Cannabis M&A in the Post-COVID Era

By Jose Sariego, Bilzin Sumberg

Prospects for the New Year are expected to continue the explosive year-end trend with a backlog of nearly $2 billion in deals heading into 2021. Growth is expected to be led by multi-state operators who have achieved scale, cleaned up their balance sheets and stockpiled dry powder for roll-up acquisitions.

Cresco Labs Acquires Bluma Wellness

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff

Cresco Labs will enter the Florida market with the acquisition of Bluma Wellness (and its subsidiary One Plant Florida) for an equity value of $213 million, expected to be finalized by the second quarter of this year.

New Trade Organization Launches:
The Sustainable Cannabis Coalition

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff

A group of businesses in the cultivation and technology space has launched the Sustainable Cannabis Coalition (SCC), to collaborate on improving data-driven sustainability in cultivation, manufacturing and distribution throughout the market.

New Biological Residue Test Developed to Verify Cleanliness on Surfaces

Researchers at Kikkoman Biochemifa have developed an assay to test for total adenylates, which are found in biological residue. This new technology is being implemented in real-time sanitation validation tests to enhance pathogen detection.

Download the Whitepaper.

Leaders in Cannabis Formulations: Part 1

By Aaron Green, Iridium Consulting

In this series of articles, Aaron Green sits down and interviews a number of industry scientists and executives leading cannabis formulation companies. In Part 1, Green chats with Drew Hathaway, senior food scientist at Stillwater Brands, the makers of Caliper and Ripple, to learn more about their technology and plans for growth.

Featured Quote

I am interested in learning how the world is going to behave next year with this new life that’s been thrusted upon us. How effective is the new vaccine going to be? How are people going to retrospectively look at this year, and the lifestyle that they used to have before going into COVID? How much of it’s going to become permanent? How much of this Zoom life will we continue to enjoy? In the future, will office spaces become obsolete? How much will we still be using home deliveries? Do we actually want to go to restaurants again?

Mike Simpson, CEO and Co-Founder of Omura

Edibles Pose Health Risk without Food Safety Test

Rapid Pathogen Testing Mitigates Foodborne Illness

Even with comprehensive cannabis testing, food safety concerns pose a major challenge to edible manufacturers. With no regulatory oversight for cannabis-infused foods, it’s up to manufacturers to prevent pathogen outbreaks. Microbiological testing for hazardous bacteria is the best way to protect against outbreaks.

Stay ahead of the curve with rapid micro testing.

New Book On Cannabis Describes
A Global Market In Transition

By Marguerite Arnold, CannaList EU

Marguerite Arnold's new book about the inside story of the German cultivation bid, Green II: Spreading Like Kudzu, contains surprises and inside stories you have never heard before – no matter who you are in the industry. Here is an exclusive first look excerpt.

ProVerde Laboratories Shut Down for
Operating Without License

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff

The company’s Portland, Maine location was shut down for operating without a city license, pending an inspection in February.