Unity Rd. Amplifies Efforts to Keep Dispensaries Locally Owned & Operated

DENVER – Despite a slowdown in the national cannabis market, a Colorado-based franchisor continues to charge the industry forward with a narrow focus on building a national community of local cannabis entrepreneurs. Unity Rd., the first U.S. company to bridge the gap between cannabis and franchising, announced today an aggressive growth strategy to keep dispensaries locally owned and operated.

Unity Rd. is seeking a variety of partnerships in states where adult-use (recreational) and medicinal cannabis are legal, including:

  • Independent dispensary owners that may benefit from systems built from over a decade of operations to help run more efficient, compliant and profitable stores;
  • Independent dispensary owners looking to pass off local ownership to another entrepreneur; and
  • Entrepreneurs interested in entering the industry by purchasing an existing independent dispensary and rebranding as part of the Unity Rd. family.

As part of these development efforts, Unity Rd. entered a new franchise agreement with a dynamic father-son team from Iowa, who will be moving to Colorado to operate their Unity Rd. dispensary. The franchisor connected the group with a Colorado dispensary that was interested in selling their business. Currently, the two teams are in the midst of finalizing the deal.

In the year ahead, the cannabis franchise expects to introduce many more groups to dispensaries looking to sell – helping local entrepreneurs make a successful exit and bringing new entrepreneurs into the cannabis industry. Unity Rd. also anticipates partnering with other independent dispensaries that would benefit from the added guidance and resources that are typically reserved for larger multi-unit operations.

Unity Rd. Vice President of Franchise Development Justin Livingston said that his team is seeing an influx of eager would-be cannabis entrepreneurs who are interested in coming to mature and emerging markets to break into the industry while their home state catches up.

“Selling to multi-state operators isn’t the only option for dispensary owners wanting to exit their business,” Livingston said. “For local dispensaries wanting an alternative, this is an opportunity to keep ownership in the hands of entrepreneurs. As a franchisor, our partners operate their dispensaries and maintain ownership of their businesses and licenses with support and programs developed over 10 years of running successful dispensaries. We simply guide them along the way with the team and resources needed to succeed in cannabis.”

Launched in 2018 with a 10-year history rooted in Colorado cannabis operations, Unity Rd. brings the stability, scalability and continuity of franchising to the budding and fragmented world of cannabis. The marijuana franchise currently has multiple agreements signed with more than 10 entrepreneurial groups across the United States for development in Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts and Ohio, among other states.

ABOUT UNITY RD.

Unity Rd., the retail brand of ONE Cannabis Group, is bridging the two previously disconnected worlds of cannabis and franchising. The industry trailblazer is the first to bring the cannabis dispensary franchise model to the United States—with duality of prowess in both industries to back it up. Built up from the legacy of Green Man Cannabis and infused with decades of franchise experience, the company helps eager operators enter the complex industry with ease. The marijuana franchise pioneer offers its partners the knowledge, resources, and ongoing support needed to compliantly and profitably operate a dispensary. Unity Rd. is powered by ONE Cannabis Group, which is a Colorado-based, vertically integrated cannabis company. Recently, it was named one of the top cannabis retail leaders in the nation by MJBizDaily magazine. It also recently became the first cannabis business to earn a Franchise Times Dealmakers award – a recognition presented to the boldest players driving mergers and acquisitions in franchising.

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