Essence Investment AG, a Swiss strategic investor in the European cannabis sector, has completed a €30 million production facility in the Netherlands. Its Dutch subsidiary, Growery B.V., has delivered its first locally grown cannabis to selected coffeeshops.
"Essence aims to become a leading player in the European cannabis industry. Entering the legal cannabis market through the Growery in the Netherlands is a crucial step in our long-term strategy, and it complements our existing activities in the CBD and medicinal THC sectors," says Vladimir Smetanin, CEO and founder of Essence Investment.
The Growery is one of only ten licensed producers taking part in the Nederlandse Wietexperiment (Dutch Cannabis Experiment). The company currently produces about 125 kg of dried cannabis flowers per week, using around 40 strains in a modern indoor facility near Rotterdam, with space to increase production.
Its product range includes dried flowers, pre-rolls, hash, and specialty edibles, all processed and packaged in-house to maintain quality. These products are supplied exclusively to coffeeshops in ten participating Dutch municipalities, such as Tilburg, Breda, Arnhem, and Groningen.
The Dutch Cannabis Experiment aims to test a fully regulated and taxable cannabis supply chain—from cultivation to retail sales. By allowing coffeeshops in selected cities to buy from approved growers like Growery, the project seeks to improve product safety, reduce the illegal market, and generate tax revenue.
Essence
In recent years, Essence Investment AG has developed a broad cannabis portfolio covering CBD products, medicinal THC, and, through the Growery, legally produced adult-use cannabis. The company also holds stakes in several industry players, including Swiss market leaders Marry Jane AG and Swiss Extract AG.
The Growery
The Growery positions itself as a reliable supplier of high-demand cannabis products, built on three principles: a recognizable brand, consistent quality, and transparent production processes. Rather than focusing mainly on niche or experimental products, the Growery prioritizes the strains that have long dominated coffeeshop sales. These core varieties are complemented by a smaller range of premium options, including strains with enhanced terpene profiles.
"Every legal producer aims to outperform the grey market through higher quality, guaranteed safety, and total reliability," says Steven van Eekeren, CEO of the Growery. "Our focus is to deliver products consumers already know, strains that coffeeshops have sold for years, now elevated to a new level of quality, with full safety guarantees and complete traceability."
Exemplary function
The Growery complies fully with all rules of the Dutch Cannabis Experiment, including mandatory testing by government-approved laboratories and complete documentation of every step in the supply chain. Both Essence Investment and the Growery view the other certified producers not as competitors, but as partners working toward the same goal.
"Our real competitor is the grey market, not the other licence holders," says Steven van Eekeren, CEO of the Growery. "We are working together to make this experiment a success, to give consumers safe and legal products, and ultimately to reduce the grey and black markets."
The Growery's production facility was designed and built by a Dutch engineering team to the highest technical and operational standards. Essence invested around €30 million in the project, describing it as a clear sign of confidence in the future of Europe's legal cannabis industry.
For more information:
Essence Investment AG 
[email protected]
https://essence-investment.ch/
