LEVIA Returns to Founder Control Following Massachusetts Regulatory Approval

Popular cannabis beverage brand LEVIA is returning to the control of its founders after the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission approved a change-of-control request late last month. The decision clears the way for Kristin and Eric Rogers, through their company Tandem Tonic, to take back ownership of the cannabis beverage brand from Ayr Wellness and begin rebuilding the company they launched in 2021.

“This is a deeply personal milestone for us,” Kristin Rogers, co-founder of LEVIA and CEO of Tandem Tonic, Inc., said in a statement from the company. “This brand was born in our garage from a belief in the power of cannabis to break stigma and provide a healthier social alternative.”

“We are incredibly grateful to our employees, retail partners, and consumers who have supported LEVIA throughout its journey,” she continued. “With this approval, we are excited to build the next chapter, focused on innovation, operational excellence, and expanding access to fast-acting, effects-based beverages.”

Founders Regain Control of the Brand They Created

The reacquisition brings LEVIA back to the couple who created it after years of development and an early run of strong consumer demand. In an online interview with IgniteIt, the couple shared more details about regaining control of the brand they established. Eric said the original sale to Ayr in 2022 was never their preferred path, but reflected the pressures they faced once the brand took off. 

“We as original founders actually never really wanted to sell in the first place,” he said. “We were really excited to be at the beginning, at the starting gate of what this could be.” 

Investor expectations and the promise of rapid expansion made the deal with Ayr seem like the right move at the time. As the market evolved, however, the Rogers reevaluated the decision.

Publicly traded cannabis companies struggled with stalled federal reform, limited access to capital, and shrinking margins. Kristin said the speed of the downturn caught nearly everyone off guard. 

“I am not sure anyone could have foreseen what happened within the year of getting acquired,” she said. “All of these giant MSOs had a decision to make, and it was not putting more money, more capex, into long term growth of brands, which was really tough.” 

As Ayr pulled back, Kristin and Eric began discussing how to keep LEVIA from losing ground.

Popular Brand Struggled for Attention Post-Acquisition

Inside a large portfolio of brands, beverages can be difficult to maintain. They require more storage space, more frequent deliveries, and more operational attention than most product categories. Eric said the brand struggled to get the focus it needed. 

“We were kind of withering on the vine,” he said. “We started to get lost in a broader product set. Beverages pose unique challenges, so for us the opportunity was a return to excellence.” 

That meant rebuilding relationships with retailers and restoring the consistency that helped LEVIA stand out when it first launched.

The company spent much of last year doing exactly that. LEVIA gained shelf space in 125 additional dispensaries in 2025, bringing its total to 250 across Massachusetts. The renewed presence has also generated interest from outside the state. 

LEVIA Eyes Brand Expansion

As they look ahead, the Rogers plan to grow LEVIA through both regulated markets and hemp-derived channels, but with clear separation between the two. Eric said the company remains committed to regulated cannabis, supported by its own manufacturing infrastructure. Hemp products will serve a different purpose. 

“We are not commingling our hemp product versus our regulated product in the same market,” he said. Instead, hemp will help introduce the brand in states where regulated cannabis is not yet available.

With the reacquisition complete, the founders say they are focused on innovation, operational discipline, and expanding access to their line of infused beverages. After several years of uncertainty, they now have the freedom to steer LEVIA’s direction themselves.