With legacy genetics, CANNA nutrients, and a partnership with Lot420, Verte West is defining dank for Canada and fruit-forward for Europe.
Verte West – From Business Studies to Family Venture
Vancouver Island cannabis producer Tyler Hass turned business studies into a family venture when he co-founded Verte West in 2019. Together with his friend Erik, his father, uncle, and brother – who turned to cannabis after a life-changing car accident – Hass developed a brand born out of tribulation and perseverance, which today is in demand both in Canada and abroad.
Hass has grown with CANNA for “15 years straight,” utilizing the nutrient line and cultivating in CANNA loose coco. He swears by its consistency, effectiveness, international recognition, and ability to simplify production.
“It takes away the worry of mixing nutrients. It’s ease of mind for me,” Tyler Hass says.
The Hass family’s West Coast connection runs deep, with his brother once owning Victoria hydroponic store Mr. Fertilizer, where they trialed products long before scaling up.
The Canadian cannabis business “was a whole new thing,” he says. “So, we overshot, and over-predicted, and learned. We learned, but we stuck with it. I think we’ve done a great job putting the pieces together now.”
The producer stands at 6,000 square feet of canopy, with another floor currently under construction for a total of 12,000 square feet.
“We’re going to do that very slowly. We have a lot of demand,” says Hass, “but I just don’t want to make any mistakes expanding.” Including a bigger office to account for QA and global expansion!
Additionally, Cowichan Valley’s Verte West has partnered with Quebec’s Lot420. The collaboration has positioned them as a dependable international supplier, with 80% of their harvest exported in the last year.
Tyler Hass on Choosing CANNA
As the owner and COO of Verte West, Hass mitigates potential problems while prioritizing daily tasks.
“I have so many things I have to worry about,” he says, “so worrying about mixing nutrients or making mistakes on the mixture when we do it – I just don’t want that to be on my list.
“I’ve tried everybody else, I’ve tried powdered lines, and ultimately, I’ve come back every time. Not that I left, but I’ve just never successfully switched to something else.”
Working with Lot420 was an easy transition as well because “they knew the quality they were going to get, and they knew our growing methods were identical. So, we grew some of their genetics, and it was a great fit.”
Both producers conduct genetic hunts, and due to the high cost of phenohunting, “strategically,” he says, “I think that’s been incredible for both of us.”
Verte West and Lot420 grow using CANNA nutrients under very similar conditions. “So, if we fill a SKU together, or if we work together domestically, we can rely on each other to help with production.”
“I’m super excited for Lot420’s Glock. To me, it’s off the charts!”
From Funk to Fruit
With a foundation of legacy genetics alongside their own breeding programs, both producers have distinguished the distinctive “dank” profiles that Canadians favour. “The danky armpit, cheese, baby diaper; all the nasty stays here,” he says. In contrast, the fruitier and floral profiles feed German and UK markets. Verte West has also worked with the Orchard brand, as well as Pistol and Paris, representing them domestically.
“I think Hawaiian Fanta has been a pretty big cultivar for us,” says Hass. “Jungle Berries was big for us. We’ve done a lot of Gelato for Lot420, Orange Cake, and right now, personally, I’m super excited for Lot420’s Glock. It’s the Gelato-Orange Cake cross they did. To me, it’s off the charts!”
Still, Hass emphasizes the importance of balance and staying diversified because loyalty to the Canadian market matters, and export markets aren’t bulletproof.
“We’re kind of stepping back, and we’ve got to have a domestic presence regardless of if it costs us a bit.”
However, with domestic prices stabilizing over the past 18 months, and now that Verte West has established itself as a trusted producer, Hass says he’s excited by the prospect of choice moving forward – in the pursuit of quality over the THC hype.
The Future of Choice in Cannabis
“I think overseas sucked up a lot of product; a lot of good product, too, which maybe impacted the quality of the local market a little bit,” says Hass. “Now that there’s been this year and a half of constant pricing, I feel like, as a producer, I know where we’re at, and I know I can produce at this price.”
Hass couldn’t do it without the dedication of his team, including head grower Ryan Murley.
“His hard work and dedication have allowed this company to achieve what it has.”
The Team @Verte West
When producing a consistent, high-quality product for international markets, inputs are key. For Verte West, CANNA is still the only one.
“You get dialed in, and if things are going well, it’s really hard to dial in somebody else’s stuff too – it takes years and years,” he says. “So, I think we just got it sorted. I think because I’ve built enough trust and have enough people willing to buy our product, I can grow some way better weed, way higher quality. And maybe it’s 24 or 25%, but it’s just better.”
Having built that trust over the last 5+ years, Tyler Hass says that’s what he’s most excited about.
“Now I can launch it at 26%, that’s better quality than 31%,” he says, “And I’m not compromising anything.”
Head Grower, Ryan Murley
Read how CANNA has supported the success stories of Will Founier and Jose Dominguez.
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