Flavor Affects What Marijuana Edible You Buy

Everyone has a favorite flavor. Instinctually you know what that is whether it’s candy, soda, or popsicles. However, that may change with cannabis edibles and beverages, as sales data shows certain flavors rise above the rest for consumer wallets.

The company identified 73 different flavors currently sold on the market, which can range from hibiscus to red velvet. By a large margin, customers purchase citrus-flavored cannabis beverages and unspecified flavored gummy edibles more than any competing flavored product, according to Headset Analytics data.

Raspberry and watermelon are also popular with customers. But citrus and lemonade flavored beverages constituted approximately 24.2% of beverage sales over the past month for a reason.

“Citrus flavors are a great way to mask any residual flavor from the cannabis without making the product overwhelmingly sweet,” Liz Connors, Headset’s Director of Analytics, told The Fresh Toast. “Additionally, I think citrus likely just pairs better with the herbal taste from the THC than other flavors might.”

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These flavor preferences change with the market, although for reasons that appear unclear. Canadian markets gravitate to milk chocolate edibles far more than American markets do. Milk chocolate commands more than 50% of all edible sales in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario provinces. But legal state markets mostly gravitate to cannabis gummies and candies, with different flavor preferences depending on the state.

Connors hopes retailers and producers use this data to find area of opportunity in the marketplace. “For example, if Berry flavors are common in Gummies but not in Candies this could be a space for a producer to innovate on flavors,” she said.

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Fruity flavors like melon, pomegranate, and blueberry were generally more expensive than dessert flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, or snickerdoodle. But neither the cheapest flavor, honey, or the most expensive, eucalyptus, were top choices for consumers.

So what do customers care about more: price or flavor?

“I suspect that price is the primary driver over flavor,” Connors said. “This is mostly due to the fact that unlike a package of Haribo gummy bears you’re likely only eating one or two cannabis gummies. Even if it’s not your favorite flavor you won’t likely be consuming very many.”