RAW Founder Josh Kesselman Enters Pre-Roll Market With “Something Worth Copying”

By Nicolás Rodríguez, Managing Editor

RAW Genetics is moving from rolling papers into cannabis, launching seven product formats across its RAWthentic and RAWsin brands. The company announced September 29 that limited batches are rolling out at select licensed dispensaries in California, Arizona, New Mexico, New York and Oklahoma.

For Josh Kesselman, founder of RAW Rolling Papers, the launch is also an attempt to improve a product category he believes has disappointed too many consumers.

“I love this industry, but I have personally seen far too many awful pre-rolls packed too tight or too loose, made with poorly or incorrectly rolled cones and filled with trim, lows and stems,” Kesselman said in the announcement. “That hurts the reputation of ALL pre-rolls. It was time for us to step up, lead by example and give the industry something worth copying.”

Flower, rosin and a production blueprint

RAWthentic focuses on flower pre-rolls. According to the company, they contain hand-trimmed buds rather than shake or trim, are individually weighed, and use the Apehex Pre-Roll System to support consistent packing, airflow, and burn.

RAWsin combines solventless rosin vapes with rosin-infused pre-rolls. The company describes its extraction process as ice-water washing followed by pressing with heat. Its infused pre-rolls use Xylem technology to distribute the rosin.

“We did not choose rosin just for the pun, although I definitely love the pun,” Kesselman said. “RAWsin lets the flower stay the star.”

The company also plans to share its pre-roll construction methods through Kesselman’s Instagram account, @rawkandroll, encouraging other producers to improve on them.

What’s in the launch?

The seven formats span individual products and multipacks:

• RAWthentic Dog Walker: Ten 0.5-gram flower pre-rolls.
• RAWthentic 98 Special: Ten 1-gram flower pre-rolls.
• RAWthentic Glass Tip Single: One 1.5-gram flower pre-roll.
• RAWsin Bar: Rosin vape in 0.5-gram and 1-gram sizes.
• RAWsin Dog Walker: Five 0.5-gram infused pre-rolls.
• RAWsin 1 1/4: Four 1-gram infused pre-rolls.
• RAWsin Glass Tip Single: One 2-gram pre-roll containing 1.65 grams of flower and 0.35 grams of rosin.

Pricing and selection vary by market and retailer, according to the announcement.

“These RAWthentic and RAWsin pre-rolls are our benchmark for what a great pre-roll should be, and we hope other producers learn from us, improve, and eventually beat us,” Kesselman said.