Seed to Success with Will Fournier

Will Fournier’s Intro to CANNA

Garden Culture’s Haley Nagasaki sat down with Will Fournier, CANNA Product Developer and Founder of Mauve et Herbes, to discuss the roots of his cannabis journey in collaboration with CANNA: Thé Solution for Growth and Bloom.

While his introduction to CANNA products occurred when working in hydroponic stores during his late teens, William Fournier’s initiation to horticulture began at age 15. His passion for gardening evolved into the study of Horticultural Production Technologies, and by the time he received his diploma in Montreal, he was already active in the community. By the early 2000s, Fournier was licensed to grow medical cannabis for patients.

Fast Forward to 2018

Fast forward to the eve of legalization, Fournier began working for CANNA’s exclusive distribution partner, Biofloral. On the dawn of October 17, 2018, they were outfitting some of the first Licensed Producers (LPs), like Canopy and Aurora, with equipment, fertilizer, and grow medium. The consulting work he started for larger Quebec LPs at the end of the 2010s materialized into a farm of his own where he now lives and works, championing Standard LP Mauve et Herbes and its exclusive CANNA Canada research facility. Here, Fournier studies, mentors, and produces award-winning cannabis using a superior line of products from a Dutch nutrient and substrate company that offers trusted, ongoing support in partnership with their many growers. 

Guidance and Beyond

Fournier offers guidance to novice and experienced growers, leveraging knowledge from 25 years of experience using their products.

“We’ve received hundreds of groups of LPs here over the years, and I showed them exactly how I grow with CANNA – with my strains in my setup – from water source and water treatment to post-harvest; I sit down with them, and I show them everything. Even my production numbers, my SOPs, my irrigation and environmental charts,” he says.

Efficiency Matters

Fournier’s efficient methods are very well received.

“Most say they like it, and then they switch to CANNA,” he says. “Then, I follow up with them through a message group, and they can share pictures of their production and their techniques while I help implement my techniques. I do this for CANNA and the research center, on top of testing in the field outdoors or in my rooms, using new and existing products.” 

His professional experience doesn’t stop there. Fournier also studied Landscape Architecture at the University of Montreal before his time with Biofloral. There, he learned to read and draw technical plans with AutoCAD, refining his thinking about the material he uses for himself and teaches others. 

“I’m not a landscape architect at all,” he says. “In life, I’m a cannabis farmer. But this was a game changer for me, to be where I am now.” 

Dual Roles for a Winning Combination

As a Product Developer for CANNA and owner of Mauve et Herbes, Fournier has won several prestigious Canadian cannabis awards, synchronizing his talent with CANNA’s unbeatable line of products. Last year at The Karma Cup, Fournier won second place for Ripped Off Runtz in the Indica category and second for Jack Herer in the Sativa category. Ripped Off Runtz also won second place at the Grow Up Canadian Cannabis Championship in Edmonton, AB.

The Award-Winning Choice?!

When asked about his award-winning cultivars, Fournier honestly says he doesn’t know why they became so successful. 

“I think it’s a mix of choosing the cultivar at first for the terpenes, a team effort with my staff, and CANNA is a huge part of our success because it’s quality input,” he says. “But other than that, I think it’s my expertise and experience combined with my team. And because we do everything by hand, it’s a craft production.”  

Will Fournier’s team of six people produces the output of ten due to the passion they share and the quality of their efficient work. They maximize a 4,000 sq ft canopy, producing 1.5 tonnes of sellable dry flower in a year. They can also put out up to 1 tonne of outdoor flower and are currently in the midst of an indoor and outdoor expansion. 

Working with CANNA supports growers in the field with a foolproof application of products driving some of the most successful cannabis grows in the world. In proper leadership form and in partnership with a company that values community relationships, Will Fournier has this to offer readers:

“Never be shy to ask other growers questions because the community is very nice overall. People help each other a lot,” he says. “I would recommend that people read. Read as much as you can, books, forums, and magazines; this is how you start from scratch.”