As a leader in cannabis consumer and industry events, the Emerald Cup has been celebrated repeatedly as the “Academy Awards of Cannabis.” That title, earned over 17-years of competition, has made the organization synonymous with industry excellence and grown a powerful global community. While their events have made them a must-attend festival and marketplace of cannabis culture, the legacy of the Emerald Cup lies in the actual human element of the competition and awards. 
Overseen by executive producer Taylor Blake and her team, there are now over 50 categories, 150 expert judges, and a full spectrum of partners, most notably long-time testing partner SC Labs and award sponsor PUFFCO. In the weeks that follow the close of the entries window – quickly approaching next month (February 2022) this dedicated team mobilizes to conduct such a high-level contest and ultimately determine the winners.
Since 2004, the Emerald Cup has served as a grassroots celebration of the cannabis plant and harvest, and as an unbiased, free, and fair competition, but at its root, it is really about people. The farmers, the craftspeople, our hand-selected judges, world-class entertainers, and our diverse array of attendees – this is the Emerald Cup family and it’s that authentic, familiar vibe that sets the Emerald Cup Awards apart.
With hundreds of entries representing the very best of what California cannabis has to offer, that human element of judging, coupled with the tremendous amount of data extracted by the testing of the submissions, makes each annual Emerald Cup winners’ announcement a highly coveted distinction earning industry respect, coveted marketing bragging rights and instant strain, brand, and grower recognition among colleagues and consumers alike.
Established as one of the most recognized award ceremonies, the iconic Emerald Cup is landing in Los Angeles in 2022. Bridging the hard-earned legacies that northern California and Southern California have built, the Emerald Cup Awards will mutually benefit both industry and consumer, introducing regional and reputable brands and farms to the largest cannabis marketplace in the country.
The upcoming Awards will be celebrating excellence in the sun-grown cannabis world and awarding the “best-in-class” in their community. The competition began its entry window on Monday, January 3, 2022, and all entries are welcomed. Those looking to enter the competition or for more information should visit https://enter.theemeraldcup.com.
For the 2022 competition, Emerald Cup consists of over 40 judged categories (a full list below) – a full-spectrum of cannabis including flowers, concentrates, edibles, topicals, and more – with nine brand new classifications for the upcoming awards including Sungrown Greenhouse, Pre Roll – Infused – Solventless Extract, Pre Roll – Infused – Solvent Extract, Solventless Rosin Cartridge, Edible – Gummies, Edible – Beverage Enhancer, Hemp Derived Ingestible, Most Innovative Product – Consumable, and Most Innovative Product – Industry Asset.
The Emerald Cup Competition & Awards offers a transparent and trusted chance for California’s best cultivators, extractors, movers, shakers, and cool-product-makers to put their best head-to-head against the rest. The 18th annual cannabis competition is a constantly evolving entity. For this next edition, significant changes have been addressed based on advancements in testing and the competition is always fine-tuning their approach to the judging criteria.
All winners will be announced by the organization at a formal ceremony in Los Angeles in late spring with an accompanying virtual broadcast. The recognition from peers and consumers alike that comes along with an Emerald Cup achievement can be transformational for a brand as it highlights its commitment to the culture by crafting clean cannabis. The California cannabis market is stronger when united and the 2022 Emerald Cup Awards will bridge the gap between the NorCal and SoCal markets, providing more opportunities for farmers and brands and new options for consumers.
The Emerald Cup would not be possible without the generous support of SC Labs (http://www.sclabs.com), the Emerald Cup’s 12-year testing partner, who last year debuted new terpene data technology into the judging process (more information available here). An innovation that allows for a greater understanding and appreciation for the diversity and range of cannabis chemistry and chemotypes. Through SC Labs’ sorting process, judges rate similar terpene profiles against each other to choose the “best-of-class” winner for each, much like how wines are judged in similar events.
2022 Emerald Cup Competition & Awards Categories:
ABOUT THE EMERALD CUP:
The Emerald Cup is the world’s premier cannabis heritage brand and iconic live events. While advancing the concept of sustainable, sun-grown farming, the 17-year old organization’s reputation is firmly solidified as the largest, most-respected cannabis competition in the world. As a group, The Emerald Cup prides itself in bringing together leading experts in the cannabis industry to educate and inspire our fellow farmers, patients, and patrons each year. The community celebration has grown to become a global movement honoring the year’s finest organic and sun-grown, cannabis harvest as well as the finest cannabis products available. The Cup has stood as a celebration of excellence and over the years, has seen founder Tim Blake recognized as a guardian of the ever-changing cannabis industry. http:www.theemeraldcup.com
Media seeking to connect with The Emerald Cup, The Emerald Cup 2022 Award Show, or to speak with founder Tim Blake, please reach out to Kenneth Loo, Chapter 2 at ken@chapter2agency.com.
To follow the fun on social media at @theemeraldcup.
