Before working with Fohse, he noticed his lower canopy was a bit larfy, indicating that the LEDs had low light penetration and poor photo density. In their first year of operation, Kuethe became interested in transitioning to LED lighting systems, testing 13 different options against his HPS systems before finally finding Fohse LEDs. The airflow quantifies at 30k CFMs without using fans, facilitating a full air change every 60 seconds. As a result, their system dehumidifies and tempers the air, pumping it into rooms. They considered the environmental control strategies by learning about how cannabis grows and about vapor pressure deficits, transpiration rates, water, and critical airflow. Kuethe and the engineers used their combined experience and said patented systems to create a grow space that doesn’t exist anywhere else. The Lume cultivation was designed with a team of process engineers, who hold relevant patents dealing with humidity, temperature, air, and space control. To this day, we mix and measure all of our own stock content nutrient solutions in-house.” Kuethe said, “During one of my first cultivations, I realized that nutrients were a major expense, so I educated myself, hired a chemist, and reverse engineered a bunch of nutrients out there… I was able to come up with recipes that outperformed anything I could find on the market. They also send phenotypes out for petiole leaf analysis to test whether nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and other minerals are “adequate,” “deficient,” or “excessive” and mix nutrients based on the results. Testing goes beyond the final product - during cultivation, every ingredient is sent out for testing, especially if it is going to be used in the nutrient cycle. To grow their flower, Lume relies on hydroponic systems with rock wool cubes, mixing their nutrients with agricultural-grade salts. The company also operates a solvent-free lab that uses whole, fresh frozen flower to produce ice water extracts and live rosin. This distinction assists the customer as they browse for the perfect product. Lume-branded gummies, pre-rolls, and cartridges feature strain names and effect-based guidance on the labels. Over the next year, their aggressive expansion goal is to open 27 more stores in Michigan with no plans to expand outside of state lines. They have one remaining room to transition over to Fohse LEDs.Īs for their retail presence, the company began with just one store in their initial founding and opened twelve new locations throughout 2020. Lume currently operates a 55,000 square foot indoor cultivation facility featuring ten 3000 sq ft. After these myriad experiences, Kuethe swears by the vertical integration approach as the only method for reaching high-profit margins. In his decade of cannabis cultivation experience throughout the US, Kuethe has built out fourteen different cultivations of all types, from hemp to cannabis and indoor to outdoor. “The one thing that’s different about Lume is that they’re willing to do whatever it takes, even if it costs more money or takes more time, to do it right.” “We are a local Michigan company, and our founders are local Michigan guys,” Kuethe told Ganjapreneur. To accomplish this, the Lume team doesn’t cut corners to meet deadlines or save money - they continue to push for the best. Their focus is on massive growth and crafting the cleanest, most effective flower, concentrates, and edibles. Lume now employs 500 Michiganders and expects to double that number by the end of 2021. Lume’s VP of Operations & Director of Cultivation Kevin Kuethe entered the project as a consultant before he came on as one of the first four Lume employees. The experienced cultivation team studies real data collected from all Lume facilities to adapt and expand successfully. Their LED-powered cultivation facility features patented technology built to scale up alongside their retail footprint to support this growth. Their company goal is to open 100 retail stores in the state by 2024, and they’re currently on track to succeed. Lume Cannabis Company is a vertically integrated, Michigan-based cannabis brand outfitted with a one-of-a-kind cultivation facility and a zealous eye on the retail market.
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