OUR STORY
The Knutson Brothers, Scot, Erik and Kelly, built their legacy by taking three completely different life paths that ultimately converged into one of the most influential family stories in modern cannabis. Scot’s path began in service. As a decorated Marine Corps EOD specialist deployed in Afghanistan, he led teams through extreme, high-pressure situations. His transition home gave him firsthand experience with physical recovery, mental resilience, and the challenges veterans face. That experience became the emotional backbone of everything the brothers would later build.
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While Scot was serving overseas, Erik and Kelly were pioneering the early cannabis industry. Together, they co-founded Keef Brands, one of the first cannabis beverage companies to achieve national scale. Today, Keef operates in 25+ states and thousands of retail locations. Erik serves as the Executive Chairman of KEEF Brands, guiding the company’s continued national expansion. Erik became known as a strategic operator, scaling licensed manufacturing, cultivation, and retail operations across North America. He also played a major role in shaping cannabis policy as a founding board member of ATACH, CTF, and the USCC.
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The Knutson Brothers in 2015 just after Scot's return from Afghanistan.
Kelly, the technical mind of the trio, founded Isolate Extraction Systems (IES), engineering some of the earliest commercial CO2 extraction systems in legal cannabis. His innovations set national standards for precision, safety, and efficiency in extraction labs, and he played a major role in KEEF’s early product development and manufacturing systems.When Scot returned home, the brothers combined their strengths. Scot’s facility build-out, operational leadership, and mission-driven purpose, Erik’s business leadership, and Kelly’s engineering innovation, built Brand House America and KARMA Cannabis. Their most personal creation, KARMA Cannabis, reflects their belief that cannabis should help people and communities. Guided by the philosophy “Every Purchase Has a Purpose,” KARMA donates a portion of every sale to local 501(c)(3) nonprofits.​ A military hero. A strategic industry leader. A technical pioneer. Three brothers shaping the future of cannabis—together.