© Michael Kransz | mkransz@mlive.com/mlive.com/TNS Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, second from left, with company officials from Fluresh cuts a ribbon Wednesday, July 29, on the Fluresh’s new medical marijuana growing operation at 1213 Phillips Ave.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The second medical marijuana grow operation in Grand Rapids opened Wednesday afternoon with a ribbon-cutting by the mayor.
The new growing operation by Fluresh is expected to have more than 100 workers and produce roughly 40,000 to 48,000 pounds of medical marijuana annually when operating at full capacity, according to company officials.
The growing operation is adjacent but not connected to the company’s provisioning center at 1213 Phillips Ave., which opened in February and was the first in Grand Rapids.
“I’m happy to be here for the ribbon-cutting, because Fluresh is really leading the way in our community in this new industry, and they’ve made significant commitments to the community, especially this neighborhood,” Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said. “I’m happy to be here to support their efforts.”
Fluresh CEO Tom Benson said the company is working with Black and Brown Cannabis Guild and LINC UP, a nonprofit community development organization, to hire diverse employees. He said the company is specifically hoping to source workers from the 49507 ZIP code, which includes the grow operation and a good portion of the city’s Southeast Side.
“One of our key focuses is really collaborating with community partners in Grand Rapids,” Benson said. “We’ve made significant investment, financial investment in this facility and really want to collaborate with the community, bring employment opportunities and really focus on having a positive local impact and bring employees from the local area.”
Currently, Fluresh has about 30 employees across the grow operation, corporate offices and provisioning center at the Phillips Avenue location.
Related: ‘It’s about time:’ Patients can get medical marijuana from facility in Grand Rapids
Additional hiring will start in August and run through 2021. According to the company, all employees will be provided competitive pay, health benefits and a 401(k).
The 133,000-square-foot grow facility in Grand Rapids that can house up to 16,000 plants is Fluresh’s second grow operation in Michigan. The first is located in Adrian and is licensed to grow up to 12,500 plants. The Adrian grow and processing facility has more than 100 employees, according to the company.
Benson said the company is being environmentally conscious with its Grand Rapids growing operation by reclaiming and reusing water and working with Consumers Energy on electricity consumption. The company is slated to start bringing plants into the facility within the next couple of weeks.
Fluresh officials have submitted applications to Grand Rapids to allow them to sell and grow recreational marijuana at the Phillips Avenue location.
The first grow operation in Grand Rapids opened in June with a virtual ribbon-cutting. That facility, located at 2055 Oak Industrial Dr. NE, has the capacity for up to 6,000 plants. The company, Terrapin Care Station, said the operation will bring 30 new jobs to the city.
Grand Rapids is currently in the process of reviewing license applications for recreational marijuana facilities, including dispensaries. A majority of applicants will have to wait until early September to apply for a zoning permit.
Read more:
Grand Rapids’ first stand-alone medical marijuana grow center holds Zoom ribbon-cutting
Why Michigan public health departments publicize some coronavirus exposure sites but not others
Ice cream shop owner wants customers to stop yelling at staff over mask requirement
———
©2020 MLive.com, Walker, Mich.
Visit MLive.com, Walker, Mich. at www.mlive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Recent Comments