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Grassroots

PREMIUM CANNABIS. IT’S IN OUR NATURE. They say it all comes back to your roots, right? Our roots… Premium, craft cannabis products. From our top-shelf flower, to our whole flower pre-rolls and variety of tasty concentrates, we’re here to celebrate cannabis and community in their most honest forms that nature and authenticity inspire. Because while we may grow, our roots keep us grounded. Grassroots. It’s in our nature.

Grassroots logo

Quick answer · What is the Grassroots cannabis brand?

Grassroots Cannabis has built its reputation on craft-forward flower and a deliberate commitment to small-batch cultivation. Originally rooted in the Midwest, the brand entered New York's adult-use market with a straightforward proposition: premium, whole-plant cannabis grown with enough attention to quality that the product speaks before the packaging does. For the discerning New York consumer, Grassroots represents a calibrated middle path between artisan single-source grows and accessible luxury.

Grassroots Cannabis has built its reputation on craft-forward flower and a deliberate commitment to small-batch cultivation. Originally rooted in the Midwest, the brand entered New York's adult-use market with a straightforward proposition: premium, whole-plant cannabis grown with enough attention to quality that the product speaks before the packaging does. For the discerning New York consumer, Grassroots represents a calibrated middle path between artisan single-source grows and accessible luxury.

The story

Grassroots Cannabis was founded in 2015 by Chicago-based entrepreneur Phil Burgess, who set out to build a vertically integrated multistate operator anchored in craft-quality standards at a time when most licensed cannabis companies were still prioritizing speed-to-market over product integrity. The founding thesis was straightforward: treat cannabis with the same rigor a small-batch brewery or artisan farm might apply to its output, and let that quality become the brand identity rather than relying solely on lifestyle marketing. The company grew steadily through the late 2010s, establishing licensed cultivation and processing operations across Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and other regulated markets. The most significant inflection point came in 2021 when Curaleaf Holdings — one of the largest multistate operators in the country — acquired Grassroots Cannabis in a deal that had been announced in 2019 and valued at approximately $875 million at signing, according to reporting by MJBizDaily. That acquisition gave Grassroots the infrastructure of a major operator while nominally preserving the brand's craft identity. Within the Curaleaf portfolio, Grassroots has continued to function as the company's premium flower and whole-plant products banner, positioned distinctly from Curaleaf's own house label. The brand's stated mission — celebrating cannabis and community in their most honest, nature-authentic forms — has remained consistent through the ownership transition, though some independent observers have noted the tensions inherent in maintaining a craft narrative inside a large corporate structure.

Aesthetic & shopper persona

Grassroots Cannabis leans on an earthy, utilitarian design language that deliberately distances itself from the hyper-stylized graphics common in lifestyle-forward cannabis brands. Packaging tends toward muted, natural tones — forest greens, deep browns, and off-whites — with clean typography that communicates transparency rather than spectacle. The overall visual impression is closer to a Pacific Northwest provisions brand than to a streetwear-influenced cannabis label, which is a conscious positioning choice. The shopper persona Grassroots courts is someone who has moved past novelty and now purchases cannabis the way they might select a bottle of wine or a craft beer: with genuine curiosity about origin, process, and consistency. This is a prosumer mid-tier to craft-luxury consumer — not necessarily hunting for the highest-priced item on the shelf, but willing to pay above-entry-level prices when the quality case is made clearly. The brand voice across its materials is measured and grounded, favoring language around authenticity, nature, and community over aspirational excess. It is a brand that trusts its product to do the marketing, which, for the right consumer segment in a market like New York, is itself a form of differentiation.

Cultivation & craft

Grassroots Cannabis built its early operational identity around indoor cultivation, with facilities designed to maintain tight environmental controls over temperature, humidity, light spectrum, and airflow. This approach prioritizes consistency and terpene expression over the volume efficiencies that sun-grown or greenhouse operations can achieve, and it reflects the brand's positioning as a craft-quality producer rather than a commodity supplier. The brand's genetics philosophy has emphasized working with established, high-performing cultivars while developing proprietary phenotypes suited to its cultivation environments. Harvest cadence is managed to allow for full canopy maturation rather than aggressive cycling, and post-harvest handling — including the drying and curing process — is treated as integral to the final product's quality, not as a logistical afterthought. Slow curing at controlled humidity preserves volatile terpene fractions that contribute to aroma complexity and the overall character of the smoking experience. In the context of the broader licensed cannabis industry, where rapid scaling has often led to quality compression, Grassroots' stated cultivation philosophy represents a deliberate counter-positioning. Whether individual batch quality fully reflects those standards can vary across markets and facilities — a reality acknowledged even by enthusiasts of the brand — but the foundational commitment to whole-plant, input-conscious cultivation remains a defining part of how Grassroots presents itself to consumers and retail partners alike.

What to try first

Grassroots is most closely associated with its whole-flower offering, which has served as the brand's core product line since inception. The flower program spans a range of cultivars organized broadly across effect profiles — from lighter, more cerebral expressions to heavier, full-body varieties — and is packaged with an emphasis on freshness preservation. In New York's adult-use market, where flower represents the dominant category by volume according to OCM sales data, Grassroots positions its flower as a reliable choice for consumers who prioritize actual bud quality over the novelty of format. The brand is also recognized for its whole-flower pre-roll program, which follows from the same cultivation philosophy: using flower from the same harvest batches as the loose product rather than trim or shake. This distinction matters to a segment of consumers who regard pre-roll quality as an indicator of a brand's overall integrity. While Grassroots' product lineup in New York is currently concentrated in the flower category, its broader portfolio in other markets includes a range of concentrates, which the brand has positioned as an extension of the same whole-plant, terpene-forward philosophy. For New York consumers, the flower and pre-roll lines are the primary entry points into the Grassroots experience.

