In The Press
The Village Voice
“Some people are really passionate about social justice and passionate about the plant and its medicinal qualities. So you really get different motivations from different clients."
NY Daily News
“Most other industries are shrinking in terms of retail,” Namer said. ”But in New York State alone, the legalization of marijuana created overnight the opportunity for an industry that’s going to reach $5 billion a year.”
We’re very excited to partner with Mark to create a comprehensive offering to the cannabis sector. Mark is a perfect fit as he brings over 30 years of complex financial advisory and capital markets expertise, including a dual-focus in the cannabis sector and real estate markets,” said Matte Namer, Cannabeta’s founder."
According to Rubin, “The byzantine state-by-state legal cannabis market is terribly underserved by experienced independent financial and investment advisors because of perceived reputational risk and legal risk associated with the lack of federal legalization.”
CannabisRadio.com
FLX420
“We’re coming into the industry on the backs of not only all the activists that have been working to change these laws for generations, but also tens of millions of people who have been in prison for draconian drug laws,” [Namer says]. “So I think that if you’re in this industry, and you just completely ignore that, that you’re really not correctly paying homage to where this is all coming from.”
CannabisNow.com
“I’ve been saying this for a while now, but cannabis coming to New York is something the movement and the industry haven’t seen anything comparable to yet."
NJ Cannabis Insider
“I would definitely encourage townships that want that business to make it very clear that they’re open for business,” Namer said. It’s “more likely the companies are going to want to come in and spend their money there.”
“It’s exciting that Connecticut and New Jersey and New York all legalized within a very short period of time within one another,” Namer said. “And I think collectively those states account for what will probably become the largest cannabis market in the world."
Q: "Fast forward to your cannabis business idea, plan, and launch- can you share insight into your journey?"
A: "Since leaving college, I’ve spent my entire career in the real estate industry with a regional focus. I had also really been waiting for my entire adult life for New York to legalize cannabis which it finally did in March of 2021. Along with Connecticut and New Jersey, which also legalized around the same time, it became apparent to me that an industry which could ultimately reach $10Billion in annual revenues in these states was going to have to be created from scratch in a few short years. Essentially all of this creation would involve real estate..."
"...Finally and perhaps most importantly, as someone who has spent over 20 years as a cannabis activist, I felt it was important to be a part of developing this industry in a way that honors not just the activists who spent tireless decades to get us to this place but also the tens of millions of Americans that suffered incarceration because of draconian drug laws. We are proud of our mandate to donate 10% of our profits to these causes.”
Gothamist - WNYC
Namer estimated that only about 15% of New Jersey municipalities currently allow cultivation, and those that do often have zoning regulations that further limit where businesses can operate.
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Given all these factors, finding an appropriate space “starts to become very difficult to sometimes impossible, depending on what you're looking for,” Namer said.
Cannaspire
“Sustainability, equity and consumer awareness of where, who, and how cannabis products are produced will become a much greater factor in how customers choose products to purchase. More than two thirds (70 percent) of Americans are at least sometimes influenced to purchase products based on a company’s ethics."
GreenwichTime: Southwest Connecticut Area News
“I think that it’s honestly something that is probably not talked about enough that you know the industry does kind of have a big carbon footprint,” said Matte Namer, founder and chief executive officer of Cannabeta Realty, a real estate group focused on cannabis. “ … I hope that there’s going to be some mitigation.”
“The Senate simply does not appear to have 50 votes let alone the 60 votes required to override a filibuster," Namer told HuffPost via email. "We are hopeful that the SAFE Banking Act may pass the Senate this year, however, politicians and activists are very divided as to whether any cannabis legislation should be passed that does not significantly advance issues of social justice."
Marijuana Venture
“The cannabis industry is one of the most exciting, fresh industries to be part of. For those looking to make a splash purchasing property, it is fundamental to be in the know about potential challenges. If you are a cannabis business looking to break into commercial cannabis real estate, be sure to be as prescient as possible before signing the first check for your site.”
GlobeSt: Commercial Real Estate News
“Cannabis tenant limit the landlord’s ability to refinance the property. This can vary from landlord to landlord, depending on if there is financing on the property and the timing of when they are planning to refinance,” Matte Namer, founder and CEO of Cannabeta Realty, tells GlobeSt.com.
WBGO New Jersey
“New Jersey has one of the tightest industrial markets in the country right now, the vacancy rates are under 3%, and we estimate probably only about 15% to 20% or so of the towns in New Jersey have opted-in to allow cultivation,” said Namer, who added that many of the towns that are allowing cultivation have designated areas where it is allowed.
