KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Not even 24 hours after Amendment 3 passed in Missouri, BesaMe Wellness Medical Marijuana Dispensaries started interviews to double up on staff to meet predicted demand.
“We have to make sure that we get people access to this amazing plan that they've been wanting to get access to for so long, but there will be things that we have to prepare for,” said Joey Pintozzi, vice president of BesaMe's retail operations and marketing. “We’ll have to prepare for more inventory, more staffing and longer operational hours.”
Pintozzi says several of BesaMe’s locations received numerous phone calls from people inquiring about how soon they can get their hands on recreational marijuana products.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has to establish a lottery system and facilitate the process for medicinal shops to obtain a license to sell adult-use cannabis. Many shops believe recreational THC products won’t be available until early to mid-February.
“There's going to be a whole process that the state has to go through, and they've done a great job so far with the medical program, so we're kind of just relying on that,” Pintozzi said.
Missouri DHSS reports medical marijuana dispensary sales reached the more than $529 million last month, just two years after medicinal marijuana sales in began in the state.
“The products that you're going to be buying aren’t maybe what you imagined they’d be like, it's not like meeting your dealer in the parking lot in Westport,” said Michael Wilson, co-founder of Franklin’s Stash House. "That's not this anymore — it is much more of a higher-end experience, and you'll be able to go into retail stores just like you would a nice liquor store.”
Franklin's Stash House is a cannabis craft manufacturer that is based in KCMO.
Franklin’s Stash House gave me a rare behind the scenes look of their production facility. The KC based start up is ramping up production following the passing of Amendment 3 in Missouri. Are looking at adding staff and hiring contractors to expand their facility. @KSHB41 pic.twitter.com/fzgJpfbO2w
— Daniela Leon (@danielaleontv) November 10, 2022
Wilson says they produce a variety of THC products like pre-rolls, balms and even lemonade thanks to partnerships secured ahead of Amendment 3's passing with local brands like Guy's Snacks, Una Familia and James Lemonade.
“We got to do some really exciting things, and all the people that are super innovative, so it was a really great opportunity to do something new in an industry that is becoming much more normal,” Wilson said.
The cannabis start-up is looking to add between 25-50 additional staff members over the next six months and is looking at hiring contractors to add to their production facility.
Wilson believes sales will go through the roof once recreational marijuana kicks off in Missouri. Within the first 30 days of putting out their THC-infused James Lemonade, they were able to sell 10,000 bottles.
“The real reality of what comes in the recreational market is more jobs and more opportunities across the board in the industry,” Wilson said.