Debra Borchardt
Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX:WEED, NYSE:CGC) has acquired Saskatoon-based bio-product extractor KeyLeaf Life Sciences. Canopy Growth said it has been working closely with KeyLeaf – formerly known as POS Bio-Sciences – as a trusted partner building out extraction processes and technology for the past year as it refines its scale extraction model for Canadian and global markets.
“The KeyLeaf operations and team deliver instant scale at a pivotal stage in our growth, with brand new products coming to market later this year requiring sophisticated extraction capabilities at scale,” said Bruce Linton, Chairman & co-CEO, Canopy Growth Corporation. “This acquisition is the result of a year’s worth of work with a trusted partner, and part of our commitment to always staying a step ahead as leaders in a nascent industry, focused on the long-game one piece at a time.”
KeyLeaf has been working closely with Canopy Growth over the past year to retrofit its Saskatchewan facility to advance technology development and commercialization, in order to process hemp and cannabis biomass, and to conduct pre- and post-extraction processes. It is anticipated the facility, which is currently in the Health Canada licensing process, will be able to process up to 5,000 kg of input materials daily when operational.
Canopy Growth said that it intends to leverage this facility, along with other owned and partner extraction options, to process its over 5,000 acres of Canadian CBD hemp production, over 160 acres of outdoor cannabis production, as well as any extraction materials outputted from its over 4 million square feet of greenhouse growing operations. Then it’s off to Smiths Falls to produce the best possible, IP-protected products out there!
Back in November 2018, Canopy Growth assumed control of KeyLeaf for accounting purposes. This meant that KeyLeaf’s financial results were consolidated in the Canopy’s fiscal 2019 financial statements. Through the transaction, Canopy is buying a large-scale Canadian extraction facility as well as an extraction-related facility in the United States to support its U.S. CBD expansion.
