How are consumer preferences evolving in the modern era of medical and adult-use cannabis? Although flower remains the top-seller, and most consumers still seek out the highest THC products, there’s evidence to show modern shoppers are increasingly buying a wider range of goods.
Marijuana Venture spoke with several entrepreneurs and operators in the cannabis space to get their predictions for 2025. Part 4 of this four-part series will cover the evolving landscape of cannabis products.
Part 4: Products
Ray DeSabato
CEO
Evolving consumer expectations are pushing the industry toward sustainability, transparency and organic products. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing eco-friendly practices and clean cannabis products. Innovative solutions will help operators meet these expectations without compromising yield or quality. The year 2025 will separate the leaders from the laggards. Cultivators and operators that embrace cutting-edge technologies to address pathogen control, comply with evolving regulations and respond to shifting consumer preferences will emerge stronger and more resilient.
Shai Ramsahai
President
The testing scandals in 2024 and the high costs of regulated cannabis have highlighted a growing demand for high-quality cannabis genetics and seeds, as more consumers worldwide seek to cultivate their plants. This shift shows that people are placing greater value on knowing the source and quality of their cannabis, driving an emphasis on seeds that are resilient, stable and produce consistent results. As we enter 2025, it’s clear that companies offering reliable genetics will be at the forefront of the industry, empowering consumers to become knowledgeable cultivators and ensuring high standards across the global market.
Alain Vo
CEO
In 2025, I anticipate the emergence of innovative product formats. Taffies have gained significant traction in R&D across multiple states. Additionally, there’s growing interest in double-pack packaging formats, which balance eye-catching marketing appeal with compliance to child-resistant requirements.
Kyle Loucks
Founder and CEO
Customers are getting wise to quality. They’re starting to discover that there are pre-rolls out there that aren’t just shake and dried out garbage. High-quality pre-rolls from brands that have exceptional reputations are coming.
Ted Lidie
Founder (and creative director)
Alien Labs (and Connected Cannabis Co. )
Looking ahead to 2025, I think we’ll see more people picking strains based on the full mix of cannabinoids and terpenes, rather than just THC — folks are getting that potency isn’t the whole story. As for federal legalization, it’d be a game-changer and offer some solid relief, but let’s be real: it probably isn’t at the top of this government’s list. Customers are definitely going to want better-quality cannabis, but prices will keep dropping while the cost to grow stays high. Outdoor and greenhouse growers are already feeling it, and now even top-shelf products are facing pressure — great news for buyers, not so much for businesses. In the end, educating consumers on what makes a strain really worth it is only going to get more important.
Shauntel Ludwig
CEO
Keep it simple. As cannabis gains steam with descheduling and global legalization, consumers are seeking easy, no-fuss ways to enjoy cannabis. Companies that prioritize innovation in fast-acting, user-friendly devices and delivery mechanisms are poised to win. Just look at the surge in pre-roll, vape cart and cannabis-infused beverage sales in 2024. It’s the same reason Keurig beats drip coffee — not because it’s better, but because it’s easier.
Ricardo Baca
Founder and CEO
2025 will undoubtedly see a substantive surge in female-forward dispensaries, brands, consumption lounges and products — a better-late-than-never shift in industry dynamics. With cannabis becoming more and more mainstream and normalized, especially via the booming hemp THC market, more women are choosing cannabis now than ever; recent data from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse says that women aged 19-30 surpassed men of the same age in cannabis consumption for the first time in 2023. That’s an astounding tipping point for a nascent industry that has forever targeted men as the primary shoppers, consumers and decision-makers. And with more women turning to cannabis for wellness-oriented solutions, brands from California to New York are already rethinking their marketing and sales strategies, product development priorities and core messaging to connect meaningfully with this essential demographic — especially because women already make most purchasing decisions in most other retail segments. While this federal data is brand new, some cannabis brands (including Pure Beauty, Ladylike and Tribe Tokes) are already leading the charge to meet female consumers where they are. But this isn’t just about new products — it’s about evolving the culture and building authentic, inclusive brands that really speak to this all-important demographic.
Vince C. Ning
CEO and co-founder
I think we can expect to see artificial intelligence play a transformative role in cannabis in 2025. We saw signs of this beginning to happen in 2024, but we certainly haven’t seen the full potential and revolutionary progress that could come from implementing AI into our industry operations. From streamlining logistics to optimizing distribution, personalizing consumer experiences, and predicting market trends, AI has the potential to elevate industry standards and become a powerful asset to companies seeking to enhance their competitive edge, and stay at the forefront of an increasingly tech-driven landscape.
Crystal Millican
Senior vice president of retail and marketing
There will be a lot of shifts in the industry in 2025, but those shifts depend on which markets we’re talking about. Whether it be trends or policy-focused, the shifts will vary market to market, coast to coast. The most important thing for Cookies is to always have our fingers on the pulse of our mature markets — ensuring we have the best partners and staying on top of local trends and business realities — because, and I think we can all agree on this, nothing in this industry is a one size fits all. Speaking more generally and in terms of what I want to see — particularly in our home state of California — is some unity. It’s no secret that the market is oversaturated and competitive, to say the least, so bringing the industry back to its roots and encouraging more unity — on both state and federal levels — would be helpful to everyone.
Ryan Crandall
Chief revenue officer
We’ve always maintained that the ‘winners’ in cannabis will be those with the best brands. ‘Best’ can mean many things, but to us it means constantly innovating to offer consumers what they want, when they want it. The canna-consumer is becoming more sophisticated, translating to a desire for specific end-effects during specific occasions. That insight drove the successful release last year of our Ache Away Eddies PM fruit chew that’s part of our Betty’s Eddies line-up. You’re going to see more of that type of product innovation in the industry and from us in 2025.
Michael Teller
Chief operating officer
A shift that we do anticipate as rescheduling moves forward is a greater look toward the medical market, as we know medical cannabis legislation advances quicker than recreational. This shift will allow the medical sector to expand, open new pathways for research funding and government support, fostering medical innovation and paving the way for future breakthroughs in cannabis-based treatments. While rescheduling will alleviate some tax burdens with 280E going away for the recreational market, recent trends in states like Florida highlight the resilience and strong demand for medical cannabis.