News

P.E.I. food lab testing cannabis, eyeing product development

BioFoodTech testing for microorganisms in cannabis, extracts and edibles

Article written by Jessica Doria-Brown and reprinted from CBC Prince Edward Island website.

BioFoodTech scientists are now testing cannabis oils, extracts
for pesticides, solvents and bacteria. (Jessica Doria-Brown/CBC )

BioFoodTech — the provincially-owned food testing and development lab in Charlottetown — is now testing cannabis.

Officials say they started a few months ago after implementing procedures and protocols around this new-to-them product.

“We’re here to serve the industry in P.E.I,” said Edward Charter, food and bioscience technology manager at BioFoodTech.

“And since cannabis is now a legal product and edibles as well, and we have that background of being able to test food products, we felt it was essential that we provide that service to that industry.”

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Cannabis 3.0

The following article appeared in Natural Sci Regulatory Consulting – January 2020 Newsletter:

Cannabis 2.0 products have arrived, but what’s next for cannabis in Canada? Early indications are that Cannabis Health Products (CHPs) are next in line, so what exactly are they? In essence, CHPs are Natural Health Products (NHPs) with cannabis as the primary active ingredient. This means that cannabis must be the active ingredient. so you can’t simply add cannabis to an NHP or other medicinal/non-medicinal ingredients and call it a CHP. This also means that CHPs are unique from other cannabis products, as they are intended to have potential therapeutic uses for minor ailments. Much like NHPs, CHPs would be allowed to contain medicinal ingredients and non-medicinal ingredients, and have health claims associated with them.

Unlike the separate classification of NHPs and VHPs, Health Canada has indicated that CHPs would be available for both human and animal use. All of these features of CHPs demonstrate that they are intended to fill gaps that currently exist both in the cannabis and NHP markets.

Health Canada have also given their first indications about how CHPs might be regulated.

1. CHP health claims will be regulated much more strictly than NHPs. For example, general health claims will not be allowed; the specific health claims that are allowed need to be supported by a higher level of evidence than with NHPs.

2. Licensing requirements for CHPs are likely to be the same as the requirements for all other cannabis products: only those companies designated federally as a Licensed Producer would be able to produce and sell CHPs.

3. Labelling requirements for CHPs will likely be a combination of current cannabis and NHP labelling. NHP information such as directions for use and cannabis information such as the health warning message will likely be required.

Although it’ll probably take time and many changes before regulations for CHPs are finalized, these preliminary details provide valuable insight into how Health Canada sees these products. The question now is whether the Canadian public sees CHPs in the same way and whether this will have any impact on Health Canada’s thinking.

For further information from Natural Sci Regulatory Consulting: https://www.naturalscireg.ca

Canadian medical cannabis firms eligible for federal government funding

Medical marijuana companies in Canada interested in exploring business opportunities overseas are eligible to receive financial aid and other forms of support from the federal government through Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service (TCS). The network of trade commissioners reaches more than 160 cities around the world and offices across Canada, helping Canadian businesses reach new markets. View the full story, link to Marijuana Business Daily here.

Dosecann Finding Success Selling Cannabis Edibles

Article reprinted from CBC PEI site – To view full article, click here. Take a video tour of expansion, click here.

An expansion of Figr’s production facility on P.E.I. is almost complete, officials say. The Island cannabis company has added 210,000 square feet to its Charlottetown plant.

Edwin Jewell, the company’s president and CEO, said about 46,000 square feet of the added space will be dedicated to processing and 164,000 square feet will be dedicated to growing.

The indoor growing facility was built specifically for cannabis and includes computerized monitoring systems and climate control.

The company has invested heavily in the Charlottetown plant with the aim of ramping up production, Jewell said.

“Our processing building has been built to European GMP standards, which will allow us to ship product to Europe when the opportunity arises,” he said.

“That’s a huge deal and we’re very excited.”

35-times more cannabis

Jewell said the expansion will enable the company to produce 35-times more cannabis — which amounts to about 43,000 kilograms per year.

He said he expects the expansion will also mean more jobs.

Currently, the company has about 119 employees. Jewell said he expects that number to grow to 200 by the end of the year.

“We actually started the company with a team of just four. We got our licence, our initial business plan projected we would need between 15 and 20 people,” he said.

Figr is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of global agriculture company Pyxus International.

Dosecann finding success selling cannabis edibles

Reprinted from CBC Prince Edward Island Website – full article here. Take a video tour of their facility here.

Cannabis edibles hit the P.E.I. market on Dec. 18 and a Charlottetown company that produces them says staff have been racing to keep up with demand.

There are many stores from coast to coast after Dosecann’s products such as cannabis chewables, says the company’s CEO. (Steve Bruce/CBC)

Dosecann is busy producing cannabis gummies and chocolates to shell out to Islanders and the rest of Canada.

“This building has literally gone from first gear to sixth. We’re racing as if we’re a Formula One team,” said David Baranowski, director of technology, transfer and quality control.

’Tis the season: Auxly delivers on chocolates, chewables and vapes ahead of other companies

Article appeared in The Growth Op: Auxly Cannabis Group is ringing in the holidays early with the launch of a new line of tasty treats to go along with Canada’s legalization of extracts, topicals and edibles.

