George Jage reflects on Missouri success as MJUnpacked gears up for Atlantic City and return to St. Louis

MJ Unpacked had a successful introduction to Missouri operators in 2024.

Now ahead of the next MJ Unpacked later this month in Atlantic City and a return trip to St. Louis this fall, George Jage, CEO and Co-Founder of Jage Media, sat down with Greenway to discuss the successes, lessons learned, and the significant differences between last year’s event and what he and his team have in store for 2025.

“What we’re trying to build here with MJ Unpacked is really the endgame for the cannabis industry,” Jage said. “We believe that cannabis is a consumer packaged goods industry and that an event focused around brands and retailers is going to be a long-term surviving event.”

That guiding philosophy has shaped the event’s evolution. Rather than appealing to all industry players, MJ Unpacked narrows its focus to bring value directly to brands and retailers, connecting business leaders instead of crowding aisles with ancillary suppliers.

“We want to create that legacy for the industry and an event that looks a lot more like a natural products expo or a bar nightclub show than it does a supply side show with a bunch of disparate vendors,” Jage said.

By tailoring the event to decision-makers from cultivation, manufacturing, and retail operations, MJ Unpacked fills a gap often overlooked by broader industry expos. “Where I see the other events missing is—every single supply-side decision in the industry still emanates from one of three license types,” Jage said. “So our focus has always been on helping support that core decision-making group.”

But Jage acknowledges that barriers like the lack of interstate commerce continue to limit the ease with which companies can scale nationally, that makes events like MJUnpacked both more valuable and simultaneously harder to sell at times. That makes location planning even more strategic.

“We’ve been very successful in attracting people from across the entire country to our events. And we believe that Missouri, in our humble opinion, is one of the best-run state markets in the country for a number of reasons.”

“Missouri’s market is not only competitive but built on strong operational efficiencies, which really allowed MJ Unpacked to thrive,” he said.

While the Missouri market made perfect sense for an event, the 2024 St. Louis debut, wasn’t without some interesting challenges.

In many states, MJ Unpackled has as much local value as it does a national appeal. But the Show-Me State has been had a long history of success in uniting its operators with the success of it’s driving cannabis association, MoCann Trade.

“MoCann Trade, as much as I love them, it’s a double-edged sword for us,” Jage said. “Because they are so successful in bringing the community together on a quarterly basis, for us to come in for the event, we had to make sure people understand our unique value proposition—we are bringing in people and operators to meet with from across the entire country.”

Initial objections included hesitation from operators already engaged with local events. But MJ Unpacked earned credibility with time.

“We spent a lot of time allowing people to get to know who we were, and MoCann was very instrumental with that. We’re bringing in fresh meat, so to speak, for them to learn from, for them to get investment from, for them to partner with, to do licensing deals with, and really helping them understand that process.”

While the team didn’t initially plan a second Missouri show, demand following successful events shifted the timeline. With venue availability tight, organizers scheduled the event during the 2024 general election.

Jage emphasized the show’s impact. “The stories and the people that we talked to that had success and got those deals done at the show was overwhelming.”

   

“I think Missouri has some really good operators that have been able to build efficiencies through their vertical operations. You’ve got tremendous leadership in the state association with MoCann Trade. And as I’ve also mentioned, you know, you have somebody that’s a dedicated professional business writer and business media company that’s covering the market to keep people informed.”

Looking ahead, MJ Unpacked’s upcoming Atlantic City event and its upcoming 2025 return to Missouri will both see strategic changes aimed at deepening engagement, expanding access, and creating more value for attendees.

Jage and his team have restructured the format for 2025 based on lessons learned from last year. “Instead of front-loading conference programming, we’ll have sessions spread across all three days,” Jage said. “This ensures exhibitors won’t miss out on key educational content while also participating on the show floor.” The revised structure is designed to avoid the overlap between exhibit hours and conference sessions that previously forced attendees to choose between learning and networking.

For the first time, MJ Unpacked will welcome budtenders to the event—though limited to the final day—to acknowledge their frontline role in the industry and their future potential. “We believe that these are the people that are the future leaders, managers, and possibly entrepreneurs in our industry,” Jage explained. “Bring the budtenders is a great opportunity to just widen our tent and bring more people.”

As part of that expanded final day, organizers are adding new, interactive elements aimed at both education and celebration. The Brand Slam pitch competition will give participating companies three minutes each to make their case on stage. “We’re gonna make it fun. We’re gonna make it dynamic,” Jage said. “It’s a great way for people to kind of just go in and see who’s hot, who’s got something unique.”

In the evening, MJ Unpacked will host an Industry Night celebration, including the MJU Cannabis Cup, which will shine a spotlight on product innovation and frontline staff. “It’s just gonna add a little bit of celebration focusing on the staff level people at the operators, the budtenders especially,” Jage said. Judging will be conducted by Gongier to ensure independence and integrity.

Beyond programming, MJ Unpacked will also strengthen its collaboration with Missouri’s trade association. “We’re working more closely in tandem with MoCann Trade,” Jage noted. “In lieu of them having a Q3 event, we’re basically making our opening night reception their quarter three meetup.” The event will also support MoCann’s Unpacked Fund Topgolf fundraiser, with Jage confirming, “We’re also gonna be a big supporter and sponsor and write a big check to MoCann Trade.”

The Atlantic City event, running April 29 to May 1, will be the first to debut these new formats before they are brought to St. Louis in September. For Jage, Missouri remains a pivotal market, and Union Station Hotel in St. Louis continues to provide an ideal setting. “I was so excited for people to come and see how cool the Union Station Hotel is… and people were just blown away, especially, obviously, the light show being, you know, kind of that signature thing there.”

MJ Unpacked St. Louis 2025 will take place at Union Station Hotel in St. Louis from September 3–5.

Jage also teased long-term possibilities for another return to Missouri.

“Kansas City is another strong cannabis hub, we might take MJ Unpacked there, especially with the excitement around the World Cup in the U.S. next year.”

For Jage, the mission behind MJ Unpacked is greater than producing a trade show. “Our mission is to help people survive and thrive in the cannabis space. We’re not just organizing trade shows; we’re building a legacy.”

“This industry is relational. No deal gets done without trust, and that’s impossible to achieve without in-person conversations.”

With national momentum, revamped programming, and a growing foothold in Missouri, MJ Unpacked is shaping up to be a cornerstone for cannabis operators and entrepreneurs looking to connect, innovate, and build the industry’s future.