BERNER COULD BE BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CORE CANNABIS

BERNER COULD BE BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CORE CANNABIS

With Doja, Backpack Boyz and Preferred Gardens now in the picture, some of the most influential names in modern cannabis could be positioning themselves for another major run.

A recent photo shared by Berner has brought together some pretty serious names within modern cannabis culture. Ryan Bartholomew from Doja Pak, Juan Quesada from Backpack Boyz and Dave Polley from Preferred Gardens are all in the picture, and considering the history and influence these guys have had across the industry, it's definitely got people wondering what could be happening behind the scenes.

Ryan has already been working with Berner for some time, but with Quesada and Dave now appearing alongside them, the possibility of something bigger taking shape is pretty interesting. Nothing has been officially confirmed regarding a major collaboration between all four, but when you look at their individual experience, genetics, relationships and market influence, there's plenty of reason to pay attention.

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Berner's history is a big part of why. Alongside Jai "Jigga" Chang and Mario Guzmán, better known as Mr. Sherbinski, he was involved in an era that completely changed how cannabis genetics were presented, marketed and introduced to the masses. The original Cookies movement, followed by the rise of Sherbert and Gelato, helped establish much of what we now recognise as modern core cannabis culture.

Jigga's breeding work and Mario's genetic selections were fundamental to that period, but Berner understood something equally important. He knew how to get exceptional flower into the right hands, build anticipation around releases and connect cannabis with hip-hop, fashion and wider street culture. Those early genetics weren't simply successful because of their branding. They were genuinely different for their time, and the marketing helped take them from relatively small circles into worldwide recognition.

It's also worth recognising the wider community that contributed to the movement. Nugg Notes has documented the influence of people like Delvin "Cookie Monster 415", whose relationships and understanding of genetics helped connect different parts of the Bay Area scene. His involvement extended into the early Backpack Boyz movement, highlighting just how closely connected many of these brands and personalities were long before their names became recognised worldwide.

That history matters because the original Cookies era wasn't the result of one person doing everything. It was a combination of exceptional genetics, experienced growers, influential tastemakers, relationships and marketing coming together at exactly the right time.

And looking at the people potentially involved now, there are some interesting similarities.

THE GENETICS AND MARKETING NEED TO MATCH

Ryan has helped establish Doja as one of the defining brands of the modern exotic scene, with genetics like RS11 playing a significant role in the direction flower has taken over recent years. Quesada helped build Backpack Boyz into a major name through the popularity of Lemon Cherry Gelato and the wider candy-forward movement, while Dave has developed Preferred Gardens into a respected cultivation and genetics operation.

These brands have built their reputations around the flower, not simply their logos. They've been associated with high-performance selections, important genetics and the ability to recognise what consumers are looking for. And although every brand has its stronger and weaker batches, the influence these names have had on modern cannabis is pretty difficult to ignore.

One of the clearest examples of the importance of branding is what happened with Toad Venom. The selection had already been circulating as Becky for years before the Toad Venom identity brought it to a much bigger audience. The genetics themselves weren't suddenly transformed, but the presentation, exposure and conversation surrounding the flower changed dramatically. It's another example of how important marketing remains, particularly when there's a genuinely interesting product behind it.

Berner demonstrated that relationship between genetics and marketing long before Toad Venom came along. But there's also another side to the Cookies story that deserves attention.

As Cookies has grown into a massive international brand, one thing that has become increasingly questionable from a high-performance perspective is the consistency of the finished flower. The early reputation was built around genetics and batches that genuinely delivered, but maintaining that standard across a much larger network of cultivators, production facilities and markets is a completely different challenge.

Some consumers have described a noticeable decline in smoking performance, particularly when comparing modern batches with the earlier flower that established the brand's reputation. We've seen the same issue discussed throughout the wider cannabis scene. Flower can look absolutely crazy, have an insane nose and arrive in recognisable packaging, but once it's rolled up, the performance isn't always there.

There's an interesting Australian perspective on this, too.

According to Oz Trapper's recollection, pounds of California flower reportedly grown by Serge were reaching Australia around 2019, offering what he describes as one of the country's first real introductions to properly branded Cookies flower that genuinely performed. The branding was impressive, but importantly, the flower was actual fire as well.

Serge Damirjian was involved in establishing Cookies' Maywood cultivation operation in 2018, so his connection to that era is well documented. The specific Australian shipments remain part of Oz Trapper's firsthand account.

