There’s no doubt gummies have become a dominant force in the cannabis market. The tasty treats make up roughly 57 percent of edibles sales nationwide, with consumers gravitating towards them thanks to their convenience and familiar form factor. But while there are tons of different gummies on dispensary shelves, it’s clear one flavor is leading the pack in terms of popularity.
According to data from Headset, “berry” is by far the top-selling weed gummy flavor in the US. The analytics firm sent GreenState numbers from 14 unique marijuana markets, which revealed that berry gummies accounted for close to $94 million in sales over the previous 90 days alone, making up 15 percent of the edibles market. If you add in the number two and three flavors (“raspberry or blueberry” and “strawberry,” respectively), the sales number jumps to nearly $186 million—and 30 percent of market share.
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Why is berry so popular? There are a couple of different theories. It could be that there are simply more products with this flavor.
“The Pareto Principle applies to most situations, where the majority of sales in any data is going to come from a few top brands,” explained Steph Woods of Headset. “These brands are all in more markets than most other edibles companies, and they all have unique berry-flavored SKUs that do really well. Most importantly, they make really good products.”
Lisa Battista of The Flavor Co. (whose LinkedIn post inspired this article) believes the consumer is at the center of the berry craze.
“Berry flavors do seem to be more popular; when I look at the options in my grocery store, there are plenty of citrus and sour, but always more berry,” she noted. When asked why berry is so ubiquitous, Battista suggests it’s familiarity.
“Everyone knows what to expect with a berry flavor; start throwing in a dragon fruit or ginger or something else, and some people likely question what that will taste like.”
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When advising brands on formulation, Battista suggests capitalizing on consumer preference but adding something new and exciting.
“With 392 strawberry SKUs (on the market), you can’t go wrong including one in your line, as clearly consumers like the flavor, but maybe try a variation like strawberries and cream or strawberry peach,” she suggested.
When looking at individual products, the top-selling SKU comes from the popular brand Wyld. The company’s sleep-focused Indica Boysenberry gummy, which contains a blend of THC, CBD, and CBN, saw more than $13 million in sales over the last three months. Sleep is clearly an important factor, as the number two spot also went to a nighttime gummy: Wyld’s Indica Elderberry gummy, with THC and CBN.
In the world of gummies, berry reigns supreme. Whether it’s brand availability or consumer preference driving the popularity, $186 million in sales clearly shows a fan favorite.
Wondering what flavors are rounding out the top five? “Watermelon” and “citrus,” for all you sour candy devotees.
