Which sector of the cannabis industry is responsible for turning raw cannabis into finished goods?

The manufacturing sector of the cannabis industry is responsible for transforming raw cannabis into finished goods. This process involves various activities such as extracting oils, creating edibles, formulating topicals, and producing concentrates. Manufacturers utilize raw cannabis material—flowers, trim, or biomass—and apply various techniques to create consumer-ready products that meet safety and regulatory standards. This process is crucial because it ensures that the raw plant material is converted into usable forms that adhere to packaging and labeling requirements, providing consumers with consistent and quality products.

In contrast, the cultivation sector focuses on growing the cannabis plants, ensuring they reach maturity and are harvested in optimal conditions. Retail is concerned with selling the finished products directly to consumers, while distribution handles the logistics of transporting products from manufacturers to retailers or directly to consumers. Each of these sectors plays a vital role in the cannabis supply chain, but only manufacturing is tasked with the critical function of product transformation from raw material to saleable items.