The Top 50 Canadian Pre-Roll Brands

In 2024, pre-rolls in the Canadian market topped $1.27 billion in revenue, selling nearly 69 million units, with both numbers increasing despite falling revenues in other top categories, like flower and edibles. That was good enough for a 32.8% market share, second behind only flower.

It led us to predict that within the year, the humble pre-roll, which already moved more units than any other form, would also rise to the top of the revenue pack as the top-selling category across Canada.

And we were right. As of mid-2025, pre-rolls have overtaken flower as the top revenue category in the entire Canadian cannabis market. Inexpensive, potent, portable and fun ways to consume both by yourself and in a group, the pre-roll has become a palette for innovation.

Through Sept. 9 of this year, pre-roll sales reached $982 million and a 34% market share, up $72 million (8%) over the previous year-to-date period and on pace to break last year's record. By comparison, flower recorded $909.4 million in sales and a 32% market share over the same period, down $23 million (-2.5%) from 2024.

And while pre-rolls grew 4.3% year-over-year, flower continued to lose market share, as it has since the legal market's inception, seeing marginal declines last year. Zoom out, and the trend is clear: pre-rolls have gained an average of 3.6% market share annually since legalization, while flower has lost 4.2% per year.

Infused pre-rolls also continue to drive growth within the broader category, recording $359 million and 36.5% of all total pre-roll sales, up $31 million (9.5%) from the previous year-to-date. And with YoY growth of 8.1%, it's no surprise that 40% of Canada's top-selling pre-roll products are infused.

And with consumers consistently citing potency, price and brand as their top determining factors, the competition among pre-roll makers to capture this rising share of the marketplace is fierce. Well, from the second spot on down, anyway.

Once an afterthought, the best-selling brands in Canada’s best-selling category understand that the pre-roll is no longer a throwaway, but a dynamic driver of sales in every category that consumers now expect to be high-quality, highly-potent and exciting.

Custom Cones USA is diving deep into the 2024 data from cannabis analytics firm Headset to explore how the top pre-roll manufacturers in Canada make sure their pre-rolls stand out and keep moving off the shelves, creating a blueprint for growth that keeps customers coming back to join the circle again and again

In partnership with Seattle-based Headset, whose data is sourced from actual consumer transactions across over 3,500 retailers in 15 U.S. state markets and 4 Canadian provinces, Custom Cones USA has identified the Top 50 Pre-Roll Brands in the Canadian market using total pre-roll sales data to highlight the top-selling brands in the Canadian cannabis Pre-Roll segment

Headset data from the following 4 provinces was analyzed: Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.

Custom Cones USA created a 10-point Social Score, by calculating the percentile rank of each brand’s Instagram, LinkedIn, and website metrics to reduce the impact of outliers. These percentile-based values were then weighted by relevance to generate a balanced score that reflects how engaged and visible a brand is online.

Instagram contributes 40% to the overall score and is based on several factors: 35% of the score comes from the number of followers, 20% from the number of posts, 30% from the average number of likes calculated as an average of the 10 most recent posts, and 15% from the average number of comments, also calculated from the 10 most recent posts.

It should be noted, Instagram’s rules are especially tough on cannabis brands, getting shadow-banned or having their accounts deleted just for showing someone smoking or using words like "cannabis" in their captions. Some profiles may be down right now as Instagram’s moderation hits hard.

LinkedIn accounts for 25% of the overall score and is based on the number of followers.

Website metrics make up 35% of the total score, with 45% of that score coming from the domain rating and 55% from the amount of organic traffic.

Canada's Top Pre-Roll Brands of 2025

Introducing Pre-Rolls to Your Product Line

For emerging cannabis brands, pre-rolls represent an ideal entry point into the market, as well as an opportunity for cultivators to expand their product lines as they:

• Require a lower initial investment compared to concentrates or edibles
• Offer higher margins than raw flower products
• Have emerged as the top selling product category in Cannabis, outpacing 2024 leader, flower, by 4.2% through mid-2025. Now controlling a record 33.6% market share with monthly sales exceeding $122 million, solidifying their position as the top earner in the Canadian cannabis market.

Understanding Cannabis Consumers

Consumer research from a survey of 900 North American pre-roll consumers reveals compelling opportunities for incorporating pre-rolls across all demographics, with 82% of cannabis smokers purchasing pre-rolls and 94.2% preferring joints as their consumption method, the market potential is massive.

• Millennials lead purchases at 44.6%,
• followed by Gen X (24.3%),
• Gen Z (18.5%),
• and Boomers (12.5%).

When consumers think of pre-rolls, convenience ranks as their top consideration (45% of respondents), while potency drives purchase decisions (70% rank it first) followed by price point.

Scaling Your Operations

As demand and competition rise, successful brands quickly realize that hand-rolling and packing aren’t sustainable, this is where strategic investment in automated pre-roll machinery becomes critical. Smart operators also recognize the premium opportunity of infused pre-rolls, which have become the dominant segment within the pre-roll category, accounting for 36.4% of the market, commanding average prices of $25.16 compared to the overall category average of $18.20. Multi-packs now represent a staggering 85% of all pre-roll sales, with the 1.5-gram 3-pack variation leading at 27.4% of total sales.

Successful scaling requires strategic machine selection, with tabletop units like the King Kone and Fill N' Fold ideal for emerging brands, with the progression to full-scale automated systems for pre-roll production exceeding 50,000 completed pre-rolls monthly.

