We are proud of this reputation, which we have earned not only through recognition from the cannabis industry and its actors, but also by conquering the very people we aim to please: cannabis enthusiasts. In this article, we go back to the path that led us to becoming the #1 source of cannabis genetics, and an authority in their preservation.
In the context of our 30th anniversary, we are currently publishing a series of articles about the pivotal moments in Sensi Seeds’ history. They represent the building blocks of our core values and what we stand for today.
In the course of 30 years of existence, Sensi Seeds has become one of the pillars of cannabis genetics. We are proud of this reputation, which we have earned not only through recognition from the cannabis industry and its actors, but also by conquering the very people we aim to please: cannabis enthusiasts. In this article, we go back to the path that led us to becoming the #1 source of cannabis genetics, and an authority in their preservation.
From breeder to seed bank
Sensi Seeds was founded in 1985 by Ben Dronkers. Yet, the seeds that were to become the bases of the now reputed seed bank had already been gathered, over years of travels and adventures. That is, genetics from all over the world, from Central Asia to South East Asia, and from the most treasured scenes in cannabis breeding, such as the Hindu Kush Mountains.
At the time, Ben Dronkers and his partners were already famed Master Breeders in the Netherlands, and the creation of Sensi Seeds as an official entity, while being quite the official statement, did not immediately come with the reputation we benefit from nowadays.
The High Times Cannabis Cup, created in 1989, was an interesting concept for the cannabis industry as a whole, giving the possibility for breeders to measure their skills with others’ “creations”.
Before Sensi Seeds started to compete and win, many a Cannabis Cup was won by our genetics, notably via The Seed Bank. Read about Sensi Seeds, The Seed Bank and more here.
However, it is in 1993 that Sensi Seeds snatched its very first batch of Cannabis Cups: in the “Seed Company” category, 3rd place with Hawaiian Indica, 2nd place with Silver Pearl, and 1st place with Haze x Northern Lights No.5. Long story short, we made quite an impression!
And this was only the beginning. Despite this utmost recognition from one of the first pop-culture-oriented institutions within the cannabis industry, the path towards “#1 source of cannabis genetics” had only just begun to show its outlines.
The following years would show this path more clearly. That first Cannabis Cup trifecta was the beginning of a series of victories for our skilled breeding team as well as for Ben Dronkers: his dream of one day spreading across Europe the seeds gleaned during his journey was becoming true.
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From seed bank to #1 seedbank
Sensi Seeds was lucky enough to be considered for many more awards. While every single one of them deserves our delight, some of these prizes are among our proudest achievements.
The very first, 1st place High Times Cannabis Cup to honour our magnificent Jack Herer back in 1994, the very last one, 2nd place in 2006’s High Life Cannabis Cup, and all those in between, are definitely on the list of our favourites.
Many others among our strains have been awarded over the years, confirming our status as definite experts in the matter of preserving original tastes and effects. Nowadays, our catalogue is considered a goldmine of original genetics and tastes that have become pillars of hybrid creation. These are still relied on to create the new vintages of hybrids that take over the cannabis community every year.
Last but not least, while preservation of genetics has always been Sensi Seeds’ main mission, we also make a point in catching up with growers’ demands. During Spring 2013, our first feminized seeds were released, quickly followed by the introduction of our first autoflowering strains later the same year. Unsurprisingly, these stabilized, feminized versions of our most sought-after strains were a frank success, and we are proud to have enlarged our scope, to include those who do not have the possibility to grow their crops in optimal conditions.
Sensi Seeds, trusted resource for the cannabis industry
In the late 1990s, the company Bedrocan, now considered one of the leaders in producing medicinal cannabis and cannabis-based products for medical use, was starting to set up its production chain for the Netherlands. One step of the process was of course to select the most irreproachable genetics that would produce the future medicinal cannabis distributed by the medical company in Dutch pharmacies.
This is why Sensi Seeds genetics quickly became an obvious choice, thus allowing us to become the main provider of seeds for Bedrocan during their first decade of research. Currently, Bedrocan is lucky to benefit from many providers of high-end cannabis genetics, and Sensi Seeds is honoured to still be amongst them.
Ben Dronkers, receiver of all laurels
If you have followed our series of articles celebrating the 30 years of Sensi Seeds, you probably know that our company’s path has been a long, fruitful one, starting with our founder, Ben Dronkers, to the Sensi Seeds you all know today. Our seed bank has been on the receiving end of dozens and dozens of award ceremonies that this article has not mentioned. We are proud, and grateful for every single one of them, and we vow to continue providing the world with precious cannabis genetics and knowledge for (at least!) three more decades.
We are also proud to stand behind Ben Dronkers, our founder, who was and still is the source of it all. It is not difficult to imagine how delighted the Sensi Seeds team was upon receiving the latest awards of our collection: since 2013, Ben Dronkers has received no less than three Lifetime Achievement Awards, namely the International Cannabis Business Conference’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Koos Zwart Award, as well as his induction into High Times’ Counterculture Hall of Fame. Until the next one.
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