VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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 Cannabis
The 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 International
Segra 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 Update
Segra 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.