Pre-Rolls Are A Key Driver Of The Cannabis Retail Market’s Success (Op-Ed)

*“Pre-rolls are now a key component of any smart cannabis retail strategy.
They are popular, easy to merchandise and serve as consumer entry points
for new brands and formats.”*

*By Harrison Bard, Custom Cones USA and DaySavers*

In today’s cannabis market, pre-rolls are no longer a novelty, they’re
essential to retail success. Once seen as an add-on, pre-rolls have become
one of the most dynamic and profitable product categories in the industry.

According to 2025 Headset data, over 310.7 million pre-rolls were sold
through October, generating nearly $2.8 billion in revenue across 13
recreational markets. That gives the category a 15.8 percent market share,
third behind flower and vapes. In Canada, pre-rolls have even surpassed
flower to become the country’s top-selling cannabis product.

Driven by convenience, innovation and accessibility, pre-rolls consistently
increase basket size, drive repeat visits and stabilize revenues, making
them a core pillar of modern retail strategies.

*A Category Defined By Variety*

At its most basic, a pre-roll is a ready-to-smoke joint; flower packed into
a pre-rolled cone or tube with a filter or crutch. But beneath that
simplicity lies one of the most diverse and innovative corners of cannabis,
with producers infusing concentrates, adding novelty filter tips, offering
multi-packs and refining strain combinations to meet a wide range of
consumer preferences.

No cannabis product moves more units than pre-rolls. They are perfect for
everyday use, sharing at parties and gifting, giving shoppers the
opportunity to grab something quick and affordable, test a new strain or
splurge on premium infused products combining flower and concentrate.

So what are the top-selling segments of the pre-roll market?

*Infused Pre-Rolls: The Top Revenue Engine*

Infused pre-rolls dominate in both sales growth and margin contribution.
These premium joints combine flower with concentrates like distillate,
resin, hash and/or kief, delivering higher potencies and brighter flavors,
two things consumers consistently tell us they look for when shopping.

So far in 2025, infused pre-rolls have generated more than $1.1 billion, or
48.5 percent of all pre-roll revenues. That’s up 14 percent year-over-year.
They now represent 38 percent of units sold, a 28 percent YOY increase.
Given those figures, any dispensary without a wide selection of infused
pre-rolls is leaving money on the table.

*Single Strain Hybrids: The Volume Leader*

While infused pre-rolls top the revenue charts, single strain hybrid
pre-rolls move the most units. So far in 2025, this segment has notched
about $987.4 million in sales (36.3 percent of category revenue) but leads
in units sold at 142.8 million—46 percent of all pre-rolls sold, up 14
percent year-over-year.

Hybrids remain the everyday go-to option for many cannabis consumers, so
stocking a diverse selection of hybrid pre-rolls should help ensure a
reliable and consistent source of revenue.

*Indica And Sativa: Maintaining Balance*

Sales drop off beyond hybrids, but Single Strain indica and sativa
pre-rolls still represent crucial segments.

Indica pre-rolls brought in $179.1 million in 2025, while sativas generated
$160.5 million, an 8.6 percent jump year-over-year.

In units, indicas sold roughly 26 million (up 11.3%) and sativas about 18.8
million (up 8.7 percent).

Each accounts for roughly 6 percent of total category sales and are an
important part of the retail balance.

*Mixed Strain And CBD Pre-Rolls: Niche But Important*

Mixed Strain pre-roll sales declined this year, with revenue down 15.9
percent to $51.9 million and units dropping 6.3 percent to 4.2 million.

Single Strain CBD pre-rolls, representing just 0.16% of category revenue
(~$4.6 million on 450,000 units), remain small but growing, up 14.4 percent
from 2024.

Though smaller, these segments serve loyal, niche audiences, so retailers
should continue to stock limited but steady selections, monitored closely
through POS data to prevent over-ordering.

*Blunts: Poised For Growth*

The blunt segment is a curious case. On paper, it accounts for only 0.47
percent of pre-roll revenue and 0.3 percent of units sold. However, survey
data shows that blunts remain the third-most-preferred consumption method
among users.

A deeper analysis of the data tells a different story, since infused blunts
are grouped within the infused category, skewing visibility. In fact, a
closer look at the 200 top-selling products with “blunt” in their name
shows $67 million in revenue across 3.5 million units sold.

With this in mind, retailers should make sure to keep in stock a variety of
pre-rolled blunts, especially infused blunts, to capture this growing
audience segment.

*Trends In Packaging And Filter Tips*

The top package size in terms of units sold is 1-gram, though often that
means multipacks of two half-gram pre-rolls. In fact, the vast majority of
the top-selling pre-roll products are multi-packs of half-gram, or 84mm,
pre-rolls.

Also growing in popularity are smaller formats (e.g., “dogwalker” 0.3-g, 70
mm pre-rolls), which appeal to trial-minded shoppers. Multi-packs also
generally carry higher margins and can satisfy both new and returning
customers as they provide both trial-sized formats for experimentation and
higher-quantity packs for loyalty and convenience.

Filter tips are another differentiator. Premium tips—such as wood, glass or
ceramic—enhance the smoking experience by cooling smoke and reducing
particles/resin. These features can elevate the humble pre-rolled joint
into a premium accessory, helping justify higher price points and
reinforcing perceived value.

*Selling Strategies For Maximum Impact*

Pre-rolls make perfect impulse or upsell items and are ideally positioned
near the register, with clear pricing and eye-catching displays.

Like candy at a grocery checkout, they make a great add-on to any basket.

It’s also key to make sure your budtenders are trained on the strains,
infusion types and packaging options so they can suggest pairings or
introduce shoppers to new formats, particularly since budtender advice is a
top mover of product.

Finally, stay data-driven. Use your POS analytics to track sales and adjust
inventory accordingly to avoid overstocking or missing out on trending
segments.

*Final Thoughts*

Pre-rolls are now a key component of any smart cannabis retail strategy.
They are popular, easy to merchandise and serve as consumer entry points
for new brands and formats.

A balanced pre-roll program that offers a variety of strain, size and
pricing options can help dispensaries increase revenue, expand basket
totals and strengthen customer loyalty.

Pair that with quality POS data tracking and analysis, and your store can
turn pre-roll momentum into lasting, dependable growth.

*Harris Bard is CEO and co-founder of Custom Cones USA and DaySavers.*

The post Pre-Rolls Are A Key Driver Of The Cannabis Retail Market’s Success
(Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment.