Pre-Roll Co-Packing

It’s hard for one cannabis company to do everything and do it well, especially smaller mom-and-pop style licensees.

For some businesses, the most important thing is cultivation, crafting the finest, best-tasting or highest-potency buds around. They grow great flower, but may not have the employees, man-hours or interest to do anything besides put it into packaging and send it out to store shelves.

But in the modern cannabis marketplace, diversity rules and brands that don’t have a variety of products may slip behind or fail to reach profitability, no matter how good your weed is. Combine that with the complex landscape of regulations, logistics, and consumer expectations for each product form and things can get complex very quickly.

For pre-roll products in particular, scaling efficiently while maintaining compliance and quality can be challenging.

That’s why many companies turn to co-packers as part of a smart business strategy. By partnering with licensed, experienced co-packers, brands can focus on marketing, brand building and customer experience, leaving production, packaging and compliance to the experts.

But what is co-packing for pre-rolls? What services do co-packers include? How does the co-packing process work? And more importantly, how and where can you find a good co-packer for pre-rolls? Don’t worry, the Pre-Roll Experts are here to help.

What is Co-Packing for Pre-Rolls?

Co-packing, short for contract packaging, is when a licensed third-party facility produces, fills, packages, and sometimes stores products on behalf of a brand.

For pre-rolls this generally means receiving cones/tubes and flower from a cultivator or brand and then filling, finishing and packaging the finished pre-rolls.

Co-packers allow brands to scale up or expand their product line without building their own licensed production facility.

What Businesses Do Co-Packers Serve?

Co-packers can serve a wide range of businesses, from emerging lifestyle or celebrity brands that need fast go-to-market capability to legacy cannabis brands scaling production or dispensaries and retailers wanting private SKUs.

They can also serve non-cannabis lifestyle companies seeking compliant cannabis products. They are particularly valuable in states where licensing, compliance and capital are obstacles to scaling.

What Services Do Co-Packers Typically Provide?

Co-packing can mean different things to different businesses, even within the same state. But there are handful of services they typically provide, depending on your company’s arrangement and what your state might allow.

For pre-rolls the typical service set includes:

• Raw material intake and inventory management (flower, cones/tubes, filters);
• Precision filling and weight checks (per jurisdictional gram limits);
• Sealing, labeling and secondary packaging (child-resistant, tamper-evident);
• Batch record keeping, QA testing coordination and compliance documentation; and
• Storage and distribution logistics (in some cases).

Again, this is not necessarily a complete list as different co-packers offer different services depending on their facilities and license requirements. For example, some co-packers may offer to trim flower, while others may want it ready-to-go.

Co-Packer vs. White-Labeler vs. Private-Labeler

So now we’ve got a little background on co-packers, you’re probably thinking “what’s the difference between a co-packer and a white labeler?” And it’s understandable. They offer similar services in bringing products to market, but they differ in some key ways. Understanding those differences is important, helping brands choose the model that works best for their brand or company.

Again, a co-packer is a licensed operator that produces products according to a brand’s specific requirements. With co-packing, the brand retains full ownership of the product formulation, sourcing decisions, packaging design, and overall IP. The co-packer’s role is to bring that vision to life in a compliant, scalable environment. This model is ideal for brands that have a clear product concept, whether that’s a specific pre-roll blend, unique packaging or some other proprietary method, and simply need the licensed production infrastructure to execute it. Co-packing offers the highest level of customization and control.

In white-labeling, the manufacturer creates a standardized product, like a pre-roll formula, a gummy or vape cartridge, and multiple brands are able to customize the packaging and sell it as their own. White-label products typically involve no changes to the underlying formulation or hardware, the brand’s imprint exists primarily at the packaging and marketing level.

White-labeling is good for companies that want to enter the market quickly, launch a low-risk test product, or expand their SKU offerings without investing in R&D. Customization is limited, but white-labeling can dramatically reduce development time and work around operational limitations.

