Tether Celebrates Fifth Anniversary of Budtender Appreciation Week with National Events
Toronto-based Tether, Canada's premier budtender community and business-to-business engagement platform, has officially announced the return of Budtender Appreciation Week for its milestone fifth year. Scheduled to run from March 22 to 28, 2026, this national initiative represents a significant commitment to recognizing and investing in the frontline professionals who serve as crucial connectors between cannabis brands and consumers across the country.
Building Industry Connections Through Strategic Events
Marking this five-year achievement, B-Week 2026 will bring together industry participants through a combination of high-engagement activities designed to foster meaningful connections. The program features in-person sampling events scheduled for Kelowna on March 22, Toronto on March 24, and Edmonton on March 26, complemented by national digital opportunities and retail visits throughout Canada. Each activation has been carefully crafted to prioritize education and appreciation while creating valuable interactions between budtenders and cannabis brands.
"In a heavily regulated industry with limited advertising channels, meaningful engagement with budtenders and retail decision-makers represents a strategic imperative for cannabis brands," explains Katie Pringle, CEO and Co-founder of Tether. "Our platform bridges that critical gap by translating budtender insights into actionable opportunities for brands to earn trust and build long-term relationships that ultimately drive sales and product movement."
Research-Driven Approach Informs Industry Strategy
Every Tether initiative, including Budtender Appreciation Week, benefits from original research conducted annually. The company surveys and analyzes insights from hundreds of cannabis retail workers, capturing detailed perspectives on product knowledge, consumer behavior patterns, educational gaps, retail realities, and brand engagement dynamics. These valuable insights directly shape Tether's event design, educational content development, and the customized solutions it creates for brand partners.
Key Findings from Recent Budtender Research
Recent survey data collected from approximately 400 budtenders reveals several important trends shaping Canada's cannabis retail landscape:
- Experience and Influence: Half of surveyed budtenders report three or more years of industry experience, while 60 percent regularly discuss their professional role on social media platforms, reinforcing their position as trusted voices within the cannabis community.
- Sampling Importance: Every single budtender surveyed indicated that product sampling helps them make better recommendations to customers, highlighting the critical role of hands-on experience in the retail environment.
- Educational Opportunities: While 81 percent of budtenders report having access to quality cannabis education, product knowledge remains the top area where they desire additional training, presenting brands with opportunities to support ongoing education beyond single interactions.
- Relationship Factors: Budtenders identified relationship quality with brand representatives, continued educational support, and product quality as the primary factors determining whether they engage with a brand following an event.
- Consumer Influence: Sixty-five percent of budtenders report that customer knowledge has increased year over year, with their recommendations ranking among the top influences on purchasing decisions alongside price considerations and product format preferences.
- Community Value: An overwhelming 90 percent expressed interest in attending in-person events focused on sampling, social connection, and education, reinforcing that community-led engagement drives stronger brand recall and advocacy.
Growing Impact and Industry Participation
Since its launch in 2021, Tether has collaborated with more than 200 cannabis brands throughout Canada. Budtender Appreciation Week has evolved into one of the most trusted and well-attended industry initiatives of its kind, reflecting Tether's ongoing commitment to providing budtenders with valuable access and opportunities. Brands participate in B-Week to reach highly engaged retail audiences, build credibility through face-to-face educational interactions, and demonstrate tangible support for the professionals shaping the future of cannabis retail.
Attendance at Tether's Budtender Appreciation Week events remains limited to individuals who meet provincial age requirements, with pre-registration mandatory for all participants. Sampling opportunities are exclusively available to currently employed budtenders and retailers, though limited tickets may be available to other industry professionals seeking to engage with this important sector of Canada's cannabis industry.
