On Oct. 17, 2019, edibles, topicals and extracts became legal. Packages of edibles are not permitted more than 10 milligrams of THC, while extracts and topicals can not exceed 1,000 milligrams of THC.

Deloitte expects that 6 out of 10 likely Canadian cannabis customers will choose to consume edible forms of cannabis after they become legal. Baked goods like brownies and cookies (nearly two-thirds or 64%), along with chocolate (43%) and hard-candy products (37%), were by far the edibles Canadians were most eager to try when asked.

Based on research from consumer analysts Mintel, among potential cannabis consumers, cannabis edible products are the most intriguing form (48%), including 47% of people aged 20-34, 49% of people aged 35-50, and 48% of those aged 55+. Overall, two-thirds (66%) of open non-users are interested in edible forms and beverages.

Edibles, including beverages, earned 4.5% of the market share in Ontario, 4.9% in British Columbia and 5.3% in Alberta, during the first six months those items were available in Canada, according to data collected by Seattle analytics firm Headset.

For the June 2024 reporting period, edible cannabis sales represent 25% of total sales (in units), with 5,298,191 packaged units sold, a 50% increase from edible cannabis sales in 2022, which averaged about 3.6 million units per month.

The 2024 survey shows that the proportion of people in Canada reporting smoking cannabis continues to decline. Dried flower remains the most popular product, with 63% reporting having consumed the product in the past 12 months, up from nearly 80% in 2018, followed by cannabis edibles at 55% in 2024, up from just 40% in 2018. The most commonly consumed edible types in 2024 were gummies (91%), chocolate (31%), cookies (18%) and brownies (15%). Beverages ranked 5th with 21% in 2024 up from less than 5% in 2018. Despite their growing popularity, beverages (2%) and edibles (5%) had the lowest proportions of daily/almost daily use.

According to the latest government of Canada statistics, cannabis edibles rank third in total cannabis sales in Canada, representing more than 20% of both the medical and non-medical sectors of the legal cannabis market.

Deloitte’s third annual industry report forecasts that “the edibles market alone is estimated to be worth at least $1.6 billion a year in Canada, with cannabis-infused beverages adding a further $529 million.”

Canadian Cannabis Edibles Market Infographics

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Cannabis Edibles Business Plan Templates Sample

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