LAS VEGAS – As the regulated marijuana industry wraps up the 2022 business year, companies are fine-turning their strategies for whatever new challenges 2023 might bring.

Cannabis business leaders attending MJBizCon described a variety of expected headwinds in the year to come – and a range of plans to adapt and succeed.

“The market has a lot of marijuana in it right now,” said Beth Kotarba, chief operating officer of vertically integrated Colorado company Native Roots Cannabis Co.

Kotarba sees challenges in “getting the right balance of supply and demand,” especially given the long lifecycle of cannabis plants.

“We’ve been addressing it by implementing a lot of planning, sales and operational planning, where we work really (closely) with retail on forecasting the demand, so that then it gives us time to adjust our supply chain to that demand.”

George Allen, board chair of California-based marijuana grower and retailer Lowell Farms, cited heavy taxation, “market fragmentation and a rampant illicit market” as key difficulties going into 2023.

“Most operators are relying on a strategy built on economies of scale and vertical integration with captive retail,” Allen told MJBizDaily.

“We see our path elsewhere, in true product innovation and branding … We are planning for a world where cannabis sales will occur across platforms on a federally deregulated basis.

“In that environment, differentiation within branding is critical.”

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