Thanks to advances in pre-roll filling machines and a decline in bulk flower prices, it’s finally possible for cannabis producers to make quality pre-rolls at scale. This rise in quality and dip in cost sparked a surge in pre-roll sales that quickly made them the fastest growing cannabis product in the industry. The popularization of infused pre-rolls added fuel to the fire and currently represent the fastest growing segment in the entire US and Canadian cannabis markets!
You would think that after all these years of growth, things would start to cool off in the pre-roll market, but this hasn’t been the case! New markets continue to open, new types of pre-rolls continue to be created, and new people are starting to choose pre-rolls for their flower needs every day.
The Impact of Customizations on Pre-Rolls
In addition to an increase in overall quality, pre-rolls have gained popularity because they offer more customizable options than any other product in the cannabis space. This is possible because, as well as being a cannabis product, pre-rolls are their own consumption method. In other words, producers not only have choices when it comes to the branding and cannabis material, but they also have choices when it comes to the construction of the joint.
The structure of a pre-roll is simple, but each component comes with a long list of customizable options that allows producers to cater to the preferences of consumer like never before! There are big pre-rolls and mini pre-rolls, single joints and multi-packs, rolling papers and hemp wraps, glass filter tips and paper filter tips, infused and regular joints, and the list goes on!
These customizations can be for looks branding, but they can also have a significant impact on the experience. For example, a pre-roll made with refined white rolling paper is going to taste differently than a pre-roll made with a hemp wrap blunt, a glass filter tip will cool the smoke and enhance the flavor better than a folded paper filter, and a larger joint will burn smoother than a shorter joint. With all this variety, there really is a pre-roll for every person and occasion.
Pre-Rolls Are Convenient
Another reason pre-rolls are rising in popularity is because they make smoking flower convenient. Before pre-rolls existed, if you wanted a joint, you had to roll it yourself. So, when pre-rolls were more expensive and of lower quality than the cannabis flower you’d get in a jar, it made sense that people would continue to roll their own.
Just like disposable vapes, pre-rolls have always been convenient, but they didn’t become something worth buying until prices came down. It is finally starting to make sense for regular cannabis consumers to make the transition to pre-rolls, and increased sales numbers are the result. With pre-rolls, you don’t need any extra equipment like a pipe or rolling papers. All you need is a light! This makes them ideal for events like parties or concerts—when you’d rather be enjoying the moment instead of trying to roll a joint.
Pre-rolls are also an easy way for dispensaries to increase the size of their average sales. Like impulse purchases at the check-out line of a grocery store, pre-rolls are frequently added to retail “baskets” as an item to be consumed right away. To put it simply, whether you are a producer, shop owner, or consumer, pre-rolls are a good idea!
Automation Will Keep Pre-Rolls Trending
Manual pre-roll filling machines were pivotal in the growth of the pre-roll market. They made it possible to create consistent, quality pre-rolls in mass, and that allowed the price of pre-rolls to drop to a level that made sense for consumers. Over time, these machines have continued to improve—offering more attachments that can increase quality as well as the quantity of pre-rolls that can be produced, but automated pre-roll filling machines take it to the next level!
Where a standard pre-roll filling machine can produce hundreds of pre-rolls an hour, automated pre-roll filling machines can make thousands. As this technology continues to spread and become more common on production lines, we expect the price of pre-rolls to continue to fall and for the market to become more competitive for producers.
It’s also important to understand the limitations of automation. Automated pre-roll machines can make one type of pre-roll extremely well, but they are lacking in variety.
For example, you can’t use things like glass filter tips, and the flower you’re using needs to be finely ground and drier than you’d probably prefer to keep the machine running smoothly. These restrictions may change in the future, but what it means for us now is that there is still a market for more hand-crafted pre-rolls that cannot be done with machinery.
The Pre-Roll Experts
We at Custom Cones USA know there is a lot to consider when launching a pre-roll project. Even when everything is going according to plan, your list of to-dos can feel overwhelming. It makes sense to partner with someone that has experience navigating the landscape.
The Pre-Roll Experts at Custom Cones USA know exactly what it takes to launch a successful pre-roll line. Whether you are planning or troubleshooting, we have the experience and know-how you can rely on to find solutions. Reach out today and ask us how we can help you bring your pre-roll project to life!
Content created in partnership with Custom Cones USA.
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