The technology behind Kelowna’s Vitalis Extraction Technology (Vitalis) can be used to decaffeinate coffee or even make perfume, but the company's COO Pete Patterson saw a rare opportunity in a budding market.

Along with his two business partners Joel Sherlock and James Seabrook, the trio began creating the Vitalis business plan, which applied CO2 extraction technology to the cannabis industry.

At their Kelowna factory,  now manufactures units that use high-pressure carbon dioxide to turn cannabis into essential oils used for both medical and recreational cannabis products.

“Our business was looking at the end of cannabis prohibition in Canada and saw a gigantic opportunity for a new marketplace,” explained Patterson.

“Imagine us as an equipment supplier, similar to how a company would make a photocopier, we’ve designed a piece of equipment for a specific industry that companies in the cannabis sector purchase to make their product.”

Nearly 50 cannabis companies in North America use the Vitalis system and the Kelowna company is now beginning to send a handful of systems to South America and Europe.

The company employs a large team of 50 employees that includes engineers, scientists, fabricators, business managers and more.

“Vitalis' first machine was at the time the largest commercialized C02 extraction system to be introduced,” said Patterson.

“Our initial goal was to produce about one system a month within two years of operating, now we're producing two systems a week because the demand is so high.”

With legalization only months away, CO2 extraction systems designed for cannabis seems like an obvious business plan, but even two years ago the black market surrounding the industry scared some people off.

“We originally approached a company in the Okanagan that had extra manufacturing capacity thinking they could build these units for us,” said Patterson.

“The owner took a look at the opportunity but said no because he didn’t feel comfortable with the cannabis industry."

While the owner said no, the company's lead engineer at the time James Seabrook saw the opportunity and went into business with Patterson.

The trio of Seabrook, Sherlock and Patterson founded Vitalis, spending their evenings for nearly a year preparing conceptual designs, a business plan and cooperate structure. 

Both Seabrook and Patterson have since been nominated for the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce's "Top 40 under 40" and Vitalis was nominated in both the Best Innovation and Best Trade categories in the Small Business BC awards last year. 

If you would like to learn more about Vitalis, click here.