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HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JUNE 26, 2023 17 Door To Door Cannabis delivery services could help jump-start CT adult-use sales By Skyler Frazer sfrazer@hartfordbusiness.com W hen John "Jack" Cochran visited the Virginia home of his former player and retired NFL star Jordan Reed several years ago for a birthday party, he had no idea he'd leave with a business idea and entrepreneurial mindset. But that's exactly what happened. Cochran — who coached high school football across Connecticut for two decades, winning eight state championships along the way — recently launched cannabis delivery service Green Coach Delivery, serving the towns of Manchester, East Hart- ford, Glastonbury, South Windsor and Vernon. Cochran coached Reed, a New Britain native, at New London High School, and the two have since become friends. Reed's NFL career — including stints with the Washington Commanders and San Francisco 49ers — ended in 2020, due to concussion-related health issues, and the former tight end has been public about how cannabis helped him cope with head injuries. Cochran and Reed discussed starting up a delivery service company to serve the growing adult-use industry. "I was pretty intrigued by it," Cochran said in a recent interview. A collaboration between the two eventually fell through, but Cochran decided there was a business oppor- tunity in Connecticut once his home state legalized recreational marijuana use in 2021. Green Coach became the first cannabis delivery company to launch in Connecticut on June 9, and now other competitors are readying to enter the market in the coming weeks and months. "It's a unique license type in that it's a very low barrier to entry, but the upside is pretty large," said Hart- ford-based attorney DeVaughn Ward, who plans to open a delivery service company called CannaCart with his uncle. "We are a delivery society now — we get everything from liquor to pharmaceuti- cals to food delivered to us." How delivery works Adults who want to use the service can view menus and place orders directly through a delivery company's website or phone appli- cation. Customers can only choose cannabis products from Connecticut licensed adult-use and medical cannabis dispensaries. So far, Green Coach only handles deliveries for a Manchester dispensary owned by Fine Fettle, a Connecti- cut-based retailer with four in-state locations and two Massachusetts pot shops. Green Coach hasn't expanded to other retailers yet, but that will come with time, Cochran said. Delivery companies earn revenue by placing a surcharge on orders. Ward said his business, which he expects to launch in the next several months, will utilize similar fleet software used by large companies like UberEats and Amazon. Ward, a senior legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project advocacy group, predicts 15% of retail cannabis sales will be made online once the market matures and more delivery companies begin operations. "Folks enjoy delivery, it's just the reality," Ward said. "People like the convenience of stuff delivered to their doorstep, and cannabis is no different." The retail industry could use the potential sales boost. Connecticut has collected about $3.2 million in taxes through four months of HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER Former Connecticut high school football coach Jack Cochran is the co-founder of cannabis delivery company Green Coach Delivery, which recently launched operations. DeVaughn Ward A NEW MARKET These businesses were selected in licensing lotteries to open cannabis delivery service companies: Social equity lottery winners: • Bay Breeze Botanicals Inc. • Cannect Wellness of Connecticut LLC • Green Cab Co. LLC • Fresh Perspective CT LLC • Lets Grow Hartford LLC General lottery winners: • Cannect Wellness of Connecticut LLC • Cannabis Connection LLC • Farmington Convenience LLC • Slap Ash LLC • Ward Law LLC Source: CT Dept. of Consumer Protection