Medical Kiwi at the forefront of pioneering the “budding” medicinal cannabis industry in New Zealand
Medical Kiwi co-founders, Aldo Miccio and Peter Win, are a formidable pairing with a proven track record of establishing and growing a start-up business. Effortlessly blending Aldo’s governance and Peter’s spirit of innovation, the pair co-founded New Zealand Coastal Seafoods, a growing New Zealand-based processor, distributor and exporter of premium seafood products soon to be listed on the ASX. They now find themselves at the forefront of pioneering the medicinal and wellbeing cannabis research and manufacturing industry in New Zealand.
Far from being a spur-of-the moment decision, Aldo and Peter’s venture into medicinal cannabis production has been considered and well-researched. “For a number of years I have been watching what has been happening in the global industry, reading the research and listening to the success stories,” says Peter. “We were just waiting for an opportunity to develop high quality, safe medicinal and nutraceutical cannabis products in New Zealand.”
That opportunity presented itself in December 2018 with the approval of New Zealand’s proposed Amendment Bill to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. Speaking at the time, New Zealand’s Minister of Health, David Clark, said “Today’s vote in Parliament clears the way for the creation of a medicinal cannabis scheme that will allow New Zealand companies to manufacture medicinal cannabis products for both the local and international markets.” There is still work to be done with the Ministry of Health to design the framework for how the law will operate to enable domestic commercial cultivation and medicinal cannabis manufacture.
Medical Kiwi is in a unique position as one of a handful of New Zealand companies poised to create value and carve out a significant share of this emerging and exciting global industry estimated to reach a value of USD $150 billion by 2025. (Grand View Research, April 2018)
Medicinal cannabis companies must apply for licences that allows them to cultivate cannabis for scientific and medical research. Medical Kiwi, with the support of food safety and regulatory compliance specialists Produco Ltd and international pharmaceutical consultancy PharmOut, submitted an application in March 2019.
“We have a clear strategy for research, manufacturing, product, marketing, sales and distribution with an experienced Board of Directors who bring to the table vast skills, knowledge and expertise and a proven track record of corporate governance,” says Medical Kiwi co-founder and Chairman, Aldo.
While there is a strong commercial drive behind the company, Peter’s motivation is a strong belief about the wellbeing and health benefits for the wider community. “Medical Kiwi has been set up to enable those suffering from illness or seeking alternative pain management to have access to safe, effective, affordable, high-quality medicinal and nutraceutical cannabis products,” says Peter.
It’s a sentiment shared by Aldo. “We have seen how medicinal cannabis can improve the lives of people and believe the products we will produce will effect real change in people’s lives and health outcomes.”
More and more people are realising the benefits of plant-based remedies and alternative therapies. And their experiences are supported by medical research which continues to identify the therapeutic effects of medicinal cannabis for a range of ailments and conditions. As a result, society’s views about medicinal cannabis is rapidly evolving. A poll commissioned by the New Zealand Drug Foundation in 2018 found that 87% of New Zealanders now support medicinal cannabis for the treatment of pain and 89% support the use of medicinal cannabis as terminal pain relief.
If you would like to find out more about your chance to be a part of a global industry that will change the shape of the way the world delivers its health outcomes, please download our Information Memorandum for investors.
