Marijuana Business Magazine - May-June 2018

MJ Investment Firm Changes Name High Street Capital Partners changed its name to Acre- age Holdings as part of a plan to pursue an initial public offering. The New York company has won state-awarded licenses, recruited operators and provided growth capital to local businesses in 11 states. Blue Moon Brewing Vet Goes Green Keith Villa, the creator and head brewmaster of Blue Moon Brewing, and his wife, Jodi Villa, a civil engineer, launched CERIA Beverages , a THC-infused nonalcoholic drink formu- lated to take effect at the same pace as beer. Jodi Villa will be CEO, while Keith Villa, who retired from MolsonCoors in Janu- ary, will serve as brewmaster. CERIA is based in Denver. Cannabis Grow Supplies Hit Major Online Stores American Cannabis Company , a Denver-based consulting firm and seller of ancillary products to the cannabis industry, announced that its SoHum Living Soils potting mix and Dr. Marijane Root Probiotic, manu- factured by Earth Alive Clean Technologies, are available for purchase through the Home Depot, Walmart and Ama- zon online stores. Cannabis and Hemp Group Wins Major Award The American Trade Association for Cannabis & Hemp won Campaigns & Elections magazine’s Stanley F. Reed Award for Trade Association of the Year. The Reed Award is judged by political luminaries and is the campaign industry’s highest honor. CANADA DEVELOPMENTS Tilray Partners With Novartis Unit British Columbia-based medi- cal marijuana producer Tilray formed a strategic partnership with Sandoz Canada , the first known affiliation between a marijuana producer and a major pharmaceutical company. Tilray signed a letter of intent with the Quebec-based affiliate of Sandoz International GmbH , an arm of global health care giant Novartis . British Columbia- based Tilray will collaborate with Sandoz Canada to make co- branded, nonsmokable and noncombustible cannabis-based medical products such as sprays, patches and gel caps. Cronos Taps Big Banks for Raise Licensed producer Cronos Group has chosen two major Canadian mainstream banks, Bank of Montreal-owned BMO Capital Markets and GMP Securities, to lead a $78 million (CA$100 million) raise. Pharmacy Chain Signs Contracts for Two Cannabis Companies Pharmasave , a chain of about 650 drugstores, signed letters of intent to buy cannabis supplies from Tilray and Zenabis , licensed producers based in British Columbia. MedReleaf Strikes German Deal MedReleaf , a licensed producer in Ontario, agreed to become the largest supplier of medical cannabis products to Cannamedical Pharma GMBH , a leading medical cannabis distributor to pharmacies in Germany. MedReleaf will provide Cannamedical with monthly exports of five of its premium- strain varieties, significantly improving the predictability and security of drug delivery to the German market. Vancouver Holding Company Nabs Capital for Massachusetts Retailer Future Farm Technologies , a Vancouver company with cannabis-related holdings in California, Florida, Maryland and Rhode Island, has closed on a $4 million investment from Yorkville Advisors Global in Mountainside, New Jersey. Future Farm will use the capital to fund the acquisition of a licensed medical cannabis dispensary in Attleboro, Massa- chusetts, the Bristol CountyWellness Center . Future Farm also hired a new auditing firm, Dale Mathe- son Carr-Hilton Labonte , which replaces Davidson & Co . Keith Villa and Jodi Villa, CERIA Beverages 134 • Marijuana Business Magazine • May-June 2018