Operational Excellence
Seed-to-finished cannabis operations, built to scale.
Post-harvest, production, packaging, SOPs, labor utilization, inventory control and operating rhythm. We build the systems that let quality scale without adding unnecessary complexity.
Problems we solve
Where operators get stuck.
Post-harvest is the bottleneck
Drying, curing and trim scheduled around harvest dates instead of capacity.
Labor hours rise faster than output
No labor standards per unit, so staffing grows while productivity stalls.
Rework, errors and returns
Packaging, labeling and batch errors that cost product, time and retailer confidence.
SOPs that don't match the floor
Written procedures exist, but each shift runs its own version.
Inventory that doesn't reconcile
Gaps between physical counts, internal records and the state track-and-trace system.
No daily operating rhythm
Problems surface at month-end instead of at the start of the shift.
What we deliver
Systems that hold quality at every volume.
Post-harvest flow and capacity
Drying, curing, bucking, hand and machine trim, and storage, with capacity planned against the harvest calendar.
- Capacity model by stage
- Dry and cure room utilization
- Trim method and staffing mix
Production and manufacturing operations
Line setup, batch records and changeovers for flower, pre-rolls, gummies and chocolates, vape pens and cartridges, and tinctures.
- Batch records and changeovers
- Line balancing
- Quality checks at each step
Packaging and labeling workflow
Packaging line design, labeling accuracy checks and workflows built around California packaging and labeling rules.
- Packaging line design
- Label verification steps
- Finished-goods staging
SOP development and document control
SOPs written with the people who run the process, plus version control, training sign-off and audit readiness.
- SOP library
- Document control
- Training records
Workflow, throughput and labor utilization
Time studies, labor standards per unit, line balancing and shift design that raise output without sacrificing quality.
- Labor standards per unit
- Shift and schedule design
- Throughput tracking
Inventory control and track-and-trace
Cycle counts, reconciliation with the state's Metrc system and clear ownership of every discrepancy.
- Cycle count program
- Reconciliation workflow
- Discrepancy ownership
Operating rhythm and accountability
Tiered daily huddles, production cadence, KPI boards and escalation paths that surface problems early.
- Daily and weekly cadence
- KPI boards
- Escalation paths
Vendor and input requirements
Packaging, testing, equipment and supply requirements defined clearly, with competitive sourcing through our commercial practice.
- Input and packaging specs
- Vendor service levels
- Link to RFP and negotiation support
What you receive
An operation that runs on systems.
Clear processes, measures and routines your managers own after we leave.
- Process maps
- SOP library with document control
- Throughput and labor model
- Packaging and labeling workflow
- Inventory control procedures
- Daily operating rhythm and KPI boards
- Operations dashboard requirements
- 90-day operations plan
How it connects
Connected services
Most engagements draw on more than one practice. That is the reason to have cultivation, operations and people expertise at the same table.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with manufacturers and distributors as well as cultivators?
Yes. Our operations work covers cultivation through post-harvest, manufacturing, packaging and distribution handoffs.
Can you reduce labor cost without hurting quality?
That is the goal of most of our operations work. We set labor standards per unit, rebalance workflows and schedules, and track quality alongside productivity.
Do you write SOPs for us?
Yes, with your team. SOPs written with the people who run the process are the ones that get followed.
How do you handle track-and-trace issues?
We map how inventory moves, where records diverge from physical counts and who owns each reconciliation step, then fix the process. Your compliance lead or counsel handles regulatory filings.
Ready when the operation needs to evolve
When quality, people and operations stop moving together, performance suffers.
Summit helps identify the constraint, design the right intervention and move the business into a stronger operating model without adding unnecessary complexity.