“The biggest thing in cannabis is just making sure you have enough supply both to meet the demand of the current medical cannabis community and also as we welcome adults over 21 into our stores,” said Trishelle Kirk, of Everest Cannabis Co.
Last year, as Everest Cannabis Co. was preparing to supply a much bigger market, they invested in some automation equipment.
“A) It helps us scale up production but B) it also helps us have a very accurate experience for our customers – which we find very important,” Kirk said.
One of the robots is named Rosie, a filling machine used by the company.
“One of the challenges in cannabis is it’s hard to get the same product every time,” Kirk said, “so by having automation equipment that doses to in a very exact amount we’re able to provide a very consistent experience for our customers.”
Relying on technology is also ensuring the supply is there but is also consistent.
“Automation is the way that the industry is moving as volumes increase so, yes, we do expect there to be more automation, but there’s also a human element,” Kirk said. “We’re growing plants and plants are all unique and so I don’t think that the physical footprint never goes away but to scale up equipment automation was going to be a really important piece of the industry.”
Kirk tells us one of the benefits of investing in automation is they’re also able to invest more in their employees. The company has reportedly raised its minimum wage, rolled out parental leave and introduced other benefits to try and create careers in cannabis.
