With its launch into the Evergreen State, Presidential’s high-potency pre-rolls are now available in seven adult-use markets
Everett Smith founded Presidential more than a decade ago, keeping the brand alive and growing through the ups and downs of the market and the evolution of the industry.
Through a partnership with Optimum Extracts in Washington, the World’s Strongest Prerolls are now available in the country’s second longest running adult-use market.
Marijuana Venture: Talk about your expansion into Washington. Why was the Pacific Northwest a good target for Presidential?
Everett Smith: Presidential was born in California. That’s our home and where we built the brand from the ground up, knocking on doors and earning shelf space one dispensary at a time. So when we started thinking about where to take the brand next, the West Coast made a lot of sense. We’d already made moves into Nevada and Arizona, but Washington felt like the natural next step to really plant the Presidential flag up and down the coast. We want Presidential to be the pre-roll brand that owns the West Coast, and Washington helps to complete that picture.
Beyond the geography, Washington was one of the first states in the country to legalize recreational cannabis, so the market has had time to mature, and the consumers up there are educated — they know what they want, and they have a high bar for quality, which is exactly where Presidential thrives. We’re a brand that wins on product, and when you have a market full of sophisticated smokers who can tell the difference, that’s our sweet spot. The Pacific Northwest also has a strong cannabis culture and a real sense of community in the industry, which felt right for us because our goal has always been to build genuine relationships and be a real part of the ecosystem wherever we go.
MV: You’re working with Optimum Extracts to bring the “World’s Strongest Pre-rolls” to Washington State. What was it about Optimum that made you feel that was the right partnership for this launch?
Smith: When we go into a new market, the licensing partner is everything. I’ve said it before: you can have the best brand in the world, but if you don’t have the right people manufacturing and distributing it on the ground, none of it matters.
With Optimum, what stood out immediately was their commitment to quality and their integrity. They’ve been in the Washington market since 2013, they built their reputation in the medical community, and they’ve carried that same standard of care into the recreational space. That’s who I want making Presidential product. We had to be sure that the “World’s Strongest Pre-rolls” would land in Washington the same way they do in California and our additional markets, and Optimum gives us that confidence.
Washington helps to complete that picture.
MV: Including Washington, Presidential is now available in seven states. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in the process of building this company and brand from coast to coast?
Smith: The lesson I keep coming back to is don’t rush the process. Early on, you’re excited and want to move fast, get everywhere and grab as much market share as you can. However, cannabis is still a state-by-state business, and every market has its own regulations, its own culture, and its own consumers. If you don’t take the time to understand the market and find the right partners, you will lose.
I’ve watched a lot of brands chase expansion and stumble because they were more focused on the map than the execution. At Presidential, we’ve been more deliberate, and my partner John Zapp taught me that early on.
MV: Is there another market you have your eyes on? What are your plans for future expansion?
Smith: We’re always looking. Last year, we launched Presidential in New York, which marked our first state on the East Coast. We hope to continue East Coast expansion in the future and definitely have our eyes on a few Midwest markets.
MV: What’s more important to you: Finding the right market for expansion or finding the right licensing partner?
Smith: Without question, the partner. A great market with the wrong partner will destroy you. The partner controls manufacturing and distribution, and they’re the boots on the ground every single day, so if they don’t have the same standards as Presidential, that comes back on the brand. We’ve spent over a decade building it, and yes, I pay attention to markets, but we won’t move into any market without being fully confident in who we are working with.
MV: In a previous interview with Marijuana Venture, you said you launched the Presidential brand in 2012. How have you been able to keep the company successful in an industry that has been so tumultuous?
Smith: This industry definitely has its ups and downs, especially being in it for over 10 years. For us, it really comes down to our motto, “keep it simple.” That philosophy touches everything we do, from how we run the business to how we make the product. Simplicity, consistency and quality.
On the product side, “The World’s Strongest Pre-rolls” isn’t just a marketing line — we actually back that up every single time with craft organic flower and high-quality concentrates. When a consumer buys Presidential, they know exactly what they’re getting, and that consistency is what keeps them coming back.
MV: What goals or milestones are you looking to achieve between now and the end of 2026?
Smith: I want to see Presidential continue to become the most recognized cannabis brand nationally — not just the strongest, but the one people know by name, no matter what state they’re in. To get there, we’re launching new products, we’re maximizing profitability in our current markets, and we’re rolling out our new vape pod technology, which we’re really excited about — that’s going to open us up to a whole new consumer.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.