Valley Wellness opened the 30th medical cannabis dispensary in New Jersey and the first woman-owned in New Jersey in Raritan of Somerset County.
They were among the companies that won a New Jersey medical cannabis dispensary license as Middle Valley Partners last year after the last licensing round debacle ended after 29 months.
They are the first dispensary to tout selling craft cannabis under a medical cannabis dispensary license.
Valley Wellness CEO Sarah Trent has kept busy advancing cannabis workforce development with several New Jersey colleges.
Chris Edwards of the Somerset Business Partnership was there to congratulate Trent, who is a member of their Chamber of Commerce.
“I look at people like Sarah taking a leap of faith, especially in a brand new economy … this is the wave of the future,” he said.
Edwards noted she was on the “Top 40 under 40 list” they made.
“Raritan has been a great part of making this happen, and we are really grateful for that support,” Trent said.
She noted it had taken her speaking at many council meetings.
“Many of you know just how much work that took,” Trent said.
She explained left her job four and a half years ago.
“Little did I know, though, my current job would be harder than my job as a public defender,” Trent said. “A lot of people told me crazy.”
Trent thanked her husband Mike and others for their support.
“Numerous contracts turned me down. Matt was there in my back pocket. He’s the reason we’re opening right now,” she added.
Her husband Mike and sons Maxwell and Alexander helped her cut the Grand Opening ribbon.
“They know Mommy that works hard … it’s all for them,” Trent said.
She explained this to her son, and he said, “Somebody, my kids will own the store, and someday my kids will own the store.”
New Jersey’s 30 Medical Cannabis Dispensaries
Here is the list of the current New Jersey medical cannabis dispensaries:
- Valley Wellness in Raritan Borough
- Sweetspot (an MSO) in Voorhees
- Breakwater in Roselle
- Breakwater in Cranbury.
- Harmony in Secaucus.
- Ascend Wellness (an MSO) in Fort Lee
- Ascend Wellness (an MSO) in Rochelle Park.
- Ascend Wellness (an MSO, formerly Greenleaf) in Montclair.
- Apothecarium (owned by TerrAscend, an MSO) in Lodi.
- Apothecarium (owned by TerrAscend, an MSO) in Maplewood.
- Apothecarium (owned by TerrAscend, an MSO.) in Phillipsburg.
- Justice Grown (an MSO) in Ewing.
- MPX NJ (owned by iAnthus, an MSO) in Atlantic City.
- Rise (owned by Green Thumb Industries, an MSO) in Bloomfield.
- Rise (owned by Green Thumb Industries) in Paramus.
- Rise (owned by Green Thumb Industries) in Paterson.
- Curaleaf (an MSO) in Bordentown Twp.
- Curaleaf (an MSO) in Bellmawr.
- Curaleaf (an MSO) in Edgewater Park.
- The Cannabist (owned by Columbia Care, an MSO) in Deptford.
- The Cannabist (owned by Columbia Care, an MSO) in Vineland.
- Zen Leaf (owned by Verano, an MSO) in Lawrence Twp.
- Zen Leaf (owned by Verano) in Elizabeth.
- Zen Leaf (owned by Verano) in Neptune Twp.
- The Botanist (owned by Acreage Holdings, an MSO) in Williamstown.
- The Botanist (owned by Acreage Holdings) in Egg Harbor.
- The Botanist (owned by Acreage Holdings) in Atlantic City.
- Ayr Wellness (an MSO, formerly Garden State Dispensary) in Woodbridge.
- Ayr Wellness in Union Township.
- Ayr Wellness in Eatontown.
