"We're very proud to grow on our home turf."
For now, 514 Cannabis' "Saint-Henri Kush" is only available in 3.5-gram quantities. The company plans to soon release larger quantities and even a range of "Vieux-Port Hash" and vape products.
MTL Blog had a chat with Goulakos about weed, his vision for the company's future, and so much more.
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514 Cannabis is locally-grown
As far as local goes, 514 Cannabis is about as local as it gets. Grown at a state-of-the-art vertical farm in Anjou, the company's first product, "Saint-Henri Kush," aims to capture the vibrant spirit of its namesake.
Soon expanding to other neighbourhoods and provinces, the "Saint-Henri Kush" is only one of a planned range of products, including the "Vieux-Port Hash" and vape pens.
"We're slowly expanding the company and we have some arrangements with four small local boutique growers in Quebec to grow and package their products," said Goulakos.
"Eventually we'll have 'Les Amis de 514' products to feature local craftspeople and we'll talk about your history and your area, how it supports the 514."
What's Saint-Henri Kush like?
While it has a potent THC content, one of the most important aspects of 514 Cannabis is its focus on developing high-quality terpenes.
Simply enough, a terpene is where the unique smell and flavour of cannabis comes from. Think of them as the essential oils of weed.
"It's a hybrid with an Indica base," explained Goulakos. "Our real knowledgeable customers really understand this terpene thing — it's like drinking fine wine. We'll have the terpenes listed on the bag so you always know what you're getting."
"Our role is to educate the consumer so they'll know what to look for when they go to the SQDC."
It's not just weed — it's a lifestyle
There's a common misconception that cannabis culture is all about getting blazed with your friends and eating pizza.
While that's certainly a part of it, legalization has slowly eroded the old stigmas around cannabis and has welcomed new perspectives.
514 Cannabis is grown with these new perspectives in mind — meant for the conscious consumer as much as its meant for a late-night pizza sesh.
"For us, it doesn't matter if you're a smoker or not — Montreal culture is what inspires us. It's all about the attitude and the love for people at 514," said Goulakos.
Saint-Henri Kush is now available at the SQDC.
Editor's Note: George Goulakos is a relative of MTL Blog writer Katina Goulakos. She was not involved in the publishing of this story and had no influence on its content.
Katina Goulakos | MTL Blog
Katina Goulakos | MTL Blog
Katina Goulakos | MTL Blog
Katina Goulakos | MTL Blog
Katina Goulakos | MTL Blog
Katina Goulakos | MTL Blog