skip to Main Content
New cannabis licensees in Illinois face David vs. Goliath fight against industry giants

As Illinois begins to award much-delayed cannabis business licenses, the new business owners will face a long uphill climb. They’ll be pitting mom-and-pop startups against giant companies that have had a five-year head start to take control of the market.

Entry-level entrepreneurs will have, in many cases, one dispensary to compete with companies that control up to 10 stores across the state. New craft growers will be limited to 5,000 square feet, compared with behemoth cultivators in cavernous warehouses up to 221,000 square feet.

The upstarts will have to compete with international corporations that advertise on radio and billboards, hire award-winning chefs to make edibles and have established brand name loyalty. The uneven playing field affects customers, because dominance by a few competitors has led to higher prices, which helps perpetuate illegal sales.

Those who have already competed in this market, though, say the newbies can succeed — if they concentrate on their own strengths and customers.

“The industry doesn’t even come close to hitting what it can,” Dispensary 33 co-owner and general manager Paul Lee said. “So there’s still a lot of room for growth. But they’ll have a heck of a time getting started.” [Read More @ The Chicago Tribune]

This Post Has 0 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Stories

Virginia governor vetoes marijuana market bill

A push to establish a legal marijuana market in Virginia is officially dead after Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed legislation on Thursday. Virginia has allowed adults over 21 to possess and cultivate…

CDTFA Cannabis Creditor: Myths and Truths

By Hilary Bricken, Attorney at Husch Blackwell Dealing with creditors is never a fun experience. However, some creditors are more severe than others, especially in the cannabis industry. One of…

If FL Supreme Court approves cannabis ballot language, will voters go for recreational weed or not?

The long wait on whether Floridians will get a chance to vote to legalize recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older is almost over, as the Florida Supreme Court is…

Missouri strips marijuana licenses connected to company accused of predatory behavior

Missouri’s health department on Wednesday stripped two coveted marijuana micro-licenses tied to an out-of-state company that had been accused of predatory practices and had listed the licenses for resale. The…

More Categories

Back To Top
×Close search
Search