Introducing the Grow Up 2026 Agenda & First Round of Speakers

by Grow Up Conference | Oct 13, 2025 | Grow Up News

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Monday January 19, 2026

Executive Summit

powered by

10:00 am – 5:30 pm
Executive Conference and Exhibitor Registration

10:00am
Welcoming Address

10:15am - 5:30pm
Panel Discussions

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Executive Cocktail Reception

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Canadian Cannabis Championship

11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Live Judging

6:00 pm – 12:00 am
Kick-off Party

Tuesday January 20, 2026

Industry Conference and Expo

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Conference and Expo Registration

10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Industry Expo

10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Industry Conference - High North Main Stage

10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Breeder & Genetics Exchange

10:30 am – 4:30 pm
Masterclass Sessions

10:30 am – 12:30 pm
(Morning) Brands and Buyers Speed Networking

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
(Afternoon) Brands and Buyers Speed Networking

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8:00 pm 
Grow Up Official Networking party

Wednesday January 21, 2026

Industry Conference and Expo

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Conference and Expo Registration

10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Industry Expo

10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Industry Conference - High North Main Stage

10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Breeder & Genetics Exchange

10:15 am – 2:15 pm
Masterclass Sessions

12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
So You Think You Can Cook with Cannabis

We’re thrilled to share the first look at the agenda and confirmed speakers for Grow Up Conference & Expo 2026, returning January 19–21 to the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Agenda Highlights

Jan 19 — 10am – 5:30pm
Executive Summit
powered by StratCann
A closed-door leadership forum focused on global trends, innovation, regulatory strategy, and profitability in cannabis.

Jan 20–21 — 10am – 5pm
Industry Conference & Expo
Two full days of programming across tracks including:

• Masterclass Technical Series (cutting-edge sessions on cultivation science & tech)

• CANNA Breeder & Genetics Zone – meet breeders, explore emerging genetics

• Brands Zone – direct access to B.C. retail buyers and budtenders

• Speed Networking – results-driven brand–retailer matchmaking

• Live activations: Canadian Cannabis Championship (flower judging), “So, You Think You Can Cook” culinary showdown, and more

• Two networking parties to help you connect & build relationships across the value chain

• Sampling Opportunities for Retail License Holders
  Brands can provide samples to verified cannabis retailers, making it easier for stores to evaluate products for their shelves. (Subject to compliance.)

First Round of Speakers

We’re excited to welcome a distinguished group of thought leaders, innovators, and industry voices. (More names to come soon)

