Industry

Takeaways from Europe’s biggest weed bash—Spannabis 2024

Published on March 20, 2024 · Last updated March 25, 2024
two bulbous and chunky marijuana nugs on a white table. they are mint and dark green, and covered with light orange hairs
RS-11 from top-ranked private Barcelona club Strainhunters. (David Downs/Leafly)

The global cannabis conversation reached a new frenzy last weekend with the 10,000-person Spannabis festival in Barcelona, Spain.

Top-ranked packs like Dying Breed Seeds OZ Kush, Peach Ringz, and Z 3.0 fetched 500 euros for 12 seeds. We’re busy adding dozens of new cultivars to the database. Watch along for more Day 1 and Day 2 highlights straight from the event and recorded live above Las Ramblas.

Live Recaps

More industry tips for decisionmakers

Cultivar news for store buyers

Z strains dominated flower and hash competitions. Wizard Trees’ booth was so packed you couldn’t get near it. RS-11 is hot. Zoap is hot. Leafly’s Strains and Products reporting is right on the money.

Extract news for hashmakers

The hash type of the moment is called piatella— a delicate, gooey solventless hash that is maximally terpy.

Legal market progress

California’s legal providers now serve 47% of that market, according to leading cannabis economist Beau Whitney. New York is at an appalling 4% penetration, which matches Spain under prohibition. Vangst releases the 2024 Jobs Report by Whitney and Bruce Barcott in two weeks.

Global market outlook for business development

Thailand is tightening back up after rapid commercialization engendered a backlash.

Germany is red-hot with decriminalization and medical advancements.

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Judging from vape supply sales at Abstrax—markets that are warming up include Japan, South Africa, Australia, Mexico, Ecuador, and Argentina.

Prohibition markets are contributing as well. Britain and Italy are making names for themselves in hash and seeds ahead of legalization. It’s not binary. You have to be part of the underground now if you want to compete above ground later.

Cannabis is a field of infinite possibilities.

DJ Muggs, Cypress Hill, at the International Cannabis Business Conference

Global marketing

The cannabis genetics conversation is global and social. Hash trends circle the world in 30 days, due to social media, and the ease of shipping seeds or clones or counterfeiting a brand.

What’s your global marketing strategy? It has become table stakes for major flower and seeds brands to conduct international marketing campaigns. You’re either trying to keep pace with brands like Doja Pak, Terphogz, Alien Labs, and Mills Nutrients, or you are eating their dust.

Living soil in cultivation

Living soil is a wave. Jeff Lowenfels presented the latest research showing 40% of plant nitrogen coming not from the soil or bottles, but from cannabis plants cultivating and consuming bacteria. It’s called rhizophagy. A future of strain-specific beneficial bacterial inoculants is coming.

Spannabis ran three days March 15 to 17 in Barcelona, Spain. (David Downs/Leafly)

Seed technology

Seeds are getting easier. Regular male and female seeds are being replaced by feminized, autoflower, triploid, and stabilized lines. If you are in cultivation or extraction and don’t have a plan to take advantage of that technology—you will be outcompeted.

Meet the GastroBros

We learned the term “GastroBro”—a stoner who is also a big foodie. True marketing wins will fuse cannabis and culture like food, art, and music.

420 is going to be big in New York. The Astor Club is working with Archive Seeds on an awards show—The Billies—headlined by rapper Larry June. ‘How much did Larry June cost?’ we asked. “A lot. A lot.”

DJ Muggs’ words of wisdom

Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs— the closing speaker at the International Cannabis Business Conference—brought a message of optimism, authenticity, and grit.

“Cannabis is a field of infinite possibilities. It’s a struggle—a battle. It is what it is. Don’t be a little b*tch. The strong will survive. It’s not just get rich quick— those people will not survive.”

Leafly competition report: Spain 2024

By Matt Jackson

The main Spannabis conference includes a week-long run-up of contests thrown by brands and private clubs in Barcelona. Who won what is like the Rosetta Stone to getting stoned in 2024. Let’s take a look.

-Z continues to dominate the landscape in Europe with most entries including either a blend of Zkittlez or a straight offering of those sought-after terps, (see Leafly’s March Strain HighLight for more info on the Original Z).

-At the “Dabadoo”—where Hash legend Mila Jansen celebrates the competition’s 40th edition, Michigan’s The Baked Taters plowed through the pack and took home 1st in Rosin.

Dochazed was involved in around six different wins this year, further cementing himself as a powerhouse in the Spanish hashmaking scene.

The Real Cannabis Chris took home several wins across multiple competitions including The Organic Cup and Terp Tower Invitational for his Thailand Dreams, Wild Cherry and Dulce De Fresa blends. 

-Humboldt County’s own Have Hash managed to secure first place at the prestigious Masters Of Rosin competition for their Zkittlez, along with Real Deal Resin whose version of Zkittlez took third place.

