Segra International Corp. (“Segra” or the “Company”) is pleased to
announce that it has entered into an agreement with The Supreme
Cannabis Company (“Supreme Cannabis”) (TSXV:FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF)
(FRA: 53S1) to provide cannabis micropropagation services at
Supreme Cannabis’ wholly owned 7ACRES facility in Kincardine,
Ontario.
Plant micropropagation, also known as plant
tissue culture, is an advanced scientific technique utilized in
many commercial agricultural applications to mass-produce plants
with desirable traits. Using micropropagation, large volumes of
sterile, healthy, disease-free, and genetically identical plantlets
can be produced rapidly. Micropropagation is intended to replace
current clone-based propagation, which requires the production and
maintenance of large mother plants. Adopting micropropagation would
build upon 7ACRES’ industry-leading cultivation practices by
increasing propagation rates, further reducing risks related to
plant diseases, and enhancing 7ACRES’ output goals.
“7ACRES’ innovative processes and facility,
together with its proprietary genetics, has led to rapid scaling at
an industry-leading quality. In fact, 7ACRES’ line of products is
listed by provincial distributors across the country in premium
brand categories,” said John Fowler, CEO of Supreme Cannabis.
“Adding micropropagation is the next step in the evolution of our
production platform as we seek to bring additional agricultural
sciences to quality cannabis production. Once implemented,
micropropagation will allow us to produce a higher volume of
genetically-identical plants with the most desirable traits, reduce
plant-to-plant variation and pathogen risk, and ensure that our
carefully selected cultivars are protected for future use.”
Under the agreement, Segra will oversee
micropropagation laboratory operations within the 7ACRES facility,
allowing Supreme Cannabis to execute production testing within its
existing operations in the coming months. This onsite mini-lab will
also allow for substantially reduced lead time for Segra to
propagate plantlets for Supreme Cannabis from Segra’s forthcoming
micropropagation lab in Langley, British Columbia, in 2019.
“With our planned production capacity of 80
million plantlets per year from Segra’s new industrial-scale
micropropagation facility, we will be able to reliably supply major
licensed producers in Canada and internationally for the
foreseeable future,” said Todd McMurray, President and CEO of
Segra.
About Supreme CannabisThe
Supreme Cannabis Company (TSXV: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) is
a Canadian publicly traded company committed to providing premium
brands and products that proudly reflect its consumers, people, and
uniquely innovative culture. The company’s portfolio includes its
wholly owned subsidiary and flagship brand 7ACRES.
7ACRES is a federally licensed producer of
cannabis operating inside a 342,000-square-foot facility in
Kincardine, Ontario. 7ACRES is dedicated to providing consumers
with a premium-quality product that recognizes its customers are
informed, discerning, and value a brand and culture that aligns
with their principles. 7ACRES’ brand success has been reflected in
provincial supply agreements, where 7ACRES product is consistently
listed in the highest brand category available to recreational
consumers.
With an annual production capacity expected to
reach 50,000 kg once the 7ACRES facility is fully operational,
Supreme is the first coast-to-coast premium cannabis brand in
Canada, having entered into supply agreements with the provinces of
Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and
Prince Edward lsland.
The company’s growing portfolio also includes an
equity investment and long-term global distribution partnership
with Lesotho-based Medigrow for the exporting of medical-grade
cannabis oil.
The Supreme Cannabis Company has consistently
set the standard for innovation in the sector, including the design
of growing facilities and the development of operational excellence
metrics. We are confident that, together with our flagship brand,
proprietary technology and products, truly unique culture, and
industry-leading team, we will continue to deliver consistent,
long-term value creation to our shareholders.
Please
visit www.supreme.ca and www.7ACRES.com for
more information.
About Segra InternationalSegra
is a biotechnology company that specializes in industrial-scale
plant micropropagation. The Company is developing industrial-scale
cannabis micropropagation laboratories to produce healthy, robust
plantlets for licensed producers globally. Segra has assembled a
world-class team of specialists in the areas of plant tissue
culture, agronomy, molecular genetics, regulatory compliance, and
corporate finance. Segra’s technology empowers clients to improve
product quality, rapidly expand operations, decrease liabilities
associated with pests and diseases, and increase profits.
The Segra team includes Dr. Sma Zobayed, Ph.D.,
Segra’s Director of Micropropagation. Dr. Zobayed is a
world-renowned micropropagation specialist who has successfully
micropropagated over 500 species of plants, including cannabis. Dr.
Zobayed has successfully developed a protocol for true-to-type
cannabis micropropagation.
Located in Richmond, British Columbia, Segra’s
Genomics and Molecular Biology lab is led by Dr. John Brunstein,
Ph.D. Dr. Brunstein and his team have developed proprietary methods
for cannabis cultivar DNA “fingerprinting” and molecular-based
plant pathogen detection. These efforts will underly Segra’s unique
ability to confirm strain identities and a lack of pathogens on
juvenile plantlets destined for cultivation facilities. These
advanced quality assurance measures give clients peace of mind and
showcase Segra’s global leadership in cannabis genomics. Segra is
actively employing these proprietary genomics technologies to build
a comprehensive strain reference library to become the global
standard for cannabis cultivar identification. R&D within the
lab will also support the development of marker-assisted selection
techniques to enable advanced breeding programs and ultimately the
creation of high value proprietary cannabis cultivars for medical
and recreational cannabis markets.
Proposed US Operations
UpdateSegra has made the strategic decision to operate
only in countries with federally regulated cannabis programs. In
recent months, Segra made public announcements regarding its
intention to develop a micropropagation facility in California,
partnering with top cannabis genetics providers. However, the
widespread interest in Segra’s services in Canada and other
countries with federal cannabis programs vastly exceeds Segra’s
current production plans. The Company has determined that the
additional liabilities associated with operating in any
non-federally regulated cannabis market are not justified at this
time and could complicate future capital raise events and a
go-public strategy planned for fall 2018.
Please visit www.segra-intl.com for more
information.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, Todd
McMurray, President and CEO SEGRA INTERNATIONAL CORP.
This news release includes statements containing
certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of
applicable securities law (“forward-looking statements”).
Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words
such as “plan”, “continue”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”,
“believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “potential”,
“proposed” and other similar words, or statements that certain
events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. These statements are
only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the
conclusions or making the projections contained in the
forward-looking statements throughout this news release.
Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates
of management at the date the statements are made and are subject
to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that
could cause actual events or results to differ materially from
those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is
under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or
obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise,
except as expressly required by applicable law.
For further information, contact
Kevin Mehr
Email: kevin.m@segra-intl.com