The Unofficial National Holiday of Cannabis: 4/20
In 1971, five high school students in San Rafael, CA used the term "4:20" in connection with a plan to search for an abandoned cannabis crop, based on a treasure map made by the grower. Calling themselves the Waldos because their typical hang-out spot "was a wall outside the school", the five students scheduled 4:20 pm as their official meeting time. This ultimately evolved into a code-word the teens used to refer to consuming cannabis. 50 years later, April 20th has emerged from fringe slang to a national phenomenon with an emphasis on the retail consumption of cannabis. More than two-thirds of Americans now support legalization and this number looks to only increase.
Busiest Day of the Year for Dispensaries
Onfleet has tracked the growth of 4/20 from its cannabis deliveries over the years. In 2017, we saw deliveries increase by 74%. In 2019, we published a comprehensive guide to the trends expected on this day to allow businesses to prepare for the spike in demand. We all know what happened in 2020, as delivery emerged as a significant and permanent channel for cannabis, along with groceries, prescriptions, food delivery (and a whole lot else.)
Mainstream retailers now plan for this holiday. For example, Ben & Jerry's offered free "half-baked" ice cream to people who bought cannabis on 4/20/19.
Pizzas, Dispensaries, and Deliveries
This is where the pizza delivery comes in! Onfleet partner dutchie connects with dispensaries to provide software tools and a marketplace that enables cannabis e-commerce for pickup or delivery. Onfleet powers these deliveries through its software, connecting orders to drivers to consumers. Anticipating 4/20 akin to a "Black Friday," for Walmart workers, dutchie has chosen 420 dispensaries to send the reviving nourishment of 420 pizzas to say "thank you."
MJ Business Daily predicts the US cannabis industry’s economic impact could hit $130 billion by 2024. Onfleet celebrates 4/20, our partners like dutchie, and our shared hardworking customers and drivers on this day. A safe, legal cannabis marketplace is no longer a trend, but is rapidly unfolding into becoming an inevitable and welcome retail universe.