In a recent interview on the Kaya Cast podcast, Patrick Grenier, the coordinator of marketing for PreRoll-Er, discusses the challenges of producing high-quality cannabis products.
PreRoll-Er is a Canadian company that specializes in manufacturing pre-roll machines for the cannabis industry.
Patrick, who previously worked in the printing industry for 34 years, made the switch to the cannabis industry because of its potential for growth and innovation. He also had a very personal experience that got him hooked.
Patrick’s wife has PTSD, and years ago she fell very ill. She was struggling, taking many different medications, and not seeing any benefits. She tried CBD, and as Grenier notes, “It did a miracle on her, I didn’t believe it.”
His mind was changed forever.
Patrick also loves cannabis because, “You can have a doobie and have fun with your family and everything, and then the morning after, you can get up easily, and you don't pay the price.”
This interview touches on a lot of great insights about how high-quality cannabis products are created, the unexpected challenges of the industry, and tips for new dispensary owners in selecting high-quality cannabis.
How PreRoll-Er Creates High-Quality Cannabis Products
PreRoll-Er is a leading manufacturer of pre-roll machines, providing validated solutions that are tested and proven to save time and maximize profits.
The process of creating pre-rolls from start to finish is quite simple. The cannabis is first ground up to the desired size, then put into a giant tumbler. It is transferred to a cone-shaped paper using needle compaction to compact the cannabis perfectly, and then closed and punched for the dutch crown.
It is then reweighed to ensure it meets the desired weight. It is then passed or rejected. The reject rate is less than 2% when the machine is running correctly.
However, Patrick mentions that developing the machines wasn’t so easy. "It took 40 months to develop the machine. 40 months. That's a long run.”
He states that there were two major challenges when creating the machines.
- Different Strains: When different strains are used in the machines, it can cause issues because some strains are stickier than others, which can cause obstructions.
- Educating the Licensed Producers: Educating the licensed producers on the automation and technology involved in the process turned out to be a much bigger challenge than expected.
But luckily, pre-rolls are rising in popularity. Patrick notes that their sales are increasing like crazy.
The convenience and quality of pre-rolls are the main reasons for their popularity, and that the future of pre-rolls will be in automation and technology. He believes the market for hand-rolled joints will still exist, but the main market will be the younger generation who don't want to roll anymore.
Unexpected Challenges Of The Cannabis Industry
As someone who has recently joined the cannabis industry, Patrick has great insight into the difficulty of joining, and the unexpected challenges he faced.
According to him, there is only one main challenge: to educate people.
“That's up to us. We need to educate people, and that's our dispensary role. That's a manufacturer's role. That's everybody's role, to educate people.”
The importance of educating people about how different strains will affect you, and choosing the right strain based on your desired effect, rather than solely on strength is top of the list for Patrick.
Advice For New Dispensary Owners
The best advice for new dispensary owners might sound familiar: education.
We’ve all had the experience of walking into a dispensary and the staff not being educated on the different products, different strains, or different effects – and it’s terrible.
Patrick recommends new owners do their homework, stay up to date on the latest research, and also try the different brands they carry, so they are able to offer first-hand experience.
How to Select High-Quality Cannabis
Selecting high-quality cannabis for pre-rolls or other products is essential for dispensaries to ensure customer satisfaction and maintain a good reputation.
There are three important ways to select high-quality cannabis:
- Understand the different strains and their unique characteristics.
- Consider the growth and cultivation methods used, as well as the curing and drying processes involved.
- Get detailed information from the growers or suppliers, including potency tests and lab results.
Conclusion
Patrick Grenier has a wealth of knowledge on what it takes to create high-quality cannabis manufacturing machines.
For more detailed information, and more tidbits of wisdom from Patrick, be sure to check out the full episode here.
