Marijuana Business Magazine - January 2017

Kim Rivers Trulieve, CEO Age: 39 (approximate) BACKSTORY: As the head of Florida’s largest medical marijuana business, Rivers has overseen rapid growth in her state’s potentially monster market. Her company claims to have been the first to market when Florida transitioned from a CBD-only program to full- strength MMJ. Rivers also claims Trulieve was the first in the state to make an MMJ home delivery, perform an in-store sale and open a dispensary. As of late November, the company listed 13 dispensaries across Florida. WHY TO WATCH: Under Rivers’ leadership,Trulieve serves around a sixth of the state’s MMJ patients – a sizable chunk of revenue considering dispensary sales are forecast to be $600 million-$800 million in the next three to five years in the Sunshine State, according to the 2017 Marijuana Business Factbook. Can Rivers – who was unavailable for comment – continue Trulieve’s breakneck pace of expansion and remain the dominant player in this massive market? BIGGEST GOAL IN 2018:  Trulieve has laid out plans to have 25 dispensaries – the maximum allowed in Florida – open by the end of 2018. Rob Sands Constellation Brands, CEO Age: 59 BACKSTORY: Sands is a lawyer who rose to lead Constellation Brands, an alcoholic beverage giant that distributes popular beers, wines and liquors – from Corona beer and Robert Mondavi wine to Svedka vodka.This past year he become a pioneering fig- ure in the marijuana industry after Constellation bought a 9.9% stake in Ontario-based Canopy Growth, with the option to raise that stake to just under 20%. WHY TO WATCH: Will New York-based Constellation up its stake in Canopy – or make other strategic investments in cannabis? And is the Canopy deal a warmup for Constellation to eventually become a big cannabis player in the United States? It would appear so. Sands told the Wall Street Journal his company is essentially gam- bling that it can learn enough in Canada to give it an edge in the “highly likely” event the United States legalizes marijuana. BIGGEST GOAL IN 2018: Sands and Constellation haven’t said what they expect from the Canopy investment, and Sands declined interview requests. If Sands’ interviews with other media outlets are any guide, he has no plans to take his eyes off the alcohol market. He told CNBC last summer that Constellation plans to focus on acquiring shelf space for Constellation brands in stores. Will he apply that strategy to marijuana? 66 • Marijuana Business Magazine • January 2018