by Grow Up Conference | Nov 10, 2020 | Grow Up Live, Grow Up News
Key Considerations Before Building Your CBD Extraction Facility
Aired Thursday, November 19, 2020
Are you considering opening a CBD extraction facility? Join Vantage Hemp Co.’s Chief Operating Officer Deepank Utkhede and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Daniel Chinnapen as they take you on a virtual tour of their world-class Colorado-based CBD extraction facility to explore key factors facility operators must consider before their facilities can be up and running.
Incorporating safety into building design, complying with international fire and building codes, design considerations to prevent product contamination and improve workflow and process efficiency, and factors to consider before selecting extraction equipment will all be covered in this interactive and engaging panel discussion. You won’t want to miss this!
Duration: 1 Hour
Dr. Daniel Chinnapen
Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Chinnapen recently joined Vantage as Chief Scientific Officer and is responsible for direction on oversight of the Company’s extraction operations, research and development. Dr. Chinnapen has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and was a principal investigator at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital focused on research into large molecule therapeutic delivery. Dr. Chinnapen also brings extensive experience from various cutting-edge biotech companies focused on biologic drug development. He has publications in peer-reviewed journals and brings a critical eye to the science of CBD supporting the company’s deep-science approach at every step of the process from seed-to-extract
Deepank Utkhede
Chief Operations Officer
Mr. Utkhede has 22 years of experience in pharmaceutical formulation and process development and has extensive experience developing robust and commercially scalable manufacturing processes. He has worked extensively developing various pharmaceutical dosage forms — topicals (dermal and ocular), orals (capsules and liquid), parenterals (aseptic and terminally sterilized) — and drug/device combination products with extensive experience in the area of lyophilization, liposome and emulsion technology. Utkhede is also well versed in GMP/FDA regulation.
Bridget Hoffer
Marigold PR (Moderator)
Bridget is the co-founder of Marigold Marketing and PR, a communications strategist and brand expert. She has extensive experience in delivering strategic communications, marketing, and brand programs that achieve results and resonate. Her expertise ranges from developing and managing iconic Canadian brands to refreshed personal brands with effective positioning to ensure relevance and value.
Since 2015, she has been a consultant with individual clients, digital start-ups and PR firms providing communications strategy and planning for business development, expansion and launching new brands. From 2000 to 2014, Bridget was the executive director of CBC communications, marketing, and brand for all CBC English Services. She collaborated with CBC Radio-Canada’s French and Corporates service on national projects. During her tenure, CBC was ranked as one of Canada’s most influential brands by Ipsos. Previous, to her role as executive director, Bridget was director of CBC Radio and CBC regional communications. Before joining CBC, Bridget led the communications teams for the United Way of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Currently, she is a board member for Safetynet services in Oakville, ON.
Av Singh, PhD, PAg
Cultivation Advisor and Chief Science Officer, FS Cannabis
Av Singh is one of the leading authorities on regenerative organic cannabis production. Dr. Singh has authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers, chapters, and extension articles and has been an invited speaker to over 500 workshops, conferences, symposia as well as guest-lecturing at over 30 universities in Canada, the US, the UK, and India. Av has had the privilege of visiting over 2000 farms across five continents which has shaped his extension of holistic, system-based design solutions. Emphasizing a union of traditional knowledge with science, Av works with growers to cultivate an appreciation of plant:soil interrelationships.
Av has recently been appointed to the Cannabis Quality Assurance (CQA) Standards Committee and is a member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, and was identified as one of the Top 50 Heroes shaping the Canadian Cannabis sector by High! Canada Magazine and a Cannabis Hero by Cannabis Amnesty. Av is a frequent speaker and advisory board member at O’Cannabiz and the Grow Up Conferences.
by Grow Up Conference | Oct 20, 2020 | Grow Up Live, Grow Up News
Plant Performance: Understanding KPIs for Growers, Business and Your Retail Brands
Aired Thursday, 29-October, 2020
This free webinar is designed for C-level executives and cultivation teams to better understand the relationship between Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), environmental controls, and cannabis crop performance. An engaging discussion with cultivation and production experts will help you build consistent, quality yields and distinct retail brands.
