Introducing the MJBowl: The First Bi-Coastal Competition
My first MJBizCon was in 2018, the year I entered the cannabis industry, and I’ve been to every one since. I remember being a few months into my role at Headset, walking the trade show floor for the first time, taking in the massive setups and endless rows of booths that seemed to stretch on forever. I had no idea how many people I would meet or how many friendships would start in those aisles.
The energy reminded me of attending my very first trade show in 2009, when I was just a few years out of college and starting a career in mobile ad tech—right at the birth of the iPhone and the explosion of mobile apps. The industry was brand new, and conferences were where everything happened: where you learned trends, met the people shaping them, and made connections over both business and late nights with new friends.
Since then, I’ve attended more than 150 conferences and trade shows. That’s a lot of name badges, hotel ballrooms, and expo halls, and with that context, I can say without hesitation that MJBizCon tops the list as one of the most impactful and influential trade events in any industry. Its energy is unmatched, business opportunities are unparalleled, and there are few better settings for a chat with colleagues than a late night meeting at the Chandelier Bar.
So it seemed only natural that when Budist and MJBiz began conversations exploring how we could partner, there was immediate synergy between our groups. Today, we join together with a shared vision to launch the first bi-coastal cannabis competition, showcasing the best products in California and New York. It is a moment I am incredibly proud of, and one that I believe will have lasting impact on this industry, and provide incredible value to participating brands.
Read along to learn more about how we’re coming together to bring the MJBowl to life.
An Idea That’s Found Its Time
Every year, MJBizCon draws upwards of 30,000 people from across the country and around the globe for our industry’s annual pilgrimage. While several regional conferences connect local markets, MJBizCon offers something different—a broader mix of people, perspectives, and experience. While it’s technically a business conference, it also attracts the legacy community, creating a rare mix of operators, innovators, and cultural leaders all in one place.
So it’s no surprise that people have often asked, “Why doesn’t MJBizCon host its own competition?” With so many influential operators gathered in one place, it feels like a natural fit. In our early conversations with the MJBiz team, they acknowledged the obvious limitations of federal prohibition, but shared that it was also about timing and finding the right partner to build something credible and lasting. We knew that our team’s experience in competitions, coupled with our roster of world-class judges and commitment to celebrating excellence, made Budist just the kind of partner MjBiz was looking for to execute a program so monumental.
From there, our shared vision started to take shape, and the MJBowl was born.
Planting a Flag in Two Key Markets
With the goal of eventually building a national competition, the first step was to anchor the MJBowl in markets with both history and cultural influence. California and New York were natural choices.
California is widely recognized as the cultural epicenter of cannabis, known for its legacy genetics, deep-rooted cultivation history, and trends that set the tone nationwide. New York holds an equally important place, with decades of cultural influence as both an underground and regulated cannabis destination. From their impact on culture, music, art, and fashion, California and New York have shaped the ways cannabis is expressed around the world.
With celebrating these legacies at its core, the MJBowl is not pitting products from each state against each other. In addition to regulatory guidelines that prohibit us from operating in this way, the ethos of this competition is about bringing together the best from both coasts and celebrating their distinct practices, traditions, and communities. The MJBowl is about connection, collaboration, and recognizing excellence wherever it’s found.
Partners That Make It Possible
Launching a competition of this scale requires mission-aligned companies who are committed to moving the industry forward in a compliant, thoughtful way.
Operating the competition in two states requires partnering with licensed distributors and retailers to collect and transfer product entries to our judging team. Our partners also play a key role in building awareness for the MJBowl and hosting events where both the trade and consumers can learn about the competition and purchase the award-winning products.
In California, our ongoing partnership with The Artist Tree made the retailer a natural choice. We’ve hosted many events at their consumption lounges, and their elevated, art-forward retail experiences serve as the perfect locations to showcase the best that the state has to offer. With 10 stores statewide, The Artist Tree gives MJBowl winners the reach to connect with cannabis enthusiasts in key cities.
In New York, after dozens of recommendations and careful vetting, Gotham stood out as an ideal partner. Their ethos aligns with ours, and their four-store presence in key locations makes them ideally positioned to support the operational needs of the competition. More than just a dispensary, Gotham redefines cannabis retail through a design-forward, socially conscious approach that blends culture, art, fashion, and community. As a female-founded, purpose-driven company, they exemplify the elevated experience we want to bring to the MJBowl.
For distribution, Nabis is the clear partner of choice. With extensive experience supporting nearly every major cannabis event in California, they bring unmatched expertise to the table. I’ve known co-founders Vince and Jun since 2018 and have seen firsthand how their sharp, dependable team has fueled Nabis’ success. With operations in both CA and NY and deep relationships across brands—large and craft alike—Nabis is uniquely positioned to help this competition bridge players from east to west.
The Competition Structure
In the first year of the competition, we’ve designed a focused structure that sets a strong foundation for future growth.
We’re starting with select categories that represent some of the most influential product types in the market, with room to expand in the years ahead. While many competitions split categories into numerous subcategories, we’ve streamlined the format for year one to ensure smooth operations across two states while maintaining high judging standards.
Each subcategory will recognize a single winner—the “Most Valuable Product”—a nod to MJBizCon’s reputation as the “Super Bowl of Cannabis.” This winner-takes-all approach heightens the prestige and celebrates true standouts in each category.
To keep the playing field fair and encourage broad participation, entry fees are intentionally set on the lower end, and brands may enter only one product per category. The result is a competition that’s both accessible and highly competitive, showcasing the best of what each market has to offer.
The Judging Process
At Budist, one of our core missions is to professionalize and standardize cannabis evaluation. A consistent, credible judging process strengthens the industry and builds consumer confidence.
For this competition, we’re applying the same structured process we use on the Budist platform. Judges follow a detailed scoring rubric to evaluate products across aroma, flavor, appearance, and overall experience—each further broken down into subfactors like intensity, complexity, balance, usability, and smokability.
The same method will be used in California and New York to ensure consistency across the judging process. Judging will take place between October and November, giving ample time for thoughtful evaluations and verified results before winners are announced at MJBizCon in Las Vegas in December
How We Select Judges
Selecting the right judges is critical to the integrity of any competition. We look for individuals with deep product knowledge in their category, a strong understanding of cannabis quality, and the ability to evaluate objectively. Each judge is trained in the Budist methodology and follows our editorial guidelines for consistency and fairness.
In building our California critic team, we prioritized diversity across demographics, geography, consumption preferences, use cases, and professional backgrounds. You can learn more about how we select critics in this blog post, which outlines the same framework we’re now applying in New York. This approach ensures our judging team reflects the ethos and culture that make the Empire State unique.
Awards Ceremony & Call for Entries
Attending MJBizCon this year will take on new meaning for me personally—and for the MVP-winning brands who will be honored on December 4 in Las Vegas. The Awards Ceremony will spotlight the industry’s top products in front of leaders, media, buyers, and consumers, offering unmatched visibility on one of cannabis’s biggest stages.
Entries are now open. Don’t miss the opportunity to showcase your work, gain recognition at MJBizCon, and join us in celebrating the people and products shaping the future of cannabis.