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Ignite: 43 Million Instagram Followers Strong

Written by Ash Stringer on Jul 08, 2019

In the 2017 award-winning film “Ingrid Goes West,” the main character, Ingrid Thorburn is infatuated with the social media influencer Taylor Sloane. While Ingrid takes mimicking Sloane to a dysfunctional level, the fact is that – all cinematic liberties aside – parts of the plot aren’t far from today’s reality. People, especially millennials and younger generations, listen to and want to be like the personalities that they follow on social media.

To that end, popular personalities have become part and parcel to marketing, so much so that it’s called “influencer marketing” in the industry’s nomenclature.

Click here to see the company corporate presentation

Analyst estimates on the influence market size paint a better picture of the breadth of the space, including MediaKix forecasting the global ad spend in the range of $5 billion – $10 billion by 2020. As far as just Instagram, Statista estimates the influencer market was worth just over $1 billion in 2017 and grown to about $2.4 billion in 2019.

In the cannabis space, advertising is extremely limited. Consider that Instagram, Facebook, Google and YouTube, which comprise 75% of all U.S. digital advertising spend, currently do not accept cannabis advertising dollars. Until these rules change, social media is the place to be, where a key influencer can give a company an upper hand to market share.

Recognizing the Value of Social Media

One of the most well-known influencers in social media is Dan Bilzerian. Bilzerian is an internet and social media sensation with 43 million followers across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and SnapChat. His pages and stories generate more than 400 million social media impressions every week.

Oh, and he’s the founder, CEO and chairman of an emerging, publicly traded consumer packaged goods company with cannabis and CBD product offerings called Ignite International Brands Ltd. (CSE: BILZ) (“Ignite”). With Bilzerian as the face of the brand, Ignite’s Instagram page has garnered more than 1.7 million followers since making its first post in February 2018. These followers are intensely engaged, averaging over 1,000 comments per post.

Click here to see the company corporate presentation

Bilzerian is passionate about the benefits of cannabidiol (CBD), a constituent of cannabis trumpeted for a bevy of medicinal benefits ranging from muscle fatigue after a workout to treating rare diseases like epilepsy.

Getting to Know Ignite

Ignite is the product of the business combination, completed on May 30, 2019 on shareholder approval, of two legal entities within the Ignite Group of companies; Ignite International, Ltd. (“Ignite US”) and Ignite. The merger paves the way for Ignite to begin executing on its plan to continue expansion throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. Ignite already has a full line of CBD products available for online purchase in the U.S. which include disposable vape pens, flavored and unflavored drops, topical creams and roll-ons. Branded dried flower, pre-rolls and oils are available for sale in more than 215 dispensaries in California and Nevada, with plans to top 1,200 across multiple states in the next two years.

Click here to see the company corporate presentation

The products and company have been featured in High Times, Herb, Merry Jane and MarketWatch, while earning praise from press such as Tokewell, which wrote, “The brainchild of serial entrepreneur Dan Bilzerian, Ignite has taken the cannabis game by storm.”

The super-premium CBD and cannabis consumer packaged goods company recently entered into a joint venture with national vape and e-cig distributor MMS Distribution, LLC for the national distribution of CBD products in the U.S. The joint venture, operating as Ignite Distribution, LLC, will leverage MMS’s years of distribution experience and Ignite’s brand recognition to get products to wholesale, c-store, smoke shop, and retail operators in addition to continuing to build the ecommerce presence of the brand.

In May, Ignite inked definitive agreements for the manufacture and distribution of legal CBD products in the United Kingdom with an industry leader in this space: Taylor Mammon & Nathan Limited. This agreement also includes provisions that would allow the Ignite brand to expand into other strategic European and rest of world markets in the future.

Click here to see the company corporate presentation

Knowing Their Market

The market size for cannabis and CBD is well documented, estimated by the industry experts at BDS Analytics and Grand View Research to be heading toward $146 billion by 2025 from about $7.1 billion in 2018. The CBD segment is the fastest growing part of the industry, with the Brightfield Group forecasting that market will rise to $22 billion by 2022.

Millennials are at the root of the exponential growth. More than half of the 55 million Americans that use cannabis are millennials. In Ignite’s beachhead state of California, 39% of millennial cannabis users use the product every day.

As it happens, Bilzerian’s sweet spot for followers is millennials, with more than 85% of his followers being males aged 18-34. On average, 1.4 million millennials directly engage with each post he publishes on Instagram.

