Just as the wine world has long relied on the 100-point Wine Score to guide consumers, a new cannabis-specific version is now hitting dispensary shelves in New York.
Certified Testing & Data, an ISO-17025 accredited cannabis and hemp testing lab, has launched the Cannaleptic Rating, a 100-point product score that aims to simplify cannabis shopping by helping consumers quickly compare quality across brands and products.
Beyond THC: A New Standard For Judging Cannabis
While THC percentage has long dominated cannabis marketing, many industry insiders argue it’s a poor proxy for quality or effects. Cannaleptic Rating offers an alternative, combining quantitative lab testing with qualitative consumer feedback across several categories: aroma, effects, appearance, taste, potency, terpene profile and contaminant analysis.
“Most cannabis consumers aren’t cannabis experts, and they shouldn’t have to be,” said Aaron Riley, founder of Certified Testing & Data. “When consumers spend their hard-earned money on cannabis, they should have an easy way to ensure they will receive the desired experience.”
According to Riley, the system is meant to be cannabis’s equivalent of the Wine Score; “a quick and simple way” to help buyers understand what they’re getting, even when shopping across different dispensaries and brands.
Early Adopters In New York
The Cannaleptic Rating is launching with several well-known New York brands, including:
- Florist Farms
- Foy
- Heavy Hitters
- Jaunty
- Soft Power Sweets
- Umamii
Each product evaluated receives a score out of 100, visible on packaging or via participating dispensaries.
What Brands Are Saying
For brands participating in the pilot, the system offers not just credibility but also a chance to highlight premium processes.
“With the Cannaleptic Rating, consumers no longer have to guess,” said Yon and Moose Haile, co-founders of Foy. “They can see firsthand that Foy is committed to setting a higher standard for cannabis excellence.”
“Having a reliable rating system for our industry will be a major leap forward for customer satisfaction and industry legitimacy,” added Mike McGregor, founder of Soft Power Sweets.
“Customers don’t just have to take our word for it,” said Nick Wilson, director of cultivation at Umamii. “Certified Testing & Data is revolutionizing cannabis and setting the gold standard for how cannabis is tested and evaluated.”
What’s Next?
The Cannaleptic Rating is currently limited to New York but will expand to additional legal cannabis markets. According to Certified Testing & Data, more brands are already in the onboarding pipeline.
Photo: Shutterstock
