Several hundred potential investors will meet next month in Amsterdam during a congress devoted to cannabis. It will be the first meeting of this type in Europe, assert the organizers. The production of hemp for use in beverages and chocolate is among the trends offering investment perspectives.

According to Michael Kraland, who initiated this event, it is especially Canadian and American companies that produce cannabis-based items. Things are more complicated in Europe because of its legislation. According to the sector’s estimates, however, the market could reach a value of up to 100 billion euros between now and ten years, should the substance be totally legalized. Potential investors will examine these figures during the congress.

The “green gold’’ already generates a lot of money. For instance, Constellation Brands, a beverage production group, injected 3.8 billion dollars in Canopy Growth, a Canadian company that cultivates cannabis for therapeutic use. The stock value of the company has since leaped forward. Lagunitas, the American Heineken-owned brewer, launched a non-alcohol cannabis-based beverage in the USA, named Hi-Fi Hops.

Maria Novak

The Brussels Times