Flying cows and new phase: a tour of a Dutch LP

"Come on upstairs, I'll show you around." The packaging supervisor at Hollandse Hoogtes knows exactly where to capture the best shots. A 3-kilo bag of cannabis is being carefully weighed out by a machine, portioned into smaller pouches. The licensed grower, based in Bemmel, is in full swing - and that alone makes the moment noteworthy.

On April 7th, the day the final phase of the Dutch government's regulated cannabis supply chain pilot officially kicked off, Hollandse Hoogtes opened its doors to the press. The company proudly showcased its legal cannabis production process. "We've been fighting for this for four years," says CEO Frans van Dijk just before cutting into a celebratory space cake—non-infused for now - marking what many see as the true beginning of the long-delayed government experiment.

Indoor growing and hand trimming
As of April 7, coffeeshops in the ten participating municipalities are only allowed to stock regulated cannabis. Hollandse Hoogtes is one of the ten licensed cultivators - and one of the few that has already been producing at full capacity for some time. The cannabis is grown in a state-of-the-art greenhouse complex in Bemmel, equipped with daylight-free grow rooms and full post-harvest infrastructure, including drying areas, trimming rooms, and of course, packaging facilities.

The facility became fully operational in May 2024, exactly one year after construction began in the NEXTgarden horticultural zone. The fact that product is already leaving the premises at a rate of about 200 kilos per week is exceptional, especially considering not all license holders met the initial deadlines. Of the ten selected growers, only four were fully ready in time, with three just managing to get there by April 7. The remaining three are still ramping up.

Flying cows and retail visibility
Cannabis from the Bemmel facility is destined for coffeeshops across the ten pilot cities: Almere, Arnhem, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg, and Zaanstad. Hollandse Hoogtes packages its product in eye-catching designs featuring flying cows - an inventive way to stand out within the advertising restrictions imposed on participants. While direct marketing is prohibited, coffeeshops are allowed to display the origin of their products in-store.

The Dutch government plans to evaluate the program in four years. But in Bemmel, eyes are already on the future. The current facility houses ten 330-square-meter grow rooms, but the site is built with expansion in mind. "For this phase, these ten rooms suffice, but we're ready to scale up with eight more if needed," says Total Quality Manager Peter Prijs during the tour.

Track-and-trace and full transparency
The company already employs 140 people, with plans to expand further. Hollandse Hoogtes is also developing an on-site kitchen to produce edibles, such as hash-infused cakes - another area expected to generate new job opportunities.

The celebratory cakes served in the staff canteen on Monday were cannabis-free, understandably (and unfortunately). Navigating the sprawling facility, even sober, can be disorienting. Multiple zones are access-controlled, requiring badge scans to enter. Security and traceability are critical pillars of the government program, and that emphasis is apparent throughout the operation.

That's what made Monday's open-door moment so special. In the future, Hollandse Hoogtes hopes to participate in "Kom in de Kas," the Dutch horticulture open house event. Full public access isn't feasible, of course, but virtual tours are very much on the table. One thing is clear: Hollandse Hoogtes is committed to transparency. Taking cannabis cultivation out of the shadows is a central goal of the pilot, and with April 7 behind us, another major step has been taken.

Take a tour through the facility with Quality Manager Peter Prijs. Full photo report available here.

For more information:
Hollandse Hoogtes
info@hollandsehoogtes.nl
www.hollandsehoogtes.nl