Seed to Success # 5 Alex Gauthier

Popular Quebec LP, Origine Nature, made the easy transition to CANNA nutrients just over a year ago, a move that aligned naturally with their growth and evolving needs. According to Alex Gauthier, VP of R&D and former Director of Cultivation, the shift was less about reinvention and more about refinement.

Origine Nature began as a tight-knit team of 13 people and has since expanded to nearly 100 employees. As the company scaled, roles became more defined.

“I held so many titles at the same time, but at one point, as you grow and evolve at your company, you can’t be doing everything; otherwise, you spread your resources too thin.”

About a year and a half ago, Gauthier fully stepped into his role as VP of R&D, during which time the company switched to CANNA.

A Familiar Fit

“People always believed [Origine Nature] was with CANNA, and I never corrected anyone!” says Gauthier. “I’m using CANNA in other research sites. So, I have always used CANNA in one form or another.”

Gauthier was first introduced to the nutrient company while living abroad in Europe, but only started using it when Biofloral brought it to Canada.

Familiarity with the nutrient company translated into confidence of choice, and the switch to CANNA was a simple swap of a 1,000-liter tote from one nutrient brand to another. The fertigation system at Origine Nature remains easy to manage because the team uses a single recipe for all plants, from clone to harvest, except for the flush.

“We’re still in the process of tracking some of the results, but we definitely saw some improvement in the quality of the flower,” Gauthier says. “It’s more about relying on a product we can trust.”

Choosing CANNA

As a commercial operation, if a batch of nutrients comes in that has been improperly mixed, is imbalanced, or has any other kind of defect that the company is unaware of, “it would be fed almost automatically to every single room in the facility, which could cause millions of dollars of damage,” he says.

CANNA’s reputation makes it a trustworthy choice for commercial cannabis growers. Their team is always available to assist customers with the knowledge to back it up, and their quality is unmatched.

“I think that the kind of knowledge base that is available on their website or through their reps is absolutely amazing,” says Gauthier. “We decided to go with CANNA because we can count on them, and they’re the best as far as the quality of your input.”

Growing in Partnership

Origine Nature uses CANNA nutrients A and B for vegetative growth and flower production. They employ Rhizotonic to help with rooting in the early stages, pre-veg, and veg. Their mother plants are grown in Coco Coir, and they use CANNA Coco substrate.

Otherwise, the team at Origine Nature grows entirely in perlite, using a Dutch bucket system. Fertigation is carefully tuned to maintain optimal aeration, driving rapid root development and plant growth. This unique approach allows the team to run lower plant densities while making more efficient use of square footage, thereby reducing the space dedicated to mother plants and weekly cloning.

Gauthier also visited the fully licensed CANNA testing facility, speaking to the company’s dedication and hands-on approach. What stood out most, he says, is that rather than relying solely on theoretical nutrient ratios, the team is actively growing and testing cannabis in-house, ensuring their formulations perform as intended and support the cannabis plant’s full potential.

Values Driven Approach

Aside from the practical compatibility between the nutrient brand and the cannabis producer, there exists, as well, a philosophical match insofar as CANNA is a company that was built with people who are still there.

“Most of the employees have been with CANNA for 15 years. The work environment is awesome. Peopleare happy to be there; they’re family. Just like we are family at Origine Nature. That identity resonates a lot with us,” he says.

After 15 years, people become masters of their art, and long-standing teams, profound scientific knowledge,and a strong internal culture mirror Origine Nature’s own philosophy. 

“There’s traceability, accountability,” Gauthier says. “That’s how we know they’re at the top of the game. And everything they deliver to us is the best it can be.”

Grow Up, Vancouver

Last year, Origine Nature won at Grow Up’s Canadian Cannabis Championship. This year, Gauthier is excited to put his new phenos up against everybody else in Canada, all of which were grown using CANNA’s well-respected nutrient line.

“It’s the best competition that we’ve ever been part of because it’s everybody that we love and respect.”

Origine Nature is flying SKUs to the West Coast that have been submitted to the SQDC but are not yet in market. The championship is their debut, and that’s what Gauthier is most looking forward to in this first quarter of 2026.

Check out the full interview on YouTube.

UPDATE: Canadian Cannabis Championship Winner!

For the second year in a row, Golden Gauth has claimed the #1 spot. This back-to-back victory solidifies its status as a true heavyweight in the industry.

Congratulations to the winners and all the finalists who continue to push the boundaries of quality from coast to coast.

Seed to Success Series brought to you by CANNA

CANNA is the premier provider of nutrient and cultivation solutions for fast-growing crops.

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