Cracking the Code of Fed-Governed Cannabis

American technology company BLAZE Solutions has acquired point of sale software company Greenline of Vacouver, Canada. Chris Violas, CEO of BLAZE, said the move is in concert with the company’s plan to expand as a world-wide operating system. And to learn intricacies of working in a nation where legal cannabis is federally governed.

“As we move toward a nationwide market in the U.S., BLAZE wants to have experience in a federally regulated market to better serve our clients when legalization becomes a reality,” said Violas. “While the Canadian market is federally legal, there are still nuances that we need to consider. Acquiring Greenline allows us to shorten the learning curve.”

“While the Canadian market is federally legal, there are still nuances that we need to consider. Acquiring Greenline allows us to shorten the learning curve.”

— Chris Violas, CEO of BLAZE

BLAZE’s platform of seed-to-sale software and apps enable businesses across the supply chain to automate compliance reporting and operate within local laws and tax requirements. Its Grow software, designed for cannabis cultivators by cultivators, tracks each plant individually across its entire grow life cycle. Seed-to-sale software provides ease of use to manage day-to-day operations across all licenses. Its dispensary and distribution software features centralized operations and combines online ordering, inventory management and payment processing. BLAZE offers full APIs and integrates with over 60 cannabis tech platforms.

Updating clients’ opportunities
The company also sees its acquisition of Greenline as a chance for BLAZE clients to make their own foray into Canada, using their current platform as a bedrock.

“Acquiring Greenline adds value to prospective clients by giving them the ability to expand their footprint into the U.S. or Canada using the same software provider,” said Violas. “This is essential for increasingly sophisticated cannabis retailers in states near the border like Washington, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts and Maine.”

The roll out of BLAZE’s operating system will take place gradually over the next six months. Greenline’s Canadian retailers should not expect to see any immediate changes but can expect to increased software innovation as the transition moves forward. Both BLAZE and Greenline will retain their current organizational structures and respective C-level leadership.