Puro New Zealand has completed what it said was the country’s first successful export of certified organic, GACP-produced solventless hash, landing the shipment in Australia for processing by manufacturer Epsilon.
Co-founder Tom Forrest said the milestone marked the first time New Zealand-grown certified organic hash had entered an international value chain.
Epsilon will process the hash into refined rosin for customers in Australia and Europe, with early batches moving toward UK rosin cart buyers.
Forrest said Puro had an agreement with at least one Australian firm to take the products under a white-label deal and launch them as a “finished hash medicine”.
A formal announcement is expected soon.
GrowerIQ
GrowerIQ – a Canadian software company that uses AI technology to support Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant cannabis firms – has renewed its independent compliance check, confirming its system meets the standards required for GMP.
The review, carried out by consultancy RQC, confirmed the platform meets standards set out in EudraLex Annex 11 and PIC/S guidelines, which are required for producers seeking EU-GMP certification and access to tightly regulated medical markets.
Chief executive Andrew Wilson said the renewed approval was “a significant achievement for GrowerIQ and our clients”.
“It demonstrates our commitment to providing a robust, compliant platform that enables cannabis producers to meet the highest quality standards required for pharmaceutical markets,” he added.
The company was the only cannabis firm selected to participate in the Team Canada Mission to Australia earlier this year, an event in which the two countries collaborated across key industries.
MedReleaf Australia/Leafio
MedReleaf Australia has signed a distribution deal with Leafio.
The agreement will see the Montu-owned division distribute medicine under the MedReleaf, CraftPlant, Aurora, Whistler Cannabis Co and IndiMed brands.
Vitura Health
Vitura has announced the creation of an Industry Advisory Group designed to “provide expertise-based guidance” to its board, and strengthen the firm’s clinical governance and patient experience.
The group will advise the board on medical practice management, doctor recruitment and retention, and emerging opportunities and risks across the medicinal cannabis and speciality-clinic sector.
It will operate for an initial 24-month term, chaired by independent non-executive director Gerard Fogarty, with a search underway for industry experts to join the panel.
Althea Group Holdings
Althea Group Holdings had confirmed shareholder approval of a resolution to change the firm’s name to Peak Processing Limited, formalising its streamlined focus on its North American THC-beverage business.
Chair Manik Pujara said the shift reflected the firm’s transformation over the past year, which was now centred entirely on Peak Processing Solutions.
He added the firm no longer “owned the Althea name”, following the sale of its Australian pharmaceutical assets to Tasmanian Botanics earlier this year – a move that ended its operations in Australia
Chief executive Barry Katzman pointed to Peak’s 35% share of the Canadian THC-beverage market and a major lift in delivery reliability as early key achievements supporting the firm’s decision.