Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has welcomed Martin Dickie MBE's latest Aberdeenshire business venture as the BrewDog founder enters the medicinal cannabis market.
The start-up, Waterside Pharmaceuticals, is about to harvest its first full crop at its facility in Aberdeenshire using cutting-edge Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) to produce top quality starter material for the medicinal cannabis market.
In 2024, Waterside Pharmaceuticals secured a Controlled Drugs Licence from the Home Office to cultivate cannabis starter material for medicine production at the company’s Aberdeenshire facility, which uses high-tech cultivation techniques to deliver a premium quality product. Now operational, Waterside Pharmaceuticals is about to harvest its first full crop.
Since legislative changes in 2018, doctors on the GMC’s specialist register have been able to prescribe cannabis-derived medicines in the UK for certain conditions. Between 50,000 and 60,000 patients monthly in the UK are estimated to be prescribed medical cannabis, with domestic and global markets growing year-on-year as its therapeutic applications become better understood. However, demand is largely met by imported medicines, with UK supply very limited.
Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, welcomed Dickie's new venture creating jobs in a "fast growing market" and boosting the local economy.
He said: “It’s always fantastic to see new, innovative businesses investing here in the North-east of Scotland.
“Medicinal cannabis is a fast growing market – and with this region’s agricultural heritage, combined with cutting edge technology and entrepreneurial spark, there’s a real opportunity to seize an early-mover advantage within this burgeoning industry.
“Waterside Pharmaceuticals can bring a depth of experience to bear in terms of what’s required to start and scale a business – creating jobs and unlocking value in the local economy.”
BrewDog co-founder and Waterside Pharmaceuticals chief executive Martin Dickie
Waterside Pharmaceuticals aims to become the UK market leader in medical cannabis. As the first in the UK to use Total Controlled Environment Agriculture in a vertical farming facility to produce medicinal cannabis starter material, the company can meticulously control every aspect of cultivation through the use of advanced technology and automation, resulting in a product that meets the highest international industry standards including the World Health Organisation’s Good Agriculture and Collection Practice (GACP), and the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines.
Morag Thomas, Chief Operating Officer of Waterside Pharmaceuticals, said: “We are now cultivating premium quality starter material for to be manufactured into cannabis-based products for medicinal use at our innovative Total Controlled Environment Agriculture vertical farming facility in Aberdeenshire, working to the highest industry standards, including the World Health Organisation’s GACP guidelines and the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) GDP guidelines.
“Our unique approach allows us to control and replicate light, heat and irrigation, without any need for pesticides or fungicides, resulting in a premium quality product. We use sustainably sourced energy, and rainwater for irrigation and we are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our operations.
“We are working with researchers at University of Aberdeen and University of Lincoln on projects exploring the use of AI and automation to optimise production.
“We have worked with local and national stakeholders at every stage, liaising with the Home Office, MHRA, local authority, community representatives and Police Scotland, as well as the Aberdeenshire’s business and economic development organisations.
Martin Dickie MBE, Founder and CEO of Waterside Pharmaceuticals said: “Our aim is to become the UK market leader in medical cannabis. We have ambitious plans to expand the business, creating up to 100 new jobs in the local economy and investing around £20 million over the next five years.
“Our longer-term ambitions involve building a second facility co-located with a renewable energy source minimising our environmental impact, creating jobs, and diversifying the rural economy.
“The global market for medical cannabis is growing rapidly as its clinical applications become better researched and understood. In the UK, medical cannabis can now be prescribed by specialist doctors, with an estimated 50,000-60,000 patients thought to be benefitting from cannabis-derived medicines. That figure is growing year-on-year, but supply depends largely on imported medicines.
“Waterside Pharmaceuticals is on a mission to provide safe, efficacious and cost-effective medicine that can help thousands of people.”
Economic development catalyst Opportunity North East has welcomed the investment. Stanley Morrice MBE, chair of the ONE food, drink and agriculture board, said:
“North east Scotland produces nationally-significant shares of the country’s agricultural output and is home to some of Scotland’s most enterprising farmers and agri-businesses.
“Waterside Pharmaceuticals is an innovation-led business addressing a growing, global market opportunity and has the potential to create significant employment in Aberdeenshire.
“It is very exciting to see their ambitious plans and commercial-scale vertical farm coming to fruition, further cementing the region’s reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship."