CSA Exclusive: Cannabis retailer grows stores during pandemic

Cannabis retail conglomerate Parallel is making sure that its new store managers keep up with the buzz from corporate headquarters.

Atlanta-based Parallel is a privately-held, vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis retailer operating banners including Surterra Wellness, New England Treatment Access, The Apothecary Shoppe, and Goodblend. In an exclusive interview with Chain Store Age, Tressa Dhiab, VP of sales, Parallel, explained how Surterra Wellness deployed the Retail Zipline communication platform to help open 39 stores across Florida during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and continues leveraging it to connect stores and corporate headquarters.

“Retail Zipline helped facilitate communications across Parallel’s leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed us to create a nimble and forward-thinking retail and operations strategy,” said Dhiab. “We selected the Retail Zipline platform to help streamline task management and enable efficient information sharing across our multi-state retail and operations network. As a result, store managers and field leaders were able to spend more time with associates and consumers to create exceptional cannabis wellbeing experiences at retail.”
 
Parallel utilizes the customizable Retail Zipline platform to efficiently communicate with Surterra Wellness stores and sales teams through a centralized outlet. Store teams can access messages and attachments, as well as assign specific tasks that are relevant to their location. The company has deployed Retail Zipline’s software across all of its 39 Florida Surterra Wellness retail brand locations. 

“Retail Zipline’s services not only streamline corporate and store-level operations, but also enable individual retail locations to focus on delivering optimal consumer experiences,” commented Dhiab.

Sweden-based outdoor clothing and equipment retailer Fjallraven also sustainably managed safe, secure U.S. store openings and operations during the COVID-19 pandemic with the Retail Zipline communication platform. Fjallraven uses Retail Zipline’s resource library for digital documentation and compliance features. By utilizing the platform to engage store managers, track the execution of daily and weekly activities, and conduct pre-planning for 2021, the retailer also opened a new store during the COVID-19 pandemic using digital-only communication.