How did you come into your current role?
I grew up in Mörfelden-Walldorf – the same place where our facility is located. I’ve followed Cansativa’s story from the beginning and was fascinated early on by how the medical cannabis sector was evolving. When the opportunity arose to join the company, it felt like the perfect fit — not just a job, but something I’m truly passionate about. In a way, it was destiny.
What does your daily work look like – is there any such thing as routine?
Routine is something we rarely have. We’re in a very dynamic phase: new processes, increasing volumes, changing regulatory requirements – no day is like the one before. I currently lead a team of around 17 people, split between logistics and operations. The expectations keep growing – not only professionally, but also in terms of leadership. Change is something you can’t just impose from the top; you have to bring your team along.
How do you ensure quality and safety in the supply chain?
We work strictly according to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and GDP (Good Distribution Practice). This means we guarantee full traceability, all critical processes follow the four-eyes principle, and our entire warehouse operation is temperature-controlled. We intentionally go beyond what is legally required. If the benchmark is set at one meter, we aim to jump one and a half. Quality, safety, and precision are not add-ons for us – they’re at the core of what we do. We also use digital tools such as handheld scanners for every goods movement to minimize the risk of human error.
Which technological or operational innovations are on your radar for the future?
We see great potential in further digitalizing our processes. We are evaluating the use of AI-assisted camera systems for automated quality control and RFID technologies to achieve even more efficient traceability throughout the supply chain. Of course, this only works if our partners are on board – from manufacturers to logistics providers. True efficiency gains can only be realized collaboratively.
How is your team evolving as the company grows – what mindset is needed?
Over the past two years, we have fundamentally restructured our team. This involved integrating many new colleagues with strong expertise. Now, it’s about incorporating their insights and shaping the next stage of development together. We have successfully evolved from a small family-run business into a structured, medium-sized company – while maintaining our hands-on spirit. It’s an exciting phase that requires strong communication and mutual trust.
Is there a particular moment from the warehouse that stands out to you?
In the early days, our daily deliveries were picked up with a small refrigerated van. Today, it’s a full-sized truck. I’m looking forward to the day we can fill that truck completely — that will be a powerful symbol of how many pharmacies and patients we now supply. It perfectly illustrates how far both our operations and the entire industry have come.
We thank Adrian Vicente for sharing his insights and for giving us a look behind the scenes of operations at Cansativa.
The Cansativa Expert Dialogue once again highlights that excellence in medical cannabis supply begins where passion meets precision.