Item 9 Labs Corp.'s Cannabis Dispensary Franchise Expands Footprint In North East

Item 9 Labs Corp. INLB a vertically integrated cannabis dispensary franchisor and operator, announced on Wednesday the continued development of its cannabis dispensary franchise brand, Unity Rd., across the Northeastern United States.

The company signed an agreement to bring Unity Rd. to New Jersey and Virginia.

Unity Rd., which also supported their Maine franchise group in securing a lease, is now working with them on securing a dispensary license. The state's adult-use market launched in October 2020 and has been flourishing ever since. This past August, Maine exceeded $10 million in sales for the first time in one month. 

Item 9 Labs Corp.'s CEO Andrew Bowden, said in a press release that "Unity Rd. franchise partners own and operate 100% of their businesses. Therefore, low corporate capital is required for national development of the brand, creating a capital-efficient method for both our retail and product expansion.”

The CEO added that “by clustering our operations, we're creating a focused network to more effectively launch Unity Rd. and Item 9 Labs brands into new markets."

'Strategic Growth Plan'

Item 9 Labs Corp. plans to develop top-tier cultivation and lab facilities all across the country as Unity Rd. franchises start to open –the first Unity Rd. franchise opened this past June in Boulder, Colorado.

This strategic growth plan gives Unity Rd. operators front-of-the-line access to a reliable product supply chain and eases new market product entry across the nation.

Currently, Unity Rd. has multiple agreements signed with more than 15 entrepreneurial groups who are in various stages of development across eight states, noted Item 9 in a press release.

"As part of the Unity Rd. network, our partners can operate their dispensaries more efficiently –resulting in more time to focus on growing the business rather than managing it. We're offering the supportive network and tools they need to reach new heights and achieve their business goals.", said Unity Rd.'s VP of franchise development Justin Livingston.

Franchise partners sign 10-year agreements and pay a $100,000 franchise fee up-front. The Company also earns a residual monthly 5% gross royalty on top-line revenue and a 2% marketing royalty fee per location.