The Spannabis Champions Cup saw everyone talking about Barcelona brand Neighbors’ living soil flower which won best sativa, as well as California’s Feeling Frosty Hash Co. who blew European judges away with their Zkittlez rosin, becoming possibly the only Americans to ever take first place at this event.

-At The Ego Clash, where European makers took home five of the nine prize-winning spots, the UK brought the house down by taking home both first and second place in the rosin category for Grateful Seeds’ ZHead and a Poochie’s Papaya. 

Related
Leafly Buzz: 12 hot strains to smoke in 2024

-One of America’s favorite joint rollers Bruno Rolls came away with the best hashhole award at Munch and Roll Cup using a mix of Proper Doinks Flower and Swollen Heads Hash.

-This year’s Legends of Hashish saw another win for Trichome Tortoise and that purple Ze Boof Melt.

-In the Auto Flower World Cup, Humboldt Seed Company secured best Indica for Mint Jelly, and the judges named Sweet Seeds’ “Diablo Rojo XL” (Dark Devil Auto x Strawberry Cola Auto), as the new auto flower strain of the year.

-Of the top ten Sativa selections from this year’s Spannabis Champions Cup, Selva Club in Barcelona took home four spots. 

Spannabis 2024 contest winners list

*Apologies to anyone whose info we couldn’t find through the event organizers at the time of publishing.

Compiled by Matt Jackson

Dab A Doo

ROSIN

1st – The Baked Taters “Strawberry Melons” 

2nd – Hisens Crew “Manzana Postobon”

3rd – The Real Cannabis Chris “Thailand Dreams” 

ICE WATER HASH

1st – Ciubyyy “ZAP” (Grease Monkey x Zkittlez)

2nd – Gastown Fire – “Tallymon x Banana Punch”

3rd – The Real Cannabis Chris “Wild Cherry”

DRY SIFT

1st – The House of Great Gardener “Sweet Peach”

2nd – Dutch Passion “Melonade Runtz”

3rd – Trichome Science & Serious Seeds “Serious Lemon Plant”

SOLVENT

1st – Colombian Dabber & Terpene Apothecary “ Grape Sorbet”

2nd – Nature’s Lab “Glitterbomb” Live Resin

3rd – Refined Lab Group “Durban Poison”

Legends of Hashish

1st – Trichome Tortoise “Ze Boof”

2nd – Swollen Heads “Banana Cooler”

3rd – Zure FarmsElite CutR-Kiem Seeds – “Bananaz”

Ego Clash 

ROSIN

1st – Single Sorcery “Z Head” from Grateful Seeds

2nd – London Organix “Poochie’s Papaya”

3rd – Secret Society Hash Co. “Zkittlez”

HASH

1st – Bud Professor “Melon Ball” (Papaya x Devil Driver)

2nd – The Real Cannabis Chris “Baja Surf Break AKA Thailand Dreams”

3rd – Santa Hash “Cap Junky” from Marijuantuak Gardens

FLOWER

1st – La Chanvrerie “Sunsetz” 

2nd – The Zombie Farmer “ZLime” 

3rd – Pure And Proper “Kamikaze” 

SIFT

1st – Roo Labs

2nd – Femme Fatale

3rd – The Uncle Jack

Masters of Rosin

1st – Have Hash “Zkittlez” from Royal Budline

2nd – We Flowers “G-Limez” 

3rd – Real Deal Resin “Zkittlez”

Autoflower World Cup

SATIVA DOMINANT

1st – The Ganjaneer “Apricot” by Fast Buds

2nd – Mephisto Genetics “Dosidelerium”

3rd – Fuegobud “Delicious Cookies” by Delicious Seeds

INDICA DOMINANT

1st – Humboldt Seed Company “Mint Jelly”

2nd – Weedydi Bobbidi Boo “Oh My Gushers” by Dutch Passion

3rd – Seed Stockers “Tropical Zmoothie”

BEST NEW STRAIN

1st – Greenforce “Diablo Rojo XL” by Sweet Seeds

2nd – Sebastian Phil Good “Papaya Cookies” by Fast Buds

3rd – Breadandbuds “HighCLoudZ” by Greenhouse Seeds

BEST CBD

Mateo Aznar “Blueberry” by CBDAlchemy

BEST SEED BANK

Mephisto Genetics (voted online)

Spannabis Champions Cup

INDICA

1st – Mile High Dave “Colorado Cherries” (Dante’s Inferno #6) by Clearwater Genetics

2nd – Selva Club “Banana Cooler”

3rd – The Plug “Zhessy” (ZOZ x Barbara’s Bud x Jessy’s Juice)

SATIVA

1st – Hasher Club & Neighbors “Tropaya BX” by Oni

2nd – GWA “ZOZ”

3rd – Selva Club “Tea Time #26”

ROSIN

1st – Feeling Frost Hash “Zkittlez”

2nd – Dochazed, The Zombie Farmer, Brothers In Farm Growshop “ZLime”

