Fluent Corp. is scaling back in New York State.
Etain, the Fluent-owned vertically integrated medical cannabis operator, will close its cannabis cultivation and packaging facility in Chestertown on Aug. 3, putting 37 people out of work, according to a May 5 notice filed with the state Department of Labor.
The reason for the closure is “economic,” according to the official WARN Act notice.
Etain, one of the few original “registered organizations” allowed to hold vertically integrated MMJ permits in New York, became part of Fluent when the Florida-based cannabis company bought RIV Capital in December 2024.
The deal gave Fluent ownership of New York retail stores, wholesale channels and cultivation sites as well as the Etain brand.
At the time, Fluent said the move would make them a bigger player in New York through a mix of retail, wholesale and growing operations.
Is Fluent’s footprint about to get smaller?
But big changes are underway for Fluent.
On April 30, Vireo Growth announced plans to acquire Fluent in an all-stock transaction. If all goes as planned, that deal should wrap up later this year, the companies said at the time.
In the announcement about the Vireo acquisition, Fluent said it was taking steps to streamline its operations, including selling off noncore assets and looking for ways to cut costs.
The company said the changes would help make the business more efficient and boost cash flow.
While Fluent hasn’t specifically said the Chestertown shutdown is tied to the Vireo deal, the cost-cutting language lines up with the facility’s closure.
Etain declined to comment to WTEN, and so far, there’s no word form Fluent about whether other New York assets could be next.
The closure comes while the New York cannabis market is still growing vast. More than 500 retail stores operate across the state.
Fluent was scheduled to report its quarterly earnings on Wednesday.
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Ascend Wellness closes Michigan cannabis cultivation after fire
Meanwhile, MSO Ascend Wellness Holdings is closing a major cultivation operation in Michigan following a fire.
In the wake of a Dec. 25, 2025 fire casued by a grow light, the multistate operator told employees at a Lansing cultivation operation that the facility will permanently close, according to WLNS.
A spokesman for the company told WLNS that the closure would be temporary, but a WARN act notice informing 94 employees of a June 26 layoff calls the closure permanent.
“The Company considered all viable options, but closure was necessary to ensure the safety of employees due to the scale of the planned construction,” the spokesman said, according to WLNS. “The Company is focused on supporting all employees who may be impacted by the closure.”
There are currently no building permits associated with the Ascend cultivation site’s address, WLNS reported.
Ascend Wellness was also scheduled to report earnings Wednesday.
