NEW YORK, July
31, 2023 – PRESS RELEASE – In just six months of sales, Housing Works Cannabis Co., a Conditional Adult-Use
Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licensee and the first adult-use cannabis dispensary
in the state of New York, has directed millions in cannabis proceeds toward
some of New York City's most urgent community needs. As part of parent
organization Housing Works, the dispensary's sales proceeds go
directly to helping New Yorkers with health care, housing, job training, harm
reduction, case management, advocacy for health equity and social justice
initiatives, LGBTQ+ youth programs and sexual health services.
"Our
goal, going back over 30 years ago through Housing Works, has been to empower
New Yorkers through advocacy and bridge communities to life saving
services," said Sasha Nutgent, retail manager at Housing Works Cannabis
Co. "From the resources we've rolled out, to the brands we carefully
select for our customers, everything we do here has a greater purpose and we're
humbled to see the support our mission is receiving."
Sales
and Consumer Trends
Within
three hours of opening on Dec. 29, 2022, Housing Works Cannabis Co.
saw an estimated $40,000 in sales—amounting to more than $1.6 million in the
first month and an estimated $12 million in the first six months of operations.
Conversion rates, sales and customer retention continue to be strong, with as
many as 1,000 unique visitors on busy days.
Consumer
trend insights from the Housing Works Cannabis Co. team show that customers
continue to make decisions based on potency, reflecting a need for more
education on cannabis and its numerous uses. New Yorkers and tourists alike
also tend to prefer sativa and sativa-leaning hybrid strains, with flower
representing the top-selling product category. In addition, the team also found
that those who come in seeking edibles typically look for products that promote
sleep and mitigate anxiety.
Menu
Expansion
More
recently, the dispensary added 200 new products to its menu, bringing more
options from queer-, BIPOC- and women-owned and led companies into the store
for customers to discover. Housing Works Cannabis Co. currently carries seven
social equity brands, with more coming soon.
"One
unforeseen challenge and a pain point for both retailers and customers has been
product rollout," Nutgent said. "There have been major improvements
with the state's product testing timeline, for example, but the feedback we
still hear from some Black-owned brands is that there is not enough funding to
get their products into the market."
Last
month, Housing Works Cannabis Co. introduced its first Black-owned brand, Brelixi—which is also woman- and queer-owned—onto its
shelves. Other social equity brands include Fat Nell (women-led), The Weekenders (BIPOC-owned and -led), as well as Flamer and Drew Martin (queer-owned).
Delivery
Service
With
accessibility as another focal point for the nonprofit, Housing Works Cannabis
Co. also became the first legal cannabis delivery service to launch in the
state. Handled fully in-house thanks to 30-plus years of Housing Works'
experience through its thrift furniture donation and pick-up program,
deliveries currently account for about 5%-7% of sales.
Spanning
select ZIP codes in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, anyone 21 or older with a
valid ID can secure same-day and next-day delivery slots directly on Housing
Works Cannabis Co.'s website.
"We've
seen our delivery programs over the years forge meaningful and trusting
relationships between our staff and thrift store patrons," Housing Works CEO
Charles King said. "To see the same positive
dynamic emerge between customers and budtenders reflects our roots in the city,
our deep understanding of New York City culture and the community trust we
continue to nurture."
