Exclusive Insights From This Factbook
Optimize your business decisions with all-new data and analysis on hemp and CBD exclusively published in this report. Apply research-driven insights from The Hemp & CBD Industry Factbook to understand economic, agricultural and regulatory developments impacting your position and growth in the industry. The thorough evaluations of current and upcoming industrywide challenges in this report are fundamental for maintaining a competitive edge in the industry today.
FROM THIS FACTBOOK, YOU CAN EXPECT:
Authoritative analysis of looming regulatory changes based on revived interest in today’s hemp market
• Explanation of complex policy updates contributing to rapid change in the industry.
• The role of global trade and imports policy already affecting U.S. market opportunity.
➙ Is the U.S. poised to compete with powerhouse producers like Canada and China? While domestic production has grown rapidly, fluctuating import trends paint a different picture of how domestic producers are keeping up with hemp & CBD demand.
Breakdowns of preliminary considerations and obstacles across each U.S. state
• State-by-state requirements and fees for licensing and testing.
• Information on seed regulation and licensing for growers in each state.
• Market forecasts revealing realistic projections and expectations for new and existing hemp ventures.
Comprehensive information for processors and extractors to consider as demand for CBD surges
• Profitability for entrepreneurs entering or expanding current efforts in hemp extraction.
• Top challenges facing today’s processors – from fundraising to scalability and more.
• Established professionals’ outlooks and positions on the growing demand for CBD products.
A closer look at cultivator contributions and approaches to growing hemp
• Data regarding land currently allocated to various aspects of hemp production.
• Revenue reports from previous years’ sales alongside expectations for future earnings.
• A breakdown of cultivators using seeds versus clones to grow hemp, and the role of policy and regulation in the decision.
• The portion of farmers growing hemp under contracts versus those growing independently and selling their product after harvest.
➙ Learn about the benefits of each approach and understand why cultivators favor one over the other.
Current retail trends and methods for profitably introducing hemp and CBD to consumers
• Current sales and marketing tactics for CBD and the viability of different approaches.
• The role of e-commerce in hemp and CBD sales, and how retailers position their products when choosing brick-and-mortar outlets.
• Percentage of revenue generated from hemp and CBD sales in retail stores.
➙ The findings and analysis of total revenue from hemp-exclusive establishments compared to revenue from assorted-goods stores are important to note for retailers looking to maximize.
Three Charts & Three Takeaways
Graph 1: Annual U.S. Hemp-Derived CBD Retail Sales Estimates 2018 – 2022 (Hemp Industry Daily)
Current national sales predictions for hemp and CBD mirror the earliest and most exciting predictions for the cannabis industry overall. Between traditional brick-and-mortar stores and a booming e-commerce channel, CBD is projected to keep steady market growth through 2022, easily breaking $1 billion by 2020. Estimates presented here are modest and hinge greatly on legislation that has yet to be written, but even amid regulatory constraints and ambiguity about hemp’s position in the market today, researchers have confidently concluded this is not a stagnant industry, nor is it expected to slow down any time soon.
• Estimates for sales vary between publications, but based on comprehensive study and industry surveys, these projections are the most accurate and carefully considered presentations today – despite the lack of governmental reporting on this agricultural commodity. This continued growth begs the question: Is there a limit – and what is the limit – to the potential for this industry?
Graph 2: Portion of Hemp Cultivators Generating Revenue in 2017 & Revenue Expectations for 2018 (Hemp Industry Daily)
Optimism reigns supreme among hemp cultivators. While 64% of survey respondents reported that their 2017 revenue left much to be desired, the same group of respondents have a positive outlook about their profits in 2018 – 77% expect to widen profit margins this year. With so much to consider, from legislation moving down the pipeline while this book was being finalized to growing consumer interest deepened by medical research and mainstream media reporting, cultivators are not naive to the moving parts in the hemp industry and are maintaining genuine optimism for the potential of their crops to more and generate measurable profit very soon.
• With these considerations, what will optimism for industry growth bring to the market? Will confidence in profits translate to heightened competition or accelerated market saturation in the coming years for those already establishing themselves?
Graph 3: Breakdown of Retailer Survey Respondents (Hemp Industry Daily)
Hemp- and CBD-derived products maintain at least one distinct edge over their THC counterparts: the ability to distribute product through online sales. Survey data suggests many hemp and CBD retailers are not aligning their products alongside other marijuana and THC merchandise. With many retailers taking advantage of online sales, those who do offer products in a traditional storefront report their stock does not often commingle with products in a dispensary.
Hemp-devoted stores comprise the majority of physical establishments carrying hemp and CBD products, while assorted goods stores, like natural grocers or boutique beauty and cosmetic providers, are the second-most-popular location. While subject to change, and possibly reliant on marijuana’s recreational and medical legalization overall, these early trends reflect a distinct difference in how hemp professionals are beginning to position themselves in the market against multiple facets of THC products and distribution methods.
• You need to understand what this means for business strategies across the entire scope of hemp and CBD. What is the best way to get your products into the hands of consumers, and have “best practices” already been established? What are the opportunities to build on these strategies to distinguish yourself if you’re just entering the market today?
This content was originally produced for the 2018 Hemp & CBD Industry Factbook, published by Hemp Industry Daily
Greta Iverson 