 billion (135 billion euros) and could reach $272 billion in 2028, according to Barclays Bank AFP / GUILLEM SARTORIO
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