Canopy Growth Corp. is putting a cannabis twist on its Smiths Falls headquarters’ tasty roots, launching pot-infused chocolate production at the site in anticipation of legalized edibles hitting the Canadian market in late 2019.
The licensed cannabis producer provided an update to its Smiths Falls production this week, noting that its footprint in the eastern Ontario town has grown to 950,000 square feet including licensed, pre-licensed and unlicensed operating and production space.
A sizeable chunk of that space will be devoted to the production of pot-infused chocolates. The federal government said last week that edibles and other cannabis derivatives will be available for sale around mid-December, prompting announcements on edible offerings from Canada’s licensed cannabis producers. Canopy said it will be able to produce 850,000 pot-infused chocolates monthly with options to scale up.
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The shift into stickier sweets is an echo of the Smiths Falls facility’s history as a Hershey-owned chocolate factory. Hershey closed up shop in 2008 before Canopy took over the site for cannabis production in 2013.
Legislation on edibles will also cover pot-infused drinks. Canopy said in its announcement it has set aside 125,000 square feet of space for the production of cannabis-based beverages, developed in concert with major investor Constellation Brands, the maker of Corona beers. The cannabis firm expects to produce five million pot-based drinks per month once production ramps up in mid-2020.
Canopy also said it can manufacture roughly 15 million softgels and two million vapes per month from its Smiths Falls site.
Elsewhere, Canopy announced Monday it has secured licensing for 160 acres of outdoor cannabis growing space in Saskatchewan.
