At a glance
Presidential is an infused-cannabis company founded in Los Angeles in 2012 by Everett Smith and John Zapp. The brand built its name on Moon Rocks—flower infused with concentrate and coated in kief—then extended the same layered-product identity into tobacco-free blunts, infused pre-rolls, and compact minis.
Founders and Los Angeles origin
Everett Smith entered cannabis after a professional basketball career in Europe and began developing the brand in 2012. He later partnered with entrepreneur John Zapp, who helped formalize the business and refine its manufacturing formula. Forbes identifies Smith and Zapp as Presidential's co-founders, while Smith's own account notes that an earlier, unnamed partner introduced him to infused flower.
How Moon Rocks are built
Presidential Moon Rocks use three layers: cannabis flower, concentrate, and an exterior coating of kief. Smith has described improving the format by selecting better raw materials and developing a repeatable in-house process with Zapp. Potency and ingredients vary by product, and “World's Strongest” is a brand slogan rather than a universal laboratory ranking.
From jars to rolled formats
The catalog now spans loose Moon Rocks, infused pre-rolls, tobacco-free hemp-wrapped blunts, and mini versions of the rolled products. The official product page describes flower infused with THC distillate and coated in kief, while other releases may use live resin or different formulations. The package is the authority for the exact concentrate and wrap.
Series and catalog architecture
Presidential has organized Moon Rocks into Silver, Gold, and Rose Gold series and uses a crest, dark base colors, vivid illustration, and metallic cues to distinguish product families. California's official brand property describes four formats, six catalog groupings, and forty-seven products, though live dispensary inventory changes faster than a brand catalog.
Manufacturing and quality claims
Smith says Presidential moved production in-house after early partners resisted process improvements. The company emphasizes high-quality flower, concentrate, and kief and describes an infusion method intended to carry concentrate through the flower. Claims of organic or pesticide-free inputs need batch-level cultivation and lab documentation rather than being assumed across every licensed market.
California growth and retail
A 2022 interview placed Presidential in more than four hundred California retailers and described it as the state's third-largest pre-roll brand at that time. Those figures are historical snapshots, not a current store count. California remains the origin market, and licensed-retailer tools are the appropriate path for current inventory.
Rankings and notable recognition
Forbes reported in April 2023 that BDSA ranked Presidential number one nationally for blunts and number four for pre-rolls, with expected 2023 revenue of $20 million. Those rankings and forecast are dated third-party reporting, not permanent awards or confirmed final revenue. No broad competition-trophy ledger was found in the reviewed sources.
Collaborations and wider footprint
The California catalog includes a Presidential x THC Design collaboration. The broader Presidential THC website lists an Oklahoma City office, showing a separate market presence beyond the Los Angeles origin. Earlier expansion plans mentioned Nevada and Michigan, but plans are not treated as completed launches without current licensed-market evidence.
The High Rise assessment. Presidential's history is the story of turning a once-novel infused-flower construction into a recognizable brand system. Smith and Zapp, the 2012 Los Angeles start, three-layer Moon Rock format, rolled-product expansion, California retail growth, and dated BDSA rankings are supported. Potency superlatives, current national reach, and ingredient claims still require product- and market-specific verification.