Meta Growth Corp. Retail Cannabis
From startup to publicly traded company, marketing and cannabis retail from the launch of legalization in Canada.
The context
Meta Growth Corp. was scaling rapidly during the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada, evolving from a small network of medical cannabis clinics into one of the country’s largest national cannabis retail organizations. The business required the rapid development of a scalable marketing department, retail brand strategy, e-commerce capabilities, and operational marketing infrastructure within a highly regulated and constantly evolving provincial landscape.
The company ultimately became the #1 national recreational cannabis retailer at launch, transitioned from startup to publicly traded organization on the TSX, and was later acquired by High Tide Inc.
My role
As Vice President of Marketing, I led the organization’s national marketing and communications strategy across retail, e-commerce, consumer marketing, and B2B initiatives. I built and scaled the internal marketing team, developed integrated campaign strategies, oversaw retail brand development and customer experience, and established relationships with leading licensed producers across Canada. I also led marketing through multiple mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures while helping position the organization for rapid expansion and public market growth.
The outcome
The organization generated $55M in revenue during the first year of legalization while scaling from 5 to 350 employees within three years and opening 20 retail stores in 80 days. I built an in-house marketing agency model that supported all business units and developed multiple consumer-facing brands including Meta Cannabis Co., NewLeaf Cannabis, and a portfolio of private-label CPG products. Loyalty platforms including MetaXtra and NewLeaf+ were also launched to strengthen customer retention and lifetime value. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization successfully pivoted from a primarily brick-and-mortar operation to a digital-first e-commerce and delivery model within six days, one of the fastest transitions in the industry.
Company
Meta Growth Corp.
My Contribution
Sector
