Retail
New York’s Cannabis Boom Is Real, But So Are the Risks
The Most Exciting US Market No cannabis market in the United States has experienced a more compelling growth trajectory over the past two years than New York. After a halting and often-criticized launch, the state’s legal adult-use market has accelerated at an unmatched pace. In 2023, New York generated a paltry $100 million in legal […]
How Cannabis Brands Plan To Drive Retail Sales in 2026
Retailers are not in the business of building brands. They are in the business of selling products. The most effective way to earn buyer attention is still the same: proven sales velocity paired with brand awareness that brings customers through the door. Retail Is the Battleground Brendan McKee, co-founder of Massachusetts dispensary Silver Therapeutics, wants […]
Cannabis Payments in 2026: Why Technology Will Move Faster Than Congress
For more than a decade, the cannabis industry has been stuck in a state of contradictions: fully legal in many states and fully illegal at the federal level. When it comes to finances, the result is a sector with modern retail expectations supported by armored cars, cash drops, and payment workarounds duct taped together. Looking […]
How Trump’s order to reclassify marijuana could affect Colorado’s industry
The largest effect of rescheduling would be that marijuana cultivations, dispensaries and manufacturers would pay lower taxes, according to Colorado Leads, an industry trade group.
Treating Cannabis Like A Fine Wine
The experience in both wine and cannabis starts with ritual: swirling, inhaling, letting heat or air coax the plant’s chemistry to life. Where wine has long relied on sommeliers to guide that moment, cannabis has spent decades without an equivalent voice to explain how cultivation, curing, and preparation shape what a consumer feels. The emergence […]
Can NY’s Legal Stores Compete with an Eight-Billion-Dollar Illicit Market?
The recent Business of Cannabis Summit in New York City brought together industry professionals at the trendy Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for a day focused on tackling the cannabis industry’s toughest challenges: price compression, retail survival, and the slow but steady shift from legacy to legal markets. The conversations offered a candid look at […]
An MSO’s Perspective on the New York Market
At the recent Business of Cannabis event in New York, Robert Sciarrone, Chief Revenue Officer at Curaleaf, shared an MSO’s insider view on why he believes New York is poised to become the best cannabis market on the planet. Sciarrone began by reflecting on his early years as a cannabis-focused venture capitalist. Through his firm, […]
The State Of New York’s Cannabis Industry 2025
Jason Ambrosino, a disabled Army veteran and founder of Veterans Holdings, entered the New York market in 2019 under the state’s hemp program with the goal of cultivating and manufacturing cannabis. But despite holding a 5,000-square-foot indoor cultivation license, he decided not to build out his facility. The reason, he says, is simple: “The registered […]
Target Just Opened the Door — Is Your Brand Compliance-Ready for Mass Retailers?
Target’s decision to start selling hemp-derived THC beverages marks a major milestone for the cannabis industry and a reality check for brands hoping to follow. Selling into mass retail is not just about scaling production or packaging appeal. It requires proving that your product meets the same safety and manufacturing standards as food, pharma, and […]
Why Franchises Could Be the Golden Ticket for Social Equity Entrepreneurs
The cannabis industry is a fertile ground for aspiring entrepreneurs, holding the promise of a modern-day gold rush. Yet beneath the surface of opportunity lies a minefield of obstacles. Success requires navigating a steep learning curve, managing high operational costs, and mastering a complex supply chain that spans cultivation, manufacturing, consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, […]