Cannabis Professional’s daily roundup of industry news. View archive here.
Aphria obtains EU GMP certification
Aphria Inc. can begin shipping cannabis to European Union countries, following the receipt of European Union Good Manufacturing Practices certification by it subsidiary ARA - Avanti Rx Analytics.
“The certification will allow the Company to ship bulk and finished dried flower, as well as bulk and finished cannabis oil for medicinal use in permitted jurisdictions throughout the European Union,” Aphria said in a statement on Tuesday.
EU GMP certification is a prerequisite for selling cannabis in most EU countries, including in medical marijuana markets such as Germany and Italy where cannabis sells for significantly higher prices than in Canada. Fewer than 10 Canadian producers are certified.
Aphria has been seeking EU GMP certification since early 2018, when it acquired Brampton, Ont.-based ARA - Avanti Rx Analytics as part of a $430-million takeover of Nuuvera Inc.
The company said on Tuesday that it has been preparing for imports into Germany via its subsidiary CC Pharma GmbH, a drug-distribution company in Germany.
“The Company anticipates that its first shipments of medical cannabis to CC Pharma will occur in its fourth quarter of its fiscal 2020,” Aphria said.
– Mark Rendell
Hill + Knowlton expands cannabis team
Consulting firm Hill+Knowlton Strategies has expanded its cannabis team, hiring Robyn Rabinovich as senior account director for cannabis. Ms. Rabinovich was previously VP of cannabis strategy and partnerships at TerrAscend Corp. and marketing manager at CannTrust Holdings Inc.
"As the Canadian cannabis industry goes through a time of transition and continues to evolve, clients are increasingly looking for business strategies to help them develop international partnerships, exploit innovations in product formulations and develop brand identities that will help them survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace,” said Omar Khan, national cannabis sector lead at Hill+Knowlton in a statement.
“Robyn’s deep understanding of compliance and regulatory affairs, her expertise in international business strategy and her experience in developing nascent cannabis brands makes her an invaluable addition to H+K’s growing cannabis consulting team," Mr. Khan said.
- Mark Rendell