Nottingham Post

Maximillia­n set for first billion from medical cannabis crops

BUSINESSMA­N STILL THINKS FONDLY OF HOME COUNTY

- By ANNA WHITTAKER anna.whittaker@reachplc.com @journoanna_

A NOTTINGHAM­SHIRE-BORN businessma­n is set to become a billionair­e from medical cannabis.

Maximillia­n White who started out as the UK’S youngest landlord at the Spread Eagle in Alfreton Road, Radford, said he has not changed despite living a lavish lifestyle in Dubai with his four children.

Maximillia­n, 40, has bought 40 hectares of land in the Algarve, Portugal, to build Europe’s biggest medical cannabis farm.

Speaking to the Post, the former

Redhill School pupil said he still “absolutely adores” his home county and visits whenever he can.

But for now, he is planning a move to Majorca to be closer to his new business venture.

He said: “It’s been a few years in the making but with the team we’ve got now we’ve gone to the stratosphe­re.

“People will be coming to us for the quality. We had a pandemic, an internatio­nal disaster, all stocks went down but ‘golden cannabis’ went up by 60%.

“This is the most rewarding thing I’ve done.”

He said the farm will produce its own medication to get the patient “the relief that they do not get from any other drug in the market” – as well as supplying to manufactur­ers.

He said the company will build a strain of medical marijuana specific to the patient for people suffering with conditions such as depression, schizophre­nia, epilepsy, anxiety and Alzheimer’s.

Maximillia­n said: “We also have a contract with an African government on the Ecuador line. The heat, the wind and the sun will make the best quality cannabis in the world.

“Our biggest plantation­s are in Portugal but we’ve also got some in Africa for quality. We’re going to have spa retreats too where we can analyse people and create a strain of marijuana for everything that’s going on in their body.

“We also have an app so people can see their plants and how they’re growing. It’s really interestin­g.

“We’re going to grow a lot of cannabis, around 1.5bn euros worth a year.”

Maximillia­n, also a music mogul who produced a track which was sampled for Drake’s One Dance, owns a beach club in Portugal – Blanco Beach Club bar in Portimão.

After leaving Nottingham for Majorca to be a DJ in his 20s, Maximillia­n cofounded a record label and later invested in Beatport, an online electronic music store.

He now has 4 million followers on his Instagram account @thatboyyou­hate”.

Speaking of how far he has come, Maximillia­n said: “A lot of people are scared to take risks and chances.

“Everybody looks for the easy route. With wealth and fame comes negativity and some people can’t live with that, most people want to choose the easy path.

“I’ve always wanted more. It’s something you’re born with. It’s not becoming rich, it’s the journey that I enjoy.”

When his entreprene­ur dad, who owned the Camelot nightclub in Bridlesmit­h Gate, Nottingham, lost his wealth after investing in a hotel, Maximillia­n said he witnessed how tough it was for his family.

He said: “My father lost everything, which was very hard. It gave me the drive to make sure my family are okay.

“It broke the family to bits.” Maximillia­n admits he is “world’s away” from his former life in Nottingham­shire but said he “is still the same person”. He said: “You’d never know my net worth sitting with me for a chat - and same with my children.

“I help charities and I give back as much as possible. ”

He said his family still living in the county tell him how proud they are of him. He added: “I absolutely adore the place. “One of the first things I tell people is I’m from Nottingham, the Robin Hood county.

“I do visit regularly and hopefully we can do some good stuff there. I’d like to teach some of the kids that life is what you make it.”

I’ve always wanted more. It’s not becoming rich, it’s the journey that I enjoy.

Maximillia­n White

 ?? BILLIE MEDIA PHOTOGRAPH­Y ?? Maximillia­n White says he still loves Nottingham­shire despite now living a lavish lifestyle in Dubai
BILLIE MEDIA PHOTOGRAPH­Y Maximillia­n White says he still loves Nottingham­shire despite now living a lavish lifestyle in Dubai

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom