Benzinga | Nov 4, 2021 01:09PM EDT

Dutchie: First Cannabis E-Commerce Platform To Receive Approval In Ontario Via Canopy Growth Partnership

Dutchie announced on Thursday that its e-commerce solution has passed an audit by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), making it the first e-commerce platform in the country to receive this sort of approval.

Dutchie is a privately-held cannabis tech platform offering solutions for streamlining cannabis retailer operations. The company recently closed a raise of $350 million, to a valuation of $3.75 billion.

The approval was secured through a partnership with Tokyo Smoke, a Canada-based dispensary chain owned by Canopy Growth (NASDAQ:CGC), which also passed Ontario's audit process.

The AGCO is responsible for ensuring that software being used by cannabis retailers adheres to Ontario's compliance rules.

"We're grateful for AGCO's leadership in verifying the e-commerce tools that the cannabis industry needs to provide safe and convenient service, and we're excited to receive this stamp of approval for our team's efforts to safeguard data and be fully compliant," said Anne Forkutza, head of strategic growth at Dutchie.

Receiving this approval "ensures that retailers that utilize Dutchie's software will be automatically compliant with the province's regulations," according to a company press release.

"Dutchie's technology empowers us to meet evolving regulations and consumer expectations," said Lacey Norton, head of retail at Canopy Growth.

"With Dutchie's easy-to-use solutions, we have peace of mind knowing that our data and our customers' data is secure, and our operations are always compliant enabling Tokyo Smoke to focus on servicing our customers and providing a safe, legal cannabis option to consumers," Norton added.

Lead image by Ilona Szentivanyi. Copyright: Benzinga.