Name: Building insights from the ground up in the cannabis space
Uploaded: 2022-09-23T12:59:30.654Z
Duration: 736.95
Description: Building shopping insights is a complex task when data is prolific. With lacking data, the brand new cannabis space is even more challenging. We spoke with Karen Lee, Director of Shopper Insights at Canopy Growth, to figure out how she is working with retail partners to enhance the shopping experience across channels and improve mainstream perception of the Cannabis category.

Building insights from the ground up in the cannabis space.vtt

English

{{00:00:26}}
Hi, I'm Jordan Thorne and
we're here at TMRE 2021.

{{00:00:29}}
Today.

{{00:00:30}}
I'm joined by Karen Lee.

{{00:00:31}}
She's the director of shopper
insights at Canopy Growth.

{{00:00:34}}
Karen, thank you so much
for joining us today.

{{00:00:35}}
Yeah.

{{00:00:36}}
So nice to meet you as well.

{{00:00:37}}
So maybe you could start by
telling me a little bit about

{{00:00:39}}
yourself and your role at Canopy.

{{00:00:41}}
So, I've been at Canopy
Growth for about a year.

{{00:00:44}}
I'm the director of shopper insights
for the Canadian market for THC,

{{00:00:48}}
and then the U S market for CBD.

{{00:00:50}}
I've been in shopper
insights for about 15 years.

{{00:00:53}}
I have a masters in anthropology,
so I've always kind of had a

{{00:00:57}}
fascination with what people say
they do versus what they actually do.

{{00:01:02}}
So I've been busy, starting the new
team at canopy and really being on

{{00:01:06}}
the forefront, I think in the cannabis
space for really leading the way

{{00:01:10}}
with consumer and shopper insights.

{{00:01:11}}
Incredible.

{{00:01:12}}
And market research in the
CBD business, clearly demands

{{00:01:16}}
alternatives to traditional data.

{{00:01:18}}
How is canopy growth generating insights
to improve the shopping experience across

{{00:01:22}}
channels and mainstream perception and
understanding the cannabis category?

{{00:01:26}}
Yeah, one of the bigger issues that we
have in cannabis is we don't have as

{{00:01:30}}
much reliable, syndicated data like you
would have in cat food or toilet paper.

{{00:01:35}}
Right.

{{00:01:36}}
And so we have to find alternative
ways to supplement the data that we do.

{{00:01:41}}
And we've been doing some of
it through primary research.

{{00:01:43}}
We've partnered with , Ask
Suzy to have our own panel.

{{00:01:47}}
We get a lot of our panel information
via that we can run quick, fast surveys,

{{00:01:52}}
and it allows us to really, have an
opportunity to, personalize the research

{{00:01:59}}
that we're running on a regular basis.

{{00:02:01}}
We also have partnered with a
few data suppliers that focus

{{00:02:04}}
on the cannabis space BDSA and
Brightfield, or some of our partners.

{{00:02:08}}
And so we kind of just take all of the
data that we can combine it together

{{00:02:12}}
and make sense of it on our end,
with what we know about the industry.

{{00:02:17}}
And that's a lot, like I had
mentioned a little bit different

{{00:02:19}}
than it is in traditional CPG.

{{00:02:20}}
Yeah.

{{00:02:21}}
It's really interesting.

{{00:02:22}}
Yeah.

{{00:02:22}}
So how do you go about finding the
right partners that sort of fit

{{00:02:26}}
for the industry that you're in?

{{00:02:27}}
Yeah, the biggest thing we
regularly send out RFPs.

{{00:02:31}}
So as we're building our library
of foundational research we always

{{00:02:35}}
RFP, we don't necessarily have
preferred suppliers just yet.

{{00:02:39}}
So we have to be open to
finding new suppliers.

{{00:02:42}}
And one of the biggest questions
we ask of suppliers is if they have

{{00:02:45}}
cannabis category experience,  it's
really important in our industry.

{{00:02:50}}
Not only because of rules and
regulations, so legality issues,

{{00:02:54}}
but also it's just a very different
category from other categories.

