RQS Wins Best Seed Bank Award at the Emjays 2024

Key Points

• RQS has won a major award at the Emjays for the second year running.
• As 2024 comes to an end, join us as we review our biggest milestones.
• Learn about our rebranding, collaboration with Mike Tyson, F1 trials, and more.

Exciting news, loyal growers! We’re thrilled to announce that Royal Queen Seeds has received the prestigious title of Best Seed Bank at the Emjays International Cannabis Awards for the second year in a row. We’ve worked hard to get this far as a company, but we couldn’t have done it without you—our community—walking side by side during every step of our journey.

This year, our President Shai Ramsahai and Master Grower Max once again flew to Las Vegas, joined by members of the global cannabis industry. Hosted at the Pearl Concert Theatre inside Palms Casino Resort on December 5th, the show brought together the finest cannabis companies from across the globe.

The public holds the power for the first round of voting, nominating their favourite and most trusted companies for the chance to receive an award. Next, a panel of industry experts picks the winners of each category.

The Emjays: A Celebration of Cannabis Excellence

Making it through both rounds, we came out on top, winning the award for Cultivation (Non-Tech) Company of the Year (a formal way of saying best seed bank). This award reflects our premium genetics and the hard work we’ve poured into our brand and products over the years.

As reported^[1] by MjBizDaily, Shai took to the stage and shared some words: “Thank you to all our customers and the people who voted for us; we couldn’t have won this prize without your support”, adding, “This year, we have shown the people how much potential there is for the homegrown market, and we are convinced that cannabis seeds are the future, so grow higher".

At Royal Queen Seeds, we’ve received several major awards over the years. However, our wins at the Emjays stand out as significant highlights. While most cannabis award shows focus on particular genetics or the best growers, the Emjays specifically recognises businesses, individuals, innovators, and leaders within distinct business categories.

Not only do the Emjays aim to elevate key industry players, but they do so in style. As an act of appreciation, they put on a stunning annual black-tie event rarely seen elsewhere in the industry. Complete with a red carpet entry, celebrity presenters, live performances, and an afterparty, the event has become a true spectacle and celebration of all things cannabis.

A Year of Milestones

Our time at the Emjays brings a truly legendary year at Royal Queen Seeds to a close. From teaming up with Mike Tyson himself to scooping up other awards and undergoing a huge rebrand, it’s certainly been a wild ride! Continue reading to check out our major milestones.

• Our Victory at the 2023 Emjays

In December 2023, we set out to the Emjays with the intention of networking and congratulating different businesses and innovators for their awards. However, we quickly found ourselves on stage receiving the award for Best Seed Bank of 2023.

After receiving a public nomination for the award in May 2023, the committee of industry professionals decided we deserved the top spot. This victory put a serious spring in our step for the rest of the year and reassured us of the support of countless loyal growers worldwide.

• Unveiling Our New Image

Old-school RQS growers will remember the original look of our website and packaging. Way back in 2015, our branding included the golden RQS logo and a bright palette of colours.

Since then, we’ve grown massively as a company and made our mark on the cannabis industry. Because of this, we thought it appropriate to give the brand a refreshing upgrade.

As well as switching over to a greener and more natural colour palette, we’ve changed our logo to a gorgeous and proud lion with a marijuana leaf mane—and you guys love it! The sharp-eyed among you will also notice a nod to cannabis in the lettering of our logo. Look closely at the “Q”, and you’ll see the unmistakable outline of a cannabis seed.

• Other Award Show Successes

The Emjays aside, we’ve also received prestigious awards at a number of other big shows. In March 2024, we visited Barcelona to attend Spannabis—the biggest cannabis event in Europe.

We received another Best Seed Bank award, mere months after our victory at the Emjays, but the praise didn’t end there.

In the same week, we also attended the International Cannabis Awards (ICA). Also held in Barcelona, this event has become known as the “Oscars” of cannabis. We took to the stage once again to receive an award for Best Seed Bank/Breeder, securing our “triple crown” for the year.

• Collaborating with Mike Tyson

Things went from great to fantastic last year when we teamed up with boxing legend and cannabis advocate Mike Tyson. After setting up his brand Tyson 2.0, Mike released a range of products based on his own strains, including edibles, cured buds, and pre-rolls.

Before our collaboration, however, these seeds were unavailable to growers around the world. That all changed when Mike hand-selected RQS as the custodians of his premium genetics. You can now purchase six of hishard-hitting varieties, with more on the way!

• 420 Celebrations in NYC

It’s fast becoming a tradition at Royal Queen Seeds to spearhead 4/20 celebrations in the Big Apple! This year, we spent 420 side-by-side with our new business partner, Iron Mike. It was a magical moment overlooking Times Square as a gigantic billboard broadcast an RQS 420 countdown clock.

• F1 Hybrid Trials

After becoming the first cannabis seed brand to develop the first true F1 hybrids, countless growers have experienced the benefits of these vigorous, productive, and potent genetics. Now, commercial growers are trialling our F1 varieties for mass production.

In Portugal, Bioleaf Health grew 1,600 Orion F1 plants this year and experienced incredible germination rates, superior vigour, and enhanced disease resistance. Even better, the cultivation of our genetics across different growing operations has allowed us to gather key data on variables such as optimal plant spacing and more.

Looking Ahead to a Green Future

It has been another stellar year at Royal Queen Seeds. Our collaboration with Mike Tyson, the development of F1 genetics, and an ever-growing list of awards separate us from other cannabis companies. But we’re not even close to reaching our full potential.

Next year, you’ll see us take growing to the next level. Keep your eyes peeled for new genetics and more innovative cultivation products as we take another huge green leap forward.

A Message to Our Growing Community

We’re proud of all the things we’ve accomplished. We don’t want to sound cliché, but we genuinely couldn’t have gotten to where we are now without you—our loyal growers. Your ongoing support and choice to shop at RQS continue to help us improve the industry. With that in mind, we’re committed to making this coming year better for you, too. Prepare for endless deals, discounts, benefits, and content!