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Cannabis Business Insights: Specials Magazine
In New Jersey’s fast-growing cannabis market, where new dispensaries open regularly, BestBüds distinguishes itself by how it approaches cannabis as a wellness tool rooted in education, safety, and trust. Located in downtown Woodbury, BestBüds is a women-owned and women-managed dispensary, an uncommon distinction that shapes every aspect of its culture, from leadership to customer experience. Founded by Amanda Terpstra and Laura Trujillo, BestBüds grew from deep community ties and a long-term vision. Amanda spent years working alongside her grandmother, who ran a business in the same downtown district long before women commonly owned companies. That early exposure to women-led entrepreneurship, paired with a desire to revitalize Woodbury’s historic core, helped guide BestBüds’ path forward. As mothers themselves, the founders bring a lived understanding of caregiving, time constraints, and discretion to the business, shaping an approach grounded in patience, education, and care. Long before opening its doors, the team invested years in civic engagement, attending city meetings, working with policymakers, and advocating for responsible cannabis legislation in Woodbury. That persistence paved the way for local licensure and positioned BestBüds as part of a broader effort to normalize, regulate, and de-stigmatize cannabis through education. What truly sets BestBüds apart is its leadership structure and expertise. The dispensary is managed by women across key operational roles, where general manager Kristy Straub holds a Master’s degree in Cannabis Science and Therapeutics from the University of Maryland, bringing rare medical literacy into a retail environment. Her background informs how staff is trained and how customers are guided, particularly those navigating cannabis alongside existing medications or health concerns.
Top Cannabis Inventory Management Solution 2026
Happy Cabbage
Maximizing Margins with AI-Powered Inventory Management
Andrew Watson, Founder and CEO
A multi-store cannabis retailer often juggles $1 million in monthly inventory. At this level, a mere 10 percent improvement in stock accuracy can unlock $100,000 in cash flow. Happy Cabbage powers this scale of breakthrough for cannabis retailers of all sizes through their software, Happy Buyers. It specializes in optimizing inventory and purchasing, helping them stock the right products and free up the cash trapped on the shelves. How does Happy Cabbage address inventory accuracy to directly improve cannabis retailer cash flow? “We help cannabis retailers manage the most financially impactful part of their business by providing accurate inventory data that supports faster stock turnover, reduces aging products and maximizes cash flow,” says Andrew Watson, founder and CEO. Why do spreadsheet-driven inventory workflows create financial risk for retail customers? Happy Buyers reduces the load retailers face while handling orders. It addresses both the acute pain point of time-consuming, error-prone spreadsheets and the chronic financial stress. Those managing multiple stores are bogged down by spreadsheets that consume over 40 hours of their week, effectively turning spreadsheet tasks into a full-time job. These manual systems, combined with supply chain volatility, leave cannabis retailers with huge financial challenges. Many end up closing stores, taking on debts or relying on distributors for write-offs or credit memos, leaving a pressing question. How can they better plan and order inventory?
CXO INSIGHTS
Three C's to Enable Continuous Development and Manufacturing for Small Molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient
Nick Thomson, Vice President, Analytical Research and Development, Pfizer
Transforming Quantitative Sciences and Reporting with Real-World Data
Lothar Tremmel, Vice President, QCSR (Biometrics + Epidemiology), CSL Behring
Integrated Risk Management. A Better Path Forward in the Cannabis Space
Karl Long, CPCU, ARM, ARe, AIC, Executive Director Risk, Health Safety Environmental & Security, Trulieve
Building Resilient Supply Chains
Dottie Barr, Senior Vice President Manufacturing & Technical Operations, Lantheus
Chasing the Miracles of Science to Improve People's Lives
Paul Rowe, MD, ATSF, Vice President, Head of Global Medical, Immunology, Sanofi
IN FOCUS
Elevating the Cannabis Experience: The Role of Premium Dispensary Services
Premium cannabis dispensaries elevate experiences through hospitality-driven design, personalized technology, trusted education, and wellness-focused services, building lasting customer loyalty.
Effective Cannabis Inventory Strategies: Ensuring Compliance and Boosting Growth
Cannabis inventory management improves operational efficiency, maintains product quality, and supports sustainable business growth.
EDITORIAL
Where Retail Discipline Meets Data Intelligence in Cannabis Retail
The cannabis retail landscape in 2026 demands more than expansion; it requires disciplined service models and data-driven operational control. As competition intensifies and financial pressures mount, dispensaries and multi-store operators are redefining performance through education-led retail and precision inventory management. In this edition of Cannabis Business Insights, we spotlight the organizations setting that standard.
BestBüds, named Top Cannabis Dispensary Service 2026, has built a retail model anchored in education, medical literacy, and community trust. A women-owned and women-managed dispensary in New Jersey, BestBüds integrates scientific training, balanced product curation, and consultative service into daily operations. Under the leadership of Amanda Terpstra, Laura Trujillo, Kristy Straub, and Rose Speero, the team emphasizes informed guidance rather than high-THC promotion, helping customers understand cannabinoid interactions, terpene profiles, and intended wellness outcomes. ADA-compliant design, free local delivery, and phone consultations reinforce accessibility and discretion. Through civic engagement and a carefully curated menu that prioritizes balanced, terpene-forward products, BestBüds demonstrates that dispensary excellence is defined by structure, credibility, and sustained community integration.
On the operational front, Happy Cabbage Analytics, recognized as Top Cannabis Inventory Management Solution 2026, addresses one of retail’s most financially consequential variables: inventory control. Its AI-powered platform, Happy Buyers, replaces spreadsheet-based processes with integrated demand forecasting, run-rate analysis, and automated purchase order generation. Founded by Andrew Watson, the company integrates with major point-of-sale systems to track sales, check-ins, and inventory movement, enabling retailers to reduce aging stock, improve turnover, and strengthen cash flow. By transforming raw data into precise purchasing decisions, Happy Cabbage equips operators with the clarity required to scale responsibly.
Together, these organizations demonstrate that sustainable growth in cannabis depends on informed service and disciplined inventory management. We invite readers to explore how focused leadership and operational rigor are shaping the industry’s next benchmark.
