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ALRC approves renewals, directs Refuel Pantry to comply with Madison hemp-product rules
Summary
The Alcohol License Review Committee approved annual renewals for 14 Refuel Pantry licenses after hearing that the chain sold a hemp-derived edible that was later consumed by middle-school students and that several stores previously lacked licensed operators. The committee added a condition requiring compliance with MGO 23.202.
The Alcohol License Review Committee voted May 22 to grant renewal of Refuel Pantry’s Class A/B licenses and to add a condition that each location comply with Madison General Ordinance 23.202 governing hemp-derived THC products. The action followed a separation hearing initiated after a Cottage Grove incident in which THC edibles were sold to minors and several sites were found without licensed operators during inspections.
Assistant City Attorney Amber Zilvie told the committee the separations are used when the city plans to renew licenses but has concerns about compliance. A city inspector reported that some Refuel Pantry locations lacked licensed operators and that a product that resembled candy had been sold to youths; some students who consumed it were taken to hospitals, Zilvie said.
Refuel Pantry’s counsel and representatives told the committee the company has taken multiple steps to prevent a repeat. The licensee’s attorney said all managers have been retrained, the point-of-sale system now prompts cashiers to request ID for regulated products and includes a license scanner, and staff are being instructed to keep hemp-derived products behind the counter. “They’ve been proactive in making adjustments,” the attorney said, adding that managers have been told to keep invoices in a color‑coded folder for inspections.
Owner Lock Beer Singh and operations manager Melissa Jacobson answered alder questions about who pays for operator licenses; Singh said the company will help employees who cannot afford licensing fees and that new hire scheduling now requires a valid operator license. The licensee also said it removed the specific product that looked like candy and has required suppliers to assist with training.
The committee’s added condition—establishment shall comply with all regulations contained in MGO 23.202 relating to hemp‑derived THC products—was approved as part of a package of renewals for items 2–16. The committee did not list a separate vote tally in the hearing record; the motion carried without objection. The renewals will be forwarded to common council as required by city licensure procedures.
What’s next: The new condition is tied to the July‑1 license year and will be enforced through the normal inspection and enforcement processes. The committee indicated it expects follow‑up if inspectors find noncompliance.
Sources: testimony from Refuel Pantry representatives and the assistant city attorney at the May 22 ALRC special meeting.
