Numbers from the first couple of days of cannabis sales in New Brunswick were released and the numbers bear out what customers are finding in the stores: the product seems to be flying off the shelves.
Some Cannabis NB outlets have empty shelves where product should be and, while no single product has sold out, they admit there are products missing.
The crown corporation says that's due to last-minute logistical and other issues encountered by licensed producers, though they won't be specific about what those issues are.
Retail stores in some communities like Sackville and Campbellton are reporting higher-than-expected demand because of customers coming from other provinces.
New Brunswick, by the way, boasts some of the highest prices in the Maritimes, with a per-gram price starting at $8.99 for Kinky Kush indica strain.
In the first 48 hours after legalization, Cannabis NB reported total sales of approximately $944,000, most of that from in-store purchases.
Fredericton and Oromocto came in as the top-grossing region, taking in over $98,000 on the first day alone, and close to $173,000 for the first two days in those stores.
The Saint John and Rothesay area was second, with sales over the first two days totalling over $148,000.
Moncton-Dieppe was third, selling $145,500 worth of product in the same time frame.
Amherst, the closest cannabis-selling NSLC location to New Brunswick, hasn't experienced shortages for any particular product. The NSLC said that it had received less than 40 per cent of its initial purchase orders, undoubtedly affecting supply in all of its locations.
Cannabis NB says it’s continuing to monitor inventory levels and work with suppliers to get what they need on their shelves in the coming weeks.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jessica Ng.
