Last year, IPS Pharma signed a £7 million (NZ$16.1 million) supply agreement with Puro, a certified organic cannabis producer based in Marlborough, New Zealand. The agreement was signed at the New Zealand High Commission in London, and it set out a clear plan: bring Puro’s organic, sun-grown, live-dried flower to UK and European patients through IPS Pharma’s distribution network.
The first shipment under the agreement — seven pallets of flower covering five strains — has arrived in the UK and is being prepared for distribution to partner clinics and pharmacies.
IPS Pharma and Puro’s Agreement
The supply deal between IPS Pharma and Puro was structured to address a gap in the UK medical cannabis market. While the sector has grown significantly since legalisation in 2018, patients and prescribers have had limited access to organically produced, full-spectrum flower. The agreement was designed to change that.
Ian McFarlane, Director of Strategic Partnerships at IPS Pharma, described the partnership at the time of signing as a step toward improving what patients actually receive. The focus, he said, was on quality, reliability, and compliance — values that aligned directly with what Puro was producing in New Zealand.
The deal also responded to wider shifts in medical cannabis prescribing: the growing demand for better formulation consistency, cleaner cultivation methods, and fully traceable supply chains. Recent reforms to New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis export laws, which lowered compliance barriers for certified producers, helped make the agreement possible.
What Makes Puro’s Product Different
Puro is one of the world’s few certified organic cannabis producers. Their flower is cultivated outdoors on coastal farms in Marlborough, New Zealand, without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers. The growing techniques were developed specifically for the region’s climate and conditions.
What sets Puro apart from most suppliers is their seven-stage live drying process. Unlike conventional drying, live drying is designed to preserve the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of each plant. The result, according to McFarlane, is smoother flavours, stronger terpene profiles, and medicine that maintains its potency for longer. He described this as a clear therapeutic advantage over traditional drying methods.
For patients who have been prescribed dried flower, these differences matter. A broader terpene profile and better-preserved cannabinoid content can translate to a more consistent and effective experience.
The First Delivery
The first shipment under the agreement has now landed in the UK. It includes five distinct strains across seven pallets, all cultivated and processed at Puro’s Marlborough facility to pharmaceutical standards.
Tom Forrest, co-founder of Puro, described the delivery as a significant step in the company’s expansion beyond the Australian market. He noted that the scale of the agreement with IPS Pharma reflected growing international recognition of live-dried flower as a mainstream processing format.
A second order is already in Australia and ready for distribution, with a third to follow shortly. The partnership is also expected to expand into additional product formats beyond dried flower.
What This Means for Prescribers and Pharmacies
Full product details — including strain names, THC/CBD profiles, and availability — will be shared with IPS Pharma’s partner clinics and pharmacies in the coming weeks. Products will be distributed through IPS Pharma’s UK and European network, supported by MHRA-compliant manufacturing, full quality assurance, and established logistics infrastructure.
If you’re a prescriber or pharmacy interested in accessing Puro products through IPS Pharma, get in touch with our team.
