Growers & selection

The selection procedure for growers ran as follows:

Selection procedure

1. Formal check

The ministries checked whether the application was submitted on time and correctly and whether all required documents were present. 2. Substantive check

In this phase the ministries reviewed the content of all submitted documents and assessed whether they met every criterion in the legislation and regulations. 3. Draw

On 3 December 2020 a draw was held under notarial supervision, because more than ten applicants had received a positive assessment. All applicants meeting the formal and substantive requirements took part in the draw. 4. Designation of growers

The selected growers underwent a Bibob screening (Act on the Promotion of Integrity Assessments by Public Administration). This integrity check examined the background of the applicant and their business. Ten growers meeting every condition were ultimately designated.

Advice of mayors Mayors of the municipalities where applicants wished to establish their cultivation sites advised on the applications. This advice considered possible consequences for public order and safety.

Designated growers

The following growers were selected to take part in the experiment:

1. Leli Holland (Leli Holland)
2. QATI (Q-Farms)
3. The Growery (The Growery)
4. Cannamax (Hollandse Hoogtes)
5. Fyta (Fyta Group)
6. Linsboer B.V. / The Plug (The Plug)
7. Cannabizz (Aardachtig)
8. Cookies (Cookies)
9. Grassmeijers (Stichting Joinus) (Holigram)
10. CanAdelaar (CanAdelaar)

These growers are responsible for producing and supplying regulated cannabis to the participating coffeeshops.

Supraleaf was initially one of the ten selected growers. The company planned to establish a cultivation site on a business park in Zwaag, municipality of Hoorn. However, Supraleaf failed to secure the intended location, leading to delays in its preparations. As a result, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport decided to revoke Supraleaf's licence. Supraleaf appealed, but the court ruled that the appeal was unfounded. After Supraleaf dropped out, CanAdelaar — next in line on the waiting list — was approached and added as a participating grower.

At the time of writing, four growers are supplying regulated cannabis to the participating coffeeshops:

1. Fyta Group
2. Aardachtig
3. CanAdelaar
4. Hollandse Hoogtes

Requirements and responsibilities for growers

Growers participating in the experiment must meet strict requirements to safeguard the safety and traceability of cannabis within the closed chain.

1. Security of cultivation sites

• Security plan: Growers must submit a comprehensive security plan describing the security measures at the cultivation site. It includes risk analyses for both internal and external threats, such as theft or unauthorised access.
• Organisational security: The security plan must describe specific measures for personnel management, access control, key management and incident logging. Each measure must include a specific risk analysis and explain how the risk is mitigated.

1. Transparent transport and Track & Trace

• Certified transport: Cannabis transport to participating coffeeshops must be carried out by a certified transport company meeting security requirements.
• Track & Trace: A Track & Trace system must be used during transport to continuously track the products. Any deviations or losses must be reported and explained immediately.

1. Personnel requirements

• Certificate of conduct (VOG): All staff must be able to present a current VOG. These certificates must be kept up to date and recorded in the administration.
• Training: The official documents do not explicitly require a specific training programme. However, compliance with safety and quality protocols is mandatory, and employers are responsible for compliance by their staff.

1. Administration and Track & Trace

• Complete administration: Growers must keep a complete and accurate record of production, storage and transport activities. This record must be available for inspection at any time.
• Track & Trace system: Every product must be traceable from production to final sale in the coffeeshop. The system records every step and movement to ensure full control and transparency.

1. Quality requirements

• Product quality: All cannabis produced must meet the established quality requirements. Products must be free of harmful substances such as pesticides, heavy metals and microbiological contaminants.
• Laboratory testing: All cannabis batches must be tested by accredited laboratories that meet the requirements of the Opium Act. Test results must demonstrate compliance with quality standards.

1. Packaging requirements

• Packaging and labelling: Cannabis products must be packaged in opaque, child-resistant packaging that meets the regulations. The label must clearly state THC and CBD content and carry a health warning.
• Permitted products: Only products such as cannabis flower, pre-rolled joints and edibles are permitted, subject to all requirements.

1. Waste disposal and non-conforming products

• Waste management and destruction: Products that do not meet quality requirements must be safely and controllably destroyed under a protocol meeting environmental and safety rules.

1. Inspections and enforcement

• Regular inspections: The Inspectorate for Justice and Security and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) carry out regular checks to verify that growers comply with the regulations.

Read more about supervision and control: /en/wietexperiment/toezicht.

For more detailed information on requirements and procedures for growers within the experiment, see the full "Spelregels experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen" (Dutch): https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/brochures/2024/06/18/spelregels-experiment-gesloten-coffeeshopketen

Useful links

• Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Experiment – central government (Dutch): overview of the experiment including objectives and implementation. Link
• Background and design – central government (Dutch). Link
• Act on the experiment (Dutch). Link
• Decree on the experiment (Dutch). Link
• Regulation on the experiment (Dutch). Link
• Factsheet (Dutch). Link
• Q&A (Dutch). Link