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This summer, there are so many more weed products to choose from than last year. The legal weed market keeps growing in the Garden State, leaving shelves at the 35 retail spots bursting with fresh cannabis strains and flavors.
I perused through all the recreational menus (via Leafly) to bring you this summer’s trends report, to help you make the most of your next trip to the dispensary.
Juicy, fruity, candy and dessert flavors are dominating the best sellers lists. Pre-rolled joints are are as popular as ever, and the variety of concentrates available in most locations is expanding. And get this, garlic is becoming a popular aroma. There are so many new strains — some with wacky names — hitting the market every week.
Summer fruit flavors reign
It’s all about the citrus, melon, berry and tropical fruits flavors when it comes to flower, edibles and pre-rolled joints. We have some classic strains reemerging like Blueberry Kush, Clementine, Lemon Cookies and LA Kush Cake #11.
There are some new flavors debuting on menus that are clever crosses of summer favorites from previous years. Lemon MacMelon, Super Melonaid and Mandarin Zkittles are best sellers, proving that the citrus-melon combination is a favorite among consumers.
Some hot strains are named after desserts featuring summer fruit, like Watermelon Sorbet # 2, Lemon Sorbet and Strawberry Cheesecake. This year, we are even seeing strains named after tropical fruits like Lychee and Ube Cake.
It’s all about candy and sweets
Cultivators have flooded the market with dessert strains for the last three seasons, and this summer is no different. Favorites like Cake Pop and White Russian are still going strong.
Popular newbies include Berry Tart, Bombsicle, Boston Cream and Southern Sugar.
Brands are consciously tapping into Gen Z’s love of strains with candy flavors, producing many crosses with the Zkittles, Runtz and Cookies cultivars (another word for strain). Some children of these top strains are Cotton Candy, Red Velvet Runtz and Dosi Watermelon Zkittles.
Garlic flavors are gaining popularity
Garlic Triangle and Garlic Cookies are two of the most surprising flavors gracing recreational menus this year. These strains have a funky, sweet garlic aroma with citrus and pine notes.
Landraces are available in New Jersey
Mag Landrace and Indian Landrace are now available in a few legal weed stores now. The California trend of being able to try weed strains that are native to different countries has finally reached the East Coast. Durban Poison is also available, and is native to South Africa.
Strange Names
Many of the new strains have strange names that do not point to their origins or parent strains at all. They will have to be tried to understand the aromas and effects they possess. Cultivars like Secret Meetings, Highway Maxx, Nzinga’s Light, Cashmere Kitty and Wizard’s Staff are surprisingly trendy.
As your consumer weed guide, it’s my job to help you navigate the scene and stay in the know about new releases and popular items. Once a season, I like to give you a guide on the ways the market is moving.
Have you tried any of these new strains and want to share your thoughts? Have a question about consuming weed? Ask me anything.
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Gabby Warren is NJ.com’s Cannabis Life reporter. She’ll be covering all things weed retail, commerce and culture.
NJ Cannabis Insider is a weekly subscriber-based online trade journal and events group produced by NJ Advance Media, which also publishes NJ.com, The Star-Ledger and other affiliated papers. Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for insider exclusives. Follow us on LinkedIn. Contact us here.