In the heart of the Netherlands, where flat fields stretch out under big skies and weed culture has long been part of the social fabric, a new kind of cannabis brand is taking shape—one that reimagines reality, invites whimsy, and champions quality in every gram they put out.
Hollandse Hoogtes is one of the ten licensed producers selected to participate in the Dutch government’s groundbreaking cannabis experiment—a major step toward legitimizing and regulating cannabis cultivation in a country where selling has long been tolerated, but growing has remained in the shadows.
Founded by underground cannabis insiders, Hollandse Hoogtes was built on passion, deep-rooted industry knowledge, and a clear vision for what cannabis could become in the Netherlands and beyond. At the helm of their cultivation program is director Benjamin Selma, who shared with us a peek behind the curtain—and the bag—of this dreamy, innovative brand.
Seeing Holland through pink glasses
The name Hollandse Hoogtes translates to “Holland Heights”, a playful contradiction in a country that’s famously flat, much of it even below sea level.
“But that’s exactly the point,” Selma said. “Our brand isn’t about the literal landscape; it’s about how you feel when you light up one of our joints.”
That light-as-a-feather feeling is the brand’s north star. From their branding to their flower, Hollandse Hoogtes invites consumers to step into a surreal version of the Netherlands—a dreamlike universe where cows float across the sky and mountains cradle windmills.
“It’s an imaginary destination fueled by creativity, joy, and a touch of the absurd—just the kind of journey we hope to spark with every puff,” Selma said.
Breaking through the gray area of cannabis in Holland
Although cannabis coffee shops have been a part of Dutch life since the late 1970s, the cultivation side of the business has historically existed in a legal gray zone—it’s known about and tolerated, but not truly accepted.
“The growing part is still not legal, and that has been the biggest struggle for the development of the industry, making other countries even more advanced in it,” Selma said. “But now with the experiment, the chance is given to prove that it can be regulated and a huge benefit for the Dutch people to gain access to clean, high-quality products that are tested in a lab.”
By introducing tested, high-quality cannabis into the market through a controlled chain, the Dutch experiment is a major opportunity for brands like Hollandse Hoogtes to lead the way in safety, transparency, and consistency.
Growing fast, growing smart
Like any emerging cannabis operation, Hollandse Hoogtes has faced its share of challenges—especially when it comes to scaling quickly in a shifting legal landscape.
“The challenges of starting a brand new business are some on their own, but starting it in a new industry coming from such a -in the shadow’ market is another story,” Selma said. “The biggest challenge I think we had is scaling up so fast to meet demand in the market. We overcome it by investing in our workforce with training, attention to detail and education.”
Elevating the experience
When it came to collaborating with us on their packaging, Selma described the process as “very easy and stress-free”—a welcome change in a country full of regulatory restrictions.
Because Dutch packaging laws limit how much design flexibility is allowed, the creative expression that lives within the Hollandse Hoogtes brand had to be translated in more subtle ways: through storytelling, product quality, and attention to detail in every bag.
For us at Grove, that meant leaning into functionality without sacrificing identity. Even when regulatory limits are in place, we believe a bag can still say something about the product inside—and the people behind it.
What’s next for Hollandse Hoogtes?
With the experiment officially underway, Hollandse Hoogtes is looking ahead with excitement and optimism.
“I find that everything coming up is super exciting as the experiment starts, and people are reacting very well to our quality and experience with our flowers and extracts,” Selma said. “We are looking forward to continuing to grow as an organization and giving the people what they are looking for.”
As the Netherlands enters a new chapter in its cannabis journey, Hollandse Hoogtes is offering more than just clean, high-quality products. They’re offering a mini escape. A dreamy, pink-glasses-on moment in time. A surreal high with roots in Dutch soil—and a future that looks brighter every day.
