Top Cannabis Innovation Trends of 2020

top-cannabis-innovation-trends-of-2020

Let’s be trustworthy, 2020 was a horrible 12 months. 

Australian bush fires, the deaths of well-loved celebrities, civil unrest within the US and, in fact, the COVID-19 pandemic all produced a world symphony of worry, negativity, and frustration. 

Luckily for the cannabis trade, there was some excellent news based on a report printed by Brightfield Group as a part of their 2020 year-end evaluation. 

After a rocky 2019 and the 2020 pandemic shortly after, issues regarded bleak. Brands had been strapped for money and the one means they might navigate the minefield was to place their brains in gear and smarten up. 

Let’s check out Brightfield Group’s findings from 2020 and the way 2021 seems to be going ahead.


  • Consumers selected seasonal cannabis flavors in 2020 — mint did effectively within the winter, whereas fruity flavors did effectively in summer season
  • Cannabis and cannabis-related merchandise helped alleviate pandemic stress — 81% of customers mentioned they consumed cannabis to assist with emotions of hysteria and stress 
  • Cannabis product innovation was on the up in 2020 — cannabigerol and cannabinol merchandise had been launched fairly closely into the market 
  • Cannabis sweet, cannabis resin/rosin, cannabis cartridges/pods, cannabis baked items, and disposable cannabis pens did effectively in 2020
  • Cannabis drinks, cannabis bud/flower, and cannabis tincture and topicals didn’t do fairly as effectively (in comparison with different years)
  • An enhance in celeb curiosity partly contributed to cannabis success in 2020
  • Cannabis in 2021 seems to be promising with extra states legalizing leisure and medical use — extra gross sales, extra competitors, elevated innovation

Contents

Cannabis product trends in 2020

1. Seasons change (and so do shopper alternative of cannabis flavors)

Seasonality is a giant factor out and in of the cannabis trade and the pattern will proceed to extend over the subsequent couple of years. 

“Flavors with sturdy associations to particular seasons can already be seen within the US cannabis market”, says Brightfield. 

“For instance, in winter 2019/2020, mint-flavored cannabis merchandise grew in share of shelf. However, mint then misplaced distribution in April as fruity flavors elevated in distribution”.

Using cannabis flower in summer

It’s clear that product sort will matter going into 2021, significantly when manufacturers need to capitalize on the tastes and flavors of every season. You have already got regular winter drinks, summer season meals, and every thing in-between, nevertheless it’s troublesome to do that with cannabis. 

Brightfield acknowledges manufacturers must be artistic as we enter into 2021 and past. 

2. Cannabis consumption helped alleviate pandemic stress

Referencing a November 2020 survey, Brightfield notes customers readily selected cannabis merchandise designed for rest and stress reduction. 

The survey revealed 81% of customers consumed cannabis to take care of day by day stresses associated to the pandemic, which is “mirrored within the development of merchandise positioned for rest and stress reduction”.

Trend of cannabis social media conversations about self-care
Credit: Brightfield

This is hardly shocking. Cannabis and cannabis-related merchandise have unofficially been touted in its place drugs for not solely stress reduction and rest but in addition despair, nervousness, and sleep. 

“Together, these two positionings elevated in share of shelf by 10 proportion factors this 12 months, whereas different positionings like ‘magnificence & private care’ and ‘intimacy’ went down”, Brightfield added*. 

Let’s be trustworthy, magnificence and private care merchandise had been hardly going to be flying off the cabinets in 2020 anyway. The pandemic induced an entire international shutdown. Many elements of the world barely noticed the skin world for months at a time. No-one cared what they regarded like sitting round at house in PJs.

3. Cannabis product innovation took heart stage (CBD and THC weren’t the one cannabinoids folks talked about)

CBD and THC will at all times be essentially the most acknowledged cannabinoids present in types of cannabis, however 2020 noticed manufacturers and customers alike displaying curiosity in others as effectively. 

Brightfield stories “improvements in cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG), each a part of a rising pattern in differentiation”.  

We anticipate to see extra minor cannabinoids utilized in 2021. Many cannabinoids are sometimes ignored in favor of CBD and THC. 

CBN, for instance, is a promising cannabinoid. May have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial qualities. It may assist deal with glaucoma, in addition to work as an urge for food stimulator.

4. There had been some cannabis product winners in 2020

There are winners and losers in each trade — cannabis is not any totally different. According to Brightfield, the product sorts that flourished in 2020 embrace:

A. Cannabis sweet

Cannabis THC candy flavors

Cannabis sweet is our private favourite cannabis product at the moment in the marketplace (apart from cannabis flower and cannabis concentrates). They’re tremendous straightforward to make use of and the flavors are fairly phenomenal. Not at all times essentially the most potent alternative however supreme for novices who require a slight buzz versus a whopping nice excessive. 

