Marijuana Business Magazine January 2019

January 2019 | mjbizdaily.com 95 need to ramp up their production capacity to meet demand. For now, only dried flower and various forms of cannabis oils are legal. But Cann- Trust executives have been busy preparing for the expected introduc- tion of cannabis-infused products later this year. “With the upcoming legalization of edibles, concentrates, beverages and more expected in 2019, there will be an increased need for resin,” said Jeffrey Zietlow, CannTrust’s vice president of marketing. “Cannabis plants that are leveraged for extraction of resin can be grown with a much lower cost as the plant is broken down and the resin is extracted. CannTrust will use its proprietary seeds and genetics to ensure that we are growing the cannabis plants with an industry- leading cost structure.” Boosting Production When CannTrust launched in 2014, its 40,000-square-foot cultivation facility in Vaughan, Ontario, was considered a large and ambitious undertaking in the medical marijuana industry. But it wasn’t big enough. So the company replaced the original grow with its current 450,000-square-foot facility in Niagara, which produces 110,231 pounds (50,000 kilograms) annually and employs about 250 people. In addition, the original grow in Vaughan was expanded by 60,000 square feet and repurposed. The facility is now where CannTrust prepares and packages its portfolio of products. With Canada’s introduction of adult-use sales, CannTrust is increasing its production capacity even more with the construction of a 600,000-square-foot greenhouse adjacent to its existing Niagara facility. The first harvest at the new facility, which will double CannTrust’s An aerial view of CannTrust’s 450,000-square-foot hydroponic cultivation facility in Niagara, Ontario. Courtesy Photo Before recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada in October, CannTrust took steps to ramp up its production to meet demand. The Ontario company also inked a part- nership with an alcohol broker to help with product distribution. Here’s what you need to know: • CannTrust replaced its first 40,000-square-foot cultivation facility in Vaughn, Ontario, with a 450,000-square-foot hydropon- ic operation in Niagara, which produces 110,231 pounds (50,000 kilograms) of cannabis annually. • The company has begun con- struction of a 600,000-square-foot greenhouse adjacent to its Niagara facility that will double its annual capacity. • CannTrust standardized its cultiva- tion operations to produce a crop with consistent THC levels. • The company employs a “perpetual harvest system” that allows it to harvest cannabis “almost every day of the year.” • CannTrust teamed up with alcohol broker Breakthru Beverage Group to ensure its products are displayed in premium spots at Canada’s can- nabis retailers.