An Impressive Team

Ignite is more than just Bilzerian. CEO Jim McCormick is a consumer goods veteran, including a 17-year stint holding international CEO and CFO positions for cigarette behemoth British American Tobacco (LSE: BATS). Most recently, McCormick was COO and CFO at KushCo Holdings, a provider of ancillary products and services to the U.S. and Canadian cannabis industry. During his time there, KushCo’s revenue grew from about $20 million in 2017 to a projected $120 million in 2019.

Click here to see the company corporate presentation

CFO Eddie Mattei, a CPA and a Chartered Accountant for 20+ years, comes to Ignite from serving as CFO of the Mircom Group of Companies, a privately held, vertically integrated Canadian entity operating in the highly regulated, global fire and life safety marketplace. Previously, he was the Vice President of Taxation at Royal Group Technologies Ltd., a $2 billion international company.

SVP and COO Shannon Bard brings more than 25 years of international and domestic B2B, B2C and direct-to-consumer sales experience to Ignite. Seasoned in upstarts, Bard made successful exits in his last two ventures, Alterra and Xyron, and was integral to Xyron being recognized a Supplier of the Year at Walmart (NYSE: WMT).

It doesn’t stop there for Ignite. Curtis Heffernan, Global Head of Sales and Marketing, is a branding expert who has spent more than three decades in the consumer packaged goods space working for companies like Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Cadbury Schweppes. During his time as VP of Sales and Marketing for Tri Marine Group and VP of Sales and Marketing for the Borges Mediterranean Group, he achieved significant brand share growth and private label contracts with Costco (NYSE: CSCO), Walmart, Sam’s Club, and major grocery store operators.

Diana Ritchie, SVP of Operations and Retail, has extensive operational experience with more than 25 years in the hotel, casino and marketing spaces. Amongst other roles, she was the Senior Executive Director of Hotel and Casino Operations for Wynn Properties (NASDAQ: WYNN) and later Wynn International.

A company is only going to be as successful as its leadership, and Ignite is certainly getting off on the right foot.

Disclaimer

The above article is sponsored content. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, has been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

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Sublime Launches California’s First Cannabis-Infused Freezer Pops

Written by Ryan Allway on Jul 03, 2019

By : Sublime Canna
July 2, 2019
Category : CONSUMABLES

Freaze ice pops will be available at dispensaries this month

OAKLAND, Calif. – July 2, 2019 /Canna Newswire/ – Sublime, an award-winning cannabis manufacturing company located in Oakland, Calif., is launching its latest edible product: Freaze, a cannabis-infused freezer pop.

Just in time for the heat of the summer and the Fourth of July holiday, they contain roughly 10mg of THC per pop and come in two throwback flavors – Fruit Punch and Blue Raspberry. Freaze ice pops were inspired by other classic “take-home-and-freeze” confections and will be the first of their kind on the legal California cannabis market. The pops will be available to purchase at first in a 2-pack, with one of each flavor, and in a 10-pack coming later this month. They are best enjoyed straight out of the freezer.

“Our vision is to have the most compelling portfolio of cannabis products in the industry,” Sublime CEO Alex Fang said. “We think that these one-of-a-kind ice pops will give our users an enjoyable experience while ensuring they are medicating with accurate and lab-tested products.”

Cannabis edibles and beverages are expected to become the most sought-after products on the legal markets in the U.S. and Canada, as people are trying other ways to consume cannabinoids rather than smoking them. Cannabis beverages, which include emulsified THC products like Freaze pops, are forecast to exceed other retail cannabis products by ballooning to a $600 million market within the U.S. by 2022, according to analysts at Canaccord Genuity.

About Sublime Canna
Sublime is a California leader in cannabis manufacturing and distribution. We believe in the positive role cannabis can play in enhancing people’s lives, and our mission is to provide consumers with the most pleasurable, effective, and reliable products on the market. Sublime products are available at leading dispensary and delivery services throughout California. For more information, visit www.SublimeCanna.com.

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The Global Big Data Market Meets RYAH Medtech’s Unique Vaporizer

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 28, 2019

The output of analyzing large blocks of information, or “big data” as it is generally known, to identify trends is one of the most valuable commodities today. One of the beauties of big data is that it can pinpoint trends at all scales, from an individual to an entire country. Another is that it transcends all industries, including the burgeoning medical plant intake industry, with companies like RYAH Medtech Inc. utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to aggregate and correlate HIPAA-compliant medical data for the purpose of helping doctors and patients personalize cannabis to better predict treatment outcomes.

