Grow Daddy Canada
If there was ever a business with a talent for timing, it would have to be Stratford’s Grow Daddy Canada. They opened in April 2017 with an eye to stocking inventory for the big day in October 2018 when Canada legalized the recreational use of cannabis, along with approval for individuals to grow four marijuana plants per household for personal use.
“We saw a significant uptick in business around that date, for sure,” says Hunter Kerr, Grow Expert and Social Media Manager at Grow Daddy. Then in January 2019, Cannabis PEI started selling marijuana seeds and Grow Daddy was at the ready to help Islanders produce their own supply of cannabis. But with its mail order business growing every day, the operation is definitely not limited to local.
“We get hundreds of emails from across Canada asking about best practices for cultivation, preferred products and just general advice,” said Kerr. “And we ship our products to customers right across the country.”
The shop is located in the No Frills mini-mall and they just expanded their space to accommodate the vast range of products designed to produce a perfect crop, all the way from fertilizers to fans and filters. A popular item is the starter kit which includes a grow tent, along with lighting and everything a novice would need to begin production.
“Our customers represent the full spectrum of the community and include hobbyists and indoor gardeners, who may be growing lettuce or other vegetable crops over the winter.” said Kerr “They could have medicinal or recreational uses in mind. They might be looking to save money, take up a new hobby, or manage the cannabis strains they use.”
One wall of the shop displays sophisticated equipment designed to vaporize or to infuse the plants into oils and tinctures. “We are looking forward to the date when edibles are included in the legalized cannabis product range, as we have lots of opportunity for further growth in that area!” said Kerr.
Grow Daddy currently has eight staff to manage the “growing business” and they spend a lot of time responding to queries and assisting customers. They mention Facebook communities as a good source of information sharing, and
www.justthefactspei.ca as a reference for the basic information on the laws around cannabis use and production in PEI.
Grow Daddy owner, Chris Furlong, saw Stratford as an ideal location for the business, noting that the town is accessible, on a strong growth curve and has an administration that is supportive and open to opportunity.
