The cannabis market in New Jersey is still in a price adjustment phase. "The first to get cultivation licenses here in Jersey were MSOs," says Sam Padro from Hearth Wellness, a cannabis company based in New Jersey. "So they had the opportunity to set a price point." However, things are slowly changing as local growers and companies are emerging. "It's kind of similar to what's been happening on the West Coast," Sam points out. Over there, MSOs are gradually pulling out, while more craft and local growers are gaining increasing market share. As the market matures and more competition joins the cannabis fray, prices are bound to go down—something evident when looking at Colorado, for instance.
"We're seeing a culture shift over here," Sam continues, referring to craft growers entering the market and the New Jersey community increasingly supporting local companies. "MSOs had their turn; now it's time for other types of cultivation licenses to get their share," Sam says.
The challenges of working in cannabis
Sam used to be a truck driver before joining the cannabis industry, a choice that significantly impacted his finances. However, it was a forward-looking decision that he believes was worth the sacrifice. "When I first started in cultivation, I was making $14 per hour," a staggeringly lower wage compared to his previous earnings. "We had medical cannabis in Jersey since 2010, I believe, but when recreational was about to come in, I saw a huge opportunity and decided to go all in and stick around despite the challenges."
He's not just referring to financial challenges but also the physically demanding nature of the job. "People think the cannabis industry is all about playing with plants all day, maybe doing a little defoliation here and there. But it's not. It's hard work, plain and simple."
Clean, clean, clean
Unlike traditional vegetable horticulture, cannabis growing comes with a very specific and restrictive set of regulations, and adjusting to that reality can be unsettling for some. "Eighty percent of working in cultivation is cleaning," says Sam. "You have to clean, clean, clean, and that's usually not what people sign up for." He recalls that when he joined the industry, it took him 2-3 months before he became a plant-touching employee. "When I first started, it was all about cleaning, hand-watering, then cleaning again. It's difficult, it's intense labor, especially when the pay isn't that appealing." This is a major challenge for cannabis workers and companies, as the turnover rate in the industry is quite high. "It's tough to grow at scale when you have a high turnover rate, and plants don't get the love and care they need to reach their full genetic potential. This is where craft growers can step in and gain market share."
Hearth Wellness plans to tackle the market in this way with their Shady Extract, their soon-to-be-launched line of products. The company is mainly focusing on live resin. "We've partnered with local growers to bring New Jersey customers locally-produced craft products. MSOs had their time to shine, but now it's ours."
For more information: 
Hearth Wellness
shadyextracts.com