Emerging Leaders in the Marijuana Industry

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada’s cannabis landscape is evolving rapidly. In order to get a better understanding of how the marijuana industry is progressing, we have identified 5 emerging marijuana industry leaders in categories such as retail, cultivation, extraction, overall size, and international footprint.

Westleaf: Becoming One of Canada’s Largest Marijuana Retailers

Westleaf Inc. (WL.V) (WSLFF), a vertically integrated cannabis company focused on innovative retail experiences and engaging cannabis brands as well as cultivation, production and extraction of cannabis products, recently announced the opening of a Prairie Records cannabis retail store in Warman, Saskatchewan.

Prairie Records seeks to create a unique cannabis purchasing experience through tactile in-store features (record sleeves) and product offerings that celebrate the relationship between music and cannabis.

Two other Prairie Records store locations in Saskatoon are expected to follow, with a third location planned for Swift Current. All three locations are subject to Westleaf exercising its option to purchase agreements and provincial regulatory approval.

With plans to rollout 50 retail locations in markets across Western Canada through the end of 2020, Westleaf is positioned to become one of Canada’s largest—and most differentiated—cannabis retailers.

Village Farms International: One of North America’s Largest Cannabis Growers

As an owner and operator of seven greenhouse facilities in British Columbia and Texas, Village Farms International Inc. (VFF.TO) (VFF.TO) is one of the largest and longest-operating vertically integrated greenhouse growers in North America. Through 50% ownership of B.C.-based Pure Sunfarms Corp.—one of the single largest cannabis growing operations in the world—Village Farms aims to become a leader in large-scale, low-cost, high-quality cannabis production.

Pure Sunfarms’ 1.1 million square foot greenhouse is expected to be in full operation this quarter, reaching a full run-rate annual production of 75,000 kg of cannabis by mid-year. The company also intends to have extraction capabilities “in place” by this time.

It’s worth noting that Pure Sunfarms also maintains options on two other greenhouse facilities owned by Village Farms, which would provide an additional 3.7 million square feet of cultivation space and a conservative projected yield of 300,000 kg.

South of the border, Village Farms boasts even more impressive capabilities.

With 5.7 million square feet of existing state-of-the-art production operations, Village Farms has one of the largest existing greenhouse footprints in the U.S. The company claims that these facilities can be rapidly converted for hemp and/or cannabis cultivation, subject to federal legalization. Should the United States continue to move towards cannabis legalization, Village Farms could quickly become a marijuana industry leader in greenhouse cannabis cultivation.

MediPharm Labs: One of Canada’s Leading Cannabis Oil Extractors

MediPharm Labs Corp. (LABS.V) (MLCPF) is a leader in specialized, research-driven cannabis extraction, distillation, purification and cannabinoid isolation.

Just weeks ago, MediPharm Labs signed what is known to be the largest wholesale transaction for cannabis oil publicly announced, in which MediPharm Labs is to supply an undisclosed Licensed Producer with $35 million worth of private label purified oil concentrates, with an option for an additional $13.5 million.

As the first Canadian LP licensed under ACMPR to focus exclusively on cannabis oil extraction, MediPharm Labs has supplied a number of Canadian marijuana companies, including Canopy Growth Corporation, Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc., The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc. and more.

MedioPharm Labs continues to solidify its position as a potential global leader in cannabis oil extraction, having recently entered into its first definitive international sales agreement with AusCann Group Holdings Ltd., an Australian-based pharmaceutical company that is working to produce high quality, economical, and clinically validated cannabinoid medicines.The export agreement stipulates that MedioPharm Labs will supply AusCann with "private label purified, pharmaceutical grade cannabis oil concentrates, or resin."

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