TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- The Flowr Corporation has announced it that its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, RPK Biopharma Ltd, has entered into a series of agreements with Cookies Creative Consulting and Promotions Inc. whereby RPK Biopharma will be cultivating and distributing Cookies products in Portugal from its E.U. GMP facility in Sintra. Pursuant to the terms of the licensing agreements, RPK Biopharma will cultivate and have the exclusive rights to sell Cookies branded products, including non-cannabis merchandise, in Portugal for three years subject to certain milestone commitments. Flowr has commenced the process of importing the Cookies branded genetics from Canada into Portugal and expects to be able to commence commercial production by year-end. Cookies will assist Flowr with the development of a retail distribution strategy in Portugal through the country’s existing pharmacy networks and the design of up to three proprietary retail pharmacy outlets in the country. RPK Biopharma is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Holigen Holdings Limited.
Cookies is an international cannabis brand led by Berner, co-founder and CEO of Cookies, an accomplished entrepreneur and rapper. Cookies has taken a leading role in the development of genetics, such as Girl Scout Cookies, and has been at the forefront of cannabis culture globally. Today, the Cookies brand is available in the United States, Canada, Israel and Spain. The Cookies brand extends beyond cannabis and is also a leading clothing and lifestyle brand. In 2021, Cookies was voted as one of the hottest cannabis brands in the world by Ad Age.
“We will be growing the most recognizable cannabis strains in the world in Portugal, including Gary Payton, Cereal Milk, Gelatti, Pancakes and Pink Runtz. As we do in Canada, we want our operations in Portugal to cultivate only ultra-premium medical cannabis and a partnership with Cookies was a no brainer for the company,” commented Darryl Brooker, chief executive officer of the Flowr. “We cannot wait to grow the Cookies branded genetics and proudly display their brand. Establishing this partnership is the next step in the evolution of our business in the E.U. and will provide us with a competitive advantage in the fast-growing E.U. medical cannabis market.”
“The fact Portugal decriminalized drugs back in the early 2000’s and people in the U.S. are still being locked up for cannabis 20 years later, shows the world, especially the U.S., that we can learn a lot from their forward thinking. The partners we chose in Portugal have one of the most advanced facilities I’ve seen and will be producing some of the best cannabis in the world. It’s partnerships like this that keep me excited about the growth and expansion of Cookies worldwide,” commented Berner, co-founder and CEO of Cookies.
RPK Biopharma will be cultivating the Cookies branded genetics at its 25,000-square-foot purpose-built indoor facility located in Sintra, Portugal, which is located just outside of Lisbon. The Sintra facility is an indoor cultivation, extract processing and finished product packaging facility. The Sintra facility obtained its E.U. GMP certification in the first quarter of 2020. RPK Biopharma is positioned to distribute its medicinal product to other European countries that allow the sale of medical cannabis.
The European medical cannabis market has continued to grow as additional countries have updated their regulations to legalize the use of medical cannabis. Brightfield estimates the market will generate over U.S.$570 million in 2021 and reach over U.S.$3.11 billion by 2025.