When this brand shines

Grassroots is a brand that earns its place in the regular rotation rather than the special-occasion cabinet — though it does not feel like a compromise purchase. The consumer who reaches for Grassroots is typically someone who wants a dependable, quality flower experience without the research overhead that ultra-limited craft drops require. It is an evening wind-down brand as much as a weekend session brand: something to open on a Thursday night with no particular agenda, or to share in a small group setting where the conversation matters as much as the cannabis. The whole-flower pre-roll format extends that approachability into on-the-go contexts — a neighborhood walk, a low-key gathering, the kind of relaxed urban leisure New York offers in abundance when the weather cooperates. Grassroots also performs well as a considered gift: the packaging is polished enough to feel intentional, and the quality reputation is established enough that presenting it to someone with cannabis knowledge does not feel like a risk. It occupies that useful social register of 'I brought something good' without the preciousness of a hyper-limited luxury drop.

Provenance

Grassroots Cannabis operates in New York as part of the Curaleaf Holdings portfolio, which holds adult-use retail and wholesale licenses in the state. Grassroots-branded products available at New York dispensaries, including ZenZest, are distributed through Curaleaf's New York licensed wholesale and processing infrastructure rather than through a standalone Grassroots OCM license. Curaleaf has held a New York cannabis operator license — originally a medical license later converted to include adult-use operations — making it one of the earlier established licensed operators in the state's regulated market. Grassroots was founded in Chicago, Illinois, and its cultivation and processing operations are centered primarily in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, including Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The brand has not publicly disclosed a social-equity, women-owned, or BIPOC-owned certification, and as a brand operating under Curaleaf — a publicly traded, large-scale multistate operator — it does not carry independent social-equity licensee status in New York.

Grassroots — frequently asked

Where is Grassroots Cannabis made?+

Grassroots Cannabis was founded in Chicago, Illinois, and its primary cultivation and processing operations are based in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, with licensed facilities in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Maryland among other states. Products available in New York are distributed through Curaleaf's New York licensed infrastructure. The brand's cultivation facilities are indoor environments designed for consistent, controlled-environment growing.

Is Grassroots a NY OCM-licensed cannabis brand?+

Grassroots Cannabis does not hold a standalone New York OCM license as an independent entity. In New York, Grassroots-branded products are made available through Curaleaf Holdings, which holds New York state cannabis operator licenses and distributes Grassroots products through its licensed wholesale and retail network. Curaleaf acquired Grassroots in a transaction finalized in 2021.

What is Grassroots Cannabis best known for?+

Grassroots is best known for its premium whole-flower program and whole-flower pre-rolls — products that reflect the brand's founding commitment to craft cultivation standards. The brand has positioned itself as a quality-first alternative within a market segment often dominated by volume-oriented producers, with an emphasis on terpene expression, careful curing, and consistency across batches.

What product format should I try first from Grassroots?+

For first-time Grassroots consumers in New York, where the brand is currently available in the flower category, the whole-flower jar is the most direct expression of what the brand stands for. It allows the consumer to evaluate the cultivation quality directly — aroma, structure, moisture level, trichome preservation — before exploring the pre-roll format, which uses the same flower and offers a convenient way to experience the same product.

Is Grassroots Cannabis a luxury brand?+

Grassroots occupies the prosumer mid-tier to craft-premium segment rather than the ultra-luxury tier. It is priced and positioned above entry-level commodity cannabis, with a clear quality narrative around cultivation method and whole-plant integrity, but it does not carry the limited-release scarcity model or premium price ceiling of the market's most exclusive artisan producers. It is, in the most accurate sense, premium everyday cannabis.

Who owns Grassroots Cannabis?+

Grassroots Cannabis was founded by Phil Burgess in Chicago in 2015 and was acquired by Curaleaf Holdings in a deal announced in 2019 and finalized in 2021. Curaleaf is a publicly traded multistate cannabis operator headquartered in New York and listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Grassroots continues to operate as a distinct brand within the Curaleaf portfolio.

Does Grassroots Cannabis sell products beyond flower in New York?+

As of current retail availability at New York dispensaries including ZenZest, Grassroots' New York product offering is concentrated in the flower category, including whole-flower jars and pre-rolls. In other regulated markets, the brand offers a broader portfolio that includes concentrates. Product category availability in New York may expand as the state's wholesale market continues to develop. Shoppers should verify current inventory directly with the dispensary.

If you like Grassroots, also explore

Rythm

Another multistate operator brand under Green Thumb Industries that shares Grassroots' emphasis on consistent, craft-forward flower for the everyday premium consumer.

Lowell Farms

Lowell's whole-flower pre-roll program and farm-narrative branding appeal to the same consumer who values process transparency and a nature-rooted brand identity.

Tyson 2.0

Consumers drawn to Grassroots' accessible-premium flower positioning often also explore Tyson 2.0 for its recognizable pre-roll formats and broad retail availability in New York.

Flower by Edie Parker

Shoppers who appreciate Grassroots' elevated but unfussy approach to flower sometimes cross-shop Edie Parker for its similarly quality-conscious New York-rooted flower program.

Wana Brands

Consumers building out a broader cannabis shelf alongside Grassroots flower often reach for Wana's consistent, well-documented edibles program as a complement from the same mid-tier premium register.

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