Dry January Drives Annual Uptick in Wholesale Cannabis Beverage Sales
Dry January (when many consumers abstain from drinking alcohol) has driven a cannabis beverage sales lift over the years. According to LeafLink marketplace data, wholesale beverages grew in both GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) and orders for three consecutive years from December to January, even as prices fell. This accompanied an annual increase in consumer cannabis beverage sales during that same period.
While December stands out as one of the strongest months for cannabis sales due to the holidays, beverage products consistently break that seasonal pattern. Instead of cooling off after the holidays, cannabis beverage sales continue to lift in January, even as the size of that lift has begun to moderate and as other cannabis categories stabilize after the holiday rush. This pattern repeats year after year, suggesting Dry January is not just a consumer trend in alcohol sales, it’s a consistent seasonal influence reshaping behavior inside the cannabis market.
Month-to-Month Wholesale Beverage GMV Change (All Markets)
| Cycle | December GMV | January GMV | % Change |
| 2022 → 2023 | $2.99M | $3.74M | +24.8% |
| 2023 → 2024 | $2.52M | $2.70M | +7.4% |
| 2024 → 2025 | $3.01M | $3.17M | +5.4% |
Wholesale Order Volume Rises in January Every Year (All Markets)
| Cycle | December Orders | January Orders | % Change |
| 2022 → 2023 | 5,135 | 6,063 | +18% |
| 2023 → 2024 | 4,386 | 4,972 | +13% |
| 2024 → 2025 | 4,755 | 4,812 | +1.2% |
The steady January increase in order volume confirms that this growth isn’t being driven by a handful of large buyers placing bigger orders. Instead, it reflects a broader behavioral shift: more retailers are restocking beverages and more consumers are choosing them as a New Year alternative. Each January brings a fresh influx of cannabis beverage shoppers, with 17% of Dry January participants opting for cannabinoid products. Although that influx has moderated over time, this pattern suggests Dry January pulls new customers into the category rather than simply redistributing existing demand.
Prices Fall or Remain Flat While Sales Increase
Avg Wholesale PPU (per mg of THC):
- 2022–23: Flat at $0.09
- 2023–24: Drops from $0.10 → $0.09
- 2024–25: Flat at $0.08
Ordinarily, declining prices would signal softening demand. But in the case of cannabis beverages, the opposite is happening. Even as average price per unit (PPU) trends downward or stays flat, revenue and orders continue climbing each January. This disconnect underscores a central reality of the Dry January effect: growth is being fueled by participation, not higher prices. Consumers aren’t spending more per product, they’re buying beverages more often and in greater numbers.
Wholesale Beverage GMV Shift (Two-Week Window from late Dec. to early Jan.)
| Cycle | Late Dec | Early Jan | % Change |
| 2022 → 2023 | $1.52M | $1.7M | +11.7% |
| 2023 → 2024 | $1.28M | $1.48M | +15.2% |
| 2024 → 2025 | $1.56M | $1.59M | +1.6% |
This two-week view reveals just how fast the Dry January effect kicks in. Beverage demand doesn’t slowly build over the month, it surges immediately after the calendar flips. The first half of January consistently outperforms the final stretch of December, even though December includes peak holiday traffic. That timing aligns perfectly with New Year’s resolutions, reinforcing the idea that cannabis beverages continue to serve as an intentional substitute for alcohol rather than an incidental purchase.
While Dry January continues to drive a reliable lift in beverage sales nationwide, the strength of that lift has started to taper off. The national January-over-December GMV jump has softened each year, from nearly 25% increase in 2023 to just over 5% in 2025. This suggests the trend could be plateauing in the regulated cannabis market, although Michigan breaks this pattern. Where national growth has cooled, Michigan’s Dry January surge has intensified, culminating in a 93% GMV spike in January 2025. The divergence points to a shift: Dry January is stabilizing nationally but rapidly transforming into a defining seasonal moment within Michigan’s beverage market.
