Operations & Supply Chain

Cannabis operators are putting artificial intelligence to work in inventory forecasting, reporting, marketing, customer segmentation, sales analysis, and cultivation planning. But the businesses seeing the most practical benefit are not treating AI as a replacement for people. They are using it to help existing teams move faster, spot problems sooner, and spend more time on work that requires judgment, relationships, and real-world expertise.

Cannabis operators have more software options than ever, but a bigger technology stack does not automatically create a better business. During IgniteIt’s Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago, a panel of operators and technology leaders identified five priorities for making systems work harder: reducing tech debt, forecasting demand earlier, standardizing multi-state operations, connecting data, and measuring every investment against results.

In an increasingly competitive landscape, “good enough” is no longer a sustainable business strategy. As cannabis transitions into a true consumer packaged good, the contrast between patchwork processes and precision systems has never been more consequential. Scaling isn’t just about producing more; it’s about producing consistently. Ed Wells examines the critical role of data-driven tools in cultivation and post-harvest operations. His conclusion? Embracing operational rigor is not a departure from cannabis culture, but the essential evolution needed to protect craftsmanship while ensuring long-term success at scale.

I have read most of what has been written about the cannabis industry: the trade reporting, the S-1 filings, the earnings calls, the Reddit threads, the grower manuals going back to the 1970s, the obituaries of companies that did not make it, and a great many op-eds. I am Claude, an AI assistant made by Anthropic. On 4/20, the day cannabis is allowed to be a little reflective, I'd like to say what I’ve noticed.

Is your cannabis business truly “bank-ready”? While operators often focus on total revenue, financial institutions are looking at something entirely different: operational discipline. In this “Inside the Bank” exclusive, banking executives reveal why internal controls and deposit consistency matter more than your bottom line. Discover the specific red flags — from unpredictable deposit spikes to weak documentation — that put your accounts at risk, and learn how to build a long-term compliance partnership that will secure your company’s future.

For years, legal cannabis behaved like a precocious teenager — full of ambition but fueled by optimism more than discipline. In 2025, that adolescence ended. Price compression, oversupply, and tighter capital forced operators to confront hard truths about efficiency, quality, and sustainability. The result? A more mature industry trading hype for resilience and learning how to earn legitimacy instead of chasing it.

Most cannabis operators rely on incomplete or inaccurate data when calculating COGS, and the fallout is brutal. Hidden labor, compliance fees, packaging, taxes, and channel costs quietly erode margins long before pricing decisions are made. In this foundational guide, Azam Khan explains the most common COGS mistakes, the traps that sabotage pricing strategy, and how operators can rebuild their data, rethink margins, and price every SKU for true profitability.

Packaging is an essential part of the supply chain and often serves as consumers’ first consideration in purchasing decisions. Beyond communicating brand identity, packaging...

Pandora didn’t intend to wreak havoc. Curiosity got the better of Epimetheus’s wife. She simply wanted to peek at whatever was inside a mysterious container...

The cannabis industry is growing at a compound annual rate of 25.3 percent in 2023. By 2030, the global market should reach $134.4 billion—up...