{{00:02:57}}
So one of our biggest questions
is have you worked in the cannabis

{{00:03:00}}
space before and really helping them
understand if they haven't, that

{{00:03:05}}
it's going to be very different.

{{00:03:06}}
And if they have, it's kind of a
plus for us, because then you are

{{00:03:11}}
not having to teach someone about the
industry at the same time, as you're

{{00:03:14}}
uncovering foundational learning.

{{00:03:16}}
And that's difficult because
we're a newer industry.

{{00:03:19}}
So finding the expertise in people
within our category has been

{{00:03:23}}
crucial to success of our projects.

{{00:03:26}}
Right.

{{00:03:26}}
Interesting.

{{00:03:27}}
And how do you go about choosing the
proper customer experience tools?

{{00:03:32}}
It really along the same route, making
sure that we're RFP out all projects

{{00:03:37}}
and then relying on some of those vendor
partners throughout my entire career, I've

{{00:03:42}}
had some really awesome vendor partners.

{{00:03:44}}
So I'll usually come up with an
idea in my mind, I'll say, this is

{{00:03:48}}
what I'm thinking of methodology.

{{00:03:49}}
What do you guys think?

{{00:03:51}}
And I love to take advice from my vendors.

{{00:03:53}}
They might have better ideas or
things that I haven't thought of.

{{00:03:57}}
So I think working together and
partnership with some of those vendors

{{00:04:01}}
is how we've developed some methodologies
to really determine the best way to

{{00:04:05}}
go about approaching this category.

{{00:04:08}}
And as we talk about, you know, changes
and kind of new things happening, at

{{00:04:15}}
the moment and in the world, obviously
we look at the pandemic is sort of

{{00:04:18}}
a major shift,  with major change.

{{00:04:22}}
How have you sort of seen what's the
biggest change you've seen in the market

{{00:04:25}}
research area because of the pandemic?

{{00:04:27}}
Sure.

{{00:04:28}}
So it's obviously been wildly different
and being personally in shopper insights.

{{00:04:33}}
I think the biggest difference
is we haven't been allowed

{{00:04:35}}
to do in store research.

{{00:04:37}}
So there's no traditional
shop-alongs that are happening.

{{00:04:41}}
We haven't been able to go out in our
own stores, even in Canada to talk

{{00:04:45}}
to shoppers in front of the shelf.

{{00:04:47}}
So we've had to utilize a lot more,
methodologies that incorporate

{{00:04:51}}
shoppers doing it on their own
and then giving us feedback.

{{00:04:54}}
So whether that's, geo tracking surveys,
anything involving their phone, where

{{00:04:59}}
we can talk to them while they're in the
store without actually having to be there.

{{00:05:03}}
Digital bulletin boards.

{{00:05:05}}
I feel like we've been relying on those
a lot more versus the in-person research.

{{00:05:10}}
That would be more
traditional in the industry.

{{00:05:13}}
And I know that's the way we were
moving before, but this is really

{{00:05:16}}
just, I feel like escalated that trend.

{{00:05:19}}
So that's how we've been talking to
people even when we can't get out and

{{00:05:23}}
have direct communication with them.

{{00:05:25}}
Right.

{{00:05:25}}
This is an interesting,  interesting
techniques you, as we think,

{{00:05:28}}
so that's helpful for maybe
people that are watching.

{{00:05:33}}
So what, what do you think, you know,
as we, again, talk about changing,

{{00:05:37}}
changes in because of the pandemic,
what kind of changes are needed now for

{{00:05:41}}
companies to really start making those
bold decisions to go from disrupted?

{{00:05:45}}
Which many companies have
been to the disruptor in 2022?

{{00:05:49}}
I think the biggest thing that we've
seen in the retail industry is the,

{{00:05:55}}
escalation of omni-channel fulfillment.

{{00:05:57}}
So even though this example is from
THC in Canada, I'm going to use it.

{{00:06:01}}
When the pandemic hit and all
the dispensaries shut down how

{{00:06:07}}
are we able to sell our weed?

{{00:06:09}}
Quite frankly, it was very difficult.

