4Front Ventures said it reach reached two key milestones in its growth strategy. Firstly, the company has successfully activated electrical power at its 250,000-square-foot flagship facility in Matteson, Illinois, marking a major step in its expansion within the state's burgeoning cannabis market. Secondly, 4Front is on track to further strengthen its retail presence in Illinois with the anticipated opening of its third in-state dispensary in Norridge by the end of the quarter.
The Matteson Facility, now one of the largest cultivation and manufacturing centers in Illinois, spans approximately 250,000 square feet of production space, including the use of innovative and energy efficient technologies such DLC-certified LED lighting, HVAC systems utilizing cutting edge compressor wall technology, and fully automated irrigation and fertigation systems. It offers around 43,000 square feet of flowering canopy in Phase I, roughly 5x 4Front's current flowering canopy in Illinois, which can cost-efficiently scale to over 67,000 square feet as demand for 4Front products increases. There is also over 70,000 square feet of dedicated manufacturing space, including automated production lines for packaged flower and pre-roll manufacturing, an edibles kitchen, and a comprehensive extraction laboratory capable of serving not only 4Front's needs but also robust private-label and toll processing programs. This monumental development allows 4Front to introduce its entire suite of award-winning brands and products to the Illinois market, including packaged flower, pre-rolls, infused products, edibles, and concentrates, delivering craft-quality cannabis at accessible price points through its Mission Dispensaries and partner dispensaries statewide.
"Our Matteson facility vastly expands our operational capabilities in Illinois, which will cement 4Front as a leading cultivator and manufacturer within the state," stated Andrew Thut, Chief Executive Officer of 4Front. "This facility will allow us to capture significant market share in one of the most attractive cannabis markets in the US and will not only facilitate improved quality but will also significantly scale our throughput capabilities and materially lower our production costs as we deliver high-quality cannabis products that align perfectly with what Illinois customers are looking for, both today and in the future. Additionally, our upcoming Mission retail store in Norridge, set to open in April, is ideally situated in Cook County in a highly visible retail area, neighboring popular big-box retailers and directly opposite a major regional mall with significant parking. Further expansion plans include additional stores in the vibrant Chicago area, one in a sought-after shopping district and another strategically placed in a high-traffic location with limited competition. Ultimately, our flagship facility in Matteson will power a full footprint of 10 retail stores in the state, with headroom for a significant wholesale channel, allowing us to deliver on our plan to double 4Front revenue in the next 12-18 months across an efficient, cash-flow positive operation."
Throughout the remainder of Q1, 4Front said it will be commissioning its equipment and automated production lines, and planning for transition out of its existing Elk Grove facility. The company expects to introduce its genetics to the new building in Q2 and begin scaling up flower production in advance of full-scale manufacturing operations this spring/summer.
4Front's new 3,700-square-foot retail dispensary is designed with both aesthetics and functionality in mind. The dispensary streamlines the shopping experience, significantly reducing customer wait times through its layout, and is capable of servicing well over 1,000 customers per day at 5 dedicated point of sale stations.
