Parallel Invests $25M In New Cannabis Cultivation Facility
Parallel, one of the largest privately-held multi-state cannabis operators in the U.S., will make a $25 million dollar investment in a new cannabis cultivation, production and retail facility in Texas. This financial commitment expands Parallel’s ability to meet the growing patient demand for medical cannabis products in the Lone Star State. The planned 63,000 square-foot facility is expected to create hundreds of new jobs in the San Marcos region.
The company is also introducing its goodblend retail brand, as it is changing the name of Surterra Texas to goodblend Texas. This is the second market where Parallel has introduced the goodblend name, joining goodblend Pennsylvania; over time the company will evaluate opportunities to roll out the brand in its existing markets. The goodblend retail brand reflects Parallel’s intent to lead the way to the future of cannabis by providing its customers a trusted, consistent and seamless way for them to connect and learn, and to access innovative, high-quality cannabis products in a variety of form factors. The brand is about welcoming every type of customer and being an approachable source for our customers’ well-being.
Texas, one of the most populous states in the U.S., with nearly 30 million residents, created the Texas Compassionate Use Program in 2015, providing medical cannabis to qualifying patients. Parallel’s goodblend retail brand (formerly Surterra Texas) provides patients access to high-quality cannabis products in a variety of form factors that are cultivated and produced locally in Texas to ensure the most consistent patient experience. It was the first cannabis operator in the state to offer patients medical cannabis in gummy and lozenge formats.
Commitment to Social Equity
Parallel is committed to advancing social equity through meaningful actions and partnerships that positively impact the communities in which it has operations, as well as the industry at large. Parallel has partnered with many industry advocacy organizations, including Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), Cannaclusive, CultivatED, and CannabisLAB to drive their shared missions forward and to continue to address diversity and inclusion in the industry. To date, Parallel has focused its efforts across all markets on economic and job empowerment, and diversity and inclusion in the industry through job fairs, skills-building training and seminars, fellowships, and social equity grants, among other actions. Parallel is committed to increasing its diverse 1,700-person workforce, which is currently comprised of well over 30% of minority and female-identifying employees, and 40% of Parallel’s leadership team consists of female and minority representation. Parallel’s proposed slate of seven independent candidates to its public company board of directors, post-closing of the transaction with Ceres, is focused on including at least two female and three BIPOC directors.