{{00:06:11}}
It wasn't set up in a way that
omni-channel fulfillment was possible

{{00:06:15}}
and a lot of the different provinces in
areas that we sell cannabis products.

{{00:06:19}}
So, the development of apps the increase
in delivery services,curbside pickup.

{{00:06:27}}
All of those omni-channel fulfillment
methods have exploded and that's

{{00:06:31}}
true, like your traditional
Walmart and target as well.

{{00:06:34}}
But, in our industry, obviously
it's highly regulated.

{{00:06:37}}
So we've really had to work with,
technology partners to make that

{{00:06:41}}
happen fast and efficiently.

{{00:06:43}}
And that's probably been
the biggest change in retail

{{00:06:46}}
that I've seen since COVID.

{{00:06:49}}
It's interesting that you
sort of continue to know that

{{00:06:52}}
partners are really fundamental.

{{00:06:54}}
And sort of being able to quickly move.

{{00:06:56}}
Absolutely.

{{00:06:56}}
I mean, we're a startup company,
if you think about it that way.

{{00:07:01}}
And so I really do rely on all of these
trusted partners that I've known and grown

{{00:07:06}}
with throughout my career, because again,
10 heads are better than one head thing.

{{00:07:12}}
So I really like to involve our
partners in our decision and they are

{{00:07:15}}
critical for our success as a company.

{{00:07:18}}
So how are these changes impacting
the retention and development?

{{00:07:23}}
Well, I would say the biggest
thing at Canopy obviously

{{00:07:26}}
we're a Canadian based company.

{{00:07:27}}
I'm local here in Nashville.

{{00:07:29}}
So how does that happen?

{{00:07:31}}
Right.

{{00:07:31}}
I don't even live in a legal cannabis
state and here I am running an

{{00:07:35}}
insight scene for a cannabis company.

{{00:07:37}}
So I think the biggest change
is with remote working.

{{00:07:41}}
Obviously I'm not the first
person to say that, but having

{{00:07:43}}
opportunities for individuals to
join companies and live all across

{{00:07:48}}
the country, live all across Canada.

{{00:07:50}}
The majority of our business
meetings happen on zoom today.

{{00:07:54}}
And I think it's going to continue that.

{{00:07:55}}
I think younger generations find that
very appealing when I'm interviewing

{{00:08:00}}
people for roles, they'll say, are we ever
going to have to go back to an office?

{{00:08:04}}
Meaning they don't want to.

{{00:08:05}}
And I mean, I don't really blame them.

{{00:08:06}}
I also like working from
home in my sweat pants.

{{00:08:08}}
So I think it's great that we are going
to be able to start getting back together

{{00:08:13}}
and having in-person meetings, but not
having to go to the office every day.

{{00:08:17}}
And I think that's really
important for talent retention.

{{00:08:19}}
It is for us right now.

{{00:08:21}}
And I have to imagine that's
impacting other CBGs as well.

{{00:08:24}}
Yeah definitely.

{{00:08:25}}
From a leadership perspective, what skills
do insights teams needs to develop moving

{{00:08:30}}
forward to follow along with this shift?

{{00:08:33}}
Yeah, so it's,very interesting.

{{00:08:36}}
I love presenting in person.

{{00:08:38}}
I like interacting with people.

{{00:08:40}}
But when I'm on the zoom call
presenting to 200 people in our

{{00:08:43}}
company, I get very nervous.

{{00:08:45}}
It's a very different skillset when
you don't have that physical contact.

{{00:08:50}}
So I think it's really important for
our insights team to develop their

{{00:08:54}}
skills, influencing through a virtual
environment, influencing through zoom.

{{00:09:00}}
And sometimes it's hard because you don't
have those same personal connections

{{00:09:03}}
that you have with people that you
see every day at the coffee station.

{{00:09:07}}
Right.

{{00:09:08}}
Really working on building
relationships through digital events,

{{00:09:12}}
and this is internal and external.

{{00:09:15}}
But making sure that when you kick off
meetings, you have a little personal

{{00:09:18}}
conversation, like to keep it casual.

{{00:09:21}}
And,that helps grow influence
within organizations.