RYAH Medtech, is a subsidiary of PotBotics, the creation was a blend of merging the PotBotics and RYAH data ecosystems, ahead of the company becoming a public entity. The process is ongoing, with the company expecting to be listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker (“RYAH”-pending).

Prime Blockchain Inc. just announced that they have entered into a binding letter of intent (“LOI”) with Potbotics Inc. o/a RYAH, a leading data aggregation and technology company focused on the global plant-based medical market. The LOI outlines the proposed terms and conditions by which Prime Blockchain and RYAH will accomplish a business combination that will result in a reverse takeover of Prime Blockchain by RYAH and its security holders.

Greg Wagner, RYAH’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “This new Letter of Intent was executed for the purpose of accelerating our listing plans on the CSE and further reflects our commitment to provide liquidity, transparency and new opportunities to strategic partners, future investors and current investors alike.”

Click Here for Additional Investor Information and Corporate Updates

PotBotics is the developer of PotBot, a top cannabis app on Apple and Android. The free app has more than 180,000 downloads (and a 4.9-star user rating on Apple). The app is part of a complete medical plant intake ecosystem, developed from the ground up over the last half-decade, aggregating data from around the world to understand where future research can lead the industry.

A cornerstone of RYAH’s predictive analysis model is its eponymous vaporizer, a leading technology that is not simply a traditional-style tool. In fact, it is the world’s first dose-measuring vaporizer. While the RYAH device incorporates improvements such as a straight vapor pathway and diffused mouthpiece to make the user experience better, the technology at its core sets the vaporizer apart from anything today.

This means things like smart QR capsules keeping track of each session and an airflow sensor measuring each dose in 5 mL increments as part of the analytics package.

The accompanying mobile application captures all of the data, down to the plant strain, temperature and dose stats in real time to generate a profile for a consistent and reliable vaporizing experience.

Via the RYAH cloud solution, doctors and patients can track the effects and specifics of plant strains to communicate on the optimal therapeutic program for the patient’s needs. This product is being branded under the moniker “RYAH MD”.

Furthermore, the data is integrated into RYAH’s comprehensive AI platform to provide licensed cultivators, dispensaries, laboratories and pharmaceutical companies with a growing body of data on their plant strains and most appropriate medical indications.

From seed to therapeutic effect, the RYAH system aggregates and analyzes data, a key to not only improving outcomes, but also standardizing the fragmented industry, an area of unmet need to protect consumers.

The Launch Has Begun

Earlier this month, RYAH hit a major developmental milestone, receiving a Medical Device Establishment License (MDEL) from Health Canada for the commercial grade dry herb cartridges that are used in the dose-measuring vaporizer and AI-powered system. The license makes RYAH one of only a small handful of companies in the market to have an accredited vaporizer/cartridge solutions in Canada.

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“The [MDEL from Health Canada] further proves to the medical, data intelligence and institutional communities that we are both serious and focused in leading medical plant data analysis market in the U.S., Canada and far beyond,” commented Gregory Wagner, CEO of RYAH, in a statement disclosing the new license. Wagner, a 20 year Wall Street veteran and startup boffin, assumed the role of the top executive and President at RYAH in March ahead of the going public transaction.

Last month, RYAH also brought in Michael Hart as VP Business Development. Hart will be headquartered in London and tasked with establishing a footprint in Europe, as well as South American markets.

The Ball Gets Rolling: United States, Canada, Next Up the European Union

CEO Wagner & VP of Business Development Hart will be working tirelessly to continue building the client base for the new RYAH products as they have been gaining momentum this year. The company first cracked the Washington State markets in January for its vaporizer via a partnership with Green Revolution, a leading producer/processor in Washington that is actively pursuing expansion into other states, namely the massive California markets.

Washington State is recognized as a pioneer in the legal cannabis market, passing legal recreational marijuana by a ballot vote in November 2012, at the same time as Colorado, to become the first two states in the country to end prohibition. In cases such as this where recreational marijuana is allowed, individuals have the opportunity to use the novel features of the RYAH vaporizer and app to create a controlled regimen for themselves.

The launch is comprised of an initial array of four different cartridges, targeted towards the health and wellness market.

RYAH’s move into Washington was followed by penetrating the Oklahoma markets in March through a partnership with The Peak Dispensary, marking the first medical-only state to carry RYAH’s state-of-the-art vaporizer. The agreement means that the RYAH Vaporizer will be available on the shelves at Peak’s nine establishments statewide.