“Having our initial suite of Cannabis 2.0 products ready to go on the first day sales are legal in Canada is a huge milestone for our company,” company CEO Hugo Alves said in announcing the release this week. “Our mission is to make branded cannabis products that consumers love and grow to trust,” Alves said.

The new products fall under the company’s signature brands — Kolab Project, Foray and Dosecann — and target as wide an audience as possible. “Our experts at Dosecann have developed high-quality vapes, chocolates and chewables with consumer safety and enjoyment as our top priorities,” Alves said.

Auxly describes its Foray brand as “an accessible entry point for anybody — at any stage of their cannabis journey.” The company hopes the vape pens in this category, which offer lower THC doses of sativa, indica and hybrids (as well as a disposable CBD version), will help consumers understand the drug better.

Foray’s edibles feature Belgian chocolates in three varieties: Dark Chocolate, Vanilla Chai and Salted Caramel with varying strengths of THC. There is also a CBD option.

Soft Chews get plenty of love, too, with Auxly offering THC and CBD versions of Rasberry Vanilla, Peach Mango and Pineapple Orange in a range of potencies. Mints, lozenges and oils (in bottle, spray and capsule form) will all be available under Foray or the Dosecann and Kolab Project brands, ensuring that there is a product to suit every level of user experience.

“We are excited to introduce Canadian consumers to our products and our brands on the launch of Cannabis 2.0 and will continue to roll out new and innovative products in the coming quarters as we look to lead, not follow, in the 2.0 market and beyond,” Alves said.

Article that appeared in The Growth Op, click here.

Auxly is Ready to go for 2.0: Reveals Portfolio of Cannabis Products

TORONTO, Dec. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. (TSX.V – XLY) (“Auxly” or the “Company”) today announced the unveiling of its “Cannabis 2.0” products in vape, chocolate and chewable formats which are legally available for sale beginning today under its signature brands, Kolab Project, Foray and Dosecann. To view Auxly’s 2.0 product launch video, click here.

“Having our initial suite of Cannabis 2.0 products ready to go on the first day sales are legal in Canada is a huge milestone for our company,” said Hugo Alves, CEO, Auxly. “Our mission is to make branded cannabis products that consumers love and grow to trust. Our experts at Dosecann have developed high-quality vapes, chocolates and chewables with consumer safety and enjoyment as our top priorities. We are excited to introduce Canadian consumers to our products and our brands on the launch of Cannabis 2.0 and will continue to roll out new and innovative products in the coming quarters as we look to lead, not follow, in the 2.0 market and beyond.”

Auxly’s In-House Brands – Targeting a Broad Spectrum of Cannabis Consumers

Auxly has taken a consumer-centric approach to building a winning portfolio of brands and products. Auxly’s four proprietary brands: Kolab Project, Foray, Dosecann and Robinsons, address key market segments and multiple price points across wellness and adult-use markets.

The Company’s initial product portfolio will be launched under three of the Company’s four brands – Kolab Project, Foray and Dosecann. Outlined in the table below is a breakdown by brand and format. The launch of the Robinsons brand will coincide with the release of Robinsons’ premium dried flower produced at its craft indoor facility in Kentville, Nova Scotia. The Company intends to develop a line of premium cannabis products under the Robinsons brand based on the output of its Robinsons Outdoor Grow (announced by the Company on November 15, 2019) located in Hortonville, Nova Scotia.

To read the full press release and see range of products, click here.

Auxly Receives Licences to Sell Cannabis Extracts, Edibles and Topicals; Submits New Product Notifications for More Than 80 Cannabis Product SKUs to Health Canada

Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. (TSX.V – XLY) (“Auxly” or the “Company“) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Dosecann Inc. (“Dosecann”) and Kolab Project Inc. (“Kolab”), have received amendments to their respective oil sales licences from Health Canada. These amendments authorize Dosecann and Kolab to sell cannabis extracts, edibles and topical products to the Canadian market.

In the News: Meet Edwin Jewell, The Man Behind FIGR’s PEI Facility

When Figr chooses which partners they work with to produce top-shelf craft cannabis, they choose carefully. It’s important for customers to know exactly where their cannabis comes from and to trust the people who grow it. But working with partners who can grow great cannabis is one thing — partnering with agricultural entrepreneurs who have true farming wisdom that’s been passed down through generations is another. Partners like that might be rare — but for Figr, it’s a must. To read the full article, click here to read the full article that appeared in Lift&Co Magazine.

PEI BioAlliance and Food Island Partnership Launch Canadian Centre of Cannabis Innovation

The Canadian government legalized cannabis for recreational use on October 17, 2018, making it the first G7 nation, and second country in the world to permit a nationwide cannabis market. Canada has a unique opportunity to position itself as the global leader in an estimated $57 billion industry within the next ten years.

In this fast-paced environment, Prince Edward Island (“PEI”) has the opportunity to leverage its existing world-class resources to develop a PEI based Cannabis Industry Cluster composed of companies and organizations which develop new, safe and reliably-dosed cannabis products and delivery systems, conduct medical and therapeutic research as well as improve extraction technologies.