{{00:09:25}}
And I, again, feel like it's
a kind of different skill set

{{00:09:28}}
to do online versus in-person.

{{00:09:30}}
So we've been having some
trainings with our teams.

{{00:09:33}}
On how to influence people,
especially in a digital environment.

{{00:09:37}}
And I think that's going to need to
continue in order to be successful.

{{00:09:40}}
Yeah, that's definitely.

{{00:09:43}}
How has your team been embracing and
emphasizing diversity inclusion as

{{00:09:47}}
it relates to both teams, but also
sort of the, the market research?

{{00:09:52}}
Yeah, I would say we're,more of a laws
of growth company, whereas we're not

{{00:09:58}}
focused on specific shopper segments.

{{00:10:00}}
We believe cannabis products.

{{00:10:03}}
Are good for all people.

{{00:10:05}}
We obviously have different divisions
where we're targeting on like a medical

{{00:10:09}}
community versus a recreational community.

{{00:10:12}}
But we are also activating different
things within the communities

{{00:10:16}}
where our stores are located.

{{00:10:18}}
So we have Tokyo smoke and Tweed stores.

{{00:10:20}}
And within those communities,
we're doing things like supporting

{{00:10:23}}
local artists,  having them paint
murals,having them bring in their

{{00:10:28}}
products and selling them in our stores.

{{00:10:30}}
And we're making sure that we're
getting a diverse set of people.

{{00:10:34}}
So women,minorities,really making
sure that we're focusing our efforts

{{00:10:41}}
on all communities and currently
right now, a lot of that's happening

{{00:10:44}}
in Canada, but I expect that
to continue in the U S as well.

{{00:10:48}}
Amazing and final question, you know,
you talked a bit about trends and sort

{{00:10:52}}
of what you think is going to still
be here next year, but I'm curious,

{{00:10:56}}
is there one particular trend you
think is going to be the biggest one

{{00:11:00}}
in 2022 to come out of, you know, the
market research industry that market

{{00:11:04}}
researchers should be looking out for.

{{00:11:06}}
Again, I think it's going to be in the
future all around these omni-channel

{{00:11:10}}
fulfillment methods, younger generations.

{{00:11:14}}
Are not going to stores
as much as they used to.

{{00:11:17}}
And so we really need to
have a firm understanding.

{{00:11:19}}
This goes for retail in general,
about how we can continue to improve

{{00:11:24}}
those omni-channel fulfillment
methods,  how we can make sure that

{{00:11:28}}
our brands are successful, making sure
we're selecting the right partners.

{{00:11:32}}
But the amount of convenience apps
are only going to proliferate.

{{00:11:37}}
So I think it's really important
that we in our cannabis space

{{00:11:41}}
understand what that means both
legally, and then both,  also to like

{{00:11:46}}
a consumer and a shopper standpoint.

{{00:11:48}}
So I think we're going to be doing a lot
of research in the next few years, trying

{{00:11:51}}
to make sure that we're ready for that.

{{00:11:53}}
When we start selling THC products in
the U S but also partnering with our

{{00:11:57}}
big retailers on the CBD side, to make
sure that omni-channel fulfillment

{{00:12:01}}
methods are available there as well.

{{00:12:03}}
Well, really, really interesting insight.

{{00:12:05}}
It's been a pleasure speaking with you.

{{00:12:06}}
Thank you so much for coming down.

{{00:12:07}}
Thank you.

{{00:12:08}}
I appreciate it.

{{00:12:08}}
Thank you.

Hi, I'm Jordan Thorne and
we're here at TMRE 2021.

She's the director of shopper
insights at Canopy Growth.

Karen, thank you so much
for joining us today.

So maybe you could start by
telling me a little bit about

So, I've been at Canopy
Growth for about a year.

I'm the director of shopper insights
for the Canadian market for THC,

I've been in shopper
insights for about 15 years.

I have a masters in anthropology,
so I've always kind of had a

fascination with what people say
they do versus what they actually do.

So I've been busy, starting the new
team at canopy and really being on

the forefront, I think in the cannabis
space for really leading the way

And market research in the
CBD business, clearly demands

How is canopy growth generating insights
to improve the shopping experience across

channels and mainstream perception and
understanding the cannabis category?