It All Starts with Grinding and Sifting

Quality pre-rolls start with consistent particle size, and the science proves why sifting is a non-negotiable when it comes to maximizing outputs. Industrial grinders with low RPM and high torque preserve terpenes while creating uniform material and remove stems and oversized particles that tear papers or create uneven burns. In a survey of over 300 companies representing every corner of the pre-roll industry, only 59% of pre-roll businesses sift their flower, though an additional 17.2% plan to implement sifting, representing a significant opportunity for competitive advantage.

Smart grinder selection scales with volume, like the industrial grinders for mid-volume operations and high-capacity systems processing hundreds of pounds per hour for large-scale producers. Modern filling machines require precise specifications, making proper grinding and sifting essential for preventing equipment jams and ensuring consistent weights.

We conducted an experiment to compare pre-roll output from sifted and non-sifted flower. Using sifted ground flower versus un-sifted flower in a run of 169 pre-rolls resulted in 27 more pre-rolls ready to package, along with 65% lower weight variance, 488% fewer holes, and 194% better packs. When you’re thinking about scaling up, the value of a sifter speaks for itself.

Automation Using Pre-Roll Filling Machines

The engine behind any serious pre-roll operation is cone and tube filling machinery. From tabletop units handling hundreds of pre-rolls per hour to fully automated systems processing thousands, the right equipment scales with your organization’s goals. With 39.2% of businesses using automated pre-roll machines and another 17.6% planning to implement them, automation is becoming the industry standard for serious producers.

Modern machines accommodate the complete spectrum of pre-roll construction, from standard cones and tubes to hemp wrap blunts and premium filter options. The most frustrating production bottleneck remains closing pre-rolls by twisting and folding (cited by 24.4% of businesses), followed by filling (22%), packaging (20.3%), grinding (12.2%), sifting (11.4%), and weighing (8.1%), challenges that proper equipment directly addresses.

Incorporating Infused Pre-Rolls to Meet Consumer Demand

The fastest-growing segment in cannabis, Infused pre-rolls, now account for over $358 million in sales, representing 36.4% of all pre-roll revenue. Consumer adoption is astounding, with 70% of pre-roll smokers purchasing infused products, with kief leading concentrate preferences at 78.3%, followed by live resin (77.3%) and rosin (58.8%). Over 53.3% of pre-roll brands currently produce infused products, with 43.4% planning to incorporate them into their product lines.

Internal infusion delivers a superior smoking experience by incorporating concentrates whole or by mixing concentrates directly with flower. The most popular method of infusion involves painting with oil and rolling in kief externally, used by 90% of infused producers, while 45% mix flower and oil directly and 35% use the popular “hash hole” style infused pre-rolls.

Flower infusion equipment handles any concentrate that can be liquefied including distillate, live resin, rosin, shatter, hash and more. However, 60% of businesses still infuse by hand, leaving significant room for efficiency improvements through automation. Automated infusion technology transforms time-intensive manual processes into scalable production, essential for capturing the premium pricing that infused products command.

The Final Touch: Professional, Customizable Packaging

A brand's packaging communicates quality and ethos while also complying with state regulations and requirements. Pop-top tubes dominate the market, used by the majority of producers, while multi-pack formats continue their rapid growth. Consumer data shows 43% buy both single-use and multi-pack pre-rolls, with 31.1% preferring multi-packs over singles (25.9%).

Premium positioning requires attention to details, from child-resistant and custom-branded options to specialized blunt packaging that maintains product integrity. Filter selection enhances a brand identity and the overall smoking experience with consumer research revealing a strong adoption of premium filter tips

• 59% of smokers have purchased pre-rolls with premium filter tips
• Glass-tipped pre-rolls lead consumer preference at 79.7%
• 47.6% are willing to pay up to $2 more for the premium filter experience
• 21.4% purchase premium filter tip pre-rolls weekly

Paper type matters greatly to consumers as well, 55.5% rate it as "very important," with organic hemp paper leading at a 72.5%, followed by refined white (69.4%), hemp wraps (64.2%) and natural brown (61.6%).

Your Beginning-to-End Pre-Roll Production Partner

At Custom Cones USA, we've guided thousands of brands through every stage of their pre-roll journeys. Our team of Pre-Roll Experts understand that success is about more than individual machinery, it's about creating integrated systems and processes that grow with your business. From industrial grinders to automated pre-roll filling machines, to customized pre-roll materials and branding, we provide the equipment, expertise, and ongoing support that turn concepts into reality.

Ready to capitalize on the fastest-growing cannabis segment? Contact the Pre-Roll Experts today and discover why industry leading brands trust Custom Cones USA for their most critical pre-roll production needs.

About Our Contributors

Brian Beckley spent 20 years as an award-winning newspaper journalist and editor, covering cities on both coasts before becoming Managing Editor of Marijuana Venture magazine, where he covered all aspects of the cannabis industry for five years. In his role with the magazine, he spoke at numerous cannabis conferences and hosted several media panels. Brian joined Custom Cones USA and DaySavers as lead copywriter in 2023.

James Valentine is a 17-year cannabis consumer who has spent 9 years in digital leadership managing marketing, content and communications. James joined Custom Cones USA and DaySavers in 2024 and manages content marketing and communications.