Many customers in 2020 most well-liked to buy cannabis candies designed for rest, most definitely because of the pandemic and different associated stressors. We consumed greater than a pair this 12 months and we wager you probably did too!

Cannabis candies labeled as “Natural” had been additionally extremely widespread. Brightfield believes this is because of shifts in attitudes in the direction of what folks eat every day. Terms comparable to “non-GMO”, “vegan, and, in fact, “pure” are extra interesting. This mirrors the developments seen in common meals and drinks, the place persons are choosing a extra health-conscious” life-style. 

According to Brightfield, luxurious and premium cannabis candies had been on the up in 2020 additionally, gaining 5 proportion factors and 4 proportion factors of distribution, respectively. 

On the opposite aspect of the spectrum, finances cannabis candies turned much less widespread, shedding 6 proportion factors of distribution. 

Top cannabis sweet flavors of 2020:
  1. Raspberry
  2. Watermelon
  3. Strawberry
  4. Fruity
  5. Chocolate

B. Cannabis cartridges and pods

Cannabis pods

Cannabis cartridges and pods did very effectively in 2020. After a shitty 2019 within the vape trade, each the aforementioned “had been essentially the most distributed cannabis product sorts for 2020, with a 22% YTD share of shelf”. 

Similar to cannabis sweet, cannabis cartridges and pods designed for stress-relief and rest had been the most well-liked. Again, that is most definitely a consequence of the pandemic and related psychological well being points. 

The smartest thing about cannabis cartridges and pods is how instantly efficient they’re. No want to sit down and await results and advantages to start — you get reduction, rest, and stress-reduction inside 5-10 minutes. 

One of the best-selling cannabis cartridges and pods of 2020 was Stiizy’s Premium 1:1 CBD:THC Cannabis Pods, made utilizing a KC-33 and Afghani pressure mixture. Designed for rest, euphoria, and mood-enhancement. Not too sturdy however sufficient for the CBD and THC to work in tandem, leading to a balanced excessive with out the dreaded “couch-lock”.

Top cannabis cartridge and pod positioning
  1. Natural
  2. Relaxation
  3. Focus & Creativity

C. Cannabis resin and rosin

Live resin extracts

Cannabis concentrates like resin and rosin are sometimes seen because the superior alternative for seasoned cannabis vets. They’re excessive in THC and really potent. Hits as much as round 35-90%+ THC. Super efficient for customers with a excessive THC tolerance needing one thing to knock them flat on their ass (in a great way hopefully!)

It’s no actual shock that cannabis resin and rosin did effectively in 2020. Both sorts of concentrates are sometimes mentioned to be the cleanest, purest, and simplest in the marketplace. No solvents are used throughout extraction. 

They’re constructed from extracts taken immediately from frozen cannabis vegetation. The extraction course of makes use of distinctive, state-of-the-art strategies that assist retain invaluable cannabinoids, terpenes, and different useful plant compounds. 

Live resin merchandise got here to market firstly of 2010-2011 however didn’t acquire loads of traction till afterward. 

According to Brightfield, cannabis resin and rosin “elevated in share of shelf greater than every other focus, gaining 3 proportion factors to deliver its YTD distribution to six%”. 

In different phrases, each cannabis focus sorts doubled in recognition amongst cannabis customers.

D. Disposable cannabis pens

woman vaping cannabis vape pen

Disposable cannabis pens are the equal of cannabis flower pre-rolls insofar as comfort and ease-of-use. They’re already pre-filled with cannabis vape juice, taking the burden of filling them up your self. Perfect for novices. 

It’s, subsequently, no surprise they did so effectively in 2020. 

Brightfield states disposable cannabis pens earned solely 4% of shelf however its distribution “grew by 68% in 2020”. Stress-relieving disposable cannabis pens had been the most well-liked. Their distribution rose by 18.7%. A steeper climb than each cannabis cartridges and pods mixed. 

Stress-relieving vape merchandise (disposable or in any other case) are arguably the simplest methods to scale back stress-related signs. Benefits are quick because of every plant compound coming into immediately into your bloodstream through your lung’s alveoli (tiny air sacs), bypassing the digestive system altogether.

E. Baked cannabis items

Cannabis edible chocolate brownie

Baked cannabis items are a staple within the cannabis market. Everyone is aware of a freshly-baked cannabis brownie or two will slowly however absolutely ship you to the moon and again. They’re extraordinarily tasty. Best for customers with a sweet-tooth and a penchant for all issues sugary and candy. 

Weirdly, cannabis baked items haven’t actually hit house for lots of people over time regardless of being a cannabis legend within the trade. Maybe DIY, do-it-yourself baked cannabis items are a extra widespread alternative

However, in 2020, baked cannabis items did see some motion available in the market, up 1% from final 12 months, which is a 40% enhance total. 

