California’s Famous Cannabis Goes To Europe: Rescheduling Drives Demand For De-Risked, Pest-Free, Low-Cost Plants
In an exclusive interview with Benzinga Cannabis, Kevin Brooks, CEO of Conception Nurseries, discussed his company’s potential impact on the cannabis industry amid the anticipated federal rescheduling.
Brooks, who began his professional career in Silicon Valley, transitioned to the Sacramento region, drawn by the burgeoning cannabis market. Conception Nurseries specializes in tissue culture propagation technology, which aligns with the FDA and pharmaceutical standards expected to be required under rescheduling.
From Cookies To Conception
Before founding Conception Nurseries, Brooks was instrumental in transforming the Cookies brand from an underground sensation to a legally recognized entity in California. “We were the first group to put Cookies legally on the market,” Brooks said.
Brooks’s team managed Cookies’ cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and retail, and rebranded their stores under the Cookies name. Upon the termination of the agreement. they rebranded the company to Connected Cannabis and acquired the world-famous cannabis brand Alien Labs.
This experience highlighted the importance of reliable genetics in large-scale cannabis cultivation, ultimately leading Brooks to found Conception Nurseries to address supply chain challenges using advanced tissue culture propagation technology.
Choosing Tissue Culture: Lower Price, Fewer Risks
Conception Nurseries adopted micropropagation, or tissue culture, to tackle significant issues in cannabis cultivation. This process begins by selecting a healthy plant and extracting tiny pieces of vegetal tissue, which are then reproduced in a sterile environment.
Tissue culture is a method that ensures that the plants are free from pests and diseases. Brooks explained that this technology was chosen due to its ability to produce healthier, more consistent plants that meet high …