SASKATOON — Mother Labs Inc. founder and chief executive officer Brian Bain sees a bright future for the international cannabis market especially after forging a partnership with Rascal Seed Research Laboratories Pty. Ltd. of South Africa. Mother Labs has recently shipped tissue culture germplasm to Rascal Seed, a deal that had the blessing of Health Canada.
“The plants were sent in sealed, sterile tissue culture jars and packaged in our custom-designed shipping boxes,” Bain told SASKTODAY.ca.
Bain, in an earlier statement, said that the successful shipment is the first of what he expects to be many successful international deliveries.
"This successful shipment signifies a new era in the international cannabis market. Mother Labs is excited to continue adding value to the international space by leveraging our extensive list of genetic offerings, our industry leading tissue culture lab, and the countless years of cannabis experience our team possesses.”
He said the international cannabis market could expect a huge change after forging a multiyear deal with their South African counterpart.
“This industry is constantly evolving on an international level; the world is starting to open its eyes to the medical, social, and economic benefits that can arise from the acceptance of cannabis.”
Mother Labs is Canada’s first commercial cannabis nursery that was federally licensed and the second licensed cannabis nursery in the world while Rascal Seed was established in 1993 and was the first private company in South Africa that produced minitubers.
Bain said that the cannabis and hemp industries will soon play a significant role in the global economy.
“The future of cannabis and hemp is very bright. Of course, there will be bumps along the way, but the world is opening its eyes to the possibilities.”
“In 20 years, the two industries will play a massive role in revolutionizing the global economy, medicine, and personal wellbeing and have tremendous benefits for the health of our planet,” said Bain, who added that Mother Labs is the country’s leading cannabis nursery and biological asset manager that has forged long-lasting relationships on a domestic and international level.
He said that the Mother Labs-Rascal Seed partnership began with a face-to-face introduction in a cannabis expo in Vancouver a couple of years ago.
“Rascal Seed was looking to find a viable supply partner for a project they have been working on in South Africa; communications continued over a year before a contract was signed, and plans to move forward were plotted.”
Mother Labs’ global distribution was strengthened with the partnership it forged with Rascal Seed, a deal that had the blessing of Health Canada after reviewing all supporting documents provided by both parties. Health Canada also issued the invoice and the export license.
“This partnership helps Mother Labs strengthen our global distribution channels and also helps set the stage for future distribution opportunities. Our team is generally excited to help facilitate quality medical flower production in tandem with our partners for the patients of South Africa — definitely a feel-good component,” said Bain.
Rascal Seed CEO Dawie Ras, in a separate statement, said partnering with Mother Labs is in line with their goal of providing high quality product to the South African market.
“Partnering with Mother Labs, an internationally recognized cannabis breeding and consulting company, for sourcing its genetics is a significant step towards starting in the direction of producing superior, consistent material, suitable for the medicinal cannabis industry.”
“In partnership with Mother Labs and with our substantial experience in tissue culture technology and greenhouse cultivation, we also have plans to become an accredited source of reliable cannabis genetics in South Africa.”
