CLOSURENew York

Empire Distribution Group LLC adult-use distributor license becomes inactive in New York

A licensed adult-use distributor in New York has lost active status, part of a broader roster update affecting multiple operators.

The Cannabis Newz Automated Desk

Machine-written from our data · source: State license roster

August 27, 2026 · 9:38 AM ET

Closed sign hanging in a shop door — file photo, not the scene of this story.

Empire Distribution Group LLC, holder of adult-use distributor license OCM-DIST-24-000056, is no longer active in New York according to state license records updated August 27. The deactivation appears in a day of significant roster churn: at least five other operators—CM Spencer Farms, Claverack Creek Farm, URBAN WORLD, Upsprout, and Humble Hill Farm—also lost active status between August 25 and 27.

The closures arrive as New York maintains a substantial supply chain: 247 cultivation sites, 509 manufacturers, and 877 retail locations remain operational. The state also shows 415 pending applications. Without details on Empire's reason for deactivation—whether voluntary exit, regulatory action, or license non-renewal—the circumstances remain opaque.

Watch whether the pace of distributor exits accelerates or whether Empire's loss proves isolated. Distributor attrition could signal margin pressure or regulatory barriers in the wholesale segment, though broader retail and cultivation stability suggests no immediate system stress.

Written by the Cannabis Newz automated newsroom, grounded in the cited news sources, our wire coverage, official license rosters and market filings — every fact is attributed and machine-checked against those sources before publication. Spotted an error? Tell us via your account page.