Circle K and Fire & Flower launch cannabis retail pilot

Fire & Flower Holdings is opening its first two cannabis retail stores in Alberta, as part of a pilot project with Circle K .

The cannabis stores are adjacent to Circle K locations in Calgary and Grande Prairie, and are scheduled to open the week of July 13.

The Edmonton-based cannabis company says it expects to benefit from high-traffic Circle K locations, while providing customers with convenience.

The openings come a year after Circle K owner Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. acquired a 9.9% stake in Fire & Flower, with options to increase its stake to 50.1%.

Alimentation Couche-Tard operates internationally and in most of Canada under the Circle K banner, but still does business in its home province as Couche-Tard.

READ: Couche-Tard wants to be a player in the cannabis market

In addition to being licensed to sell cannabis in several provinces, Fire & Flower has developed a digital retail platform for its business.

Chief executive Trevor Fencott says Fire & Flower's technology and co-location strategy position is to capitalize on domestic and international opportunities.