How two cannabis businesses pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic

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CommCan, a vertically integrated cannabis company in Massachusetts, and Golden Leaf Holdings, with dispensaries in Oregon, responded differently to coronavirus-related lockdowns.

But both were successful.

Ellen Rosenfeld, president and founder of CommCan, was granted expedited approval by Massachusetts regulators to do home deliveries to her medical customers.

Ultimately, however, CommCan didn’t go the home delivery route, Rosenfeld said during a Marijuana Business Daily webinar moderated by MJBizDaily science and technology reporter Omar Sacirbey.

Ninety percent of CommCan’s customers live within 20 minutes of the storefront, data revealed, so the staff focused on fulfilling customers’ needs on site. All staff were retained full time during the coronavirus crisis.

CommCan also offered special pricing in relation to 4/20.

Golden Leaf Holdings took a different approach, rapidly executing on both home delivery and curbside pickup, said Jeff Yap, CEO of the Portland, Oregon, company.

The key, both agreed, was to meet the needs of medical cannabis clients in an uncertain time.

A snippet of their chat can be viewed below.

Their full discussion, including results and details on all the pivots they made to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, can be accessed here.