Click Here for Additional Investor Information and Corporate Updates

Speaking to the quality of the product, The Peak Dispensary CEO Corbin Wyatt said, “Because it enables patients to properly create a dosing regimen, the RYAH vaporizer clearly contributes to our long-standing goal of ensuring that Oklahoma patients are provided with an unrivaled experience, be it from a product or from a service perspective.”

In yet another strategic move RYAH Medtech announced recently that the company has entered into a signed agreement with Northern Green Canada Inc., for distribution of the RYAH vaporizer, the first dose-measuring dry herb vaporizer along with the RYAH signature dry herb cartridges.

“I am pleased to announce the commencement of RYAH’s footprint in Canada via our new distribution agreement. Northern Green Canada is a best-in-class LP with strong European ties that complements our model of delivering IoT devices along with AI powered data analytics in the medical plant industry. We are focused on commercial relationships that will accelerate commercialization of our products abroad, and the agreement with NGC is the first step towards achieving that goal globally,” said Gregory Wagner, CEO of RYAH.

RYAH announced this week they have received the CE Mark for its vaporizer. This certification is essential for the company’s critical expansion into the European Union.

“The CE mark of the RYAH vaporizer is an important milestone for RYAH’s global aspirations and we expect to shortly initiate our launch in Europe,” says Jordan Medley, Head of Product Operations at RYAH.

A Data Opportunity Made in Heaven

The Global Big Data market is estimated by WiseGuyReports at $23.56 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $118.52 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 26.0%. The global plant material market, according to Grandview Market Research, is growing 23.9% annually and will reach $66.3 billion by the end of 2025.

Safe to say that there is a clear market opportunity where the twain meet. While it’s still relatively new, the entrance of big data in the medical plant intake industry could be one of the most disruptive market segments out there.

There is a new age upon us. Consumers, once paranoid about their habits being known, are growing accustomed to big data as a means of improving life. To that end, RYAH is hitting on all the industry’s pressure points. Consumers love sharing their knowledge and experiences (take how popular Leafly is) and RYAH’s also in that sweet spot. Technology takes over with smart vaporizers to improve experiences and collect even more robust data sets for aggregation, analysis and generation of insightful data. RYAH being first to market with a dose-measuring vaporizer, QR embedded cartridges is a strong addition to being able to control temperature.

Big data is interesting because it by definition takes a lot of it to work. However, a tiny piece of information gleaned from big data can be a game changer, a lynchpin to a domino effect. Every piece of information collected through an AI system like that of RYAH Medtech Inc. has value to people and companies throughout the entire industry.

Click Here for Additional Investor Information and Corporate Updates

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Jushi Merges Finance and Operational Expertise to Target U.S. Market (Plus Exclusive CFN Interview)

Written by Ryan Allway on

The Canadian cannabis market is maturing, and savvy investors are looking south for new opportunities. While there are a growing number of multi-state operators, there are only a handful that combine financial and operational expertise — and even fewer with management teams that have a meaningful stake in the business. Investors may want to look towards these companies for the best growth potential and aligned incentives.

Jushi Holdings Inc. (NEO: JUSH.B) was founded by a former Vice Chairman of Deutsche Bank, a distressed equity hedge fund team and the Founder and former CEO of Organigram Holdings Inc. (CSE: OGI). With more than $20 million of their own capital invested in the business, the team is uniquely qualified to capitalize on the nascent U.S. cannabis industry with incentives that are well-aligned with their shareholders.

CFN Media recently sat down with President Erich Mauff in-studio to discuss the company’s unique approach to the market and what sets it apart from other emerging MSOs.

Click here to receive an investor deck and corporate updates

Perfect Blend of Expertise

Jushi was founded a year and a half ago with four initial founders. Erich Mauff, a former Vice Chairman of Deutsche Bank, teamed up with Jim Cacioppo and Jon Barack, who ran a distressed equity hedge fund focusing on private and public cannabis investments. They were early investors in Dennis Arsenault’s Organigram Holdings, which has become one of the preeminent Canadian licensed producers; and brought on Arsenault to the team as the fourth co-founder.

After they began investing in the U.S. market four years ago, the team recognized the legalization trend at the state level in the U.S. market and the public support of some form of legalization. They decided to create their own business in the United States after investing in a number of smaller companies since they possessed the skill sets, management team, capital and desire to succeed.

