The popularity of CBD gummies and edibles has been on the rise for quite some time now. The market for CBD gummies was valued at USD 1.64 billion in 2020, and it is anticipated to grow to USD 13.9 billion by 2028.
It’s arguably one of the most enjoyable ways to consume cannabis, so unsurprisingly, the demand for it keeps rising. You probably want to add gummies to your inventory, but knowing how to store your gummies and edibles to extend their life is equally important as finding the right products. This will help avoid unwanted consequences and loss in sales and revenue.
Most of us have been in a situation where we had to put products in the trash even before the expiration date, and the leading cause for that is improper storage conditions. If you don’t want your favorite gummies or edibles to go wasted, it’s essential to know how to store them properly and prolong their shelf life to avoid such a situation. This article will discuss the correct ways to store your edible products to extend their shelf life so your customers and your store can benefit from edible products.
Understanding the shelf life of gummies and edibles
Properly storing cannabis edibles ensures they last longer and maintain the product’s freshness, effectiveness, and potency. How long specific edibles last depend on the type of the product. Some products can last a couple of days, others a couple months. For example, gummies typically tend to last longer than baked goods.
As a cannabis store owner, you probably want to stock up on one of the most in-demand cannabis product type, but before you do so, let’s discuss how to store edibles properly to offer fresh and quality products to your customers.
Factors that affect the shelf life
Temperature
Edibles don’t like temperature fluctuations, and neither do they like being close to the heat source. Storing your edibles in cool places is usually recommended, although some will also be fine at room temperature. It’s always best to check specific recommendations on a product label.
Humidity
Even a slight change in the humidity can affect your edibles. Moisture tends to support the growth of bacteria and mold, two things you don’t want to go anywhere close to your cannabis products. Moisture can even affect the texture of your gummies and edibles.
Light
Light is also something that edibles might not be in favor of. Exposure to excessive or intense sunlight can harm edibles. Exposure to UV radiation can reduce the shelf life of cannabis products and accelerate the breakdown of terpenes and cannabinoids.
Packaging
Packaging materials is a crucial aspect of prolonging the shelf life of edibles. Some materials help preserve the food, and the ones that will fasten the process. It is essential to know the difference. Ensure you buy properly packaged products in tempered glass or airtight plastic containers.
Ingredients
The ingredient list affects the shelf life of any food. The products only containing natural ingredients tend to go bad way faster than the ones that also contain preservatives. Always check the labels to get the whole picture of the ingredient list and learn about the expected shelf life of the product you purchase.
How to store your gummies and edibles to extend their shelf life
This paragraph will discuss the best practices and essential aspects of keeping your edibles properly.
Storing gummies and edibles in a warehouse/shop
You can’t fit all your edibles on the store shelves, so you must keep them in your store’s storage area. Ensuring the proper storage conditions are in place is crucial whether you are in charge of a warehouse or a cannabis store. It’s even more critical since you’re responsible for a much larger quantity of products, and causing them to go bad is definitely not something you’d want to happen.
Since excessive heat or cold may damage the product’s integrity, the best temperature for keeping cannabis edibles is often between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s best to keep the temperature range in your storage area as well as in your store. If you cannot keep your store at the suggested temperature range, ensure to switch products on your store shelves with the ones from the storage quite frequently, within a matter of days, to prevent your edibles from going bad. Rotating your products is a good strategy for storage space organization. Regularly switching around the locations of your cannabis products ensures that older stock is used first, ensuring freshness and reducing waste. Store them away from direct sunlight or any other heat source to keep them fresh for as long as possible.
As mentioned above, one of the most crucial aspects of storing your cannabis products is the humidity. It can significantly affect the quality of your cannabis products, so ensure your storage space doesn’t exceed 65% humidity and ideally falls between 59% to 63%. The proper humidity level in your storage space and store will prevent your edible products from degrading, losing color, texture, and even flavor.
Best storage materials
Materials play an essential role in preserving the edibles. The most commonly used materials are glass jars, silicon, and airtight containers. Each of them has their benefits. Let’s discuss each of them.
Glass jars: The old mason jars- the tried and true materials for storing almost anything. They’re perfect for storing edibles too. Vacuum-sealed jars can help keep edibles for quite some time. One thing to note, ideally, it shouldn’t be a clear glass container. Tinted glass can help prevent UV lights. Storing your edibles in glass jars is quite convenient, although different types of edibles require different storage methods. For example, most cannabis edibles aren’t of a sticky consistency, and you can put them in the jar immediately. If they have a sticky texture, it’s best to wrap them in parchment paper first and place them in the jar afterward. Remember to keep the jar in a cool dark place.
Silicone containers: This type of container is suitable for storing edibles for a short period. They’re pretty convenient to use. You should choose the container size according to the number of edibles you want to place inside. This way, you can prevent moisture buildup. Note that these containers are not recommended as long-term storage materials.
Airtight containers: These containers are excellent at keeping moisture out and preserving the freshness of food. Place your edibles in a bag, air seal it, and put them in an airtight container. They should easily last up to a month.
Storing Cannabis Products at Home
As for your customers, a dry, cool, and dark place would be a perfect option. An example of such a place would be a pantry or cabinets. They must ensure cannabis products are out of reach for the little ones and adequately labeled so nobody would mistake them for the common edibles.
Additional Tips
Other than the main instructions for storing your gummies and edibles, some additional tips might help increase customer satisfaction in your cannabis store.
Choose a reputable brand.
Choosing a reputable supplier to purchase from is the most critical aspect of keeping your customers happy. You want to ensure you’re getting a premium quality cannabis product that has undergone third-party lab testing and is properly packaged to remain fresh before the expiration date.
Schedule rotation
Regularly rotating products from your store shelves to storage areas and vice versa is a good strategy to prevent edibles from losing quality. Storage areas usually offer better conditions for your cannabis products. Creating a rotation schedule is a great way to ensure you and your employees will remember to switch your products to ensure their quality and freshness.
How to tell if your edibles have gone bad?
There are many indications that edible has gone bad. For instance, it might change color or smell. Sometimes it can change the texture as well. There are some cases when the change is not noticeable visually, but if you feel like your edibles don’t have the effect they used to, it might point to the fact that it has gone bad. Sometimes cannabis stores ask customers to open their products on-premises to verify the quality of their products.
Final thoughts
Appropriate storage is essential to increase the shelf life of cannabis gummies and edibles. Consumers and retailers should take preventative measures to maintain the potency and freshness of these items by being aware of the elements that might degrade their quality, such as light exposure, temperature changes, air, moisture, and packaging. If you are looking for a reputable cannabis supplier, shop for cannabis edibles at The Hemp Doctor Wholesale. We offer products for anyone’s taste and dosage preferences. All our products are appropriately packaged using state-of-art technologies to ensure their extended shelf life.
