Coast Cannabis Co.’s Cranberry Pomegranate gummies with a 1:1:1 ratio of THC, CBD and CBN.
Minor cannabinoids appear to be the present and the future of cannabis-infused edibles, giving consumers the long-sought-after potential for a more customized experience and tailored effects.
These cannabinoids include CBC, CBG, CBN and THCV, as well as potentially hundreds of lesser-known or undiscovered cannabinoids that occur naturally in small quantities within the cannabis plant.
CBG has helped lead a resurgence in demand for edibles, while other minor cannabinoids offer the promise of pinpointing cannabis with a purpose, whether it’s sleep aid, pain relief, minimizing anxiety or dozens of other health and wellness functions.
CBN, for example, has been singled out as a sleep aid and has seen eye-opening growth in the past two years. Despite the sleep aid market in the United States being worth nearly $70 billion, tens of millions of Americans continue to suffer from insomnia and other sleep disorders, leading them to seek out more effective solutions. According to BDSA, sales of edibles with CBN grew by 66% between Q1 2022 and Q4 2023.
The popularity of minor cannabinoids has exploded in the past couple of years due to a convergence of factors: minor cannabinoids are more readily available than they were five years ago, consumers are more knowledgeable about them and their effects, and the infused products are genuinely filling a niche that traditional THC and CBD edibles did not quite satisfy.
“Availability in the supply chain was really important,” says Mike Hennesy, vice president of innovation at Wana Brands and the man responsible for concocting many of the company’s industry-leading products. “As prices come down on these, we’re able to utilize these in products more efficiently and at a better price point. And then it’s filling a niche that maybe didn’t even exist before. What’s really interesting about each of these cannabinoids is they’re not replacing an experience that cannabis products were already providing. They’re providing a new experience.”
Individually, numerous brands have launched minor cannabinoid edibles that have become among their best-selling products.
“We’ve just recently launched a CBC product, a 2:1:1 Pearl with THC, CBC and CBG, and it’s fantastic,” says Grön CEO Christine Smith. “It’s outperforming everything in New Jersey, so we’re really excited about that. With the minor cannabinoids and targeted products, people are still buying for the experience, but less of just the THC is really where it’s at.”
Coast, a Massachusetts-based edibles company that focuses on quality, organic ingredients, has found minor cannabinoids “create some excitement and ignite some re-engagement in the edibles category,” co-founder Brian Cusick says.
Coast’s first minor cannabinoid product was a tangerine gummy with CBG, followed by a cranberry pomegranate gummy with CBN.
“Those products have continued to be our top-selling products,” Cusick says. “The desire for relief from sleep issues and treating aches and pains, that’s where you’re seeing a lot of effectiveness. We see tons of people buying our CBN gummies to help with sleep issues.”
Jerry Griffin is in the catbird seat when it comes to evaluating the demand for cannabinoids and watching the trends of popularity ebb and flow. Griffin is the vice president of sales and marketing for BayMedica, a subsidiary of InMed Pharmaceuticals that manufactures minor or rare cannabinoids for the commercial market. These cannabinoids are synthesized, but bio-identical to molecules extracted from plant material, he says.
“The business is built upon the premise that the plant is a really good factory for a lot of cannabinoids, but there are some cannabinoids that have a lot of mass market value and are impractical to produce from the plant for one reason or another,” Griffin says.
The measurable growth of the minor cannabinoid market began about five years ago.
“The numbers are already pretty astounding,” Griffin says. “Retail sales for minor cannabinoids — all products combined that have a minor cannabinoid on the front of the label — has grown from $1.7 million back in 2019 to about $400 million today.”
He says the minor cannabinoid market grew by $126 million just over the course of 2023. And it’s a trend that shows no signs of slowing. Although flower and concentrates will remain mainstays of the cannabis market, ratioed products like edibles can more easily be dosed precisely for consumers’ needs, can be recreated identically from one market to the next, and can be tailored more specifically for different purposes.
CBN appears to be the current favorite among consumers, but others are also gaining ground. Griffin says demand for CBC and THCV increased throughout 2023.
But what’s the next big cannabinoid trend?
It’s anybody’s best guess … but Griffin says to keep an eye on CBGA and an even lesser-known cannabinoid called CBT (cannabicitran).
“To be candid, we have no idea what somebody’s using it for, so we don’t market it at all,” he says. “But from a straight consumption perspective, somebody figured something out with it. And they’re making products from it.”
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated several figures and terms. The numbers and wording have been corrected.