Adam Clark– West Coast Weedery, CEO

Adam Mint – Paradise valley, CEO & Co-Owner

Adriano De Filippis – Cannabis Sales Strategist & Brand Builder

Alannah Davis – Dabble Cannabis Co., CEO

Amanda Renner – Living Cannabis, Master Grower

Amber Craig – Spark Business Strategies, Fractional CMO

Andrea Dobbs – Village Boomery, Managing Director

Angie Fulton – Rubicon, Director of Cultivation

Av Singh – Scotian Cannabis Alliance, Executive Director

Bailey Nimmrichter – Rhenus Logistics, Business Development Manager

Brishna Kamal – Whistler Therapeutics, President

Carlos Rainero – Control Union Canada, Certification Manager

Carol Gwilt – Founder/CEO, Pothead Cannabis Brand

Carolyn Cudmore – Canna Czar, Creator

Che LeBlanc – Rosebud, Founder

Colin Bambury – ADCANN, Founder

Corey Koffler – GreenTank Technologies, CEO

Daniel Joly – ApolloGreen Nursery, Production Manager

Daniel Penny – Unity Cannabis, Director and COO

David Bernard-Perron – Organic Cannabis Consulting,

David Brown – StratCann Services Inc., Founder

Deepak Anand – ASDA Consultancy Services, Principal

Devon Thane – Rocky Mountain Cannabis Ltd., Founding Partner & CEO

Dion Gouldsborough – BC Liquor Distribution Branch, Wholesale Category Manager

Don Briere – Founder & CEO, WEEDS®

Dr. Aakash Goyal – GAYN Cultivation, CEO & President

Dr. Av Singh – Scotian Cannabis Alliance, Executive Director

Dustan MacLean – Chief Grow Officer Consulting, Cultivation Specialist

Elliot McKerr – HYTN Innovations Inc., Founder & CEO

Erin Butler – Canadian Cannabis Exchange Ltd., Chief Financial Officer

Fez Rismani – Elevate Wellness, Founder & CEO

Gemma Hayes – Sweetgrass Cannabis, COO

Hugo Leon de Gante – Lady Jane Labs, Co-Founder

Jaclynn Pehota – Althing Consulting Services, Principal Consultant

Janeen Davis – DEALR Cannabis, VP of Sales

Jeff Aubin – Smoker Farms, Co-Founder

Jeff Ring – BC Liquor Distribution Branch, Senior Director, Supply Chain, Cannabis

Jennawae Cavion – Calyx + Trichomes Cannabis, Founder

Jesse Paul – Smyle Brands, Marketing & Sales Manager

Jodie Giesz-Ramsay – Cannabis Culture, Owner

John Conroy – Conroy & Company, Barrister & Solicitor

Jonathan Fernandes – Green Amber/OKCO,

Jordan Dickinson – Lady Jane Labs, Co-Founder

Joshua Beckett – Magi Cannabis, Director/Master Grower

Julie Rajnak – Aurora, Manager, Cultivation

Keith Bao – AVEO, Managing Director

Kirk Tousaw – Great Gardener Farms Ltd., CEO

Kyle Michael – FTL Distribution Co., Founder & Chief Growth Officer

Kyra Horvath – Pineapple Buds, Master Grower

Laina Yates – Mercari

Liam Buirs – Pure Sunfarms/Village Farms Canadian Cannabis, IPM Manager

Marcus Richardson – BC Bubbleman, Founder

Mat Beren – House of the Great Gardener, Co-Owner & Chief Cultivating Officer

Mathieu Aubin – Rubicon Organics, VP Marketing & New Business

Matthew Greenwood – Up In Smoke Cannabis Store, Owner/Operator

Megan Preik – Accelerated Quality Solutions, QAP Coach | Founder

Michael Colbourne – Neobi, Founder

Nafisa Subedar – Emerald Lane Recruitment, Regional Growth & Sales Consultant- Canada & USA

Riel Roussopoulos – Breadstack, Head of Marketing

Rob Laurie – Ad Lucem Law Corporation, President, Barrister & Solicitor

Rob Baldwin – Pure Sunfarms/Village Farms Canadian Cannabis, VP, Cultivation & Greenhouse Operations

Robin Schmid – BC Liquor Distribution Branch, Wholesale Category Manager

Rudi Schiebel – Habitat Life, CEO & Founder

Sabine Schwirtz – High Buds Club, Head of Community

Sarah Seale – Sarah Seale Inc., Owner

Scott Mayer – Miracle Valley, CEO

Shannon Kloet – Tamerlane Trading Co., Partner

Sherry Boodram – CannDelta, CEO & Co-founder

Stacey Duffy – All Nations, Brand Lead

Steph Woods – Headset, Head of Sales

Taylor Kirk – Fluence, Cultivation Advisor

Ted Smith – Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club, Founder & Exec Director

Tim Powers – Kind Selections/ Cannabis Tolling Solutions, Founder/Co-Founder

Tyler Kibler – Canopy Growth Corporation, Director of Innovation

Unity Marguerite Whittaker – Small Town Pot Shop, Owner & Founder

Vikram Sachdeva – Seed and Stone, CEO & Founder

Walker Patton – Woody Nelson, Chief Commercial Officer

Zamir Punja – Simon Fraser University,

Seven Key Insights into Canada’s Pre-Roll Market

by Dominic | Oct 10, 2025 | Grow Up News

As the Canadian cannabis market continues to grow and evolve, the category that continues to drive not only innovation, but revenues as well is the humble pre-roll.