Hopefully, in 2021, baked items will see an extra rise, although we received’t maintain our breath. They’re not essentially the most cost-effective when buying them from dispensaries. You don’t get monetary savings within the long-term. 

Our recommendation? Make them your self at house.

5. And there have been some cannabis product losers in 2020

Using a comedic subheading of the “not-so-winners”, Brightfield notes the most important cannabis underachievers in 2020 had been:

A. Cannabis drinks

Gwenyth Paltrow might have gotten her entrepreneurial palms on cannabis drinks—she invested a good bit of cash into them—however Brightfield states they’ve but to discover a area of interest available in the market. 

One drawback going through cannabis drinks, Brightfield says, is that they’re not significantly cost-effective for heavier customers, and informal customers aren’t getting sufficient of a buzz to be glad. 

Another drawback is many cannabis manufacturers attempt to mimic alcohol, however competing with such an enormous available in the market is nearly not possible. Brightfield believes manufacturers ought to cease competing and discover their very own events of use.

B. Cannabis bud/flower

This shocked us. Despite Brightfield reporting 57% of cannabis customers consumed cannabis bud/flower in 2020, it misplaced some share of shelf all year long. 

cannabis flower

Brightfield believes this drop in distribution “might point out dispensary menus are carrying fewer strains or manufacturers of bud”, in addition to customers selecting more healthy cannabis merchandise. 

The act of smoking cannabis bud is likely one of the least wholesome methods of consumption. Causes signs much like smoking tobacco comparable to shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and sputum manufacturing. 

Many customers have switched to vaporizing cannabis flower and/or concentrations to assist stop these signs, although there’s no conclusive proof to recommend vaping doesn’t include its personal delicate or extreme well being issues.

C. Cannabis tinctures & topicals

Another shock, to be trustworthy. We assumed cannabis tinctures and topicals would do fairly effectively in 2020, nevertheless it seems we had been 100% mistaken. 

“Tinctures and topicals didn’t see the identical shopper enthusiasm as cannabis bud. Both misplaced distribution and noticed decreased ranges of shopper use…With medical and adult-use applications working by means of dispensary channels, tinctures and topicals can really feel too medical in comparison with extra thrilling product sorts”, Brightfield states. 

There has been a noticeable shift in cannabis product sorts over the previous 12 months or two. Cannabis tinctures and topicals are considerably antiquated and sometimes considered as run-of-the-mill merchandise.

Many customers are making the change to extra forward-thinking cannabis merchandise comparable to vapes, candies, and totally different strains of bud.

What Brightfield didn’t keep in mind is celeb curiosity in cannabis

Celebrities all throughout the US confirmed rising curiosity in cannabis and cannabis-related merchandise in 2020. 

The greatest identify is Jay-Z, who not solely turned a number one cannabis model’s Chief Visionary Officer but in addition launched his personal cannabis firm Monogram, introducing a contemporary line of “artisan” cannabis flower. Big names like Meek Mill and Rihanna are already shareholders. 

Other celebrities who’ve taken curiosity in cannabis in 2020 embrace:

  • The Game
  • Gwenyth Paltrow
  • The Trailer Park Boys
  • Kristen Bell

Though celeb curiosity in cannabis isn’t actually something new—Snoop Dogg has been publicly investing in cannabis for years—the variety of celebrities leaping on the cannabis prepare in current months is noteworthy.

People, in fact, look as much as celebrities. They’re all over the place within the media. One proper or mistaken transfer and everybody is aware of about it. The extra celebrities proceed to brazenly advocate for cannabis by means of investments, organising their very own model, or public consumption, the extra we’ll see it pushed additional into the mainstream highlight. 

And what does that equal? More folks displaying curiosity within the cannabis trade, particularly informal customers.

That can’t actually be a nasty factor, can it?

The future’s vibrant, the long run’s inexperienced in 2021

Woman holding a bong

Brightfield believes cannabis innovation will develop in 2021 because of numerous states legalizing leisure and medical cannabis or have handed laws to legalize it sooner or later. 

US states that legalized leisure cannabis in the course of the US presidential election:

  • Arizona 
  • Montana
  • New Jersey

US states that legalized medical cannabis in the course of the US presidential election:

  • Mississippi 

US states which have handed laws to legalize cannabis:

  • South Dakota

Legalization throughout these US states reveals a rising acceptance for cannabis, each recreationally and medicinally. An enhance in legalization means a rise in cash and competitors. 

The more cash there may be, the extra funds manufacturers, producers, and researchers must develop and create new and thrilling cannabis merchandise. Brands will even need to edge out the competitors. Innovation is, subsequently, necessary to every model’s success going ahead into 2021. 

No-one needs to be left behind on this race.