Michigan cannabis company Fluresh expanded its Grand Rapids headquarters to grow, harvest and package cannabis.

Five months after Fluresh opened Grand Rapids’ first medical-licensed cannabis facility, the company’s expanded headquarters at 1213 Phillips Ave. SW will now house a 133,000-square-foot grow facility with a proprietary-controlled cultivation process and curated selections of plants.

The new Fluresh growing operation will create more than 100 employment opportunities with expanded hiring beginning in August.

Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss helped celebrate the grand opening of the Fluresh cannabis grow facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, along with other city representatives and the Fluresh executive leadership team.

“I am eager to see the impact that Fluresh will have on Grand Rapids and the 49507 community,” Bliss said. “Fluresh’s emphasis on bringing good jobs with a focus on building a diverse workforce is closely aligned with our city’s goals. We are proud to have Fluresh call Grand Rapids home and have their headquarters located here.”

Fluresh said it also is prioritizing diversity across its workforce and suppliers, as well as new business development. Fluresh plans on launching an equity-focused business incubator to help develop future leaders in the industry.

Fluresh executives will collaborate with community partners in the Grand Rapids area to actively recruit and retain a diverse pool of job applicants, especially those negatively impacted by the war on drugs.

“We are building on community relationships while addressing gaps in the industry’s diversity,” said Tom Benson, CEO of Fluresh. “Fluresh is grateful for our ongoing relationship with groups like LINC UP, Black & Brown Cannabis Guild and other community organizations who have assisted in driving qualified talent to our doors, and we will continue that progress to assure we represent an equitable and inclusive cannabis industry.”

At its full build-out, the Grand Rapids operation will have the capacity to grow over 16,000 plants.

“This is an exciting time for Fluresh as we take the next step with the launch of our grow facility to answer the needs of consumers across the state who can benefit from premier cannabis products,” Benson added.

Fluresh currently has 30 team members at the Grand Rapids headquarters, which includes corporate, provisioning and grow facility management.

Additional employees will be hired beginning in August and running into 2021, including technicians, supervisors and other facility team members, and will be provided competitive pay, health benefits and 401(k).

Fluresh already operates a grow and processing facility in Adrian, which is currently licensed to grow up to 12,500 plants. Since opening in July 2019, the Adrian grow and processing facility has grown to more than 100 employees.