The Rise of Blue Zushi by The Ten CO

How flavor, competition wins, limited drops, creative branding & distribution helped turn Blue Zushi into one of the most recognizable cannabis names of its era.

So, Where Did Blue Zushi Come From?

Staks moved to the United States in 2017 and connected with Gerry in 2019.

Gerry, a former WorldStar creative director, helped reshape Zushi’s branding as the project began developing a more recognizable identity.

Early Blue Zushi tins were circulating by August 2019 and listed the genetics as Zkittlez × Kush Mints #18.

2021: Blue Zushi Breaks Out

A Cookies Melrose drop in 2021, combined with redesigned characters and packaging, helped push Zushi to a wider audience.

That summer, Blue Zushi won Best Overall and Best Tasting at the California Zalympix.

The competition results gave the strain credibility beyond branding and helped establish Blue as the flagship of the Zushi name.

Scarcity Was Part of the Strategy

In January 2022, The Ten Co. opened its Perris store.

Later that year, Blue Zushi returned to the California Zalympix Championship, winning Best Tasting and Best Terps while finishing 2nd Overall.

Staks has cited Supreme as an influence on the brand’s approach to scarcity.

The goal was not constant availability. Limited drops made each release feel like an event.

Did Blue Zushi Really Win 3 Years in a Row?

After being previewed during Art Basel in 2022, Coi Leray’s Pink Zushi officially launched at Cookies Melrose in January 2023.

Blue continued its competition run that June, winning Best Overall and Best Tasting at Zalympix.

That gave Blue Zushi Best Tasting wins in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The distinction matters: Blue won Best Tasting 3 years in a row, but did not win 3 consecutive Overall titles.

The $1,000 Rosin Jar

By June 2023, a collaboration between Blue Zushi and West Coast Alchemyreportedly reached $1,000 for a 2-gram jar of rosin.

The first run was reportedly limited to 76 jars.

Staks said the market ultimately determined the price.

The release became another example of how scarcity, demand and brand recognition could push a cannabis product far beyond normal retail pricing.

Nozu Turned the Drop Into an Experience

Zushi also experimented with turning cannabis drops into something closer to hospitality.

Nozu presented selected releases through a restaurant-inspired experience using glass jars, chopsticks and rolling mats.

The concept extended the brand beyond the flower itself.Packaging, presentation and ritual became part of the product.

When Zushi Became Bigger Than Weed

In 2024, Zushi continued expanding into entertainment and lifestyle spaces.

The brand participated in Rolling Loud, including a 10-year NTWRK Los Angeles pop-up in March.

In November, Zushi brought merchandise and a limited 250-piece Blue Zushi vinyl figure to ComplexCon Las Vegas.

By then, the Blue Zushi identity was moving comfortably between cannabis, clothing, collectibles and festival culture.

From Competition Winner to Hall of Fame

In March 2025, Zushi announced that Blue Zushi had become the first strain inducted into the Zalympix Hall of Fame. A collaboration with Elements rolling papers followed on 4/20.

The brand also continued extending Blue genetically.

The Ten Co. later identified Black Zushi as a Blue Zushi S1, making it a selfed descendant of the flagship strain.