Simple in design but endless in possibility, the pre-roll is a signature product for the industry, an old school joint packed and ready to go, but with a fully modern feel. The portability and relatively inexpensive nature of pre-rolls make them perfect not only for someone looking to try a new strain or grab something for the walk home, but also for high-powered innovation like the addition of flavor-boosting terpenes or potency-boosting concentrates, all with a built-in on-the-go delivery system.

At Custom Cones USA, home of the Pre-Roll Experts, we took a look at the Top 50 Pre-Roll Brands in Canada, based on sales data from cannabis analytics firm Headset and we noticed a few trends and insights valuable to any cannabis brand looking to boost its sales and generate excitement in its products.

Here are seven insights drawn from the Top 50 producers that companies looking to expand their pre-roll reach should consider:

Pre-Rolls are King in Canada

Last year, after reviewing Canada’s sales data, we predicted that by mid 2025, pre-rolls would regularly top flower as the no. 1 category in the industry and by the end of summer, we were proven correct.

According to Headset data, 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. Additionally, pre-roll revenue grew 4.3% year-over-year, while flower continued to lose market share, as it has since the legal market’s inception, seeing marginal declines last year.

So while they may have once been considered an after though, today, pre-rolls are the main driver of the industry and any cannabis company not making pre-rolls is going to be left in the dust.

In Summer Months, Canadians Flock to Pre-Rolls

One of the things our research found is that while pre-rolls remain solid year-round, they are especially popular in the summer months.

Our 2025 State of the Canadian Pre-Roll Market Report found that for the six-month period of May-October 2024, pre-rolls outsold Flower by $33 million, peaking in July ’24 with a 3% lead in sales.

Though October numbers are not yet available, the 2025 numbers from May through September show a similar trend, with pre-rolls climbing to a 36% market share in July, August, and September. 

Additionally, pre-roll revenues over the same period are more than $70 million higher than revenues for flower. The gap in units sold is even higher, with Canadians buying more than 35 million pre-roll units during the warm months, compared to just over 12 million flower units.

Infused Pre-Rolls Drive Revenues 

Within the pre-roll category, the top-selling segment in Canada continues to be the single strain hybrid, however a lead driver of revenues continues to be the infused pre-roll, which have a higher price point due to the addition of a concentrate. 

Three of the Top Five best-selling pre-roll products in Canada are infused products, including the top spot, as are six of the Top 10. And all five of the best-selling products from the country’s top selling pre-roll brand, General Admission, are infused products. So are those of the fastest-rising brand, No. 4 Jeeter, which also boasts the highest average price point of any brand in the Top 50 at $33.36, nearly double the national average.

With potency remaining a top factor for pre-roll and cannabis consumers in general, we expect infused pre-rolls, with their heightened flavor and increased THC percentages to only continue to grow in Canada, even as the single-strain hybrid remains exceedingly popular.

Multi-Packs Drive Sales

Another major driver of revenues in the Canadian pre-roll market is the multi-pack, with consumers wanting to get more of a good thing at one time to lower costs and save on trips to and from the dispensary. They also usually carry a higher-than average price point and help boost revenues for brands.

In fact, 49 of the Top 50 best-selling pre-roll products by revenue are multi-packs (the other is a 2-gram infused pre-rolled blunt at No. 48). All five of the top 5 products from each of our Top 5 Canadian Brands is a multi-pack, including 2-packs, 3-packs, 5-packs, 10-packs and even a 70-pack pre-roll product from the No. 5 business, Redecan.

Even by unit sales, multi-pack options fill the top five spots, and nine of the top 10. In fact, in the Top 50 products by unit sales, only 7 are single-pre-roll packs. It’s an easy way to move product and the data shows that not only do the people want multi-packs, the Top Brands are providing them.