Discussion topics include:
- Growing environments for peak plant performance, quality, and yields
- Micro cultivation and craft cannabis in Canada’s expanding marketplace
- Balance old school growing methodologies with new technologies and hybrid genetics
- HPS versus LED lighting strategies for consistent production cycles and harvest
Why you should attend:
- Evaluate investment and cultivation equipment purchase decisions – and the potential impact on finished products
- Better understand best practices and SOPs for growing environments to standardize chemical profiles, testing results and label literacy at retail
- Identify how crop inputs and controls during cultivation influence terpenes, cannabinoids, and quality of dried flower
Duration: 1 Hour
PRESENTED BY:
Justin Statton
Founder and CEO, CannBreton Cultivation
Justin Statton, a cannabis cultivator and entrepreneur for the past decade, is enthusiastic about building a cannabis community on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. As the Founder/CEO of CannBreton Cultivation, Justin has been working toward becoming a licensed micro-cultivator and takes “Craft” cannabis seriously. Justin also owns/operates Mary Janes Smoke Shop Sydney, a respected accessories store, which he hopes will become the hub of the Cape Breton cannabis community.
Ryan Wankel
Cannabis Grower Liaison, Heliospectra
A second-generation cannabis grower recognized with multiple cannabis cup awards, Ryan has led commercial teams at large scale facilities in Denver, Colorado. Having taken multiple cultivation facilities from HPS to LED lighting solutions, he now assists customers in North America and Europe in developing strain-specific lighting strategies and understanding the benefits and environmental conditions of growing with LEDs.
Av Singh, PhD, PAg
Cultivation Advisor and Chief Science Officer, FS Cannabis
Av Singh is one of the leading authorities on regenerative organic cannabis production. Dr. Singh has authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers, chapters, and extension articles and has been an invited speaker to over 500 workshops, conferences, symposia as well as guest-lecturing at over 30 universities in Canada, the US, the UK, and India. Av has had the privilege of visiting over 2000 farms across five continents which has shaped his extension of holistic, system-based design solutions. Emphasizing a union of traditional knowledge with science, Av works with growers to cultivate an appreciation of plant:soil interrelationships.
Av has recently been appointed to the Cannabis Quality Assurance (CQA) Standards Committee and is a member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, and was identified as one of the Top 50 Heroes shaping the Canadian Cannabis sector by High! Canada Magazine and a Cannabis Hero by Cannabis Amnesty. Av is a frequent speaker and advisory board member at O’Cannabiz and the Grow Up Conferences.
by Grow Up Conference | Aug 14, 2020 | Grow Up News
NIAGARA FALLS – British Columbia has long been on the forefront of Canada’s cannabis industry and culture. Now, Canada’s foremost cannabis conference is coming to Victoria in 2021.
Grow Up Conference, Expo and Awards announced today plans to put on a 3-day B2B conference and expo June 14-16, 2021, at the Victoria Convention Centre. Grow Up has been running its annual conference in Niagara Falls since 2017. Building on that success, the Victoria show will host hundreds of cannabis-industry experts on the west coast to provide workshops and presentations on a wide range of topics.
“Canada’s cannabis industry continues to expand and develop and we’re excited to bring our show to the west coast,” said Randy Rowe, President of Grow Up, when announcing the event. “Grow Up helps connect all sectors of the cannabis industry – cultivation, production, processing and extraction – with experts in retail, marketing and support.”
The conference opens on June 14,2021 with the VIP Industry Conference and exhibitor set up, with the day capped off with the Grow Up Awards Gala in the evening.
“The cannabis industry has made tremendous growth over the last year and we are determined to recognize the excellence and innovation with our 2nd annual awards show”, says Neill Dixon, Co-Founder of Grow Up. “Bringing the Grow Up Awards Gala to Victoria BC will make it easier for our west coast growers and suppliers to be a part of the celebration”.
June 15th and 16th, 2021 will feature panels, keynotes and workshops. Rowe says he is particularly excited about the show’s Extraction Zone, presented by Extraction Magazine.
“Cannabis 2.0 has made extraction a field of great importance,” he notes. “Extracts of CBD and THC are driving the medicinal and recreational markets, from oils to edibles. The partnership with Extraction Magazine is an exciting and essential addition to the show.”
The Grow Up Conference and Expo is currently booking presenters and session topics are being developed. Rowe says that his experience with previous shows suggests exhibitor space will fill up fast, so he urges anyone in the cannabis industry to register early.
