The Cannabis Packaging Summit, an educational and networking event focused on academic research, industry best practices, and regulatory perspectives on the safe, effective packaging of cannabis-based products, will take place February 11 and 12, 2020 at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, CA, adjacent to WestPack, North America’s premier packaging technology event organized by Informa Markets.

The first event of its kind to focus exclusively on cannabis packaging, the conference will address the challenges and opportunities facing edible, medical, and recreational cannabis product manufacturers, and how the suppliers of packaging solutions – containers, design services, labelers, materials, etc. – can approach this booming consumer market with greater insight and understanding.

High-level speakers will include experts from legislative, regulatory, industry associations, educational, and commercial arenas, while tabletop exhibits and networking sessions with engineers, brand managers, and other key decision-makers are on each day’s agenda.

“This year marks an exciting milestone for WestPack, as we’re featuring the first-ever Cannabis Packaging Summit running adjacent to this year’s event,” said Steve Everly, brand director of WestPack, Informa Markets. “The emergence of and innovation seen within the cannabis market has astronomical impacts across applications. In order for manufacturers in the packaging market to keep up with and evolve alongside consumer and regulatory demands, it’s vital that all key stakeholders across the supply chain work together to address today’s challenges and explore new growth opportunities – as this is uncharted territory.”

Emerging Multi-Billion-Dollar Packaging Market

The global packaging market for cannabis products is expected to reach $25 billion by 2025, according to a new report from Zion Market Research. To help meet this rapid demand, there is a need to accelerate the learning process for all supply chain stakeholders. The strategic goal of the Cannabis Packaging Summit is to bridge the “information gap” in the market by connecting those involved and investing in the production, sale, and distribution of cannabis products and marquee players in the existing food, pharmaceutical, and medical device packaging networks – who stand best prepared to provide effective, efficient packaging services for this burgeoning segment.

“As the first-ever event in this space, the Summit marks an important breakthrough in the packaging of cannabis,” adds Peter Schmitt, founder of the Cannabis Packaging Summit. “Packaging is the final mile in the production and distribution of cannabis. Bringing together government, regulatory, academic, and industry experts assures the safety, efficacy, and harmonization of this emerging packaging market today and in the future.”

These networks have decades of expertise in packaging active ingredients via new dosage and delivery systems, but often lack strong ties to the emerging cannabis industry. The Cannabis Packaging Summit will serve as a useful “starting point” for attendees, enabling exhibitors and sponsors to hear from leading voices in the industry while exploring mutually beneficial partnerships for the near future. The dynamic, professional setting will serve as matchmaker between aspiring vendors to the cannabis sector and high-profile industry purchasing influencers.

There is much to discuss and learn amid the ever-evolving, often intimidating cannabis landscape. Even as more states join Canada in fully legalizing recreational marijuana products, others restrict their use to the medical sphere. In both circumstances, cannabis-based products have an increasingly broad range of platforms – from edibles and topicals to pills and dry-herb – with varying levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and/or the wildly popular non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD). The Cannabis Packaging Summit aims to bring potential players from various cannabis sector niches up to speed on where the packaging market is and, importantly, where it is likely headed next.