Experience Highlights
Hexo Corp | Gatineau, Québec
For Hexo Corp in Gatineau, Québec, Catalyst BC provided high-level cannabis technical advisory and performance benchmarking for one of the largest-scale greenhouse footprints in the global cannabis sector. Our engagement focused on stabilizing critical infrastructure and implementing data-driven cultivation strategies to drive operational excellence at a massive scale.
A Decade of Harvest Success—Trusted by Leading Cannabis Operators Worldwide
Hexo Corp Company Profile
Founded in 2013 (as The Hydropothecary Corporation) in Gatineau, Québec, HEXO quickly grew into one of Canada’s largest licensed cannabis producers. By 2018 it rebranded to HEXO Corp and built out a massive 1.3 M+ sq ft cultivation campus in Gatineau. Through acquisitions (Redecan, Zenabis, 48North) and partnerships (e.g. Molson Coors beverage JV) it amassed a broad product portfolio and claimed top market-share in Canada by 2021. The company became a publicly traded leader on the TSX and (later) Nasdaq.
In April 2023 Tilray Brands agreed to acquire HEXO (closed June 22, 2023). HEXO is now a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Tilray, integrated into Tilray’s Canadian operations. The combined company boasts Canada’s largest cannabis revenue and a ~13% market share. HEXO’s Gatineau and Ontario facilities and its brand portfolio continue under Tilray, now led by Tilray Canada.
Mission & Positioning
HEXO positioned itself as an innovation-focused cannabis consumer packaged goods (CPG) company. Its stated mission emphasized high-quality, “smoke-free” cannabis products and global brand-building. Management aimed to become a top-3 global cannabis firm (top-2 in Canada) by scaling operations and partnering (e.g. the Molson Coors Truss JV). The brand highlighted scientific R&D, patient/consumer education and sustainability (ESG) in its charter.
As part of Tilray, HEXO’s positioning aligns with Tilray’s global mission of quality and wellness. Tilray’s corporate mission focuses on trusted, high‑quality cannabis and CPG brands worldwide (medical and recreational). HEXO’s original emphasis on premium products continues under the Tilray Canada strategy, though now framed within a larger portfolio of brands.
Operations & Facility
HEXO’s flagship grow campus is in Gatineau, Québec. The company expanded this site significantly (adding a 250k sq ft greenhouse in mid-2018 and a 1 M sq ft greenhouse by late 2018), giving it one of North America’s largest cultivation facilities. In Sept 2018 it also acquired a stake in a ~2 million sq ft processing center in Belleville, Ontario (which became its main extraction/manufacturing hub). Additional cultivation sites came through M&A: Newstrike/Up Cannabis (Niagara and Brantford, Ontario) and Zenabis (Atholville, NB; Stellarton, NS). By 2021 HEXO operated three major grow sites (Gatineau, Atholville, Stellarton) and processing facilities in Ontario, aligning with its national expansion.
All former HEXO facilities now operate under Tilray’s Canadian infrastructure. The Gatineau campus and Belleville facility remain in use for production and distribution. Tilray has announced plans to improve utilization across these sites to achieve cost synergies. In practice, HEXO’s Ontario and Québec sites continue producing flower, oils, edibles (Bake Sale), etc., now branded under Tilray’s management.
Products & Market
HEXO served both Canada’s adult-use and medical markets. In Canada its recreational portfolio included multiple brands: HEXO (flagship flower/vape brand), Up Cannabis, Original Stash, Redecan, Bake Sale (edibles), and others (Namaste, REUP, 48North, etc.). It sold dried flower, pre-rolls, vape pens, oils/softgels, infused edibles and soon beverages (via Truss). On the medical side it used the Hydropothecary brand. HEXO also launched “Powered by HEXO” in Colorado and entered European markets – its products reached patients in Malta/Israel and it formed a Greek JV (Hexo Med) in 2019 to build a facility. Market-wise, HEXO’s brands were among the top sellers in Quebec (its home market) and, after its 2021 acquisitions, the combined company was #1 by nationwide recreational market share. It won awards for product quality and had strong shelf presence.
Under Tilray, HEXO’s brands continue in Canada but are marketed alongside Tilray’s existing lines (e.g. Good Supply, RIFF, Solei, Broken Coast).
Tilray’s combined portfolio now explicitly lists the HEXO and Redecan brands as top-selling labels in Canada. The company maintains distribution across Canada via government and private channels (SQDC in Québec, provincial wholesalers, etc.). The merged business claims #1 or #2 positions in most product categories (flower, pre-rolls, vapes). HEXO’s legacy products (flower, vapes, edibles) remain available; some older lines may be phased or consolidated as Tilray optimizes the brand lineup.
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Operational Ramp-Up of 1M+ Sq Ft Venlo Glasshouse Cultivation Campus: Hexo Corp
Catalyst BC provided technical advisory and operational support during the commissioning and early ramp-up of HEXO Corp’s flagship production campus in Gatineau, Quebec. The facility consists of 44 acres of state-of-the-art Venlo glasshouse infrastructure totaling more than one million square feet of controlled environment cultivation, supported by fully automated post-harvest processing lines.
Catalyst BC worked closely with the head cultivator and executive leadership team during startup, helping establish the cultivation systems, environmental strategies, and operational workflows required to successfully operate cannabis production at industrial scale.
Greenhouse Commissioning & Startup
As the facility transitioned from construction to active production, Catalyst BC supported the cultivation team in bringing the glasshouse online and stabilizing early crop cycles. Support included:
- Advisory support during greenhouse commissioning and operational startup
- Environmental strategy development across large canopy zones
- Development of production workflows suited to high-density greenhouse cultivation
- Operational troubleshooting and refinement during early production cycles
These efforts helped move the facility from initial startup variability toward more stable and repeatable production.
Cultivation Systems Development
Working directly with the head cultivator, Catalyst BC helped refine the cultivation systems required to operate a greenhouse of this scale. Areas of support included:
- Climate management strategies across large greenhouse zones
- Substrate and root zone management
- Irrigation and fertigation strategy development
- Propagation optimization and cloning protocols
- Tissue culture acclimation support for transitioning plants into greenhouse production
These systems established the biological and operational foundation for large-scale cultivation.
Crop Management & Plant Health
Catalyst BC also supported the development of plant management strategies to maintain crop health and production consistency across the facility’s extensive canopy. This included:
- Crop management practices for large-scale canopy development
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program development
- Environmental monitoring and data collection systems
- Operational adjustments to reduce pathogen pressure and improve plant performance
Post-Harvest & Operational Advisory
In addition to cultivation support, Catalyst BC provided advisory input on post-harvest workflow and operational coordination. This included:
- Post-harvest process planning for drying, trimming, and product preparation
- Workflow optimization to support high-volume product throughput
- Operational alignment between cultivation output and downstream processing capacity
Catalyst BC also provided strategic advisory to HEXO’s executive team on major operational decisions related to scaling greenhouse production and improving facility performance.
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The Catalyst BC Difference
Catalyst BC supported the cultivation leadership team at HEXO Corp’s flagship production campus in Gatineau, Quebec during the commissioning and early operational ramp-up of the facility. The site includes 44 acres of state-of-the-art Venlo glasshouse infrastructure totaling more than one million square feet of cultivation space, supported by fully automated post-harvest processing lines.
Working alongside the head cultivator and executive leadership team, Catalyst BC helped establish cultivation systems including climate management, substrate strategy, irrigation programs, propagation workflows, tissue culture acclimation, crop management, IPM protocols, environmental data collection, and post-harvest workflow planning.
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