Built the Cookies cannabis empire from the ground up into a $1B+ global brand — a complete independent retail empire.
Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr., known as Berner, grew up in San Francisco's Mission District. Starting as a Bay Area rapper with strong street ties, Berner co-founded Cookies — the cannabis brand — with legendary cultivator Jai Chang. What began as a strain has become a global empire: over 65 retail locations worldwide, international licensing deals, apparel, accessories, and a cultural cache that rivals Nike in cannabis culture. Berner structured Cookies as an independent brand, retaining majority equity and refusing traditional private equity buyouts that would have diluted his control. He is arguably the most successful independent entrepreneur to emerge from hip-hop culture's intersection with cannabis.
Co-founded Cookies as an independent cannabis brand without VC dilution
Scaled to 65+ retail locations through licensing and franchising models
Built Cookies apparel as a standalone streetwear brand
Used music as a marketing vehicle — not the primary revenue source
Retained majority equity by rejecting external buyout offers