Yeah, one of the bigger issues that we
have in cannabis is we don't have as

much reliable, syndicated data like you
would have in cat food or toilet paper.

And so we have to find alternative
ways to supplement the data that we do.

And we've been doing some of
it through primary research.

We've partnered with , Ask
Suzy to have our own panel.

We get a lot of our panel information
via that we can run quick, fast surveys,

and it allows us to really, have an
opportunity to, personalize the research

We also have partnered with a
few data suppliers that focus

on the cannabis space BDSA and
Brightfield, or some of our partners.

And so we kind of just take all of the
data that we can combine it together

and make sense of it on our end,
with what we know about the industry.

And that's a lot, like I had
mentioned a little bit different

So how do you go about finding the
right partners that sort of fit

Yeah, the biggest thing we
regularly send out RFPs.

So as we're building our library
of foundational research we always

RFP, we don't necessarily have
preferred suppliers just yet.

So we have to be open to
finding new suppliers.

And one of the biggest questions
we ask of suppliers is if they have

cannabis category experience,  it's
really important in our industry.

Not only because of rules and
regulations, so legality issues,

but also it's just a very different
category from other categories.

So one of our biggest questions
is have you worked in the cannabis

space before and really helping them
understand if they haven't, that

And if they have, it's kind of a
plus for us, because then you are

not having to teach someone about the
industry at the same time, as you're

And that's difficult because
we're a newer industry.

So finding the expertise in people
within our category has been

And how do you go about choosing the
proper customer experience tools?

It really along the same route, making
sure that we're RFP out all projects

and then relying on some of those vendor
partners throughout my entire career, I've

So I'll usually come up with an
idea in my mind, I'll say, this is

And I love to take advice from my vendors.

They might have better ideas or
things that I haven't thought of.

So I think working together and
partnership with some of those vendors

is how we've developed some methodologies
to really determine the best way to

And as we talk about, you know, changes
and kind of new things happening, at

the moment and in the world, obviously
we look at the pandemic is sort of

How have you sort of seen what's the
biggest change you've seen in the market

So it's obviously been wildly different
and being personally in shopper insights.

I think the biggest difference
is we haven't been allowed

So there's no traditional
shop-alongs that are happening.

We haven't been able to go out in our
own stores, even in Canada to talk

So we've had to utilize a lot more,
methodologies that incorporate

shoppers doing it on their own
and then giving us feedback.

So whether that's, geo tracking surveys,
anything involving their phone, where

we can talk to them while they're in the
store without actually having to be there.

I feel like we've been relying on those
a lot more versus the in-person research.

That would be more
traditional in the industry.

And I know that's the way we were
moving before, but this is really

So that's how we've been talking to
people even when we can't get out and

This is an interesting,  interesting
techniques you, as we think,

so that's helpful for maybe
people that are watching.

Expert Insight

Building shopping insights is a complex task when data is prolific. With lacking data, the brand new cannabis space is even more challenging. We spoke with Karen Lee, Director of Shopper Insights at Canopy Growth, to figure out how she is working with retail partners to enhance the shopping experience across channels and improve mainstream perception of the Cannabis category.

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Karen Lee

Director of Shopper Insights 

A new category to be fully understood is both exciting and challenging. Figure out here how Canopy Growth is generating insights to improve the shopping experience across their channels.

Market research in the CBD and THC space

From joint efforts with vendors to new methodologies applied. Karen Lee gives us a brief overview of how she goes about finding new tools and partnerships to improve CX.

Customer experience tools

Major shifts bring significant changes. With the impossibility of doing in-store research, Karen has utilized methodologies that allowed shoppers to contribute by giving feedback.

Challenges of post-pandemic

Whether via partnerships or new omnichannel methodologies, CX will witness major changes. Karen shares her thoughts on what will be mandatory—including skills teams need to develop to follow the shift. 

From disrupted to disruptor in 2022

Activating communities, supporting local artists and entrepreneurs. See how Canopy Growth is addressing diversity and inclusion in its strategy. 