We appreciate Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein for having our CEO Rick Bashkoff on the High Spirits Podcast for a deep dive into East Coast cannabis markets, examining how data is reshaping operations in New York, New Jersey, and beyond as these emerging marketplaces evolve.
Some of the discussions covered in this episode include:
- Data accuracy in cannabis typically ranges from 70-90% with most platforms using similar methodology to predict market trends
- New York’s cannabis retail scene faces challenges with rampant illicit stores that mimic legal dispensaries and confuse customers
- Top-performing stores in Maryland and New Jersey generate over $1 million monthly, while New York averages $600,000-$700,000 in its top quartile
- Store density significantly impacts performance, with
- Long Island’s limited competition allowing dispensaries to reach multi-million dollar monthly revenues
- New York-born brands dominate their local market while New Jersey shows more receptiveness to established national brands
- Regional preferences exist across form factors, with urban areas favoring vapes and edibles while rural regions prefer traditional flower
- Product movement tracking through alerts and notifications helps brands identify when retailers are running low on inventory
- Challenges with indoor growing capacity in New York creates quality limitations compared to West Coast markets
- Successful brands from other states like Miss Grass, Fernway, and Clade9 have rapidly gained market share when entering New Jersey
- Focus on operational fundamentals and customer needs rather than industry noise is essential for sustainable success
For more on this episode:
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Visit the High Spirits website www.highspirits.media and listen to all of their past shows.
If you’d like to find out more about Lit Alerts, please feel free to book a demo anytime.

Rick Bashkoff
CEO
Rick is the CEO of Lit Alerts and operates the company. He’s held senior positions at one of the largest record companies in the world, a pioneering media tech startup, an enterprise SaaS company in growth mode and an early stage cannabis tech company. Rick met the founders of Lit Alerts in May of 2023 and quickly recognized the strength in the product and the team. In August of 2023, the founders invited Rick to drive growth and operate the company.