Kiva Sales & Service (KSS) Signs Letter of Intent to Combine with Petalfast, Creating California's Most Powerful Cannabis Distribution Platform

The strategic combination accelerates multi-state expansion, scaling commercial capacity and leveraging proprietary technology to deliver tiered distribution solutions for brands of all sizes. 

OAKLAND, Calif., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kiva Sales & Service (KSS), the industry-leading sales and distribution agency, today announced a strategic combination with Petalfast, a prominent market leader known for its high-performance sales, distribution and retail engagement services. This landmark transaction will unite two of the most influential forces in cannabis distribution, creating a step-change in scale that enhances operational efficiency and expands market reach for supplier partners across California, Arizona and beyond.

The transaction expands commercial capacity by preserving and enhancing both teams' sales organizations, ensuring continuity for all partners. Suppliers and buyers will maintain their existing relationships without disruption while enjoying expanded capabilities and services. Long-term, this structure provides the foundation for two dedicated selling divisions organized by category segmentation, allowing each team to develop deeper expertise and sharper market positioning.

"By combining forces with Petalfast, we aren't just growing our footprint; we are building a more resilient, technology-driven engine that ensures the best cannabis products have a sustainable, professional path to consumers," said Scott Palmer, CEO and Co-Founder of KSS. "This strategic alignment will enhance service for our partners, combining best-in-class digital capabilities and talent to meet every need and deliver growth."

The resulting organization will be the most versatile partner in the market, ensuring every brand has a reliable, efficient path to the shelf. Central to the combined organization is the launch of KSS Lite, a streamlined, "no-frills" distribution tier engineered for brands that prefer to lead their own sales efforts. While KSS continues to offer its "Full Partnership" model — celebrated for deep retail collaboration and guaranteed remittance — KSS Lite provides the logistical precision and retail access of the KSS network without the full-service overhead.

KSS' digital marketplace, KSS Live, will also position the combined organization as a leading player, expanding capabilities and improving service on behalf of all partners. KSS Live boasts a 60% buyer adoption rate, making it one of the most powerful ordering platforms in the industry. For self-managed brands, the marketplace delivers visibility and buyer access typically reserved for those with large field sales teams. For full-service partners, it layers cutting-edge technology over human sales execution — an approach competitors cannot easily replicate.

Arun Kurichety, Petalfast Co-Founder and CEO, will serve as acting CEO of the combined organization following completion of the transaction.

"We are scaling with intention, ensuring that our increased market presence and keen focus on customer service translates directly into superior outcomes for the brands we represent," said Kurichety. "This transaction accelerates our path to becoming the country's top cannabis sales and distribution company."

Concurrent with the transition, Scott Palmer will lead the combined board, which will evaluate the long-term leadership needs required to build on the companies' joint success in California and Arizona, and future expansion into promising markets like New York and New Jersey.

ABOUT KIVA SALES & SERVICE

Founded after the successful launch of Kiva Confections in 2010, Kiva Sales & Service connects dispensaries throughout California with premium cannabis products, including Kiva, CLSICS, Gelato, Level, Pax, Uncle Arnie's, CANN, and Emerald Sky. An innovation incubator with a distribution network covering the entire state, KSS provides next-level support and expert logistics services from distribution to remittance. Learn more at kivasales.com.

ABOUT PETALFAST

Petalfast is a leading national sales, marketing, and distribution platform for the regulated cannabis industry, representing emerging and established brands in California and Arizona. Notable brands include MFused, Wana, Smokiez, Sluggers, Micro Greenz, and Cure Company. Contact us at [email protected] or learn more at petalfast.com. Campfire Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor; Eudaimonia Law PC and Kurichety Law PC served as legal counsel.

SOURCE Petalfast