A Dutch Passion Expansion In To Canada

By Stoney Tark Soft Secrets sat down with the Dutch Passion Seed Company to discover more about their recent expansion into the medical world of licensed Cannabis, outside of Europe. This project is a huge venture and a first for Dutch Passion that will open the doors for the economy and medical patients whilst keeping big pharmaceutical profit driven parties out. With a recent legalisation in Canada, we find out more…

Can you explain the recent expansion into Canada, Colombia and Australia?

Dutch Passion are currently involved in two partnerships for international medical cannabis and seed production in Australia and Colombia with MYM Nutraceuticals, and in Canada with Weed Me. The two year agreement with MYM gives rights to produce and distribute medical cannabis products produced from Dutch Passion genetics in Australia and Colombia. The partnership with Weed Me allows them use of Dutch Passion genetics and cultivation expertise. The partnership also provides Weed Me with the Canadian branding rights for Dutch Passion-branded products such as branded buds/dry flowers and pre-rolled joints. [caption id="attachment_8997" align="alignnone" width="800"] Where the nutrients are mixed in the facility[/caption] There are plenty of cannabis producers that have set up in newly legalized areas, but not too many of them have wanted to make the seed genetics a central part of their plans. So it was exciting for us to find these projects where there was already a high value and focus on the genetics. As a seed company, that was important to us.

Soft Secrets: Who are your partners and what do they specialise in?

Like most other companies, MYM and Weed Me are new to the industry and were only able to form once the grow licenses were issued by the Governments of Canada, Australia and Colombia. The companies specialise in cannabis production, they know how to set up a grow room with the right light intensities, environment, grow medium and nutrients. They have all had to submit detailed plans in order to obtain their grow licenses, and they all had to meet some stringent rules for grow room conditions which require really high standards. Clean, organic, pest free grow conditions, with extraction and environmental controls - this is expensive to do on a large scale. MYM and Weed Me are both creating lots of well paid local jobs with holidays, pension, training and opportunities to progress. They have hired some experienced people and we are confident that they will do a great job pushing our genetics to their full potential. All products will be tested for purity and cannabinoid content, so customers will know exactly what they are buying.

What qualities did Dutch Passion look for when searching for future partnerships?

We wanted companies that saw a high value in having known genetics as a core part of what they are doing. We also wanted to see that the plans were well thought out, we liked the impressive attention to detail especially in the grow room. One additional feature which attracted us to Weed Me was the ambition. As well as selling cannabis to the Canadian public, Weed Me plan to export their products internationally to meet growing global demand and they are building an extraction lab, and a 1,200-square-foot research/testing lab, which is expected to be completed later in 2018. Weed Me have created a high-tech grow facility with state-of-the-art cultivation conditions. The research lab is very interesting to us, it allows a fully legal platform for some serious investigations for elite individual cannabis plants with special or unusual properties. This will be a fantastic asset for future seed varieties and breeding. It’s an example of how these projects can be mutually beneficial and help with future breeding of new varieties.

What is the long term aim of working on this project and how will it benefit those involved?

The long term goal is to see well grown, top quality cannabis, cultivated under the best conditions from Dutch Passion genetics for medical/recreational buyers. The cannabis or pre-rolls could come in containers with our logo on, it will be nice for Dutch Passion enthusiasts to have the option to buy cannabis grown from genetics which they can read about and research for themselves. Much of the time, if you go into e.g. a USA dispensary the names don’t tell you too much about the genetics or the background to the variety. So this is a different type of approach, but one which we hope will appeal to consumers. [caption id="attachment_8998" align="alignnone" width="800"] A look at the brand new systems we will grow with[/caption]

Do you have a specific way of growing that will be taught to the employees?

Its early days in the project, we will hopefully be able to say more about specific grow practices in the future. Weed Me are already quite clear that they are growing organically without pesticides. Precise methods may evolve over time as they figure out the best approach in each climate.

Will you grow indoors or outdoors, and what are your thoughts on light deprivation and growing in large greenhouses?

It depends on the grow location. Greenhouse growing is possible (and eco-friendly) in Australian and South American climates. We have seen some impressive greenhouse growing, and although it increases costs we do love to see LED supplemented greenhouse grows.

Can Dutch Passion ensure a clean, green way of growing and thinking is implemented, and how will you moderate your carbon footprint?

