#088 - Why C-Stores Could Shape the Future of Cannabis & Hemp Beverages w/ Melissa VonderHaar, Managing Director of iSee TradeWorks

Convenience stores are positioned to introduce cannabis to a new wave of consumers with their unmatched retail footprint of 150,000 locations nationwide and accessibility to 90% of Americans within a 10-minute drive.• Convenience stores have evolved from selling "gas, cokes, and smokes" to embracing new categories as tobacco sales decline• Lower-dose (5mg) THC products outperform higher-dose options in convenience, indicating these stores attract cannabis newcomers• The National Association of Convenience Stores now allows hemp-derived THC beverage companies to join as supplier partners• Convenience retailers process more ID checks daily than the TSA, with strong age-verification technology to ensure compliance• C-stores sell mostly single-serve beverages (over 60% of cold vault purchases), creating perfect entry points for cannabis trial• Nielsen data tracking THC beverage sales in convenience shows 345% growth as the category establishes itself• Brands succeeding in convenience demonstrate both brand leadership and category leadership with educational merchandising• Legislative challenges remain with some states attempting to exclude convenience from hemp retail• The convenience channel could become the largest retailer of hemp-derived cannabinoids with its established infrastructure• Industry experts predict major convenience retailers will fully embrace THC products within the next six monthsHave a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!--High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover? Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations. Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.