Maximum Yield Cannabis USA April/May 2018 | Page 50
learn
“many fear
that
small-scale growers will have
to sacrifice the quality of their
product—which many liken to
sacrificing an artform—to stay
financially competitive with
corporate interests in marijuana.”
California bring in millions of tourist
dollars each year. People don’t just
want to sample the goods, they want
to see where those products are grown.
If the thousands of artisanal wineries
in California’s wine country are any
indicator of the future of craft cannabis,
artisanal growers should rest assured
they will have a place in the future.
As seen with wine, craft cannabis
producers must depend upon a
populace of connoisseur cannabis
consumers to ensure the sustainability
of the craft market. While credible
information on cannabis buying
patterns is rather difficult to locate,
studies show there are a few segments
of the modern cannabis consumer
demographic that can theoretically
sustain a craft cannabis industry.
Luxury Market
As seen with luxury markets for food,
clothing, and automobiles, there is
always a segment of the consumer
population that demands unique and
expensive goods. Why should cannabis
be any different? There are several
cannabis brands, mainly in California,
that have sprung up to serve the luxury
marijuana market. Some variety boxes
of luxury cannabis products that are
delivered in a custom apothecary
humidor or genuine leather scent-
free purse sell for $1,000–$2,000. On a
similar note, a dispensary in Seattle,
WA, reportedly sells luxury cigars
packed with craft cannabis and oil for
a retail price of $3,600.
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grow. heal. learn. enjoy.
While California and Washington
may be ahead of the rest of the US
in their refined taste for cannabis
products, the West Coast’s burgeoning
luxury marketplace presents a viable
option for the sustainability of craft
cannabis production.
Cannabis Tourism
The concept of cannabis tourism
presents another market segment that
has the potential to sustain a thriving
craft cannabis industry. Colorado
is already enjoying the spoils of a
cannabis-based tourism industry. There’s
the new business model of “bud and
breakfasts” springing up in response to
market demands for marijuana-friendly
lodging. Many vacation rentals also
indicate if they are 420-friendly.
Moreover, many Colorado locals
compare the cannabis business to that
of the microbrewery business, where
artisanal craftsman brew beers localized
to specific towns scattered throughout
the state. Indeed, the cannabis tourism
vertical has many things in common
with the beverage industry. Looking
again to the wine industry, regions like
Sonoma and Napa counties in Northern
The rapid expansion of the cannabis
industry, combined with its history
shrouded in the dark confines of the
black market, leaves the future of the
business wide open for speculation.
As things continue to change, the
brave entrepreneurs who put their
time and money on the line to develop
the industry are those who seem to
learn the hardest lessons. To illustrate,
and in a somewhat ironic twist, craft
cannabis brands in places like Oregon
seem to be the only ones holding their
value, as a rapid influx in industrial,
outdoor grows has driven commercial
prices down to as low as $50 per
pound. Whether or not this trend will
continue remains anyone’s guess.
However, the most pressing concern
relating to the preservation of craft
cannabis production is safeguarding
the creative processes entwined with
artisanal production. Oddly enough,
and in true capitalist fashion, this
horticultural artform is more than
likely dependent upon consumer
demographics in luxury brands and
tourism to survive and thrive.
Kent Gruetzmacher, MFA, is a Colorado-
based freelance writer and the director
of business development at Mac &
Fulton Talent Partners, an employment
recruiting firm dedicated to the indoor
gardening and hydroponics industry. He
is interested in utilizing his master’s in
the humanities to critically explore the
many cultural and business facets of this
youthful, emergent industry by way of his
entrepreneurial projects.
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