GWNG - 514 Cannabis

Great White North Growers, also known as GWNG, is a licensed cannabis producer based in Quebec. Since its founding in 2013, the company has evolved from an early-stage startup into a multi-faceted operation with both in-house production and distribution services for over 30 other licensed producers, many of them micro-cultivators based in the province.

While the early days involved experimentation with aeroponic systems, the real shift came when the company brought in cultivation director Patrick Pagé. With years of experience in some of Quebec’s top facilities, he was tasked with designing a new cultivation program from scratch. This opportunity became the starting point for what is now the 514 Cannabis brand, GWNG’s in-house product line.

A Purpose-Built Facility and a Focus on Scale

GWNG’s cultivation area has grown steadily and now includes over 2,000 square feet of canopy, with plans to double that in the near future. Their weekly water usage sits at around 4,000 litres and is expected to increase as the operation expands. From the start, the team has focused on creating a facility that supports scalable, repeatable processes. Environmental monitoring, room layout and workflow were all considered carefully.

A key part of this setup is the use of CANNA products across the entire plant cycle. GWNG relies on CANNA Coco Flex grow bags, CANNA Coco A and B nutrients, and CANNA Start for young clones. For Patrick, the decision was both practical and technical. Preparing pots manually was not feasible when he was the only grower on site, and Coco Flex offered a direct, time-saving solution.

But efficiency was only part of the decision. The material in the grow bags retains moisture well and supports a hybrid style of cultivation, close to hydroponics, but with some of the buffering benefits of soil. CANNA Start is used at the propagation stage to establish a strong foundation early on, reducing transplant stress and improving root development.

Why Consistency Matters

For GWNG, consistency is not a preference, it is a requirement. Variation in nutrients can introduce variability in crops, which impacts quality and creates unnecessary work. Patrick notes that with other nutrient lines, he would sometimes encounter residue or uneven mixing, which affected application. That has not been the case with CANNA.

From a management perspective, the simplicity and predictability of the CANNA system has helped reduce risk and increase confidence across the team. George Goulakos, co-founder of GWNG, points out that tools only work if they help growers do their jobs without second-guessing the outcome. CANNA has helped remove steps in the transplant process and reduced the chance of user error, both important for efficiency and consistency at scale.

Results on the Product Side

The production outcomes speak for themselves. GWNG has seen measurable improvements in terpene levels, and the sensory quality of their product has improved significantly. What consumers smell in the packaging now matches what they taste, which has helped position their 514 Cannabis line in a competitive market.

As GWNG continues to expand, the team remains focused on quality control and operational stability. CANNA remains part of that foundation, both as a product and as a support system when needed. For the GWNG team, quality is not a goal at the end of the process, it is something built in from the start, and maintained at every stage.