Cannabis Retail 101 - The Importance of the Menu
Just operating a cannabis dispensary will get consumers into the store, but curating and maintaining your store’s Menu will keep the customers coming back. Aside from creating a customer service culture and staffing your store with knowledgeable budtenders, the menu is the next most important factor in driving traffic, keeping your store fresh and engaging customers.
Historically, the legacy market dispensary would stock a vast array of different cannabis strains and cultivars as patients and consumers would be looking for specific desired effects. Additionally, the dispensary would often stock a bunch of different concentrates (RSO, tinctures, edibles and extracts) and more potent products in a variety of different formats. Upon legalization, it was initially difficult for the regulated market to compete with the convenience and varied form factors that the entrenched legacy market could provide. Fast forward to today, Licensed Producers are finally bringing a variety of different products, new SKUs and innovation items to market.
Happy Meal, Happy Hour, Happy Customers.
Menu Breakdown:
Dried Flower - the core offering of your menu. You will want to have lots of pack sizes and stock a good variety of 1/2oz or 1oz for your daily smokers. I will touch on this later, but I think it is very important to stock some craft cannabis from local or small producers that you believe in and support.
Pre-Rolls - nothing is more convenient than sparking up a pre-roll and feeling great. As always, convenience is king as well as being an approachable category for new consumers or those looking to try something new. With pre-roll blunts and large multipack pre-rolls, this category has evolved nicely with lots of options and price points.
Oils and Tinctures - these are still one of the most effective ways to consume high amounts of cannabinoids in a short period. Whether it is CBD oil or a high THC oil, a subset of customers will always be looking for these products to deal with their ailments or to chase a certain beneficial feeling. Don’t sleep on this category, cannaseurs and long time smokers know there is always a time and place for oils.
Edibles - this is always one of the most fun categories for many with flashbacks to Amsterdam space cakes or “that one time Kyle from high school made pot brownies and you got soooo stoned!” Due to the regulations regarding packaging and 10mg THC per unit, this category is a lot less fun, but there is nothing like the powerful high from eating THC. I love edibles and expect a lot of exciting new products to hit in 2021. New consumers and old heads alike all have a love for the edibles.
Beverages - a new frontier, but also a trusted friend of the hardcore smoker. There is nothing like cracking a cold beverage on a hot summers day. Getting that amazing feeling, but by consuming a THC beverage with 0 calories sounds like a pretty good deal. Drinks are a natural evolution and complementary product. As the taste and profiles of the beverages improve, I am expecting some winners in this category. The pricing on the beverages needs to be reduced before we see mass adoption in this category
Concentrates & #710 Dab Life - the grail category of cannabis, where fire weed and high potency intersect. Solventless concentrates and designer dabs are the future.
Key Tenets of Designing an Engaging Menu:
Broad range of strains and cultivars. Anchor your menu with some of the classics (Pink Kush, Sour Diesel, OG Kush).
Carry limited release and special drop products. Variety is the spice of life. Cannabis will always be batch to batch and consumers love trying out the new strain of the week.
Retail Basics still pertain. Have a markdown schedule, sell ancillary items and create a fulfilling relationship and bond with your customers.
Craft cannabis has earned a spot on every menu. Engage with craft growers who truly love the plant, as this will be reflected in the product, and this industry was founded by those who love the plant.
E-Commerce and Curbside/Express Pick-Up is crucial for the convenience crowd. Drop-in, quickly grab what the customer wants, leave happy. Consumers want to troll your menu and plan their next exciting purchase.
Training and Education. Train your staff on the new products, educate your customers on the new products, and see what sticks and dial your menu in based on feedback from your staff and customers. Encourage your budtenders to try new products as this enthusiasm and passion will translate to increased sales.
List Terpenes on the Menu. Provide as much information and resources for the consumers to educate themselves. Some LPs will even provide the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) online for review. Highlighting and providing information on what terpenes are included arms the consumer with additional product information and infer what the effects may be.
Concentrates & Extracts. Cannabis is a creator of shared memories and moments. It is important to stock that celebratory and high end special occasion product. Solventless concentrates are the best and deserve a place on every menu.
Leverage your Sales Data and Industry Benchmarks. Review sales data to find trends, learn lessons and to plan more effectively.
Highbrow in the trenches budtending and giving the people what they want.
At the end of the day, designing the ultimate menu is part art and part science. If you need help finessing your menu or a fresh new menu design, Highbrow Taste is here to help. Reach out to me for an assessment on how I can help your cannabis business.
Blaze it up and Keep it Highbrow……..
