National initiative is shaped by frontline insights and half a decade of brand-to-retail engagement
Budtenders at Tether Kelowna
Product Discovery
Toronto, ON, Feb. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tether, Canada’s Budtender community and B2B engagement platform, announces the return of Budtender Appreciation Week (B-Week) for its fifth year. Running March 22 to 28, 2026, Tether’s B-Week is a national initiative built to recognize and invest in the frontline professionals who influence product discovery, consumer trust, and retail performance across Canada’s cannabis industry.
Marking a five-year milestone, B-Week 2026 brings the industry together through high engagement, in-person sampling events and national digital opportunities. Events will take place in Kelowna on March 22, Toronto on March 24, and Edmonton on March 26, alongside online giveaways and retail visits across Canada. Each activation is designed to create meaningful connections between Budtenders and brands in environments that prioritize education and appreciation.
Every Tether initiative, including B-Week, is informed by original research. Each year, Tether surveys and analyzes insights from hundreds of cannabis retail workers, capturing perspectives on product knowledge, consumer behaviour, education gaps, retail realities, and brand engagement. These insights directly shape Tether’s event design, educational content, and the strategies and custom solutions it builds for brand partners.
Key findings from the 2025 survey and ~400 Budtenders:
-
Budtenders are experienced and influential, with 50 percent reporting three or more years of industry experience and 60 percent regularly discussing their role on social media, reinforcing their position as trusted voices.
-
Product sampling is essential to recommendation, with 100 percent of surveyed Budtenders stating that sampling helps them make better recommendations.
-
While 81 percent of Budtenders report having access to quality cannabis education, product knowledge continues to be the top area where Budtenders want more training, highlighting an opportunity for brands to support education beyond one-off touchpoints.
-
Brand relationships influence post-event engagement. Budtenders ranked relationship quality with brand representatives, continued education, and product quality as the top factors that determine whether they engage with a brand after an event.
-
Budtenders are key drivers of consumer behaviour. 65 percent report that customer knowledge has increased year over year, with Budtender recommendations ranking among the top influences on purchasing decisions, alongside price and product format.
-
Budtenders value community as much as product access. 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.