In his exclusive interview with CFN Media, President Eric Mauff pointed out that there are many similarities between the finance and cannabis industries. They are both highly regulated businesses that require access to capital and a strong background in compliance. The only missing link on the team was operations — and they filled the link with the acquisition of intellectual property of The Clinic Consulting Services, The Bank and The Lab and its award-winning operations team including bringing Max Cohen into the C-Suite.

Click here to receive an investor deck and corporate updates

What Sets Jushi Apart?

Jushi has created a well-rounded management team with expertise in finance and operations, which sets it apart from many companies that only have expertise in one of those areas. In addition, the company’s management team is well-aligned with shareholders with about $20 million of their own capital invested in the company. These aligned incentives promote prudent capital expenditures and a focus on generating a high return on investment.

With the acquisition of assets including trademarks and intellectual property from The Clinic Consulting Services, The Bank and The Lab as well as Max Cohen and several key high-profile members of his team, the company gained access to a team of expert operators who will build best-in-class cultivation, processing, retail processes and facilities. The team is also experienced with acquiring competitive licenses that could help the company enter new and exciting markets. Max Cohen, Founder and CEO of The Clinic, is also a founding member and current board treasurer of the Marijuana Industry Group, and former member of the board of directors for the National Cannabis Industry Organization, a national marijuana lobbying and policy organization.

The company’s cannabis footprint is augmented with an interest in hemp-based CBD products. In May, the company announced the opening of the first retail location of its Sound Wellness Holdings subsidiary, SW Retail Stores LLC, doing business as Mend. The full-spectrum CBD store is located in Amherst, NY and provides customers with tinctures, soft gel capsules, topical lotions and other CBD-hemp-derived wellness products.

Click here to receive an investor deck and corporate updates

Looking Ahead

Jushi Holdings Inc. (NEO: JUSH.B) has built an impressive management team to capitalize on the nascent U.S. cannabis industry. With aligned incentives and return on capital a core focus, investors may want to keep an eye on further developments as the company executes its vision of becoming a bold, new, principled leader in the cannabis and hemp industry.

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Synthetic Cannabinoids: The Harbinger of Cannabis Pharmaceuticals

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 26, 2019

Many people hear the phrase ‘synthetic’ cannabinoids and immediately think of deadly designer drugs that have swept the recreational market. But synthetic cannabinoids refer to any cannabinoids that are created through chemical or biological processes other than the cultivation and extraction of cannabis plants. These processes could help make cannabinoids much cheaper and chemically-precise — key attributes for pharmaceutical development.

Let’s take a look at the rise of synthetic cannabinoids and how they could eventually pave the way for cannabinoids to finally realize their potential as pharmaceutical drugs.

How Insulin Could Provide a Roadmap

Insulin, a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreas and arguably the most successful drug ever, provides the perfect case study for why synthetic drugs are valuable.

Diabetes affects nearly 10% of the U.S. population, or about 30 million people, as well as millions more around the world. In diabetes patients, the pancreas produces very little or no insulin, which makes it difficult for them to regulate blood sugar. This inability to regulate blood sugar can lead to a host of complications that are common in diabetic patients, including obesity, fatigue, frequent infection and other issues.

Before insulin’s discovery in the 1920s, diabetic children rarely lived a year after diagnosis and five percent of adults died within two years. The roughly 20% of adults that did live more than ten years often experienced complications like blindness, loss of limbs, kidney failure, stroke and heart attacks. Previous attempted treatments ranged from bleeding patients to dosing them with opium to starving them — all without much success.

Scientists had long suspected that the key to controlling glucose levels lay in the pancreas, but it wasn’t until the 1920s that Canadian surgeon Frederick Banting identified insulin. Between the 1920s and 1950s, purified animal-sourced insulin was the only type of insulin available to diabetics. The process was both expensive and time-consuming since it required that animals be raised and insulin extracted from their pancreas.

In 1978, Arthur Riggs and Keiichi Itakura created the first genetically-engineered ‘human’ insulin using E. coli as a ‘factory’. The discovery made it possible to mass produce insulin at a very low cost, making the drug easily available to millions of diabetics worldwide. The discovery saved millions of lives and generated billions of dollars for the pharmaceutical companies behind the development and commercialization of the treatment.

How To Create Synthetic Cannabinoids

Synthetic cannabinoids may not address as dire of a population as insulin, but it could offer new treatment options for a wide range of medical conditions. Since synthetic cannabinoids can be developed with the utmost purity and accuracy, they could quickly become preferred by researchers for clinical trials that require exceptional precision and eventually by patients and physicians looking for predictable results from medical treatments.

