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CANNABIS FEATURE

ORIGO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS

Origo International Holdings is a new, licensed South African medicinal cannabis

producer. It aims to be the first European manufacturing facility in South Africa
formed and authorised under South African laws but compliant with the standards
of the European Medicines Agency.

ohann Slabber is the CEO of recognising this, however very few, if any,
Origo. An entrepreneur with both cater for other GACP producers.”
Ja pharmaceutical and business
background, he is registered with the South “In order to set up a bio-hub to help
African Pharmacy Council and is currently other GACP producers to obtain market
also completing his MBA in International access, one needs to look at location, size,
Business. Having facilitated cannabis sustainability and beneficiation of those in
license holders through the process across the supply chain. The Origo facility is 4000
Africa, he says that one needs to look at the square meters. We will obtain our GMP
sustainability involved in such an approach. license early in 2023, and our EU GMP in
2024. We are also developing a training
He is a representative of EU GMP (Good academy on site and our aim is to cater
Manufacturing Practice) standards in for 20 plus GACP licensed producers to
South Africa for independent regulatory standardise these sites and start creating
companies in Europe, and says that there market access.
will be a massive bottleneck with the
amount of people applying for GACP (Good I am proud to mention that we have the
Agricultural and Collection Practices) support of the South African government,
licenses from the South African Health and we will ensure that we can put the
Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). South African cannabis industry on the
Johann Slabber, CEO of Origo International map. We have great cultivators in our
The bottleneck comes with GACP licenses Holdings country, as well as access to labour, training
not being recognised by most commercial and water for cultivation.”
markets that do not allow final packaging -
only bulk packaging of the cannabis flower. In order to set up such a bio-hub, a lot of
Very few license holders will be able to end consumers. One of the first cannabis capital investment is required. Origo has
export, depending on how well they have companies to obtain both its GACP and acquired most of this and will perform its
set up their operations, how much they GMP license under one site is heading last rounds for capital raise between July
invested into the quality of production towards listing, however in the cannabis and December 2022. The total planned
and their compliance with commercial space it has continued to be challenging. capital investment for the next two years is
requirements. With over 60 licenses issued, over R300 million.
very few are in a position to export and to Says Slabber: “This is why I have decided to
now redevelop, apply for new licenses or step into the industry myself and create the Looking at the Gauteng enterprise
change their approach. This will not only first bio-hub facility in Gauteng that will be propeller and cannabis development,
require huge amounts of capital but will EU GMP certified. EU GMP is an additional Origo is creating a facility that will have
also delay the operation of the site. certification performed on site after GMP global market access and where the focus is
is obtained. It is critical from the start that on cannabis as opposed to using the hype
To obtain access to markets, a GMP license you set up correctly and acquire all the of cannabis to raise capital. South Africa
can be applied for, enabling one to process, equipment and required standards for your needs this and we need to put ourselves on
extract and produce final products to operation. More and more companies are the map.

Vision, mission and goals of Origo

Origo’s founding mission is to explore the potential of the emerging 3. To ensure regulatory compliance and conformance to the
cannabis industry to enhance health, create jobs and restore highest standards in the world.
posterity to the local communities of which it is a part. Its vision is to 4. To be the bio-hub facility for Gauteng and a leader in the
become a leading producer of the highest quality cannabis on the industry with its facility.
market, setting the standards for effective and accessible cannabis 5. To create market access for cannabis and beyond.
in South Africa and beyond. The company has the following goals:
In terms of market opportunities, standardisation is key to ensure
1. To own and operate the first medicinal cannabis licensed and market access and Origo has identified that it needs to set itself
accredited European cultivation, extraction and manufacturing up to cater for the entire supply chain, from the small producer
facility in South Africa. to the commercial farmer.
2. To produce high-grade medicinal cannabis and cannabis
concentrates, and build a recognisable brand in a rapidly growing For more information contact Johann Slabber on
industry. @ johann@oiholdings.africa
nn

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