3rd – Slite23 “Grape Gas”

HASH

1st – Zure Farms “Bananaz”

2nd – GWA “Rapple / OZK Blend”

3rd – We Flowers “Peach n’ Limed”

CBD FLOWER

1st – Gemelli Forte “Ferrari OG”

2nd – Research Development Cannabinoid “Sweet Pihaze”

3rd – WeNeed “Mela Sour”

-JUDGES PICKS-

INDICA

Sticky Buds “Highribo” (Mendocino Chanel Kush x Strawberries and Cream)

ROSIN

Slite23 “Grape Gas” 

HASH

Zure FarmsElite CutR-Kiem Seeds “BananaZ” (Zkittlez x Banana Sherbet) 

INTERNATIONAL CANNABIS AWARDS

ROLLING PAPERS

1st – Raw

2nd – Elements

3rd – Lion Rolling Circus

PORTABLE VAPE

1st – Davinci

2nd – Puffco

3 – PAX

SEED BANK/BREEDER

1st – Royal Queen Seeds

2nd – Humboldt Seed Co.

3rd – Barney’s Farm

NUTRIENTS

1st – Biobizz

2nd – CANNA

3rd – Playgron

INDUSTRY PIONEER AWARD

Arjan Roskam

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Steve DeAngelo

ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS BRAND AWARD

Luis Pinheiro (Biobizz)

INTERNATIONAL WOMAN TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR

Chelsea Kossower

SOCIAL CONTENT CREATOR OF THE YEAR

Jimi Devine

PODCAST OF THE YEAR 

James Loud

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY AWARD

Luna Stower

CANNABIS MEDIA PIONEER AWARD

Moises Lopez revista Cañamo

INTERNATIONAL SEED PIONEER AWARD

Ben Dronkers

The Organic Cup

FLOWER

1st – Champion Seeds “Karel x Face Off”

2nd – Club Standard Bio “Rainbow Chip” 

3rd – Selva Club “Permanent Marker”

TRADITIONAL HASH

1st – Weed You & Omnia Farm “Maracuja”

2nd – Weed You & Omnia Farm “Orange Groove BX”

3rd – One Love Breeder “Potito”

ROSIN

1st – The Real Cannabis Chris “Dulce De Fresca”

2nd –  Raiders of The Lost Terps “F2 Zkittlez x Banana Punch”

3rd – The Real Cannabis Chris “Wild Cherry”

FULL MELT

1st – Fire House BarcelonaDochazedMystikz FlowersMycelium Rootz “Banana Pinez” (Banalima / Forbidden Blueprint / Peach Tree)

2nd – Weed You & Dochazed “Dosi Papaya x (strawnana x cookies n’ cream)” by Wooksauce Winery

3rd – French Touch Seeds “Dee Dee”

Terp Tower Invitational

FLOWER

2nd – Weed You “Trop Cherry”

TRADITIONAL HASH

1st – Weed You & Omnia Farm “Orange Groove BX”

2nd – Weed You & Omnia Farm “Maracuja” 

MELT

1st – The Real Cannabis Chris “Baja Surf Break AKA Thailand Dreams”

2nd – Weed You & Dochazed “Sunset Guava / Limez” 

ROSIN

1st – The Real Cannabis Chris “Dulce De fresa”

High Secret

ROSIN

1st – Dochazed & Jungle Club “Fruitland #11 by Nuggs420

3rd – Alto Jardin “Raimbow Belts 2.0”

WATER HASH

2nd – Alto Jardin “Raimbow Belts 2.0”

MELT

1st – Dochazed & Jungle Club “Peach n’ Lime / Banalima” cold cured 90/140 single source

Munch and Roll CUP

BAKED

1st – La Pâtisserie Cannabique

2nd – Cannateria

3rd – Green Sins

CHOCOLATES

1st – Cannateria

SAUCES/CREMES

1st – Cannateria

FRESH MADE

1st – Cannateria

SWEETS

1st – Cannateria

2nd – Dulces Cookies Weed

3rd – Fudge This x Ex-Tractor

DRINKS

1st – Los Porritos 

2nd – We Flowers & Squirt Syrup

3rd – Think Different

RESIN VAPE

We Flowers

ROSIN VAPE

Clones Intergalactic

ASH HOLES

Bruno Rolls with ProperZ by Proper Doinks and ZHead by Swollen Heads from Grateful Seeds

INFUSED ROLLS

Seaside Farms “Lobster Sticks” 

FLOWER PREROLL

Badalonia Organic Club “Frosted Onionz” Grateful Seeds Breeders Cut

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David Downs
David Downs
Leafly Senior Editor David Downs is the former Cannabis Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. He's appeared on The Today Show, and written for Scientific American, The New York Times, WIRED, Rolling Stone, The Onion A/V Club, High Times, and many more outlets. He is a 2023 judge for The Emerald Cup, and has covered weed since 2009.
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