No More Competition? 

At Farmers Cup, they celebrate ALL year!

The team works behind the scenes to support the businesses that make the competition happen! Just an example, please take a look at past media sponsors of the Harvest Cup. In 2022, Farmers Cup team begins outreach again for businesses that want to join the business showcase and create the judge experience. In the cannabis industry, I am connecting with brands who are stoked about 2022 or brands that aren’t. I have gotten a mix of owners and employees who answer the phone, but one question I always get asked is “how can I be a judge of Farmers Cup?” which is a fair question, it is rather easy to enter a public competition most times. However, the Farmers Cup is not that easy. Due to the hostile war we still face in the cannabis industry against mainstream media, we are forced to be rather quiet about it. Of course, Farmers Cup does their best to let you all know about the contests, but there are still many who are confused. So, all you need to do is go to eventhi.io and register for the Farmers Cup judge experience.

Public Knows if you Don’t Show up

The other comment I get from brands is that they have competed before in another cup. Interestingly, we have a lot of experts who feel they can judge cannabis, but the judge kit is available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. So the real question persists, “are you competing as a brand?” And I mean this! Maybe it is different from the words just there in the question. If I transform this a little, I am reaching brands to ask if they are willing to let other brands take their title as well as their market share. The “California’s Best” or “People’s Choice” is an award associated with time, and keeping relevant should be about consistently winning! Not just that one time, no offense to Pabst Blue Ribbon. (Side note, I love PBR as a brand sponsor, they actually sponsored one of my first community events.)  

The question persists “are you competing as a brand?” It’s a question that must send brands into confusion.

“You mean we should keep competing?”

This is one of the reasons I worry most. The answer in my opinion is “Yes!” If you are an A+ brand, you should not let a competitor come into your market and win a “Best in California” or “People’s Choice” cannabis competition in your category of products. Not showing up? This means you didn’t value being the best product supported by the people, you lost by default? Obviously, there are a number of things your fans may say about your brand when you do not show up. 

Farmers Cup Valentine’s Edition

For the Valentines Edition of the Farmers Cup we have 6 categories, and will possibly be the first all-edibles licensed cup of its kind with Beverage, Chocolate Candy, Non-Chocolate, Sweet Baked Products, Savory, and Healthy categories. Each category will have 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The trophies for this are cooler than most, not only do they have the placement of the winner, but also the brand name, logo and the product name etched into a crystal block trophy. Additionally, each category has four trophies for Best Appearance, Best Aroma, Best Flavor, and Best Effect, which will be etched into a wooden trophy with logo, brand name and product. Many of our past winners post their trophies on their social media, website, and in dispensaries. The pickup day for judges is the weekend of Valentine’s day and will be at the Cookies in Mission Valley. 

Patrons are seeking to Patronize or do they BUY also?

Being told by a brand that they do not want to join this year, leaves me questioning. Why give up your title? This inconsistency in any brand will create a hole where your success should be found. When I do not see brands I like in my community and someone hands me a replacement from a brand new to the community–They get a chance! I didn’t give them the chance before, but the brand I loved and trusted didn’t show up! They were unavailable and they must have forgotten I would be in the market. I am over exaggerating the concept of convenience, and it seems the industry has been playing this game too. 

Industry Conditions & Marketing Cannabis

I was shocked to hear some stories from farmers working to get their products to market. I mean, some of these farmers believe that if they grow it the market will come. While I believe it ridiculous to hype the buying of all cannabis stocks for some kind of long term financial gain with a belief that only 2 brands will survive, is more likely, than the idea of ‘just because you have it the market will take it.’ I think the reflection of that is seen in the many farmers who did not make it to market last Croptober. Keep in mind taxes and the illegal market are huge factors impeding a healthy price of outdoor farmers products and the cannabis industry as a whole. 

Marketing was all done by Peter Tosh? 

Until we can advertise by smoke clouds or by the smell of products in the market, we need to look at professionalizing marketing efforts. So the 5 Ps of marketing need to be understood, and I think many know a few of the P’s pretty well, like product, price, and promotion. These are obvious on the surface of the back end of any business model. However, the front end is the most important to the market! The 4th & 5th of the marketing mix are people & place. This is about being where the market is and the positioning you select in your strategy. That will all resonate with the identity of your product or brand. 

The 5 P’s of Marketing Include Peter Tosh?

With events like Farmers Cup, the marketing mix is being rolled out for the connoisseurs in a specific territory. Imagine it from the business perspective. If an event organizer offered you a chance to impress all the frequent influential buyers in a large market, with small costs, careful handling, promoted and celebrated for weeks, most would call this a ‘no brainer’ for their marketing costs. For less than the cost of professional business cards for the team, you can get access to a huge SoCal market and receive honest feedback from the connoisseurs who would have been the goal of reaching via the initial entry to market. The San Diego Cannabis Farmers Market may actually be the Peter Tosh of the San Diego and SoCal cannabis market. 

Marketing placement, promotion and connected community leaders all in one swoop with a Farmers Cup entry. So it really is that simple, get your product, set your price and the Farmers Cup team does the 3 other Ps for you! Each contestant in our cup is connected to our dispensary partners, our media partners and our San Diego market of connoisseurs & fans who follow all of our social media. 

For more information regarding Farmers Cup, or San Diego cannabis market, please reach out to Russ@FarmersCupOfficial.com