The Canadian cannabis market is taking shape, and U.S. wholesalers are already making an impact.
Breakthru Beverage Group has announced that Kindred Partners, a Toronto-based cannabis brokerage serving the adult recreational use market, is now operational. The sales brokerage will look to leverage the experience of its sister company, Breakthru Beverage Canada, in working with Canadian control boards, licensed distributors and retailers to broker regulated cannabis products for the recreational market.
Kindred provides brokerage services and a route-to-market platform across Canada in an exclusive partnership with CannTrust, one of Canada’s leading licensed producers for medical cannabis. Canadians from coast-to-coast will have access to CannTrust’s cannabis products with the new recreational legislation and launch of four recreational brands – liiv, Synr.g, Xscape, and Peak Leaf (Peak Leaf available only in BC).
Long-time alcohol beverage industry executive David Prodanovic was appointed general manager of Kindred by its board of directors. Prodanovic has served in roles of increasing responsibility at Labatt, Diageo, Constellation Brands and Breakthru Beverage Canada.
“CannTrust has a strong reputation in the medical cannabis field, and we are thrilled to partner with them in extending their reach to the recreational cannabis market,” says Prodanovic. “We believe this partnership provides a great opportunity for mutual, long-term growth in an emerging market and we look forward to growing our relationship.”
Although owned by Breakthru Beverage Group, Kindred will operate separately from the beverage alcohol brokerage, Breakthru Beverage Canada.
Exclusive Partnership
CannTrust and Kindred have finalized their exclusive partnership. Kindred will represent CannTrust’s cannabis products to the Canadian adult consumer market for recreational use and utilize the insights from Breakthru Beverage Canada.
“Our partnership with Kindred allows us to hit the ground running, utilizing their proven business model, sales technology, infrastructure and extensive relationships across Canada,” says Brad Rogers, president of CannTrust. “Entering this new category with a partner that brings a long history of operational and sales success in the Canadian marketplace is a logical step as we look to share our adult-use products with Canadian consumers.”
As a federally regulated licensed producer, CannTrust currently operates its 450,000-sq.-ft. Niagara Perpetual Harvest Facility. The 600,000-sq.-ft. greenhouse expansion has begun and is fully funded. CannTrust’s product portfolio is prepared and packaged at the 60,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing Centre of excellence in Vaughan, Ontario.