Christian Stiers, VP of Cultivation at Grown Rogue – Interview Series

Even if the federal rules and regulations surrounding the cannabis industry are still being discussed and heavily debated, cannabis brands from both coasts are finding ways to expand into new state markets regardless. Understandably, there’s a lot of great advantages that come with states expanding and perfecting their skills in new markets, however plenty of roadblocks and other unplanned issues may arise.

For a greater understanding about all that goes into a cross-country expansion for a cannabis brand, mycannabis.com had the pleasure of speaking with Christian Stiers, VP of Cultivation at Grown Rogue.

What first interested you about cannabis and the cultivation of the plant? Even before it was fully legal, what drew you to the plant and to perfecting the cultivation of it?

My introduction to cannabis cultivation started early. I grew up in Mariposa County, California and was exposed to the plant through my family and the local community. I became curious about how plants grow and what it takes to bring a seed all the way to a finished product. My first attempt at germinating a seed was around age 13 with a shop light that nearly burned my dad’s house down, so it was a learning process from the very beginning.

From there I spent years learning outdoor cultivation and observing how experienced growers approached the plant. At that time, I was simply curious and respected the craft. My curiosity eventually developed into focused learning – gaining real skills and a deeper interest in improving quality and consistency.

What were your first roles in the Washington cannabis industry, and how did your prior experience provide you with an advantage in those early roles?

When legalization began creating opportunities in Washington, I moved there and initially took over a position managing a grow store. That role gave me exposure to the tools, inputs and equipment cultivators were using across the market. I then transitioned into the legal cultivation side and worked across several farms in southern Washington. Those early years in cannabis were valuable because the industry itself was still figuring things out. My background growing before legalization gave me a strong foundation in plant fundamentals, which helped me adapt quickly and contribute as operations began scaling.

As someone who went from the legacy market to the heavily regulated Washington cannabis industry, what were the biggest differences between those two markets? How did regulation and working with a regulatory body provide more standardization and uniformity?

The biggest difference is approach. In the legacy market cultivation is more individualized because growers are constantly trying new techniques and adapting on the fly. In a regulated environment everything is systematized. Compliance, cost structure, facility design and operational processes all become part of the equation. The goal shifts from simply growing good cannabis to producing consistent, high quality flower at scale while operating within strict regulatory frameworks. A shift like that forces growers to focus heavily on fundamentals, repeatable processes and team coordination.

What caught your professional interest about working with Grown Rogue? What values of the brand were most similar to your own professional values?

What stood out to me about Grown Rogue was the focus on doing the fundamentals well. We are very disciplined about process, team building and of course, producing quality flower at scale. That ethos aligned closely with how I think about cultivation. Success doesn’t come from chasing trends, but a genuine understanding of the plant, building strong systems and executing consistently every cycle.

Grown Rogue also invests heavily in its teams, which is critical in cultivation. A well-trained, aligned team is what ultimately allows you to produce craft-quality flowers consistently. As someone who’s been the team leader for cultivation teams, what are some universally successful strategies for running a consistently effective cultivation team? When work gets busy, how can cultivation team members rely on one another?

Strong cultivation teams are built around shared fundamentals and clear processes. When everyone understands the core systems including plant health, environmental control sanitation and workflow, it creates consistency across the operation. Communication and accountability are also critical, as cultivation is a continuous cycle and every step affects the next one. When teams trust one another and understand how their work fits into the larger process they can handle peak market demands without sacrificing quality.

From a cultivation standpoint, what does craft-quality flower mean, and how do you ensure that with every harvest cycle?

Craft quality flower comes down to consistency and attention to detail throughout the entire cultivation process. The plant needs the right environmental conditions, proper nutrition and careful handling from start to finish. At scale, the challenge is maintaining that same level of quality across larger facilities. Doing that requires disciplined processes, experienced teams and constant monitoring of plant health and environmental conditions. Once those fundamentals are dialed in, you can deliver craft quality flower cycle after cycle.

Overall, what would you say are the fundamentals of cannabis cultivation, and how do you properly strengthen those fundamentals?

The fundamentals include plant health, environmental control genetics and disciplined processes – factors that ultimately determine both yield and quality. Strengthening those fundamentals comes through experience data and continuous improvement over time. When I moved into larger operations, I realized how critical those fundamentals really are. If the basics are not right including environmental consistency or workflow processes, it quickly shows up in both quality and yield.

How do you still ensure quality crops and cultivation operations even during the colder months in Michigan and New Jersey? How do you utilize both your previous experience and technologies in that process?

Indoor cultivation allows us to maintain stable environmental conditions, regardless of the outdoor climate. Modern technologies including LED lighting, advanced environmental controls and improved facility design help maintain optimal growing conditions year round, but technology is only part of the equation. The experience of the cultivation team and the systems we have developed across facilities are what allow us to maintain consistency across different states and climates.

What have been some state markets that Grown Rogue has expanded into? From your experience, what are the most notable differences between Oregon and those other state markets?

 Grown Rogue expanded beyond Oregon into additional state markets including Michigan, New Jersey and Illinois. Each state operates under its own regulatory framework and economic structure, which creates differences in pricing dynamics, taxation and operational requirements. Oregon is a mature cannabis market with strong competition and experienced operators. Newer markets like Michigan, New Jersey and Illinois tend to evolve quickly as infrastructure regulations and consumer demand develop. Success across states requires adapting to those differences while maintaining the same cultivation standards and operational discipline.

What are some exciting future plans for both your role and the Grown Rogue brand in general?

From a cultivation standpoint, the focus is on continuing to refine our systems and processes so we can consistently produce craft quality flower across multiple markets. For Grown Rogue, the opportunity is to keep building disciplined operations in new states while maintaining the culture and standards that made the company successful in the first place. And our long term goal is straightforward: we want to continue improving the craft while operating efficiently, scaling responsibly, and continuing to cultivate the best flower in the industry.

Thank you for joining us, Christian! For more information on Grown Rogue, please visit its website.