Brand Profile · Organic Craft Cultivator & Farmgate Pioneer
Crystal Cure cultivated certified organic living-soil craft cannabis flower out of Shediac Cape, New Brunswick. Operating under federal cultivation and processing licences granted to Crystal Cure Inc. on July 26, 2019, founders Hiroshi Kosako and Kenneth Robichaud teamed with CEO Jonathan Wilson to build Atlantic Canada’s premier craft facility. Renowned for rich terpene cultivars including Apple Chem, Tiger Bomb, and Wedding Cake, the enterprise pioneered Atlantic Canada’s first on-site farmgate dispensary, Le Backdoor, distributing small-batch lots through Cannabis NB, maritime provincial boards, and medical channels.
| Legal entity | Crystal Cure Inc., operating as Crystal Cure |
|---|---|
| Federal licences | Health Canada Standard Cultivation & Processing (Issued July 26, 2019; transitioned to Micro-Cultivation in 2023) |
| Operational status | Commercial operations concluded September 2024 following federal excise tax and market compression |
| Facility & farm | 48-acre rural property, Shediac Cape, New Brunswick |
| Founders & leadership | Hiroshi Kosako & Kenneth Robichaud (Co-Founders), Jonathan Wilson (CEO & COO) |
| Retail milestone | Opened Le Backdoor (November 2021), Atlantic Canada’s first on-site farmgate dispensary |
| Cultivation medium | True living organic soil infused with maritime compost, beneficial microbes, and natural amendments |
| Flagship cultivars | Apple Chem, Tiger Bomb, Wedding Cake, Martello, Coastal Blueberry |
| Distribution channels | Cannabis NB, Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC), PEI Cannabis, Herbal Dispatch, and Le Backdoor Farmgate |
| On Legacies | Episode 20: The Dark Side of Compliance with Jonathan Wilson |
Crystal Cure grew out of personal healing and maritime agricultural tradition in Shediac Cape, New Brunswick.
Co-founder Hiroshi Kosako turned to medicinal cannabis oil during his battle with pancreatic cancer, experiencing profound therapeutic relief. Convinced of the plant’s medicinal value, Kosako joined business partner Kenneth Robichaud in 2016 to build an organic cultivation facility on 48 coastal acres overlooking the Northumberland Strait.
Teaming with entrepreneur Jonathan Wilson as Chief Operating Officer and eventual CEO, Crystal Cure earned federal Health Canada licensing on July 26, 2019. Rather than adopting sterile rockwool hydroponics, the team cultivated in living organic soil. They built complex microbial soil beds enriched with natural maritime compost, allowing cannabis roots to draw nutrients organically and express authentic Atlantic terroir.
In November 2021, Crystal Cure achieved a historic milestone by launching Le Backdoor—Atlantic Canada’s first on-site farmgate cannabis dispensary. This direct-to-consumer store let local consumers buy freshly cured living-soil bud directly from the cultivators. Despite fierce local loyalty and provincial awards, crushing federal excise duties, rigid provincial markups, and delayed expansion financing forced the pioneering facility to cease operations in September 2024.
Milestones
Hiroshi Kosako and Kenneth Robichaud establish Crystal Cure Inc. on a 48-acre property in Shediac Cape, New Brunswick.
Health Canada grants federal Standard Cultivation and Standard Processing licences to Crystal Cure Inc.
Crystal Cure launches commercial flower across Cannabis NB retail stores, earning recognition as New Brunswick’s flagship craft brand.
The company opens “Le Backdoor”, making history as Atlantic Canada’s first operational farmgate cannabis store.
Crystal Cure transitions from a standard licence to a micro-cultivation licence to optimize facility efficiency and protect craft standards.
Crystal Cure ceases commercial operations, citing unmanageable federal excise duty burdens, provincial markups, and financial pressures.
Crystal Cure rejected industrial salt fertilizers in favor of biologically active living soil.
Agronomists constructed rich soil beds combining peat, kelp meal, worm castings, and native organic amendments. Beneficial nematodes, predatory mites, and mycorrhizal fungi established a symbiotic ecosystem around root zones, converting raw minerals into bioavailable plant nutrition without synthetic additives.
