Alien Labs: The Terps Are Out There
Early in history, people drew flying objects in the sky and mysterious beings. It has been questioned what these meant to humankind and what they foretold. Today, those in the cannabis scene know that mystery has already been solved.
It was always about Alien Labs.
Of course, the actual origin story involves fewer flying saucers and a lot more cannabis. What started in Redding, CA grew into a brand known for its flower, its genetics, and a habit of coming home from competitions with something extra to put up on the shelf.
Houston, We Have a Winner
Without probing anyone, Alien Labs has made its mark as a mover and shaker in big-name strains and top-place competition finishes. Going back, the brand’s early strain Mars OG predates the brand and helped lay the groundwork for what became Alien Labs.
Building on those early classics, Alien Labs zapped the competition in the 2018 High Times Cannabis Sacramento Cup with two first-place finishes, including Melonade as the sativa winner and Wedding Cake as the hybrid winner. Melonade went on to win Alien Labs another first-place finish in sativa flower at the 2021 High Times Arizona People’s Choice Cup, with Kryptochronic winning first in indica flower as well.
In 2023, the brand took things to another level at the Emerald Cup. Collaborating with extract artists FullyMelted, they walked away with 1st place in rosin for Zkittlez, a feat those many parsacs away even heard about.
They pulled another first-place win at the 2023 High Times Arizona People's Choice, but this time with a sativa classic that will send you to orbit, BK Satellite.
The Man Behind the Martians
Among cannabis pioneers, Ted Lidie might be one of the most far-out ones. With a family history in the legacy cannabis market, he saw the writing on the wall, and quite literally the baggies.
With the new wave of consumers looking for something more than just a bag of dope, he took to the marketing and branding with the soul of California counterculture, including skating, art, and, of course, love of something from a galaxy far, far away.
Combining those ingredients along with a passion for indoor horticulture, Alien Labs was born in 2014 as a different type of being. As California moved into its adult-use market, Alien Labs combined forces with Connected following Proposition 64 to expand its reach and cultivation capacity.
The expansion reached Arizona in 2020 and Florida in 2022, followed by a New York cultivation partnership announced in 2025. Texas entered the plans in 2026, with that landing still subject to final licensing and regulatory approvals.
The Mothership Stays in California
Alien Labs may be making contact in more states, but California is still home base. With cultivation and research facilities in Sacramento, the team has room to keep working through new genetics and finding what deserves a place in the next jar. A familiar alien face on the packaging can get attention, but there still has to be something interesting underneath the lid.
From the early days growing Do-Si-Dos to developing its own strains, that work has been a big part of the Alien Labs story. And while the operation has grown well beyond its original outpost in Redding, CA, Lidie’s love of skate culture, comics, and all things nerdy still shows up throughout the clothing, packaging, and strain names. That goes to show that growing up doesn't mean putting the toys away; sometimes it just means getting a much bigger laboratory.
Alien Sightings at Embarc
Across the galaxy and the embarc menu, Alien Labs has cannabis users covered with any number of delectable delights fit to satisfy a being of uncompromising taste. Looking over their flower options, Psyop, Brain Wash, and Atomic Apple among others, is like reading a prop list out of The X-Files. Krypt Keeper and Skyline Haze take people on a more earthy and citrusy galactic adventure.
For species that don’t roll their own flower or prefer vapes, Alien Labs has you covered as well. Scare friends with an Alien Finger, a hash-painted pre-roll coming in flavors like Xj-13 X Papaya Bars X Xj-13. For those wanting to try something award-winning, the Bk Satellite is also available as a pre-roll. But no spaceship would be allowed for takeoff without vape varieties like Dark Web, Blueberry Bacio, and Zoap onboard. Space is a tough place for any settler, but Alien Labs has the crew covered.
And remember: The Terps Are Out There