Cannabis has always been a part of our civilization. With it becoming legal in most US states, it only makes sense to have a quick and fast system that delivers some good quality stash right to your doorstep.
Well the good news is that there is soon going to be a mobile app in town called Canary that legally brings cannabis to you. This app is your source for safe, effective and delicious cannabis products. Ordering takes just a few minutes and delivery is usually within the hour. That’s not all; Canary also has a quick fix for your munchies. The app includes popular food and drink items to satisfy your ‘high’ insatiable appetite.
Meet The Team That Started It All!
Canary was ideated and conceptualized by Josiah Tullis, Megh Vakharia and Dalton Caughell.
Megh, Dalton, and Josiah are all students at the University of Washington. With marijuana legalization spreading across the country, they realized that there was very little tech infrastructure supporting this emerging industry. The mission of Canary as a business is to build infrastructure and provide services that support and enhance the experiences of both businesses and consumers in the legal cannabis market. Canary Delivery is the first vertical in that mold.
Know Canary Better
This mobile app is the easiest way to buy cannabis. The trio facilitates transactions between cannabis consumers and legal providers. Through the Canary app, consumers can browse nearby dispensaries’ inventories and view product photos, descriptions, and prices. After they add items to the cart, the team dispatches a Canary courier to deliver the order in less than an hour.
Oh do not worry, this app is totally legal! Canary abides by all recreational and medicinal cannabis laws on a state-by-state basis. When the user first sign-ups, they will need to proof that they are able to enjoy cannabis legally in their state. The user also needs to take a picture of their ID or medicinal marijuana card during the signup and send it to the team for verification. Only upon successful verification, will they be good to order.
What Problem Are They Solving?
Medical marijuana patients often suffer from intractable pain that sometimes renders them immobile. Either way, a lengthy trip through city traffic to wait in line at a dispensary is not a pleasant experience. The Canary mobile app and delivery service enables delivery from medical marijuana dispensaries to patients. This makes the purchasing and selection process easy and convenient. Medical marijuana providers also benefit with valuable digital presence, a new market of customers, and delivery infrastructure.
What Inspired It All?
“Megh and I were going over various start-up ideas and just generally brainstorming in my dorm one night. We were discussing opportunities in the emerging marijuana industry, especially tech opportunities. He placed a Postmates order to have food delivered on-demand and it just clicked– we could do that with cannabis”, says Josiah.
On The Struggles & Competitors
Navigating the legal ambiguities of an emerging market has been the team’s largest challenge. Many states with medical marijuana legislation do not directly address delivery, and leave many other questions unanswered. Building a business model that scales across states with different regulations has been especially tricky for the team. However, they feel that after several pivots they are confident that they have gotten it just right.
In terms of competition, there are several other app-based medical marijuana delivery services existing in the state of California. What makes Canary unique is the emphasis on user experience and the fact that the app enables delivery from dispensaries that doesn’t have a deliver system. Canary doesn’t only cater to the end customers; it also offers such dispensaries with the necessary fleet management, courier network, and software necessary to begin servicing deliveries.
On Branching Out, Target Audience & More
“Canary is more than just a delivery service; it’s a lifestyle brand for cannabis consumers. We intend to expand our service across the US and we’re already working on launching in parts of California in February. We’re also rolling out Canary merchandise, including cannabis paraphernalia and apparel”, says the team.
At the moment, Canary services only medical marijuana patients in the greater Seattle area. However, they are expanding fast to other states and have plans to add services even for recreational users.
When it comes down to monetizing, this app makes money by charging partner dispensaries a margin based on the number of sales driven through the app.
Special Offers Just For Our Readers!!
Upon the January 10, 2015 public launch, the team will be offering every user’s first delivery free! Many of the partner dispensaries also offer special deals through the Canary app. Right now Greenhand Seattle is offering $30 eighths for all their top-shelf strains!
To know more about the app, do make it a point to visit: http://canarydelivers.com/