“If you are working in any aspect of the cannabis industry in Canada, there will be something you can take away from the Grow Up Conference and Expo,” said Rowe.
The founders and producers of Grow Up Conference and Expo have decades of experience producing national-profile events and creating global connections between business communities in the arts, broadcast, media and technology. They have organized trade summit initiatives with governments around the world. And they have worked closely with sponsors in all levels of Canadian government.
Veteran assemblers of forward-thinkers, their signature events include the internationally attended O’Cannabiz Conference and Expo, Canadian Music Week, the Digital Media Summit, Radio Interactive Summit and the career-breaking CMW Music Festival.
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by Grow Up Conference | May 19, 2020 | Grow Up News
By Growers for Growers Webinar Series
May 21st – 11:00am EST
Got questions? Our panel will share answers, insights, and great conversation together with growers from across the U.S. and Canada.
Whether you are Day 1 in your business and facility journey or a seasoned grower with years of experience working with the plant, you will not want to miss this free webinar and discussion with cultivators, producers and industry influencers.
We will ask participants to submit their questions online ahead of the broadcast so that we can share knowledge and focus the conversation on exactly what is top of your mind right now.
Discussion will include questions on:
- Soil and growing media
- Environment
- Equipment
- Lighting
- Post-Harvest and Processing
- Regulatory Measures and Licensing
Duration: 1 Hour
by Grow Up Conference | Apr 23, 2020 | Grow Up News
Presented and hosted by:
By Growers for Growers Webinar Series
Reach the Full Potential of Your Cannabis Growth Strategies
April 30th – 11:00am EST
Learn from master growers about practices used in some of the best grows in the world: using light strategies for unparalleled quality of crops and increased yield.
Learn how light alone can help you:
- Drive photosynthesis and secondary metabolite up to 25%
- Influence high terpene, cannabinoid and flavonoid profiles
- The best spectrums of light for different growth stages
- How to rapidly increase your crop cycle
- Increase revenue by decreasing time to harvest
And much more…
Duration: 1 Hour
by Grow Up Conference | Apr 20, 2020 | Grow Up News
By Growers for Growers Webinar Series
April 23rd – 11:00am EST
This free webinar is intended for master growers and cultivators who are looking to learn about end of the production cultivation techniques to increase quality, to set your crop apart from competitors.
Techniques including:
- Let’s Talk About Taste
- Increasing yield of secondary metabolites: cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, etc.
- End of production treatment and increasing the quality of the crops
- Repeatable controlled stress options with simple environmental changes: temperature and drought
Why you should attend:
- Community connection in the wake of COVID-19
- A chance to talk about the latest growing trends along with tried and true methods
- Continual improvement to help your grow stay strong in the market
- A great time to ask questions about your experiments in the grow room
Duration: 1 Hour
by Grow Up Conference | Apr 20, 2020 | Grow Up News
If you’re looking for a career in the Cannabis industry look no further! We’ve just launched a brand new section of our website brought to you by the people at CanMar Recruiting.
CanMar Recruitment is a staffing firm dedicated to serving Canada’s cannabis industry. We provide high-quality recruitment and business solutions to government-approved, licensed cannabis retailers, producers and labs. We also help top-quality individuals seeking jobs find lucrative careers in the thriving cannabis industry.
CanMar Recruitment is uniquely positioned to meet the rising demand for jobs in Canada’s cannabis industry. We provide our clients with top-quality services and we always exceed expectations. At CanMar, we believe that for your business to succeed, you need top-quality staff. Our team of recruitment specialists use strategies based on a targeted and personalized approach specific to your needs. We specialize in efficiently placing top-quality individuals in a variety of jobs across the legalized cannabis sector.
From Brand Ambassador to Retail Store Manager, Human Resources to Financial Controller – CanMar Recruitment jobs are constantly changing with the needs of our clients and with changing market conditions.
We will always look to our candidate network as first priority when jobs arise.Become a part of the CanMar candidate network today and submit your resume!
Click here to view the available jobs today.
by Grow Up Conference | Apr 20, 2020 | Grow Up News
CanMar Recruitment’s CEO and Founder KD Khairah discusses how the Cannabis Industry is coping during COVID-19
At a time where most non-essential businesses have been shut down, Cannabis businesses have been deemed “essential” and are continuing operations to support the high demand.
