Looking Back to Build Forward: Where We Went in ’25 and Where We’re Headed in ’26

As we step into 2026, it’s worth pausing to reflect on what the past year demanded from cannabis and hemp operators and how those lessons are shaping the future of infused products, especially with the sudden rise of beverages and other fast-acting products.

2025 wasn’t easy. But it shed plenty of light on regulated cannabis and hemp markets.

Across cannabis and hemp, both industries matured rapidly; margins tightened; and regulatory compliance expectations increased. Let’s also not forget the Trojan Horse provision that re-shaped and potentially shut down an entire industry. The brands did survive and grow demonstrated operational discipline, but also calculated risk.

At Monarch Emulsions, ’25 was a year of intentional focus. We doubled down on the industry fundamentals that actually matter to operators building real businesses within regulated cannabis and hemp. Here’s what we did and how we look to grow with current and new partners in ’26.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 ‘𝟮𝟱:

Rather than chasing trends, Monarch spent 2025 strengthening the foundation that supports long-term success for our partners in an industry that at times can be teetering on the brink of explosion or extinction.

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀

We restructured our pricing to better support brands at every stage (from early operators to multi-state legacy brands). Our goal was simple: make premium emulsions accessible without forcing brands to sacrifice precious margins.

𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 & 𝗖𝗮𝗻-𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

As canned beverages continued to dominate, stability inside aluminum cans became a non-negotiable. We invested heavily in improving shelf life and ensuring compatibility with various can liners, helping brands avoid costly recalls or potency degradation over time.

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗢𝗣 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘇𝗲

In addition to our shelf stability studies, we performed numerous particle size tests to ensure that our emulsion hits its mark every time. This allowed us to revamp our standard operating procedures, creating a more bioavailable, fast-acting input.

From micro businesses and single state operators to MSOs, we expanded our equipment stack to provide the ability to support both small-scale and large-scale partner needs throughout the continental US. The result: smoother production, increased efficiencies, faster timelines, and fewer bottlenecks.

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗱𝘆

In an environment where documentation and traceability matter more than ever, we reinforced fully transparent and compliant chains of custody, which gives partners confidence across audits, state lines, and regulatory frameworks.

𝗔 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸-𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻

2025 reinforced the importance of dependable inputs. Monarch strengthened relationships across HD9 (derived from Mother Liquor) and minor cannabinoid providers to ensure availability, quality, cost, and compliance.

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲: 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱

It’s 2026 and Monarch is entering the new year with a clear focus on scale, accessibility, and execution. We’re increasing production capacity and expanding state by state to meet operators where they’re building, while continuing to provide premium emulsion inputs at prices that support real margins (and not just for the large players) but brands at every stage. At the same time, we’re helping both legacy brands and new operators launch fast-acting products with confidence, speed, and consistency. With streamlined, on-site production operations, buttoned-up white sheets, and repeatable workflows at scale, Monarch’s emulsions are engineered to serve as the preferred input for fast-acting products built for cost, stability, efficacy, and long-term success.

• John Miles (CEO)
• Brendan Delaney (COO)
• Derek A. Gould (CMO)

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