There are many operators active in the Michigan cannabis market, making it challenging for growers to stand out. There is a multitude of growers, as well as companies making edibles and vapes—it almost feels as if everyone is producing the same thing. Standing out in such a saturated market requires growers to bring their A-game on a daily basis.
"We grow 100 different strains, and we always have exclusive genetics. It's crucial to keep things exciting. Over the past six years, we have become one of the biggest operators in the state market, which has now surpassed other powerhouses like Colorado and California," says Conor McElroy from Nura Cannabis, a large-scale cultivator based in Warren, a city near Detroit. "Michigan has ultimately become one of the biggest markets in the U.S."
However, competition isn't just about the sheer quantity of cannabis operations in the state. "Michigan tends to have the top growers in the U.S.," says Willow Tochalauski, Director of Cultivation at Nura. "I'd even go as far as to say that the quality of Michigan-grown cannabis has surpassed that of states like Colorado and California."
Growing in a super competitive market
Nura grows its cannabis in a fully indoor, 75,000-square-foot facility that recently expanded to Phase 3, which consists of three large veg rooms and 22 flower rooms. "We're going to have 22,000 plants growing at once here," Willow says. "We basically doubled our size." Speaking of size, the rooms vary to accommodate the growth characteristics of the many strains they cultivate.
Cultivation at Nura starts with in-house propagated clones. "It makes more sense for us," says Willow. "We source clones from specific breeders for our mother stock. Then, we typically grow 2–3 plants larger and take cuttings from those to increase our plant count. As the ball keeps rolling, pheno hunting may be something we implement."
The cultivation setup is illuminated by Gavita LEDs, with a Netafim irrigation system and Agrotek controls, which allow Willow and her team to manage everything from a central master control. However, things haven't always been smooth at Nura. "Initially, when we were still small, we faced the common issue many cannabis companies encounter: people who came to work for us didn't expect this to be such a labor-intensive job," she explains.
After all, this is a challenge cannabis businesses often face. When people think of joining the cannabis industry, they expect to interact with plants daily. However, that's not the only part of being a cannabis grower. "It's also about cleaning," Willow points out. "There's a lot of plant-touching involved obviously. However, there are times when this job might feel more like being a janitor than anything else, but that's of the utmost importance since customers are entitled to get the cleanest product possible." As a result, Willow found herself working with some party-goers who joined the company briefly, only to leave when they realized the job didn't suit them. "Eventually, we were truly a skeleton crew and had to shoulder all the work ourselves. Now that we've reached Phase 3, it makes it all the more rewarding."
Benefits of grow bags
One factor that made things easier—and still does—is the use of PRO-MIX® grow bags. "Grow bags make transplanting a walk in the park," she says. "We just drop those bags on our tables, rip off the top, and place our plants in them. Even when we finish and chop the plant down, it's easy to grab the bag and get rid of it. On top of that, we've noticed that growing in PRO-MIX® adds a bit more flavor to our genetics. After all, I believe the tastiest flowers are grown in soil, and with the grow bags, we hit the sweetest spot."
This approach is instrumental in growing quality cannabis. Not only does it allow Nura's strains to express their full genetic potential, but it also showcases the grower's expertise and passion in the final product. "Quality cannabis shows that the person who grew it had love for the plant in their heart, ensured it was clean, and didn't cut any corners," Willow says. Conor wholeheartedly agrees. "Quality cannabis is indeed grown with love—it's safe and clean. After all, if you put anything in your body, it has to be clean."
The future looks bright for Nura, with more expansion in the works. "We're going to become one of the largest facilities in Michigan," Conor says. "With the opening of Phase 3, we're taking a step in the right direction. Next, we're going to upscale the processing side of the business. New brands and products are also coming online. We can't help but be excited about what lies ahead."
For more information:
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