Despite lockdown restrictions, there are still over 800 jobs in Canada’s cannabis market, relating to cultivation, production, growing, marketing and sales. The need for skilled workers, and temporary staff is at an all-time high in order to support the production needs of medical and recreational sectors.
The Canadian cannabis industry has felt the pressure and strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has mostly managed to remain resilient and use their resources to the fullest by opting for delivery and online orders. If there’s a will, there’s a way, and this industry knows how to find it and execute to help ensure consumer’s needs are met and the industry continues to flourish. We are not at a standstill, we need to look at this pandemic as an opportunity to revamp and re structure our businesses to enable us to come up with innovate and customized ways to provide our services to the community, and continue to build the industry, this is the birth of a new era.
Khairah sees several trends emerging from the market correction, including:
• High demand for Temp Staffing
• Online and delivery options
• The future of the industry
How is the Cannabis Industry staffing their companies amidst this pandemic?
Since the rise of this pandemic, we have seen a string of layoffs, and a rise in the demand for temporary staff.
There has been an increased demand for customer-facing retail and delivery roles, as well as warehouse and manufacturing opportunities. Companies are ramping up hiring to ensure existing employees aren’t feeling the strain of the increase in production, and ensuring they are fully staffed to provide breaks for their employees, and ensure there is coverage for those who are feeling unwell.
To help with this demand and reduce costs associated with on-boarding, companies are considering utilizing staffing agencies to help build their teams. Agencies can help supply temporary man power with options for temp-to-perm hires, allowing you to staff now, but also gives you the option to keep them later to support with the increase in business post pandemic. This is great option to help plan for the future and keep your pipeline warm while you meet the demands of today.
What is the future of online ordering and delivery of cannabis in the industry?
Cannabis retailers are working quickly to reassign employees to new tasks to cope with the rush of online orders and curbside deliveries amid the pandemic.
We are looking at a reality where e-commerce is going to be the majority of commerce. We all need to stay ahead of the shift and equip our businesses with tools and resources to thrive in the online space.
Implementing a delivery system allows your business to go everywhere your consumers are, it satisfies that “Amazon/eBay-age” desire for convenience. Consumers are favouring the new process, moving forward they will most likely be choosing online vs. in-line post pandemic.
What might the future of the Cannabis Industry look like post pandemic?
Many companies emerged too quickly out of the gates when the industry first began legalizing cannabis, they were spread very thinly without growing their existing business. The effects of the pandemic have accelerated the demise of some companies, but on the flip side it has created opportunities for stronger companies to flourish
The effects of the pandemic will linger and test the operations of many companies. Those with the resources to manage the economic downturn and restructure business plans to ensure efficiency in delivery of products will be well-positioned to lead the industry into its next phase. The smart executives are retooling their game and are remaining laser-focused on the future expansion of the industry
Now is the time to start warming up the pipeline and preparing for roles that will need filling once the industry picks up to supply the increasing demands.
One of the most significant developments that came out of the pandemic is the growing recognition that cannabis businesses provide important services to the community. This recognition can bolster the movements to legalize medical cannabis, and help change the negative stigma associated with cannabis consumers. This recognition will help pave the way for cannabis companies to move into the medical sector and have mainstream acceptance in a stronger and financially healthier market
They say the grass is greener where you water it, (or in our case grow it) and other industries are growing “green” with envy of the future of cannabis. The industry will have their mess to clean up from the residual effects of the pandemic, as will every other industry in the world, but cannabis will lead the way in the economic recovery with their consistent and continuous increase in sales, as well as their new-found acknowledgement and acceptance of being deemed an essential service. With the new age of online ordering and delivery, the industry will continue to soar to new heights.
View Current Jobs
by Grow Up Conference | Mar 16, 2020 | Grow Up News
As of April 20, 2020, Grow Up Conference, Expo and Awards remains scheduled to take place September 1-3, 2020 at the Scotiabank Convention Centre, Niagara Falls ON.
As this Global COVID-19 Pandemic evolves we will continue to monitor and assess the risk factors to ensure the safety of our partners, speakers, exhibitors, delegates and staff.
We are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy event and are listening to the recommendations from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Niagara Public Health System, the Government of Ontario and the World Health Organization
We are working with the Scotiabank Conventions Centre and all other vendors to ensure that we have appropriate safety measures in place.
For more information regarding COVID-19 please visit
