The cannabis industry in New York will be shaped by exciting new trends and changes this year. The continued legalization and regulatory licensing laws have legitimized and allowed more dispensaries to open over the past decade.
Now that the businesses are maturing, they are more than ready to serve cannabis customers with exciting innovations predicted to take effect throughout the year. From real-world marketing to product lineups and sustainability, dispensaries in NYC are gearing up for more East Coast industry growth.Â
Here are the top trends from NYC dispensaries in 2024.
Brand Awareness
The continued legalization and wider social acceptance of cannabis give the cannabis businesses room to grow. Thus, the industry is predicting a wave of new consumers and new cannabis-curious enthusiasts to visit dispensaries to learn about buying weed for the first time. This will allow cannabis NYC dispensaries to educate the public about their products by promoting brands.
The heightened brand awareness will take place on the dispensary’s social media, accounts, and marketing channels and be highlighted on their websites. This includes popular brands and manufacturers such as STIIIZY, Curaleaf, Wyld, Green Thumb, and many more. Doing this will help new consumers in the cannabis market familiarize themselves with the different brands and gain a better understanding, trust, and eventually confidence to buy them.Â
Expos And EventsÂ
This year, NYC dispensaries will be aiming to reach out to new consumers, outside of conventional marketing online. The goal is to build a cannabis community by creating more weed-friendly spaces, events, and lounges. These will take place at cannabis industry events and trade shows where dispensaries will be exhibiting their latest products.
Marijuana lovers can expect more expos and social gatherings incorporated into other cannabis-cultural events such as music festivals, art shows, product launches, and smoking lounges. This will give NYC dispensaries a chance to network, connect, and gain visibility with potential customers before they make their first purchase.
Pre-Roll Popularity
A major trend expected to emerge in sales in 2024 is prerolls. These marijuana joints or blunts stuffed with flavorful flowers and wrapped in paper will become one of the most popular cannabis products. The convenience of having an expertly rolled joint will be the biggest driving factor as many consumers lack the necessary skill to roll their own.
Most dispensaries will take advantage of this by packaging king-sized preroll cones in 2.5g and the smaller mini-size prerolls in packs of 10 and 0.3g of cannabis. What’s more, infused prerolls with added cannabis oil, kief or concentrates will allow customers more customization options when buying a roll.Â
Expanded Product Variety
Gone are the days when cannabis dispensaries in NYC only catered to smokers and those craving edibles. Now with an expanding market, a big trend that’s predicted to take off in 2024 is dispensaries collaborating with manufacturers and brands to diversify their product variety. This is to supply the large consumer base of cannabis enthusiasts who enjoy weed but don’t want to smoke it.
Some of these new goods are expected to be CBD and THC-infused beverages and energy drinks, coffees, dry ingredients for baking cookies, powders, and even transdermal skin patches. Many of these new consumption methods will also accompany merchandise product ranges that include elegantly designed home decor and small lifestyle items that all come in gift packages.Â
Prioritizing Quality And Safety
With cannabis enthusiasts becoming more knowledgeable and aware of buying weed, NYC dispensaries will prioritize product safety and quality assurance to meet customers’ high expectations. This will go beyond just branding and packaging but will include accurate label information detailing every product ingredient, the manufacturer’s name, and the amount of CBD or THC in it.
Testing weed products by a third party and independent laboratory will become an expectation to ensure the weed is up to standard. Marijuana consumers will also expect dispensaries to operate in eco-friendly and sustainable company practices as weed is also an environmental business. It will include more sustainable packaging, such as recycled paper instead of plastic, for instance.Â
Focus On Medical Cannabis
The growth and legitimization of the cannabis industry are predicted to benefit medical marijuana tremendously in 2024. More investment means more research will be conducted into the health uses of weed across different medical conditions and demographics, such as bipolar disorder.
For dispensaries, this research and development will expand their medical cannabis products and customer patient ranges. More dispensaries are expected to stock medical cannabis on top of their recreational lineup too. This also means the expertise in the dispensaries will change as there will be a greater demand for medical knowledgeable staff, licensing, and facilitating the medical marijuana program.Â
More Delivery Options
Convenience will be a top trend for the cannabis industry in 2024. Dispensaries will compete with each other to provide premium services that keep customers coming to shop at their stores. One service area this will impact is delivery options. No longer do cannabis enthusiasts have to make a trip to a dispensary as more will offer delivery options to go along with online orders.
Dispensaries will offer more affordable curbside pickup where customers meet the driver at a designated place along the delivery route at a preselected timeslot. For customers wanting marijuana delivered to their door, dispensaries will use a courier service and discreet packaging for orders limited to a specific area or city radius.
Conclusion:
Some of the biggest trends that will impact NYC cannabis dispensaries in 2024 include sustainability, new product ranges and delivery options. Furthermore, medical cannabis will gain a larger focus to respond to increasing need for safety and quality assurance in the industry.
In terms of consumers, there will be more live marketing as NYC cannabis dispensaries will try and reach out to consumers as cannabis events and exhibitions. This is while they cultivate a community for cannabis users to connect with them and each other and build themselves up as recognizable brands. The trends are expected to impact the upcoming cannabis dispensary year with these exciting new changes.