Eastcann’s Innovations: How Collaboration and Hand-Processing Set Them Apart

By Heather Egger

Eastcann, a prominent player in the craft cannabis market, is making waves with its exceptional indoor cannabis strains. Located in Dartmouth, NS, Eastcann grows and incorporates collaboration with exclusive micro-grow partners to produce high-end, high-quality flower and other cannabis products. We talked to Sean “Chopper” MacDougall, head cultivator at Eastcann and sister brand FOUR54, to learn about this innovative company. We explored its elaborate style, meticulous hand-processing, and advanced growing techniques.

Renowned Cannabis Strains
By building a stream-lined system with some help from micro-growers transitioning from the legacy market, Eastcann grew from a small operation into a prolific craft cannabis phenom. Its current system collaborates with more than 15 exclusive micro-growers across the country that produce many favourite strains, including Cap Jnky, Mango Sour, Platinum Mints, Velvet Z, Animal Face, Chemdozer, Pink Kush, Gastro Pop, Route 66 and Tickle Burger. The company’s strategic in-house grow system ensures a constant supply of high-quality cannabis strains that cater to domestic and international markets. Sister company FOUR54 not only provides cannabis for our international and domestic markets, but provides clones to our exclusive mico-cultivation partners working with-in the EastCann system.

At EastCann’s pheno-hunting facility, “we are always cracking seeds, whether it’s in-house or at one of our exclusive micro-cultivating partners,” MacDougall says. This is no overstatement—Eastcann runs approximately 1,500 phenotypes annually and ultimately identifies four to five standout strains. Their 2025 lineup is locked in, and 2026 is already in the planning stages. This forward-thinking approach ensures a continuous flow of new strains to market. Plus, after such rigorous selection, MacDougall says: “If they make the cut, they are winners.”

Carefully-Selected Flower
Eastcann also distinguishes itself through its innovative multi-site cultivation processes. By carefully selecting genetics, they can choose flower with the highest THC levels, ensuring potency and consistency. Their packaging process is equally precise: large, premium nugs—which MacDougall describes as chonkers—are selected for 1-gram, 3.5-gram, and 7-gram packages, while smaller buds are reserved for all-flower prerolls.

Innovative Growing Techniques
Eastcann’s meticulous growing process starts six weeks before cloning, with mother plants carefully prepped to ensure maximum consistency. This preparation involves careful pruning to create the ideal conditions for healthy and even clones. By cutting all clones at a single facility, Eastcann guarantees uniformity across its network of exclusive micro-growers, ensuring that every plant has the same healthy start.

Eastcann employs advanced techniques such as early micro-topping and strategic pruning before flipping to flower. “Our pruning system is simple.” says MacDougall. “We prune multiple times to make each application more enjoyable for the people working on the plants, and the plants seem to love it as well. We are also constantly trying to create the best product for the hand-trimmers to enjoy working on.”

Easing the Labour Burden
This is one major challenge Eastcann addresses for its exclusive micro-growing partners: the labour-intensive trimming process. To alleviate the burden of labour costs, Eastcann buys flower on the stock from its partners and trims everything in-house. Additionally, Eastcann’s standard growing process involves removing most fan leaves during the final flower stage, reducing the trim team’s workload.

Premium Product Line
Eastcann offers a wide range of premium cannabis products. Of course, they are known for their meticulous flower processing methods, which include hang drying, hand trimming, slow curing, hand weighing, and hand packaging. Eastcann’s live resin cartridges deliver a flavorful experience for those who prefer concentrates, capturing the essence of their top strains, and their soft gels provide a convenient and consistent dosing option. Consumers can look forward to Eastcann’s upcoming infused prerolls, featuring a bead of high-quality live resin inserted into the very center of each joint. This innovative product promises a long-lasting and tasty smoke.

A Standout in Craft Cannabis
Eastcann’s strategic collaborations and meticulous growing and processing techniques ensure it remains at the forefront of the industry, providing reliable, top-quality craft cannabis.