Branding Matters

Along with potency and price point, consumers routinely tell us that brand ranks among the top factors for deciding which pre-rolls to buy and Canada’s top-selling brands all use branding to their advantage, whether on the pre-roll itself, the packaging or both.

This is especially important with a product like a pre-roll, that is often shared but has a standardized look, making it difficult to tell one from another.

The Top 8 Brands all use colorful and/or custom filter tips, most with a company name or logo, to ensure that their products are distinctive and memorable, even when outside of their packaging and being passed around a session. 

It’s an important reminder that getting on top and staying on top means making sure everyone can see whose product they are smoking.

The Blunt Opportunity

Though not one of the top segments within the category, pre-rolled blunts remain a popular product for smokers and a potential revenue stream for producers.

Research in the US shows that blunts are the third most popular way to consume, with the category showing modest but continued growth in the Canadian market, though the numbers are deceptively low as Headset data will place an infused blunt in the infused category instead of the blunt category, skewing the overall numbers. 

Though only 5 of the top 200 products are blunts, four of those five are infused. And there is only one brand in the Top 15 companies that focuses on blunts, No. 15 BoxHot. Four of BoxHot’s top five products are blunt products, and all four are infused. The company uses a tea leaf cone with a bright cigar band to stand out from traditional pre-rolls and other blunt offerings.

But the lack of brands in the space focusing on this nascent category makes it a perfect spot for producers to launch well-branded hemp wrap pre-rolled blunts and truly make a mark in the Canadian marketplace.

Innovation and Originality is key

With pre-rolls having a low barrier to entry for brands new and old, the entire category is ripe for innovation and experimentation. The top sellers consistently try new formats, new infusions, new branding, and unique packaging in order to stand out and stay on top of the sales charts.

New brands like Jeeter, the top American pre-roll maker, have taken the market by storm in 2025 with its color-coded, triple-infused pre-rolls, for example.

Other brands continue to innovate in packaging options with bright colors and fun names, like No. 6 Good Supply’s popular “Jeans Guy” and “Inzane in the Membrane” strains, the “Grape Ape” and “Motor Breath” from No. 10 Dab Bods or even the top-selling “Tiger Blood” line from General Admission.

Pre-Rolls provide an opportunity for smokers to take a chance and try something new, and producers need to lean into that, offering new strains and new styles, all with attention-grabbing names and packaging in order to truly stand out.

Final Thoughts On Canadian Pre-Rolls

With pre-rolls surpassing flower this year as the top category in the Canadian cannabis industry, the opportunity to make a mark on the industry is now. But the pre-roll space is fast-moving and ever-changing, so it is important to keep an eye on the latest trends, from infusion techniques to branding opportunities to packaging innovations.

It’s important to have a supply partner that can keep an eye on the larger picture, allowing you to focus on what you do best: creating top-quality flower and products that people want.

Contact the Pre-Roll Experts today to begin, expand or scale up your pre-roll line today.

Industry Mixer – Delta, BC

by Grow Up Conference | Sep 10, 2025 | Grow Up News

RSVP Now

Join us for an exclusive industry mixer hosted by Grow Up and our Platinum Partner Hygrozyme at their Delta HQ on Monday, September 22, 2025

Grow Up Conference & Expo is excited to announce our second industry networking mixer, co-hosted by our Platinum Sponsor Hygrozyme at their headquarters in Delta, BC.

Hygrozyme – a proudly Canadian manufacturer celebrating 50 years of innovation in crop cultivation – is opening its doors for an afternoon of food, drinks, networking, and exclusive opportunities for the cannabis cultivation community.

✅ Meet the Hygrozyme Team: Connect with the experts behind Hygrozyme and get a firsthand look at their facility. This is a unique chance to meet the people innovating enzyme-based plant growth solutions that help growers maximize their plants’ potential.

