Local consumers gobble up first shipments of cannabis edibles

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This article was published 19/12/2019 (2114 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeggers are getting a new kind of chocolate fix: as quickly as cannabis edibles are hitting retailers’ shelves, they’re being sold.

Some Delta 9 Cannabis, Meta Cannabis Supply Co., Tokyo Smoke and Tweed locations unloaded their first shipments of cannabis-infused chocolate bars Wednesday; Garden Variety’s Ellice Avenue location got its first load Thursday.

Of Winnipeg’s 14 cannabis shops, only Meta’s Madison Street location and Garden Variety’s Seasons of Tuxedo store were still waiting for their first shipments Thursday afternoon. All others had edibles on site — or had already sold out.

 

Meanwhile, every Winnipeg cannabis retailer is waiting for more shipments of edibles, which became legal for sale in Canada in October but were under a 60-day Health Canada moratorium until this week.

Gummies, chocolate bars, mints and drinks (teas and sparkling waters) should come in the next days and weeks. However, store managers don’t necessarily know what’s being shipped, how much is coming in or when the orders will arrive.

“That’s kind of the curse of the industry right now,” said Angie Bohne, team lead at Garden Variety on Ellice. “It’s just a waiting game.”

Bohne’s crew unloaded boxes of gummies and soft-baked chocolate cookies Thursday, with plans to get the products on display immediately.

“We’ve had well over 40 calls in the last couple of days from people just regarding edibles and vape purchases,” Bohne said, adding she expects the new products will draw in what the “2.0 wave.”

“There’s a lot more people going to take advantage of the edible market instead of the smoking market, so it opens up a lot of doors for new people to come in.”

Delta 9’s Osborne Village shop didn’t start selling chocolate bars until Wednesday evening, and still sold more than 100 by closing time.

“A lot of people have been waiting for this for a long time,” said Trevor Duncan, the shop’s manager. “It’s really nice to see this happening right before the holidays.”

According to Duncan, the Delta 9 store on Dakota Street got more than 100 units Wednesday, and sold out in two hours. Its Osborne Village location got a load of gummies, cookies and chocolate bars Thursday afternoon.

Cannabis-infused chocolate bars are divided into four or five pieces; in an effort to prevent people from consuming the bar’s 10-milligram dosage all at once, Duncan said. (Edibles are sold in 10-mg dosages.)

“You’re breaking off a piece and starting with two or 2 1/2 milligrams, which is way more beneficial when you’re getting started,” he said. “Start low, go slow.”

Retailers are also reminding customers the effects of edibles take longer than inhalation (30 minutes to two hours).

One customer at Tokyo Smoke’s Osborne Village location was checking out the store’s display of edibles Thursday. The company has showcased candies that are available (and soon to be available), including salted caramel chocolates and apple green tea gummies.

“I was just kind of kicking tires and seeing what the market was going to be like here,” the man said, not wanting to give his name. He said he’ll come back for cannabis-infused drinks, once they’re in stock.

People wanting to buy non-medical cannabis edibles in Manitoba must be at least 19 years old.

gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca