Source: Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc.
– Unmatched Experience and Expertise and Optimized Facility Design Will Support Continuous Production and Consistent Quality and Supply –
Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (Emerald) (TSX-V:EHT) (OTCQX:EMHTF) and Village Farms International, Inc. (Village Farms) (TSX:VFF)
(OTCQX:VFFIF) today announced that Health Canada has issued a
Cultivation Licence for their co-owned Delta 3 greenhouse operation (the
“Joint Venture”) under Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes
Regulations ("ACMPR"). This optimally-designed 1.1 million ft2
cannabis growing facility is located in one of the best growing
climates in Canada in Delta, BC, and is conservatively projected to
produce 75,000 kg of quality cannabis annually at full production.
Village
Farms and Emerald aim for the Joint Venture to be one of the most
consistent and reliable suppliers of quality cannabis products to
wholesalers, distributors and retailers across Canada and
internationally, with the goal to be the low-cost cannabis Canadian
producer at an all-in production cost of less than $1.00 per gram at
full production.
The Joint Venture will
immediately begin cultivating cannabis in the Delta 3 greenhouse
following the transfer of existing starter plants from Emerald and
expects to receive its Sales License under ACMPR by July 1, 2018.
“Our
Joint Venture is well positioned to be a leading supplier in the
imminent legal adult-use Canadian cannabis market, with potentially
significant benefit to each of our companies and our shareholders,” said
Avtar Dhillon, MD, Executive Chairman of Emerald. “With Emerald’s
in-depth cannabis expertise, Village Farms’ know-how based on
innumerable crop cycles over 30 years of large-scale greenhouse growing,
and working with global agricultural leaders and high-tech facilities
and systems experts, we configured this greenhouse for continuous weekly
harvesting year-round, maximum operating efficiencies, and flexibility
to adapt to an evolving market. We are accomplishing this on a very
capital-efficient basis.”
“Growing any
agricultural crop on a large scale and repeatedly delivering expected
quantities and consistent quality, with full regulatory compliance, at a
competitive price is an extremely challenging proposition for even the
most experienced agricultural producers. The goal is for the Joint
Venture to set the standard in this regard in the Canadian cannabis
industry and establish itself as a preferred supplier for both the
short- and long-terms,” said Michael DeGiglio, CEO, Village Farms
International. “In addition to production ramp-up, in 2018 the Joint
Venture will focus on product development and developing its marketing
strategy to become a vertically integrated leader in the Canadian
cannabis market.”
The Joint Venture is
converting the Delta 3 greenhouse operation to cannabis production with
meticulous attention to the growing environment and systems, processing
areas, and production ramp-up, with a particular focus on management of
climate and contaminants, optimizing yield, maximizing efficiencies, and
achieving continuous year-round production. Key elements of the design,
conversion, and operations include:
- Growing system with automation proven in different crops to provide optimal efficiencies;
- Industry-leading HVAC systems reflecting hundreds of aggregate years of climate management experience, with technically advanced data systems;
- High-tech light deprivation and light supplementation systems with individual control of over 15 growing zones within the 1.1 million ft2 footprint;
- Fully automated 90,000 square feet nursery capable of supplying Delta 3 (as well as the 1.1 million ft2 Delta 2 facility should the Joint Venture exercise its option to purchase that facility, as described below);
- State of the art drying, trimming and packaging areas;
- Core upgrades to facility infrastructure;
- Use of an established labour force and proprietary labour tracking systems; and,
- Secure supply of low-cost electricity from BC Hydro sufficient to power Delta 3 at full production (and, if required, to power the Delta 2 facility at full production).
Conversion of the first 250,000 ft2 section of the 1.1 million ft2
Delta 3 greenhouse to cannabis production is substantially complete and
is expected to commence production in April 2018. Senior growing and
operational personnel, including the established team transferred from
Village Farms, are in place for production ramp up. Conversion of the
remainder of the 1.1 million ft2 is underway and the entire facility is expected to be in production in 2019.
The
Joint Venture holds options on two additional state-of-the-art
greenhouses owned by Village Farms (Delta 2 and Delta 1, with 1.1
million ft2 and 2.6 million ft2 of growing
capacity, respectively). Exercising these options would expand the Joint
Venture’s production facility to 4.8 million ft2 and make it one of the largest cannabis producers in Canada.
About Village Farms International, Inc.
Village
Farms is one of the largest producers, marketers, and distributors of
premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables in North
America. The food our farmers grow, along with other greenhouse farmers
under exclusive arrangements are all grown in environmentally friendly,
soil-less, glass greenhouses. The Village Farms® brand of fruits and
vegetables is marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers
and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and
Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms has been guided by
sustainability principles that enable us to grow food 365 days a year
that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people
and the planet. Village Farms is Good for the Earth® and good for you.
About Emerald Health Therapeutics
Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX-V:EMH)
(OTCQX:EMHTF) operates through Emerald Health Therapeutics Canada Inc.
("EHTC"), a wholly owned subsidiary and Licensed Producer under Canada’s
Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations. Through EHTC,
Emerald is authorized to produce and sell dried cannabis and cannabis
oil for medical purposes. It operates an indoor facility in Victoria,
BC, and is building a 500,000 ft2 greenhouse on 32 acres in Metro Vancouver, with expansion potential to 1 million ft2
to serve the anticipated legal Canadian adult-use cannabis market
starting in 2018. Emerald owns 50% of a Joint Venture with Village Farms
International, Inc. that is converting an existing 1.1 million ft2
greenhouse in Delta, BC to grow cannabis. Emerald’s team is highly
experienced in life sciences, product development and large-scale
agribusiness. Emerald is part of the Emerald Health Group,
which is broadly focused on developing pharmaceutical, botanical and
nutraceutical products that may provide wellness and medical benefits by
interacting with the human body’s endocannabinoid system.
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