Cannabis investors and consumers alike would be hard pressed to find a company that checks all the boxes that Green Relief does. Founded in 2013, the company is a leader in sustainability, low cost production, corporate social responsibility, and has a focus on medical research.
Since receiving initial licensing for its aquaponics facility in early 2016, Green Relief has maintained a relentless focus on improving the world and the quality of life for patients across the country. To learn more, the CannaInvestor team recently visited the ~30,000 sq. ft. facility and expansion site in Hamilton, Ontario. We were hosted by Warren Bravo, co-founder and CEO, for a private tour of their operations and to get a better understanding of what makes Green Relief unique among ACMPR license holders.
Firstly, this is the only company in Canada, and likely the world, to use an aquaponics system for the cultivation of cannabis at this scale. Aquaponics is a sustainable form of agriculture in which fish waste is filtered and nutrients from this waste are absorbed by the cannabis plant roots. Through this process, the plants naturally filter the water which is returned to the fish after a filtration process and re-used in a closed loop system.
This results in a system that requires very little added water to maintain, up to 90% less than traditional forms of agriculture. Green Relief has dubbed their products as ‘better than organic’, and the fish raised in their facility are a testament to the purity of the products that leave the shipping department. This is because chemicals and pesticides simply cannot be used otherwise the fish will suffer, and the entire system will fail. Patients can feel comfort knowing that Green Relief products not only meet, but exceed the regulatory requirements set out by Health Canada.
In addition to a meaningful contribution to improving the environment, the aquaponics system allows the company to enjoy the benefits of low cost indoor production. By using only a fraction of the water that most indoor and greenhouse producers consume, the company will continue to realize an advantage over competitors as they scale their operations.
This cultivation style also does not require soil and has reported industry leading yields of ~450g/sq. ft. The company’s current cost per gram is $1.42 and expected to reach the mid $0.80’s once their expansion is completed. Construction for this same-site expansion will break ground over this summer, and has an expected completion date sometime in Q2 2019. The company intends to stay true to its medical roots and serve the medical market exclusively with the ~45,000kg annual capacity from the 220,000 sq. ft. expansion.
The Green Relief story was recently in the spotlight at the 2018 Lift Expo in May. Curious attendees surrounded an aquaponics system displayed adjacent to their booth. Consumers are increasingly becoming attracted to brands linked to social causes, and that is no exception for Green Relief. Social media and patient review-based websites are filled with overwhelmingly positive feedback about the company’s products, customer experience, and corporate social responsibility.
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Eviana Health Corp.
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