When Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued an order to close all non-essential businesses in the state, she, like many other governors, deemed the cannabis industry essential and encouraged dispensaries to remain open and to provide curbside delivery to customers, prompting retailers like Chalice Farms to explore new ways to connect with their customer base.
Now, the company is reinforcing and enhancing the existing health and safety policies at its six retail locations around the state to maintain social distancing and keep employees and customers safe during this uncertain time.
“Overall, it’s been interesting for us,” Chalice Farms CEO Jeff Yapp tells Cannabis Dispensary. “Obviously, like everyone, we wanted to make sure our employees were safe, and [we] created safe environments in our stores … to do that. … We feel pretty strongly that our product is medicine for our customers. There’s a whole philosophy built around plant-based medicine and health and wellness that fits in beautifully with what we do, so our business has been well-positioned and has been growing.”
First and foremost, the Chalice Farms team implemented a disinfecting and sanitizing routine after every transaction. All employees are required to wear gloves. Six-foot intervals have been marked out in tape throughout the stores, so employees and customers know exactly where to stand to maintain social distancing in compliance with CDC guidelines. The company has also reduced its operating hours to limit the number of employees on each shift.
Those who can are working from home, and management has asked employees to call in sick if they have any signs of illness. Chalice Farms hired back-up workers for its warehouse, cultivation and retail operations to ensure each facility remains fully staffed, although employees have so far remained healthy.
“For the most part, the team has stayed very healthy and very strong and have been coming to work, so it’s not been an issue,” Yapp says.
Chalice Farms has always offered online ordering, which allows customers to order ahead for in-store pickup. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the company has made it even easier for customers to order online, Yapp said. Now, each one of Chalice Farms’ dispensaries has a QR code that customers can scan to visit that store’s specific website. When a customer arrives at the dispensary to pick up the order, a budtender can bring the order right to the car under new curbside pickup rules issued by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLLC).
“We’re trying to minimize the amount of time people have to spend in our stores, minimize crowds, but at the same time, provide people with a relatively normal experience to get them what they need,” Yapp says.
Chalice Farms had discussed the launch of a delivery service for quite a while, he adds, and has taken this opportunity to get it off the ground at select locations.
“[Delivery has] been really well received, and we’re not going to rule it out for the rest of our stores,” Yapp says. “I think it provides a whole other access for customers who have trouble getting to us.”
Like many other dispensaries, Chalice Farms has seen an influx of customers as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
“This has put everyone under a tremendous amount of stress, and I think people are trying to deal with the stress they now find themselves in,” Yapp says. “I think we provide an interesting alternative. … It’s convincing them that plant-based medicine is a better way to go … for their overall well-being.”
The entire Chalice Farms team has come together to assist wherever necessary to keep operations running smoothly, he adds. “It was all hands on deck with people working in stores [and] delivering product. I’ve seen the best in the organization during this tough time, and I’m really proud of the team overall. It’s brought out an amazing commitment from the team to the company and to our customers, and I’m really proud of them.”
Yapp is also encouraged to see the cannabis industry recognized as essential businesses in many states across the country.
“I’m excited that the general market and community started to recognize the importance of plant-based medicine to help people’s overall well-being,” he says. “That’s nothing but good for the industry.”
And, in turn, the industry is doing good for others, Yapp adds. From creating medical supplies to supporting other local businesses and organizations with supplies and donations, many cannabis companies across the country have stepped up to help those in need.
“The people who make this a career, they tend to be very focused on giving back to their communities,” Yapp says. “It’s just how they’re wired. It’s fun to watch how people have rallied together. … Everyone is trying to be there when we need them to be there."
