Marijuana producers enter retail race as legalization looms

Companies will need to tread carefully as the regulations on how the drug can be marketed, branded or packaged have yet to be finalized
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
Sunday, February 11, 2018

As the race to produce enough cannabis for the soon-to-be-legal market gets increasingly crowded, licensed producers are setting their sights on the next frontier in the race for maximum pot profitability: developing retail stores. Pot producers have been ramping up production in preparation for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use later this year and are looking to deploy their cash in more profitable ways. Retail is high on their priority list, such as the cannabis dispensary operations south of the border, which offer a direct connection to the consumer through "budtenders" who personalize the potentially overwhelming experience. Such vertical integration also serves to gives their products a competitive edge.