Weed Me was one of the first Canadian cannabis producers to be given the ACMPR (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations) license in Canada. Their cannabis production facility is thirty minutes outside Toronto and uses proven and tested cultivation methods alongside a highly qualified team. They specialise in growing organically without pesticides, and aim to become Canada’s largest highest quality cannabis producer. Where possible, in places like Australia and South America, greenhouse growing is used with some supplemental illumination. We will be reviewing this side of the partnership and improving, many of us within the cannabis industry are automatically green-minded. Energy costs for indoor growing are always a major consideration for any licensed cannabis producer, so reducing energy usage to the bare minimum is good business sense as well as a good ethical approach to carbon footprint reduction.

How do you think your progression will affect the current black market within these countries?

In theory, a regulated supply of quality-control tested, clearly labelled cannabis should beat the black market. And in the case of medical cannabis in these countries, official supply may only be allowed from a fully regulated source. Black market suppliers get away with zero transparency about the way they grow, produce and distribute. [caption id="attachment_8999" align="alignnone" width="800"] Everything under one roof[/caption] For that reason you don’t always know what you are getting. That has been one of the great drivers for home grown cannabis, consumers want to regain control and knowledge that they are smoking quality cannabis produced under safe conditions. Preferably by people that are happy in their jobs, and know what they are doing.

As the laws become more clear, what end products from Dutch Passion can a person expect to buy?

We hope consumers will be able to buy containers of cannabis buds from various varieties. That could mean THC-rich as well as CBD-rich varieties. Pre-rolled joints are also popular in Canada, they will also be supplied from various Dutch Passion varieties and available in packs. Dutch Passion concentrates and extracts may also be available to buy. We should say that we won’t reselling these from Amsterdam, at least not yet. The idea is the the Weed Me and MYM businesses will distribute (and maybe export) the products in line with local regulations, laws and agreements under their grow license.

How soon will your products be available and what will the restrictions be regarding laws and medical to recreational?

In Canada there won’t be a restriction between medical and recreational, so it really depends on where you are. In Australia, the focus is on medical consumption. Just like the USA, where medical cannabis goes, recreational usually follows a few years later. In Colombia recreational and medical consumption of cannabis is allowed, so we imagine that and differences/restrictions between medical and recreational cannabis will be minimal.

What is the current stance on extracts and is this something that you will be working on?

Extracts can be a controversial area for some. Many cannabis lovers prefer natural, organically grown cannabis buds. Others feel that extracts can offer easier consumption routes, for vaping cartridges or for use in edibles. We think that cannabis extracts can be very useful. Imagine a personalised cartridge for a cannabis vaporizer. The use of carefully prepared extracts would allow you to select a cannabinoid ratio that perfectly suits your own needs, with the right levels of THC, CBD and any other cannabinoid that suits your own unique endocannabinoid system. [caption id="attachment_9000" align="alignnone" width="800"] Our facility from the outside[/caption]

Canada is a cloning culture and there is a grey area surrounding seeds. How do you think this will change and what impact will it have on the way people grow?

Wherever there are cannabis growers we have found that there is also a market for seeds. When you get a fantastic individual mother plant it’s natural to want to clone her. But variety is the spice of life, and for some people you can’t beat buds grown from seed. We expect Canada to develop an increased fondness for seeds, and as the legal cannabis market starts to take hold we feel that seeds will take their natural place.

How important is the testing of cannabinoids and what developments can be made in this area?

These days lab testing and reporting for cannabinoids is mandatory for licensed growers. That’s a good thing, along with terpene analysis too. It allows consumers to know what to look for, and what suits them the best. We hope to see much more breeder activity in the area of minor cannabinoid enrichment. CBD has created quite a stir, but other cannabinoids will follow. We also like to see testing to assure consumers that the products are totally free of pesticides or other harmful chemicals. [caption id="attachment_9001" align="alignnone" width="800"] State of the art security installed[/caption]

What are your thoughts on the direction of the Cannabis industry in Canada, Columbia and Australia?

The fact that Canada, Australia and Colombia are supporting these projects is a sign of how progressive these countries have become. For us, it's good to see that the local Governments insisted on seeing detailed plans and demanded serious investments from the project. In return they will get tons of top quality cannabis products for medical/recreational distribution. They get some highly skilled cannabis growers working with top class genetics in the best production facilities for decades to come. It gives them some level of national self-sufficiency in terms of a regulated cannabis supply, and a base to expand from. It has to be a good thing for the cannabis consumers.