Cannabis oil production facility set to open in Macon

Macon is now home to a new medical cannabis oil production facility.

The 115,000-square-foot facility is expected to be operational in late September and will be a production and distribution hub for low-THC oil products to those with medical cards in Georgia.

The facility will be operated by Connecticut-based Fine Fettle. Jeremy Faust, its CEO, says the Macon plant has the capacity to produce medical cannabis oil for 150,000 patients across the state.

“We were incredibly excited that right here in Macon, we're going to soon produce medications that will bring relief and a higher quality of life to tens of thousands of Georgians,” Faust said.

Fine Fettle was founded in 2019 and currently has dispensaries in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The company was one of six selected by the state of Georgia to receive a Class 2 production license, out of a total of 69 companies who applied. 

A Class 1 license allows for the growth of cannabis for the production of low-THC oil in indoor facilities of 100,000 square feet or less; Class 2 is limited to 50,000 square feet or less.

The Macon production facility will be secured with fences, access controls and heavy surveillance. In addition, Fine Fettle plans to open seven dispensaries around the state.

“Once operating the [Macon] facility, we’ll start with about 50 employees and grow to about 150 employees," Faust said of the Georgia operation. "The medications created here will be sold at our seven outlets."

The company's COO Ben Zachs said, “Fine Fettle is an old British term ‘to be in good health or good condition’ and that’s ultimately what we want for our patients.” 

Zachs said the land from the $35 million facility was bought from the Macon Industrial Authority, a partnership focused on economic growth in the area.

Fine Fettle also has plans to partner with nonprofits and conduct volunteer work donations.

“We try and ensure that the impacts are not just, 'hey, we did some construction, we built a building,' but they're continual and ongoing to build really a brand new industry in the state that creates jobs out of thin air,” Zachs said. 

The Macon facility is awaiting the completion of the last stages of the licensing process before opening this fall.