At FullTilt Labs, everything is done in-house, from growing to extraction. "We don't wholesale or bulk sell any of our product," says Salvatore Piazza, the owner of this cannabis operation out of New Jersey. "We grow everything ourselves, and we only do solvent-less extraction." This approach ensures full control over the entire production process, maintaining quality at every step.
"We grow a lot of our own strains, but we also cultivate some created by others," Salvatore explains. "We have a phenohunting room, a breeding room, and we do things differently than many other places in New Jersey." One key difference is their use of tissue culture, a method that allows them to store clean plant material and maintain genetic integrity and cleanliness.
Indoors in New Jersey
Growing indoors is both a necessity and a choice for FullTilt Labs. "My town doesn't allow outdoor or greenhouse growing," Salvatore says. "But honestly, I've always grown indoors. It allows me to control every single element of the environment and get the most out of the plant." This level of control is essential for Salvatore to position FullTilt Labs in the premium market segment. "Just like in a liquor store, you see wine at all price ranges. Cannabis is the same – you have cheap bottles and thousand-dollar bottles. The latter is where we position ourselves."
FullTilt Labs operates with two flower rooms, covering 2500 square feet of canopy, and a small but dedicated team of five. "We touch every plant every day," Salvatore says. "We make sure each one gets what it needs. We're passionate and in love with what we do." He adds that the company's small size allows them to focus on quality, not quantity. "I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. It's all about knowing your limits and focusing on quality."
Salvatore's background in construction plays a big role in FullTilt Labs' success. He built the entire facility himself, which gives him a deep understanding of its inner workings. "I understand everything about this place, from the cooling systems to the humidity controls. We have 40 tons of cooling capacity, which allows us to control temperature and humidity perfectly. We can push the environment through summer, fall, and even drop the room down to 55 degrees Fahrenheit when needed."
Keeping cultivation clean and pathogen-free
One of the key factors that keeps their facility clean and disease-free is the use of ProGuard air purifiers by Innovative Solutions. "In this building, we haven't seen any disease, and ProGuard is huge for us," Salvatore explains. ProGuard air systems are installed in every room, including the HVAC system. "It's constantly cleaning the air, moving it in and out, and sending it back clean. I may have gone overboard with how many ProGuard units I've installed," he laughs. "But we've had no issues with mold, mildew, or pests, and a lot of that is because of ProGuard."
Mike D'Ambra, Founder of Innovative Solutions, emphasizes that ProGuard air sanitization stands out due to its unique 'Pro-Active' sanitization process. This sanitization method transforms humidity into ionized hydro-peroxide vapor, which continuously sanitizes the entire room. Operating 24/7, it effectively eliminates pathogens from the air and surfaces, including mold, mildew, and bacteria on plants, benches, lights and other surfaces in the room. This proactive approach keeps the room clean and helps growers prevent contamination issues from starting, enhancing product quality and yields.
As the market evolves, many growers are resorting to post-harvest remediation techniques like irradiation, which can compromise product quality. However, Salvatore and his team at FullTilt Labs stand out by focusing on cultivating the highest quality craft flower while actively preventing contamination, thereby eliminating the need for remediation. In competitive markets like New Jersey, flower quality will be a key differentiator among brands, positioning FullTilt Labs as a market leader. "We take pride in the role that ProGuard air sanitization plays in supporting their mission to maintain a clean environment, allowing them to continually raise the bar for the highest quality cannabis available" says Mike.
Salvatore is meticulous about cleanliness, not just for the sake of the plants, but for the entire facility. "You're growing weed, but you're also a janitor," he says. "You have to be clean, and you have to keep everything clean. We don't let many people in the building, and we all change clothes before entering. We're constantly sanitizing everything."
Another aspect of their cleanliness is constant defoliation. "A lot of people leave the leaves on, but we're constantly removing them. This prevents any buildup of mold or mildew. We don't wait for problems to happen; we're always ahead of it."
ProGuard has been a trusted part of Salvatore's operations for years, even before he set up FullTilt Labs. "I first saw a ProGuard unit years ago when I was growing in another operation. Someone showed me how it worked, and I immediately realized how essential it was. From that day on, I've always had one. It makes me feel confident knowing it's there, cleaning the air and preventing issues before they start."
The use of ProGuard, along with strict cleanliness protocols, allows FullTilt Labs to produce a premium product free of contaminants. "We're all about giving the cleanest possible product," Salvatore says. "That's what I want to smoke, and that's what we give to our customers." He emphasizes that everything is grown in soil with organic inputs. "We run a mix of biologicals. It's all about giving the plant what it needs for the best possible expression, especially flavor-wise. Growing in soil really brings out that flavor."
Lighting and plans for the future
Their focus on quality extends to their lighting setup as well. "In New Jersey, you can run HPS lights – unlike other states – but we prefer LEDs by TSRgrow," Salvatore says. "They've designed their lights to be ahead of the curve by removing the drivers and heat load from the room. The plants have been thriving under them." He adds that the third round of flowering has produced great results, especially in terms of yield. "We're hitting 150-160 pounds of product, and that's with a single-tier system."
Though FullTilt Labs is relatively small compared to larger MSOs, Salvatore isn't concerned about scaling up. "There are 170 dispensaries in the state, and I produce enough product to supply 40 of them. I don't want to get bigger. I'm comfortable with what I have, and I don't want to expand beyond that." His only future plan, if the opportunity arises, is to open a facility in Florida once cannabis is legalized there. "But that's it. I love my size, I love my team. More people just means more complications."
For more information:
Innovative Solutions
innovative-solutions.org
Instagram: @innovativesolutions4mmj
FullTilt Labs
fulltiltlabs.com