Michigan is a Standout Market
Month View: January Exploded in 2025 (Michigan Market)
| Cycle | December GMV | January GMV | % Change |
| 2022 → 2023 | $280,997 | $201,875 | -28% |
| 2023 → 2024 | $202,526 | $269,435 | +33% |
| 2024 → 2025 | $402,635 | $778, 071 | +93% |
Michigan doesn’t just follow the national Dry January pattern, it magnifies it. The state’s beverage market swings dramatically upward in January, and the 2025 surge stands out as a defining moment. A 93% jump in GMV from December to January is rare in any cannabis category, let alone one experiencing price compression. Earlier cycles reflect a less mature stage of the beverage category, when January demand was not yet reliably captured. Michigan’s data suggests a mature beverage market where retailers actively plan for an uptick in consumer interest in alcohol alternatives.
Wholesale Order Volume (Michigan Market)
| Cycle | December Orders | January Orders | % Change |
| 2023 → 2024 | 350 | 380 | +9% |
| 2024 → 2025 | 523 | 591 | +13% |
Rising order counts in Michigan confirm that this revenue spike isn’t being driven by a handful of oversized purchases. More retailers are ordering, and more consumers are buying. This steady participation growth shows that cannabis beverages in Michigan have moved beyond novelty status and into a regular consumption rhythm, especially during the Dry January window.
PPU Falls — Demand Still Surges
Michigan Avg Wholesale PPU (per mg of THC):
- $0.07 → $0.06 (2024 → 2025)
- That’s a ~6% price decline
- Yet GMV jumped 93%
Even with prices declining roughly 6% year over year, Michigan’s beverage revenue nearly doubled during January 2025. That contrast clearly illustrates how powerful the Dry January behavior shift has become. Consumers aren’t chasing premium price points, they’re prioritizing accessibility, routine use, and replacement drinking behavior.
Michigan Two-Week “Resolution Spike” (Wholesale GMV)
| Cycle | Late Dec | Early Jan | % Change |
| 2023 → 2024 | $110,603 | $131,991 | +19% |
| 2024 → 2025 | $174,058 | $328,004 | +88% |
The most striking proof of Michigan’s Dry January impact emerges in the first two weeks alone. An 88% surge in just half a month reveals a near-instant demand response to New Year’s resolutions. Beverage sales don’t gradually climb, they explode immediately after January 1. This immediate spike in wholesale GMV, reflecting retailer restocking in response to consumer demand, suggests that Michigan consumers are entering the year with cannabis beverages already in mind.
While January represents a clear inflection point for beverage demand, ordering patterns typically softened in February before picking back up in March as wholesalers begin restocking ahead of the 4/20 holiday. This seasonal rhythm helps explain why January stands out as a spike rather than a sustained peak.
It’s worth noting the January cannabis beverage trends are playing out against a broader shift in consumer access. Hemp-derived cannabinoid beverages, which can be purchased online, interstate, and in many traditional retail outlets, have also seen rising interest during Dry January. U.S. sales of hemp-derived THC beverages reached approximately $382 million in 2024 and were expected to approach $600 million in 2025. More broadly, industry analyses estimate total U.S. THC beverage sales, including both hemp-derived and state-regulated cannabis products, at roughly $1.0–$1.3 billion in 2024, underscoring the growing scale of this category. The hemp-derived cannabinoid market ballooned in the time since the 2018 Farm Bill passed, and consumers are increasingly turning to this beverage category as an alternative to alcohol in January. However, broad access to hemp-derived cannabinoid beverages may be limited or restricted once a new federal definition of hemp takes effect in November.
As Dry January continues gaining traction, THC beverages are positioning themselves not as a niche category, but as a durable alcohol alternative at the start of each year. Federal law changes around hemp may impact access to this category in many jurisdictions, but the fact remains clear: consumers are excited about cannabinoid beverages and continue to drive annual sales increases. Given strong and growing consumer demand, policymakers should consider clear pathways to ensure consumers retain access to regulated and tested THC beverages.