Flora Growth names Vessel founder James Choe as Chief Strategy Officer

Flora Growth Corp. announced the addition of Vessel founder and CEO, James Choe, to its executive team.

Choe began his career in tech, experiencing the boom and bust of the early internet. Drawn to his life-long passion for sports, Choe pivoted and spent the better part of two decades representing athletes, building sports performance products and brands, and building out a consultancy that ultimately opened the door to new opportunities beyond athletics. Choe’s varied career has given him exposure to nearly every major industry and has afforded him the opportunity to consult for over one hundred brands and launch over four hundred products into market. Through his time consulting for leading brands, cannabis producers, and Fortune 500 companies, the role of people in the success of an organization was crystalized. It is through this lens that Choe takes on the role of Chief Strategy Officer of Flora where he will focus on the development of three core pillars - people, design, and community.

“I want Flora to be the most thoughtful organization in the industry - how we think translates into the energy we bring to how we deliver on our promises as a company,” said Choe. “At Flora, we are building a unique value proposition and are capable of far more than what's been done to date in the industry. I welcome the opportunity to pave the way for the future of cannabis by protecting our people-first organization, by being relentless in our pursuit of designing better experiences and by developing a culture of operational excellence that allows us to deliver on our global initiatives.”

“We are excited not only to have added an incredible company like Vessel to our brand portfolio but to be welcoming such a skilled entrepreneur as James Choe to our executive team,” said Luis Merchan, CEO of Flora Growth. “James brings an unparalleled passion to the organization. He has always been a people-first leader and his ability to craft a company culture and strategy built in service of the team has already started to create tangible results. We look forward to him growing his contributions.”

Founded by Choe in 2018, Vessel is a company focused on premium cannabis consumption technology and accessories. With a focus on sustainability and enhancing the cannabis consumption experience, Vessel has quickly made a name in North America. Vessel was acquired by Flora in late 2021 and brings proven go-to-market strategy and brand-building expertise to the team. Vessel now represents a meaningful foothold for Flora in the North American market and is primed for global expansion through Flora’s various distribution channels.