What makes that recollection particularly relevant is what reportedly happened in the years that followed. The experience became much more hit-and-miss. There were still impressive batches, but others would smell crazy and look the part without delivering the same performance through a joint.

We don't think it's fair to suggest every Cookies batch declined, and scaling alone doesn't establish exactly why particular batches underperformed. But when a brand becomes this large, maintaining consistent cultivation, post-harvest standards and quality control across different operators becomes increasingly difficult.

And that's exactly why the potential involvement of Ryan, Quesada and Dave is interesting.

For this combination to have anything close to the influence of the original Cookies movement, two things would need to happen. The branding and marketing would need to be near perfect, and the genetics would need to be genuinely groundbreaking.

We're not talking about another familiar cross being given a new name and dressed up in expensive packaging. We're talking about selections that experienced smokers immediately recognise as something different because of how they actually perform.

From our perspective, that means flavour translation, intensity, coat, stain, longevity and purity. High-performance flower needs to deliver an exceptional smoking experience, without the harshness, chalky or mineral artefacts and unwanted characteristics that undermine so many otherwise promising batches. And it needs to be consistent enough that consumers aren't gambling on whether the next release will perform anything like the last one.

It's been a long time since we've seen genetics make the sort of impact that completely changes the direction of the wider market. There have certainly been some exceptional selections and influential releases in recent years, but another genuine shift on the scale of the original Cookies, Gelato or later candy movements would be something pretty special.

And that's the real test for this potential team.

All four already understand how influential the right genetics can become. They also understand branding, distribution, cultural connections and what it takes to build recognised names. But combining that experience into something genuinely new, where the marketing is exceptional and the flower actually performs at the highest level, is a much bigger challenge.

One thing we'd personally love to see is Berner revisit the style of drops that made the 2018–2019 Cookies era so memorable. Those animated strain teasers, the signature blue Mylar designs and the instrumentals from upcoming music projects gave those releases a particular identity. There was genuine anticipation around what was coming, and the presentation felt closely connected to the music and streetwear culture surrounding the brand.

Imagine bringing that sort of creative direction back, but with a completely new generation of high-performance genetics that actually justify the attention.

AN INTERESTING TIME FOR CORE CANNABIS

There's also a much bigger conversation happening here. When you look at modern core cannabis culture, there are some interesting parallels with what happened in skateboarding and surfing throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

Brands like Billabong, DC and Etnies built their identities through the riders, personalities, videos and communities surrounding them. People didn't simply follow the products. They followed the culture, and the brands became representations of the scenes they identified with.

Cannabis has developed something very similar. Brands like Cookies, Doja, Backpack Boyz and Preferred Gardens have followings that extend well beyond individual strains. There are genetics, personalities, collaborations, clothing, events and entire communities connected to these names.

And just like skate and surf culture experienced, cannabis is moving towards a much more corporate structure. Licensing arrangements, larger production facilities, international expansion and outside investment are all changing how brands operate.

The challenge is maintaining the standards and identity that built those reputations in the first place. We've already seen how difficult that can become when the same brand name is attached to flower produced in multiple facilities under different conditions.

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What makes this particular moment so interesting is that many of the people who helped build modern cannabis culture are still directly involved in shaping its future.

And that's where this potential combination becomes particularly significant.

If Berner, Ryan, Quesada and Dave are genuinely working towards something bigger, they have the experience to approach it from several different directions. Genetics, cultivation, quality control, branding and market influence are all represented.

But from our perspective, the most important part is what the everyday consumer actually gets out of it.

People searching for genuine high-performance flower should be able to trust that the product behind a respected name delivers. Not simply because the packaging looks incredible, the genetics sound impressive or the people involved have strong reputations, but because the flower itself performs.

If this team can introduce something genuinely groundbreaking, execute the branding at the level Berner has already demonstrated he's capable of, and consistently deliver flower that lives up to the attention, they could be in a position to help shape another generation of core cannabis culture.

There's still plenty we don't know about what might be coming, and it would be premature to compare an unannounced project with one of the most influential periods in modern cannabis history.

But given what these brands have already accomplished individually, there's a real reason to be interested in what they might achieve together.

For us, the question isn't simply whether they can build another massive brand or generate another wave of hype. They've already demonstrated they can do those things.

The real question is whether they can bring genuinely groundbreaking genetics, elite marketing and consistent high-performance flower together in a way that changes the game for consumers again.

If they can pull that off, it could be another moment in cannabis culture that defies an era.

Article by: WT Bridger