Post-harvest handling respected flower trichome integrity. Harvest crews harvested whole plants by hand, hanging colas in darkness at 60°F and 60% relative humidity for a gentle 14-day slow cure. Technicians hand-trimmed each bud without mechanical tumblers, protecting bulbous resin heads. Glass-jar curing followed, allowing delicate monoterpenes to mature and preserving smooth, clean-burning characteristics.
| Facility setting | 48-acre rural coastal estate, Shediac Cape, NB |
|---|---|
| Cultivation medium | Certified organic living soil beds with beneficial microbial biology |
| Nutrition strategy | Natural organic compost, kelp meal, worm castings, zero synthetic salt nutrients |
| Pest management | Integrated Pest Management (IPM) using beneficial predatory insects |
| Drying method | Whole-plant 14-day hang dry at 60°F / 60% RH |
| Trimming standard | 100% meticulous hand manicuring; zero mechanical tumbling |
| Remediation policy | Non-irradiated; zero gamma or electron-beam treatment |
| Direct retail model | On-site farmgate storefront (Le Backdoor) directly attached to facility |
Horticulturists amend living soil beds with marine kelp, worm castings, and beneficial fungi to feed roots naturally.
Plants mature under optimized lighting spectra, absorbing slow-release micronutrients without chemical salt accumulation.
Harvest crews hang whole plants upside down in climate-regulated dark rooms to preserve volatile terpene oils.
Craftsmen carefully hand-trim flower into glass curing vessels, ensuring intact trichomes and smooth burn quality.
Pure living soil expressions showcasing rich monoterpenes, dense resin blankets, and smooth burns.
Chem D x Sour Apple
Northern Lights x White Fire OG
Cherry Pie x Girl Scout Cookies
Craft standard: Crystal Cure flower lots adhered to strict living-soil standards, undergoing extended glass curing and non-irradiated microbial verification.
Crystal Cure bridged farmgate retail innovation and provincial supply agreements to distribute living-soil craft flower across the Maritimes.
Farmgate dispensary
Atlantic Canada’s first operational farmgate cannabis store provided fresh living-soil flower directly from the Shediac Cape facility to visiting consumers.
Provincial Crown corporation
New Brunswick’s provincial monopoly distributor stocked Crystal Cure dried flower and pre-rolls across dozens of legal storefronts throughout the province.
Maritime provincial retail
Wholesale distribution corridors introduced New Brunswick-grown organic craft cultivars to dispensary shelves in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Medical cannabis platform
The licensed medical distribution platform delivered specialized Crystal Cure living-soil harvests directly to registered medical patients across Canada.
Crystal Cure earned devoted regional acclaim for exceptional terpene expressions and farmgate pioneering, while confronting the severe financial headwinds facing independent Canadian craft producers.
Crystal Cure stands as both a triumph of organic living-soil craftsmanship and a poignant case study in the economic hurdles facing Canadian craft growers. By pioneering Atlantic Canada’s first farmgate dispensary and proving that commercial living soil yields superior terpene quality, Jonathan Wilson and his team left an indelible mark on East Coast cannabis heritage.
CEO Jonathan Wilson joins the Legacies Podcast to discuss building Crystal Cure in Shediac Cape, launching Atlantic Canada’s first farmgate store, the crushing realities of cannabis excise taxes, and navigating regulatory compliance.
Terms used on this page
Hiroshi Kosako and Kenneth Robichaud founded Crystal Cure in 2016 in Shediac Cape, New Brunswick, later teaming with entrepreneur Jonathan Wilson, who served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer.
Crystal Cure operated on a 48-acre rural property in Shediac Cape, New Brunswick, overlooking the Northumberland Strait in Westmorland County.
Crystal Cure cultivated exclusively in biologically active living organic soil beds enriched with marine kelp, worm castings, and beneficial microbes, avoiding synthetic salt fertilizers and chemical pesticides.
Launched in November 2021, Le Backdoor made Canadian history as Atlantic Canada’s very first licensed on-site farmgate cannabis retail dispensary, allowing consumers to purchase fresh living-soil flower directly from the cultivation facility.
Health Canada issued Standard Cultivation and Standard Processing licences to Crystal Cure Inc. on July 26, 2019. The company transitioned to Micro-Cultivation and Micro-Processing licences in late 2023.
Signature craft cultivars included Apple Chem (Chem D x Sour Apple), Tiger Bomb (Northern Lights x White Fire OG), Wedding Cake, Martello, and Coastal Blueberry.
Crystal Cure wound down commercial operations in September 2024 due to unsustainable financial pressures, including disproportionately high federal excise taxes, aggressive provincial markups, and restrictive capital markets.
Brand profile compiled by Legacies Podcast · Last reviewed October 2026
Guests who have represented or discussed Velocity Motors
Our newsletter is packed with insights, inspiration, and expert advice, it’s the ultimate tool for leveling up your life. Don’t miss out – sign up today!
By clicking Sign Up you’re confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.
