CCIM: We’ve seen you at Lift and O’Cannabiz for a few years now, and I have to be honest, at first, I was like, “who?”. I got on my trusty iPhone and Googled you and I was happy to see you were just around the corner from me in Bowmanville, Ontario. For readers with a similar reaction, can you tell us a little about Starseed.
STAR: We are a Toronto-based Cannabis Act/ “fully licensed” licensed producer (LP) with a primary focus on medical cannabis. We are the first and only medical cannabis company to form a strategic partnership with the largest construction union and other plan sponsors to deliver medical cannabis as a covered benefit. Our unique service model is unlike any other LP in that we supply to a specific and committed customer base that is particularly vulnerable to chronic pain and opioid use and potentially abuse. With a specific focus on the safe and responsible use of medical cannabis in the workplace, our mission is to displace the use of opioids by offering medical cannabis as a safe and effective alternative.
CCIM: With “Medicinal” in your company name, I gather that this is your prime focus, the medicinal side of cannabis. Further to that, you have The Starseed SystemTM. Is this the case? Can you elaborate on the company’s core focus and explain a little bit about The Starseed SystemTM?
STAR: The Starseed System simplifies the dialogue around strength and dosage by categorizing medical cannabis according to THC and CBD levels. The system was uniquely designed to simplify the prescription process for health care practitioners and for ease of use and dosing adjustments for patients. With The Starseed System, you are able to eliminate the confusion around strains and dosage.
CCIM: We’ve heard of supply shortages lately all over social media and the news … so I hopped onto your website to see what you still have available for medical patients. I’ve been to a few with not much available and was quite honestly shocked. So I am happy and relieved to see that Starseed still has a great selection of oils and dry cannabis available for their medical patients. How has Starseed faired in managing their inventory so as to not alienate their medical patients?
STAR: Since our inception, we have been a patient-centric medical cannabis company. We understand the importance of these products for our patient’s medical needs. Despite the fact the adult-use market is now open, Starseed has maintained stock items on all of our oil and flower products [at time of interview]. Our commitment to and prioritization of our patients is unchanging, regardless of what has happened or what will happen in the adult-use market.
CCIM: Recently, one recreational brand had to recall its cannabis from the virtual shelves at OCS. That’s a scary proposition, especially since first impressions go a long way in determining consumer spending habits in the future. We’ve visited LP’s that have chosen to configure its facility in one large grow room, and others, with several separate grow rooms. Can you explain which you’ve chosen and the reasoning for choosing one method over the other?
STAR: We are not focused on growing the plant, which is quickly becoming a commodity, but instead our focus is on our unique service model that supplies our specific and committed customer base that is particularly vulnerable to chronic pain and opioid use and abuse. We have invested heavily into our operations and quality assurance departments to ensure every product that enters and leaves our facility upholds the highest Starseed standards.
CCIM: You do a lot of work with employers, insurers and plan sponsors. Recently, Reformulary Group, who is a large independent drug plan company, signed you on. You are only one of three, good company I must say, joining MedReleaf and Aphria. How has that deal progressed since it was signed back on September 12th?
STAR: We are very excited about what’s to come with Reforumulary Group. The Reformulary Cannabis Standard is very consistent and aligned with our core strategy of supporting employers and employees to navigate the complex process of delivering medical cannabis as a paid benefit.
CCIM: Similar topic…you’ve also signed an agreement to supply Shoppers Drug Mart with medical cannabis, joining a short list of great cannabis companies. This was expected to launch this fall, as part of Manulife Financial Corporations’ medical marijuana program. Can you update our readers on the status of this agreement? Is it up and operational yet?
STAR: We are very excited to be one of the eight licensed producers available for purchase on the Shoppers Drug Mart e-commerce site. This agreement will be operational once Shoppers Drug Mart obtains their sales license, which we hope will be very soon. Upon launch, medical professionals will have the opportunity to prescribe any of Starseed’s products across our Blue Star or Green Star lines to their patients.
CCIM: Earlier this year you launched a unique medical cannabis supply and service model with LiUNA local 625 in Windsor, Ontario and expanding this across Canada as the ultimate intent. Can you elaborate on what this agreement is pertaining to, and the uniqueness of it?
STAR: Our first-of-its kind partnership with LiUNA made us the first and only medical cannabis company to form a strategic partnership with a union or any other large plan sponsor. As LiUNA’s preferred partner, Starseed has access to the union’s 120,000+ active members and their families, in addition to retirees, who qualify for the health benefits program. The response from LiUNA Local 625, in particular, has been overwhelmingly positive and we are now officially rolling out the platform on a local-by-local basis. In the new year we will be launching two key LiUNA’s locals, which represent over 200,000 lives when including members, dependents and retirees. We plan to expand across the country throughout 2019.
CCIM: To that end, what is Starseed’s key differentiating factor?
STAR: Starseed is as much a service provider as it is a producer of medical cannabis. We provide full service to our partners from end to end including launching, implementing and monitoring a customized medical cannabis program. In that way we are uniquely positioned to build an attractive and enduring medical cannabis business.
CCIM: Thank you for taking the time to speak to me about Starseed and providing shareholders and potential investors with some really good insight into your company. Is there an email or link our readers as well as prospective patients can learn more?
STAR: We encourage readers to reach out for more information by e-mailing us [email protected] or visiting our website Starseed.com. You can download our Medical Cannabis in the Workplace brochure at Starseed.com/workplace. Interested patients can visit Starseed.com to book an appointment with one of our knowledgeable nurse practitioners. Thank you so much for the opportunity!