It’s well-established by now that automation in the cannabis industry lags in comparison to the tools and standards ubiquitous to outside-sector industries like retail. And for good reason….
In the years prior to widespread adult-use legalization, growers, transporters and sellers were forced to operate in the shadows to avoid prosecution from state and federal authorities. Even businesses licensed in legal medical markets faced raids, business closures, and seizure of product on public roadways - and the federal risks remain. Longtime veterans of the cannabis industry had little opportunity to focus on growing their businesses in a transparent and competitive marketplace. Now with the growth of state-by-state legalization, licensed operators have more freedom to accelerate adoption of technology, as a way to reduce overhead and increase profitability.
But much of the industry’s technology adoption has been focused on cultivation efficiencies- and consolidated among the industry behemoths. For retailers, technology tools have hit the market most effectively in the form of cloud-based Track and Trace platforms. Cannabis tech companies like Flowhub have brought seed-to-sale software to an industry that necessitates tracking by its regulated nature. And while innovative technology companies like Willow Industries are successfully raising the standards for clean, lab-passable product, on the whole there are fewer opportunities for dispensary operators (especially small-scale) and consumers to implement automation and technology advancements into their daily practices.
In an era of industry consolidation, cannabis businesses wanting to advance their own safety and efficiency standards -and increase profitability and retain a loyal customer base - must become first-movers in adopting automation down to the retail level. Think how easy it is to pick up your pre-ordered groceries, paper towels, electronics, or even auto-parts at Walmart, Whole Foods, or Lowe’s using locker grab-and-go technology. SafeArbor is bringing proven outside-sector technology into retail cannabis, where it’s long overdue. We’re using demonstrated, customer-driven technology to make it quicker, easier, and faster for customers and dispensary employees to get medicine where it needs to go, and improve the dispensary’s bottom line in the process.