Private labeling falls somewhere between co-packing and white labeling. Like white labeling, a manufacturer produces the product under its own license, but unlike white labeling, the product can be tailored to the brand’s needs. These customizations might include things like adjusting the flower blend for pre-rolls, choosing alternative strain profiles, modifying terpene levels, or developing exclusive packaging formats. A private-label product is usually exclusive to one brand, but the foundational formulation or processes are still managed by the manufacturer. This approach allows brands to balance differentiation with speed, leveraging the manufacturer’s established processes while still creating a more unique product than a standard white-label SKU.

The right choice for your company depends on how unique your product needs to be, how quickly you want to get to store shelves, and how much input you want to have in the process.

How Does the Co-Packing Process Work?

While every co-packer has its own workflow, most follow a similar structured approach that ensures product quality, regulatory compliance, and efficient production. Let’s run through the pre-roll co-packing process step-by step. Now, this will be a 30,000-foot view and every co-packer will have their own procedures, but it should give you the general outline of what to expect.

Discovery & Spec Sheet: The first stage is the discovery and specification phase, where the brand and co-packer work out the details of the project. This usually includes defining the pre-roll size and packaging format (such as 1-gram cones, half-gram dogwalkers or infused multi-packs), choosing the paper type (refined white, natural brown or organic hemp), determining filter style (standard “w” paper filter or premium filter tip option, such as wood, glass or ceramic) and reviewing packaging requirements. Brands usually provide a spec sheet, or work with the co-packer to develop one, outlining everything from target weights to moisture ranges, terpene profiles, visual presentation standards, and packaging dimensions. The more detailed, the better because this foundational step ensures that both parties are on the same page – literally – before production begins.

Sourcing & QC of Inputs: Next, the flower, cones, filters, and packaging are sourced and quality-checked. Depending on the agreement, the brand may provide its own flower, cones and packaging materials, or the co-packer may take responsibility for procuring them. In either case, the co-packer handles quality checks to confirm that flower meets moisture, grind, and freshness standards; the cones are consistent in size and diameter; and the packaging materials are compatible with the pre-roll format and compliant with state regulations like child-resistance or opacity. This stage is crucial because small variances in grind size or cone shape can affect the overall consumer experience and will reflect on the brand, not the co-packer.

Pilot Run: Before a full production run is created, a small, test batch is produced. This gives everyone involved a chance to confirm that all of the specifications from the spec sheet are being met. Pilot runs help identify and correct issues upfront, such as flower that packs too densely, packaging that doesn’t close cleanly or labels that don’t align correctly. Doing it now, on a small scale, saves time and money by identifying and eliminating potential problems before scaling up to full production.

Production: Finally, with everything worked out and approved, the co-packer will go through a full production run, complete with QA, weight checks, and what is known as lot-coding. Throughout production, each pre-roll is weighed or spot-checked to ensure it meets the agreed upon standards. Co-packers also apply lot numbers, track batch information and document every step of the process, in accordance with state regulations. For infused or other specialty products, additional steps like adding concentrates or rolling the pre-roll in kief may be incorporated.

Lab Testing & Release: After production is complete, the co-packer coordinates lab testing and compliance review. Samples from each batch are sent to a state-licensed testing laboratory to check potency, moisture, microbial levels, pesticides, heavy metals and other regulatory requirements. No product can be sent to stores until it passes testing.

Packaging & Labeling: The co-packer is responsible for placing the pre-rolls in their packaging and labeling those packages in accordance with the spec sheet and state requirements. This may include adding tamper bands, regulatory warnings, ingredient details, cannabinoid potency information, tracking identifiers and/or any required symbols. Because packaging regulations vary by state, experience is vital for catching compliance issues early. This is especially important for multi-state brands using the same packaging SKU across multiple markets.

Storage & Fulfillment: After production, the co-packer usually handles storage and distribution of the finished products. Depending on the market, the co-packer may also assist with transportation logistics or coordinate deliveries directly to retail partners or wholesale distribution hubs. This last step ensures the product remains fresh, maintains structural integrity and reaches dispensary shelves within the optimal time frame.

