Chances are, if you’re looking to take advantage of the oversupply of cheap cannabis, you might be looking at going into the pre-roll segment. With a drop in retail costs reaching around 13 percent, the abundance of cannabis has challenged the industry to keep the balance between supply and demand.
Considering the prices of cannabis being lower and even wholesale pricing dropping somewhere between 36 – 50 percent, going into pre-rolls would be a good idea to take advantage of this pricing, which would mean being able to provide more supplies to the market.
Why Go Into Pre-Rolls?
Going for pre-rolls allows you to reach different market segments in the cannabis industry.
For dispensaries, offering pre-rolls is an excellent offering to customers who want the ease and convenience of something that is ready to be consumed, akin to frozen TV dinners. Rolling a joint can be challenging and time-consuming for those who are new to using cannabis or for individuals with disabilities or limitations with their hand movements. For these reasons, pre-rolls are an excellent product to offer to customers. It’s a specific product; all your customers need to do is light them up. Plus, it’s a great way for them to try different strains out. You can view these pre-rolls as something they can use to test a strain before buying cannabis in bulk. Remember, providing them with opportunities will let them know that you care enough about your offerings.
Cannabis growers may also want to consider producing pre-rolls. Given the accessibility of materials, producers can have greater control over the entire production process, from cultivating and processing the cannabis flower to packaging and selling the final product. This level of vertical integration can lead to increased efficiency, higher quality products, and greater profitability. For example, if a producer is able to source their own high-quality cannabis flower and then use it to make pre-rolls in-house, they can ensure consistency in their products and reduce costs associated with purchasing pre-rolls from other manufacturers. Ultimately, investing in pre-roll production can be a strategic move for cannabis producers looking to expand their business and gain a competitive edge in the industry.
How Do You Make a Pre-Roll?
The first step in making pre-rolls is to start with high-quality flower. Once you've obtained the best buds, the next step is to grind them using a grinder. This step ensures that the herb is evenly ground and will burn evenly. After grinding, the cannabis is ready to be packed into the rolling paper: filling. The amount of cannabis that goes into each pre-roll should be consistent, ensuring that each joint burns uniformly. Once the cannabis is packed into the paper, it's important to twist the end to ensure that none of the herb falls out.
Quality is paramount when making pre-rolls, so taking the time to properly grind and pack each joint ensures that they will burn smoothly and provide a consistent high. It's worth noting that some pre-rolled cones already come with filters, which can help prevent loose herb from being inhaled while smoking.
Grinding and Sifting
Grinding is the step that can make or break the quality of your pre-rolls. The key to good pre-rolls is ensuring that you get consistently ground buds. They ought not to be too fine, nor should they have big chunks. You’re looking for consistent quality that will always burn.
There are plenty of ways to grind your buds. If you want to make pre-rolls as a business, consider investing in a dedicated pre-roll grinder. These grinders allow you to get that consistency similar to tobacco in cigarettes.
As a starting point, you want to reach a consistency similar to cigarettes, around 1 - 2 mm in size. But you don’t want to grind your materials too fine, which won’t burn properly. Avoid grinding too big also, as they also won’t burn properly. Usually, cannabis grinders will let you grind anywhere from 1/8 to 5/16 of an inch in size.
After grinding, and just before you get to the main phase of making pre-rolls, it’s highly recommended that you run your ground buds in a pre-roll sifter. A pre-roll sifter allows you to remove any parts that may ruin your pre-roll taste. A sifter also ensures that any unground material is also separated.
Grinding and sifting are crucial steps to getting high-quality pre-rolled cones. But you can make the job more manageable with the use of grinders that have built-in sifters. Brands that make grinders with sifters include Futurola and High-Tech.
Once done with sifting, you can proceed to the culmination of the process: filling your pre-roll cones.
Filling Your Pre-Rolled Cones
When it comes to producing pre-rolls in large quantities, performing tasks manually is not practical nor cost-effective. However, thanks to pre-roll filling machines filling your pre-rolled cones becomes a relatively easy task.
Pre-roll filling machines machines allow you to stuff batches of pre-rolled cones fast within minutes. Many of these machines don’t just load the cones for you; they also ensure they are compact and don’t burn too quickly when smoked. The Futurola Knockbox 3/100, for example, is capable of producing up to 100 pre-rolled joints in under 2 minutes.
Some factors to consider when choosing a pre-rolled cone-filling machine include:
- The number of cones you can fill.
- The sizes of cones you can load.
Note: The capacity for each machine differs as this depends on the size of the machine.
When choosing the types of pre-rolled cone sizes, consider the material you’re stuffing inside them. For example, the most common rolling papers you'll see are made of refined white paper or unrefined brown paper. Furthermore, pre-rolled cones come in different sizes, such as varying lengths and diameters. These determine the amount you can put in these cones.
The most common sizes are:
- Standard: 84mm
- Classic: 98mm
- King Size: 109mm
The size of pre-rolled cones also contributes to the experience of each user. For example, shorter cones like dog walkers are best reserved for potent materials to give that instantaneous hit. Longer cones like the peacemaker are best for long burning and puff sessions.
When filling pre-rolled cones, remember not to overstuff them and serve them to the brim. You need to ensure that there’s still enough room on top to close and make a wick from the tip of the pre-rolled cones. While these machines help simplify filling your pre-rolled cones, you might not get it right the first time. You may need to do some trial cones to ensure you get the right amount per roll. But once you get things right, you can offer high-quality pre-rolled cones.
Ready to Dive in?
Making pre-rolls is a great option whether you’re a producer, dispensary, or starting your own pre-roll brand. Pe-rolls can also be a way to maximize the use of cannabis that might not have met quality control standards. This can help to reduce waste and provide an additional source of income for the business. Furthermore, pre-rolls are a convenient and popular option for customers who may not have the time or ability to roll their own joints. Offering pre-rolls can attract new customers and increase sales, while also providing a way to differentiate your business from competitors. Whether you're a producer or dispensary, making pre-rolls is a worthy consideration that can provide both financial and environmental benefits.
