Manufacturing Success: Lucas Nelson of Bud & Mary’s
Bud & Mary’s has quickly become a recognizable name in Missouri’s cannabis market, known for quality, consistency, and thoughtful innovation.
In this edition of Manufacturing Success, Greenway spoke with Group President Lucas Nelson about his journey into cannabis, the company’s expansion, and what’s ahead.
Lucas Nelson grew up in Evansville, Indiana, before heading to college at Saint Louis University and later transferring to James Madison University in Virginia, where he earned his accounting degree. He went on to earn a law degree from Indiana University and began his career practicing transactional law in Louisville, Kentucky.
Nelson’s entry into the cannabis space came after relocating to Des Moines to work for his family’s company, Kemin Industries. The timing aligned closely with the passage of Iowa’s first cannabis legislation, and Nelson helped draft the company’s license application. That effort would ultimately lead to the creation of Bud & Mary’s.
“I started my career practicing law, focusing on transactional work like leases, property sales, and financing. When I moved to Des Moines, I joined our family’s company, Kemin Industries, intending to work within the legal department. Coincidentally, the day I started, May 1, 2017, was right around the same day Iowa’s first cannabis legislation was passed by the legislature. I helped draft our application. After we won the license, we knew we had to spin out what became Bud & Mary’s.”
“I’ve since overseen our expansion from Iowa into Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, and now Missouri. Outside the business, I serve on the board of Easterseals Iowa and will be chairing their upcoming annual gala alongside my wife. Giving back has always been core to our family values, and working with Easterseals has been a powerful way to connect Bud & Mary’s to the broader community.”
Today, Nelson lives in Des Moines with his wife, a law firm partner, and their nearly three-year-old daughter. A self-described lifelong sports fan, he spends his free time on the golf course or basketball court, and traveling with his family in search of the spiciest food they can find.
How did you initially get involved in cannabis?
“It started with writing the Iowa medical license application, which gave me a 360-degree view of what it would take to launch a successful cannabis company. At the time, my grandmother was struggling with knee pain and used our NUO product to provide relief. Eventually, my grandfather used our product. So, it wasn’t just a business. It was deeply personal. Like many people in this industry, there’s a real emotional connection to why we do this.”
“We saw our role in founding Bud & Mary’s as an opportunity to create a safe, regulated alternative to the illicit market, especially in Iowa, where we helped set the tone for how the state rolled out access. It felt meaningful to do it right, in our home state, and set the standard from the start.”
What does cannabis mean to you, and what makes you passionate about it?
“Cannabis gives us a new approach, not a new plant, but a new method for delivering beneficial molecules to people who can truly use them. That’s exciting, especially coming from a science-first background at Kemin.”
“One of our core beliefs is that nature creates more complex and powerful compounds than we can often synthesize in a lab. With cannabis, we finally have access to a plant that’s been off-limits for decades, and we are committed to studying it the right way, for the long term.”
“That is why we have invested in securing a DEA Schedule I research license in Colorado. We want to understand cannabis at the molecular level, to uncover what it can and can’t do, and how it might improve lives, not just this year or next, but for decades. That long-term commitment is a hallmark of being a multi-generational family business.”
In your opinion, what’s the best way to consume cannabis?
“I love our Batch vapes; we have our Signature and Flavors lines. The Batch vape options are incredibly versatile and a great example of how we think about innovation: delivering molecules in a way that is accessible for a wide range of people, including those who might have consumption limitations.”
What products or brands does Bud & Mary’s produce?
“Bud & Mary’s produces a portfolio of high-quality cannabis products across multiple markets, with Batch as our flagship brand. Batch is a premium vape line built on quality and consistency, featuring advanced hardware and flavorful, reliable oil formulations. In addition to Batch, Bud & Mary’s develops other product lines, including TheMyx, a dissolvable edible, and NUO, a topical, tailored to state-specific regulations, all driven by our commitment to innovation, safety, and patient access.”
“In Missouri, Bud & Mary’s produces and distributes a variety of SKUs under Batch, our flagship line of premium vape cartridges. Each flavor is formulated to deliver a consistent, flavor-forward, and effect-driven experience, paired with top-tier hardware for smooth, reliable performance.”
View the current lineup at budmary.com/mo
Tell me about the process, or processes, used to create your products.
“We test everything extensively, from oil to hardware. We evaluate hundreds of devices under real-world conditions to ensure they won’t clog, degrade flavor, or fail. On the oil side, whether we extract in-house or source externally, we verify against strict specs and conduct independent testing. Every formulation is crafted for both flavor and effect, and our ultimate goal is consistency across all our markets.”
What’s the biggest challenge you face in manufacturing?
“Ensuring consistency in a fragmented industry. Testing methods can vary significantly between labs, which complicates quality control. That is why we verify results ourselves. Another challenge is educating consumers and dispensaries on why our approach, especially around quality, formulation, and hardware, matters.”
What are you doing to keep up with increased demand?
“It all comes down to planning. We are hyper-focused on forecasting, managing inputs, and creating strong feedback loops between sales and production. It is a challenge, especially for a lean team, but being agile and transparent helps us stay ahead.”
What goes into selecting which cultivars you use to create products?
“It is part art, part science. We look at consumer trends in Missouri and across our other markets, then mix that with internal testing and feedback. We aim to offer variety, both the staples and what’s next, so everyone can find something that resonates.”
What makes your products unique in this space?
“Hardware and formulation. We put serious effort into terpene blending to balance flavor and effect. When you pair that with best-in-class hardware, it creates a consistent, elevated experience.”
What’s your top-performing product in Missouri?
“Our Batch cart in the Goodness Grapecious flavor is currently the top seller, with Dazzleberry a close second. Grape-forward flavor profiles are resonating strongly right now.”
What’s your personal favorite product?
“The Batch Peachy Keen is my favorite. It has a clean, uplifting peach flavor that just hits the spot.”
What lessons have you learned from day 1 to now?
“Resilience and purpose are everything. This industry is hard. Really hard. And if you don’t have a mission behind what you’re doing, it will wear you down. Also, stay open to new ideas and collaborations. Cannabis is still a small, evolving world, and relationships matter. My grandfather always said to surround yourself with smart people. That mindset has guided how we’ve built Bud & Mary’s.”
What’s ahead for Bud & Mary’s in 2025?
“More flavor drops, and some fun new product formats for the Missouri market. We are excited to keep evolving and delivering new experiences to our customers.”
Parting wisdom or additional thoughts?
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this industry, it’s that you have to lead with purpose and be ready to adapt. Cannabis is full of highs and lows, and without a clear mission, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos. At Bud & Mary’s, we stay grounded in our values: consistency, quality, and doing right by our patients and customers.”
“Also, this industry is still surprisingly small. Relationships matter. Staying open to collaboration, surrounding yourself with smart, thoughtful people, and being willing to evolve are the keys to longevity. We’re in this for the long haul, and we’re excited about what’s ahead.”