When done right, brands benefit from the co-packer's expertise, while retaining creative and strategic control over the final product.

Small Batch vs Large Scale Co-Packing Operations

When it comes to cannabis co-packing, not all operations are created equal. The scale of your production run can dramatically shape your strategy, costs and choice of partner. From small, mom-and-pop craft brands to national product lines, co-packers accommodate a wide spectrum of needs.

So what are the differences between small-batch co-packing and large-scale co-packing operations and what do they mean for your brand?

Small Batch Co-Packing Operations

Small-batch co-packing is particularly useful for emerging or niche brands, limited-edition releases or craft-focused product lines. In this model, operations often rely on semi-automated machinery or even manual processes.

Because these runs are smaller, the minimum order quantities (MOQs) tend to be lower, which means a brand can test new strains or seasonal drops without committing to tens of thousands of units.

The trade-off, however, is that per-unit costs are generally higher due to more hands-on labor and limited economies of scale.

Large-Scale Operations

By contrast, large-scale co-packing is all about throughput, efficiency, and consistency.

These operations often make full use of high-capacity pre-roll machines, like automated cone-filling machines or automated infused pre-roll machines that can pump out thousands of pre-rolls per hour, dramatically reducing labor costs and increasing output.

Large-scale co-packers also tend to require bigger batch commitments and higher MOQs, but because they run at volume in order to lower the per-unit costs. Their scale can enable brands to meet demand while maintaining consistent product quality.

Choosing the Right Co-Packer Operation Size

Your choice between small- and large-scale co-packers will depend on your goals. If you’re a craft brand or want to pilot a new pre-roll SKU, a small-batch co-packer provides the agility and flexibility you need. If you're planning to expand into multiple states or anticipate high-volume demand, scaling with a high-output co-packer makes more sense financially and operationally.

Deciding on whether or not to work with a co-packer is an important decision for any pre-roll manufacturer and will depend entirely on the needs of your business and state industry you are working in.

Selecting between co-packing, private labeling or white-labeling depends on your brand’s priorities: speed vs control, capital vs customization, and single-state vs multi-state ambitions.

But whatever you decide, remember to work with partners experienced in pre-roll engineering and cannabis regulations compliance. That’s where specialty suppliers like Custom Cones USA fit into the ecosystem.

And remember, when in doubt, run a pilot with a trusted co-packer to validate your product and packaging before scaling.

How Custom Cones USA Can Fit In with your Co-Packer Agreement

At Custom Cones USA, our goal is to help you make the highest quality pre-rolls you can, so that you are as proud of your finished product as we are of our pre-rolled cones and tubes.

And whether that means offering turn-key solutions like our cone-filling machine starter kits that include everything you need to begin or expand your own pre-roll production line, or working to ensure that your co-packer uses the best-tested cones from the most transparent pre-roll supply company in the market, we are here to help.

Custom Cones USA serves as a pre-roll supply and expertise hub, providing:

• Bulk cones, filter tips, premium options and packaging materials.
• Custom cone design and pre-rolled options.
• Pre-roll machines and filling accessories.

Custom Cones USA can provide cones of any size in any of our paper types – including refined white, natural brown and organic hemp, as well as our hemp wrap, hybrid hemp wrap, and botanical pre-rolled varieties – to either you or your co-packer, as well as packaging options for every size cone and multi-pack, whether you need child-resistant, opaque, clear or whatever.

We can even customize your cones with premium filter tips, designer filters or specialized work like your company’s logo and message, as well as customize and pre-label packaging options, and then ship them to your co-packer to ensure that your brand stands out on store shelves.

Additionally, Custom Cones USA helps brands connect with trusted, compliant co-packers to help streamline production. By bridging the gap between brands and production facilities, we help ensure smooth, compliant pre-roll manufacturing from start to finish.

Contact the Pre-Roll Experts today to discuss whether working with a co-packer is right for your pre-roll brand and how Custom Cones USA can help lead your company to success, whether you decide to pack them yourselves or find a partner to handle it for you.