Cannabis grower’s Shepparton processing achievement

By Murray Silby

Sep 5, 2023

**Milestone:** Cannatrek representatives Shaya Rubinstein (left) and Tommy Huppert (right) with state Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe during a tour of the company’s Shepparton processing facility after it was granted Good Manufacturing Practice accreditation. Photo by Megan Fisher

Cannabis grower and processor Cannatrek says its Shepparton operation has passed a critical milestone that will transform the firm from a grower into a complete supply chain for medicinal cannabis treatments.

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Cannatrek has been granted Good Manufacturing Practice accreditation by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration for a newly developed $5 million Shepparton processing facility.

“The big change is we turn from an agricultural company into a pharmaceutical supply chain and that GMP TGA accreditation opens up incredible opportunities, not just locally, but for export as well,” Cannatrek founder and chief executive Tommy Huppert said.

“It’s a missing piece of the supply chain. It’s so crucial. It’ll help patients, deliver medicine of better quality, faster and better price.”

Cannatrek is also developing a farm near the city, which it hopes will be growing cannabis plants next year, to supply the production facility in Shepparton.

The Shepparton processing facility currently processes plant material from a Queensland property, but in time it will also be supplied by a farm near Shepparton.

“Everything here is a finished medicine, it gets distributed to patients,” Mr Huppert said.

State Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe has welcomed the expansion by Cannatrek in her electorate.

“I’m really thrilled to think we’ve got the farm out the road and now we have the packaging and distribution locally because this is a global company that’s doing incredible things in such a new industry, but very exciting to have it in our own backyard,” she said.

“The jobs it’s going to create, over 70 jobs we know, and already up to $17 million has been invested and more to come.

“So this is significant and we all should be proud of our region and what we can actually attract and offer.”