Adriano Fernandes, Head of Growth and Business Development at leading cultivator CANNA – a Cannabis Europa VIP Partner – shares his thoughts on the industry’s trajectory
As we head into Cannabis Europa, what do you see as the most significant developments shaping the European cannabis industry right now, and where does CANNA sit within that picture?
“The European cannabis industry is becoming more professional. The focus is no longer only on growth. Licensed producers now need to prove they can grow high quality medical cannabis, repeat the same result batch after batch, and stay commercially healthy.
“That is where CANNA can add value. We have more than 30 years of experience in cultivation, plant science, and controlled growing environments. We help growers make better cultivation decisions, improve crop quality, and work more efficiently.
“For me, the future of the industry will be built by companies that understand both the plant and the business reality behind cultivation. Cannabis Europa is important for CANNA because many of the people shaping the future of the European cannabis industry are in the same room.
“It is also an event that helps the industry develop in a responsible and professional way. We believe that it is important to support.
“For CANNA, the goal is clear. We want to become the preferred strategic cultivation partner for licensed producers in Europe, similar to the role we already have with many LPs in Canada.
“London gives us the opportunity to meet the right people, build partnerships, understand what the market needs, and show how CANNA can support serious operators as the industry matures.
“I hope to leave with stronger relationships, better market insight, and a clearer view of where CANNA can add the most value.”
CANNA operates closer to the cultivation end of the supply chain than most companies in the room. As European medical markets mature and product consistency becomes a higher priority for regulators and clinicians, how do you see the role of cultivation science evolving in that conversation?
“Cultivation science will become more important as patients, doctors, and regulators expect more from the industry.
“A medical cannabis product needs to be safe, consistent, and reliable. But patients and customers also care about aroma, flavour, and overall product quality. To achieve that, producers need to understand the plant much better and control the cultivation process more closely.
“This is a strong area for CANNA. We have research facilities in the Netherlands, Spain, and Canada, where we continue to build knowledge about plant nutrition, substrates, growing conditions, and crop performance.
“We also learned many lessons from the Canadian market. That experience showed us how important compliance, traceability, and reliable inputs are in medical cannabis cultivation.
“In Europe, the industry does not need to reinvent everything from zero. We want to be part of the process early, working with cultivators, partners, and regulatory stakeholders to help build a stronger and more reliable medical cannabis industry.”
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Across the multiple markets CANNA operates in, where are you seeing the most meaningful shifts in operator sophistication and cultivation standards, and what is driving them?
“We are seeing the biggest shifts in indoor medical cannabis cultivation, especially in markets such as Denmark, North Macedonia, and Canada.
“Growers are paying much more attention to climate control, irrigation precision, nutrition, SOPs, crop steering, consistency, and post harvest handling.
“The market is becoming more competitive, quality expectations are higher, and producers need to deliver consistent medical cannabis at a cost that makes sense. Cultivation operations are becoming more professional, more controlled, and more data driven.”
Looking beyond Cannabis Europa, which developments, regulatory, commercial, or scientific, do you believe will most shape the European cannabis industry over the next 12 months?
“Germany will continue to have a strong influence on the European market, especially around patient access and imports. Competition will also keep increasing. That will put more pressure on producers to improve quality, consistency, and efficiency.
“From a scientific and cultivation point of view, I expect more attention on genetics, cultivation data, post harvest quality, and terpene preservation. This matters because processes such as irradiation can influence terpene profiles. That may affect how the final product looks, smells, and tastes.
“As patients and doctors become more educated, terpene profiles may also become more relevant in how products are understood and selected. We still need more research, but it is clear that aroma, flavour, and overall product experience will become more important.
“The next 12 months will continue pushing the industry toward more professional cultivation operations that need to meet pharmaceutical standards.”
