The 2025 cannabis industry made history when the inaugural MJBizCon launched its own product competition — the MJBowl — in partnership with the social review platform Budist. The event awarded trophies to ten standout brands from California and New York, covering flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates, and edibles. The goal: shine a spotlight on “Most Valuable Products” (MVPs) in regulated markets, bring craft producers into the spotlight, and establish a credible standard for cannabis competitions nationwide. READ ABOUT: Budist
Here’s a look at who won — and why the MJBowl matters.
What Is the MJBowl?
- Bi-coastal scope: MJBowl is the first cannabis competition to combine top licensed producers from both the West (California) and East (New York) in one event, bridging two major markets. READ MORE: GreenState
- Rigorous judging: Products were evaluated by expert judges on the Budist platform using a standardized 100-point scale, focusing on quality, consistency, innovation, and overall experience. Winners from each category receive MVP trophies; second and third place get “All-Star” nods.
- Real-world benefits: Beyond the trophy, winners get media exposure, product placement in major retailers (Gotham in New York, The Artist Tree in California), and outreach via MJBiz and Budist channels. READ MORE: MJBizDaily
For many small or craft producers, MJBowl offered unprecedented visibility and access — a chance to stand out in an increasingly crowded, industrialized cannabis space.
The Ten MJBowl Winners — By Category and Market
Here are the brands that took home MVP trophies at the inaugural competition:
California Winners
| Category | Brand & Product |
|---|---|
| Flower (Indoor) | Decibel Gardens — Roswell 47 |
| Pre-Rolls (Infused) | Fire King — Fire King x Hogwash Farms Whitethorn Rose Hash Hole |
| Vapes (Solventless) | Natural Gas — Papaya Solventless Rosin Bar by RAWsin |
| Concentrates (Solventless) | Ay Papi — Sapphire Thumbprint |
| Edibles (Treats) | Ay Papi — Apple Pear Tajin Sour Peaches Single Origin Live Rosin Gummies |
New York Winners
| Category | Brand & Product |
|---|---|
| Flower (Indoor) | Lit by the Lake — Pannacotta |
| Pre-Rolls (Non-Infused) | Alibi — Dream Star / Nilla Wafer Combo Pack |
| Vapes (Solventless) | Jetty — Papaya Smash Mini Tank All-in-One Vape |
| Concentrates (Solventless) | New Roots Gardens — Bickett OG Live Rosin |
| Edibles (Treats) | PAX — Heirloom Peach Live Rosin Gummies |
Across both coasts, winners represented a mix of well-known and boutique brands — but most shared a focus on high-quality, solventless, craft-oriented products.
Why These Wins Matter — More Than Just Trophies
1. Elevating Craft Producers
Unlike many cannabis competitions that favor big MSOs or high-volume producers, MJBowl celebrated small and medium craft brands. Judges and winners alike emphasized that the competition gave “small family craft farms… a national platform” to showcase their work.
For instance, Alibi — a New York-based brand — described its win with gratitude, noting how hard it is to compete with larger operators but how meaningful such recognition can be. READ MORE: GreenState
2. Cross-Coastal Recognition — California and New York
Bringing CA and NY into one competition fosters comparison across very different regulatory regimes, cultivars, and consumer bases. That signals a shift toward national standards in product excellence. As organizer MJBiz put it, the global scale and influence of MJBizCon made it the ideal platform to “celebrate and recognize” the best in the legal cannabis world.
3. Real Business Impact for Winners
Winning brands don’t just get a trophy — they receive concrete business advantages: retail placement in major shops (Gotham, The Artist Tree), media visibility, and a spotlight on Budist’s review network. For many, this is prime exposure ahead of 2026, a year expected to bring more regulatory changes and consumer growth.
For small brands like New Roots Gardens, the award came with more than just applause. As founder Matthew Robbins said, it was their first time at MJBizCon and first exposure to a large-scale cannabis conference — a milestone marking them as serious players, not just regional growers.
What This Means for the Cannabis Industry Going Forward
The launch of the MJBowl signals several broader trends reshaping cannabis:
- Standardization of quality: By applying consistent judging criteria across CA and NY, MJBowl creates benchmarks that may influence regulation, consumer expectations, and brand reputations going forward.
- Visibility for craft and solventless products: The dominance of solventless vapes, live-rosin gummies, and hash holes among winners hints at what judges — and perhaps consumers — value growing: purity, flavor, and artisanal methods.
- Cross-state brand expansion: The awards may help some regional winners attract interest from dispensaries and distributors outside their home state, supporting more fluid national movement in a still-fragmented regulatory environment.
- Legitimacy and prestige: Having a large, respected conference like MJBizCon host the awards lends legitimacy to the cannabis competition format — a step toward parity with wine, beer, and spirits contests.
As Budist CEO and co-founder Jocelyn Sheltraw said in announcing the winners, the hope is to “recognize the hard work of producers and create a platform that translates quality to consumers.” READ MORE: MJBizDaily
What’s Next? Looking Toward 2026 and Beyond
With the inaugural MJBowl now concluded, eyes are already turning to what’s ahead:
- The MJBowl organizers aim to expand beyond just California and New York — eventually building toward a truly national cannabis competition.
- A “Consumer Choice” extension may allow public voting on winner products, bridging expert judging with user preferences and broadening engagement.
- For consumers, availability of these award-winning products may improve — in more states, at more retailers, possibly shaping purchasing decisions toward “MJBowl-recognized” brands.
Final Thoughts
The MJBowl’s first year has delivered a clear message: cannabis is maturing. This wasn’t a throw-away “pot competition” — it was a serious, rigorous, cross-coast contest celebrating craft, quality, and innovation.
For the ten brands that took home trophies, the wins are more than accolades. They’re business milestones, validation for craft producers, and a sign that the cannabis industry is evolving — from fragmented regional scenes to a connected, national marketplace.
As cannabis continues to gain legitimacy and acceptance, competitions like MJBowl may play a key role in shaping brand reputations, consumer expectations, and the future of legal marijuana in America.