EXCLUSIVE: Clever Leaves CEO On Why Cannabis Companies Should Grow Near The Equator

Cannabis brand Clever Leaves Holdings CLVR was founded on a simple idea, CEO Kyle Detwiler said Thursday during the latest virtual Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference.

Rather than grow cannabis where any opportunity arose, like in Canada, companies should operate near the equator, he said: the location of more favorable cannabis cultivation conditions.

Why Clever Leaves Grows In Colombia

The approach led the low-cost medical cannabis company to establish its primary operations in Portugal and Colombia, producing half of the latter nation's THC product, the CEO said. 

Clever Leaves chose Colombia for multiple reasons, he said. 

The country has a growing environment with 12 hours of sunlight and 12 of darkness, Detwiler said, along with 8,300-foot elevation that helps mitigate pests.  

While U.S. and Canadian grow ops attempt to replicate these conditions, "in Colombia, we get all of that for free."

The Colombian government has named Clever Leaves a project of strategic and national interest, the cannabis CEO said. 

Clever Leaves Expands Global Footprint

Like most larger cannabis operators, Clever Leaves seeks to make a global impression.

Today, the company boasts 1.9 million square feet of cultivation space and several certifications, including EU GMP, for its cultivation facilities worldwide.

A U.S. market entrance is imminent after the acquisition of the non-cannabis nutraceutical manufacturer Herbal Brands, Detwiler said.

The acquisition will serve as the launch pad for Clever Leaves' CBD product later this year, the CEO said.