✅ Exclusive Grow Up Deals: The Grow Up team will be on-site offering event-only discounts on 2025 Grow Up Conference booth reservations and tickets. If you’re considering exhibiting or attending the next Grow Up Conference, this mixer is the perfect time to secure your spot at a special rate!

✅ Network with Industry Peers: Mingle with fellow cannabis industry professionals – from cultivators and producers to retailers and service providers. Share insights, build partnerships, and grow your network in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Light refreshments will be provided to keep the conversations flowing.

3:00pm Monday, September 22nd, 2025
Hygrozyme Headquarters
Unit 107, 7717 Beedie Way, Delta, BC

✅ Finger foods served
✅ One complimentary drink ticket per guest
✅ Open networking with licensed producers, brands, and buyers
✅ Learn more about Grow Up Vancouver happening January 20–21, 2026

RSVP & Tickets

Limited tickets are available – RSVP is required.
This exclusive mixer has limited capacity, so be sure to reserve your spot in advance. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to network and save on Grow Up Conference passes!

We look forward to seeing you at the Hygrozyme facility for an afternoon of learning and networking. Let’s grow our connections together!

About Hygrozyme

Hygrozyme is a Delta-based Canadian innovator in horticultural solutions, known for its enzyme-driven products that promote healthy root zones and robust plant growth. With a 50-year legacy in the cultivation industry, Hygrozyme offers an eco-friendly line of crop nutrient, enhancement, and protection products that help cultivators unlock the full genetic potential of their plantsglobenewswire.comglobenewswire.com. As Grow Up’s Platinum Sponsor, Hygrozyme exemplifies innovation and sustainability in cannabis cultivation – making them the perfect partner to co-host this networking event.

Grow Up and Life Cycle Botanics Mixer

by Grow Up Conference | Sep 9, 2025 | Grow Up News

Join us September 19 in Nanaimo for a casual mixer with Life Cycle Botanics to connect & learn about Grow Up Vancouver 2026.

 

Grow Up and Life Cycle Botanics Mixer

Join us for a relaxed afternoon of networking and cannabis industry conversation as Grow Up Conference & Expo heads to the island. Co-hosted with Life Cycle Botanics, this casual mixer in Nanaimo is your chance to connect with growers, processors, retailers, and advocates from across the BC cannabis community.

Held just after Stratcann’s Growing Relationships event, this is the perfect way to extend your day of networking with meaningful conversations, cold drinks, and great company.

3:00pm Friday, September 19th, 2025
Carlos O’Bryan’s Oceanside Pub
1724 Stewart Ave, Nanaimo

RSVP NOW

✅ Finger foods served
✅ One complimentary drink ticket per guest
✅ Open networking with licensed producers, brands, and buyers
✅ Learn more about Grow Up Vancouver happening January 20–21, 2026

Whether you’re looking to book a booth, attend as a delegate, or just reconnect with industry peers—this event is for you.

RSVP required. Space is limited.

About Life Cycle Botanics
Life Cycle Botanics knows the importance of a strong start. Our facilities follow strict cleanliness guidelines and quality control procedures, which combined with our pre-climatized rooting system make our company an innovating leader in the industry. Our experienced management team and professional staff will integrate with our client needs to provide a reliable variety of cannabis strains that will work within your budget and ensure on time delivery. Visit us at: https://lifecyclebotanics.com/

JOIN US AT STRATCANN’S GROWING RELATIONS
NANAIMO, BC • FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19 @ 9:30AM

https://stratcann.com/events/growing-relationships-bc-nanaimo-2025/

50% OFF (up to two tickets)
Use Promo Code: GROWUP50

SAVE 50%

Truth and Reconciliation Scholarship Application 2026

by Grow Up Conference | Sep 4, 2025 | Grow Up News

A Message from Our Presenting Sponsor: Quality Horticulture

by Dominic | Aug 18, 2025 | Grow Up News