There are two common ways to produce synthetic cannabinoids. Chemical and biosynthesis:

Chemical Synthesis – Companies like Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: CRDL) (OTC: CRTPF), in partnership with Noramco, chemically-synthesize cannabinoids in the same way that pharmaceutical companies create small molecule drugs — by using physical and chemical manipulations involving one or more reactions. The company plans to introduce its 100% pharmaceutical CBD products to the Canadian market later this year.

Cardiol recently announced plans for an international clinical trial of the effectiveness of its pharmaceutical CBD product in the treatment of acute myocarditis. The trials are being initiated under the orphan drug status. “The U.S. orphan drug program was successfully utilized to accelerate the first FDA approval of CBD for the treatment of rare forms of pediatric epilepsy and significant shareholder value was created in the process,” stated David Elsley, President and CEO of Cardiol Therapeutics. “Given the mortality and the significant morbidity risk associated with acute myocarditis, we believe there is a similar opportunity in pursuing an expedited development program of our CardiolRx pharmaceutical CBD formulation for this serious orphan disease which has no accepted standard of care.”

Click here to receive additional investor information on Cardiol Therapeutics Inc

Biosynthesis- Willow Biosciences Inc. (CSE: WLLW) uses biosynthesis to create cannabinoids using yeast, enzymes, or other living organisms that can act as anabolism factories. Willow Biosciences believes that these new production methods could result in purer cannabinoids that could be mass-produced at a much lower price and on a much shorter timeframe than conventional cannabis cultivation and extraction methods.

Led by groundbreaking researcher Dr. Facchini, Professor of Plant Biochemistry at the University of Calgary and Willow’s Chief Science Officer, the company owns proprietary yeast-based lab strains that produce CBD, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and cannabigerol (CBG).

Click here to receive additional information on Willow Biosciences Inc.

Biosynthesis – FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE) — through its investment in and partnership with Solarvest BioEnergy Inc., will carry out a research project using its algal expression system for the purpose of developing a proof of concept that algae can express pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids.

“We are delighted to have forged this collaboration with the Solarvest team and their leading-edge research using the SVS algal technology to produce pharma-grade bio-synthetic cannabinoids,” stated Zeeshan Saeed, Founder and President of FSD Pharma.

Click here to receive additional information on FSD Pharma Inc.

Click Here to See FSD CEO Video Interview: FSD Pharma CEO Lays Out Roadmap in Exclusive Video Interview with CFN Media

The benefits of synthetic cannabinoids are numerous, particularly given the strict regulation of the cannabis industry. Naturally-derived cannabinoids are not nearly as consistent as synthetic pharmaceuticals and many cultivators have struggled with pesticide and heavy metal contamination. These issues are easily transferred into extracts and other products where they can become dealbreakers for pharmaceutical regulators.

Synthetic cannabinoids could address these issues by ensuring 100% purity, while simultaneously eliminating the need for large cultivation facilities, security personnel, extraction equipment and everything else that’s currently required to produce cannabinoids.

Investing in Synthetic Cannabinoids

There are many different public and private companies working on synthetic cannabinoid development, including Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: CRDL), Willow Biosciences Inc. (CSE: WLLW), and FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE). Investors may want to keep an eye on these companies and others as they look to create new high-volume, precise and low-cost methodologies for cannabinoid development.

Please Click here to receive additional information on Cardiol Therapeutics Inc.

Please Click here to receive additional information on WIllow Biosciences Inc.

Please Click here to receive additional information on FSD Pharma Inc.

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RYAH Medtech announces CE Mark for its RYAH vaporizer to establish critical plant-based dose measuring and data analytics in the European market

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 24, 2019

NEW YORK, June 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RYAH Medtech Inc. (“RYAH” or the “Company”), announced today that it has received a CE Mark for its dose measuring and data aggregator vaporizer. The certification is a critical part of RYAH’s expansion strategy in the European region for the RYAH dose-measuring plant-based vaporizer, RYAH proprietary dry herb cartridges, and real-time data analytics solution.

“Countries around the world are embracing the health benefits of dry herb medicine, and we believe the RYAH vaporizer will be an essential tool to add legitimacy to the international market. The user-generated, HIPAA-compliant data that RYAH collects is expected to be instrumental in enabling physicians to make educated recommendations to help patients optimize their relief and avoid possible negative experiences from medicating with plant-based medicine. The CE mark of the RYAH vaporizer is an important milestone for RYAH’s global aspirations and we expect to shortly initiate our launch in Europe,” says Jordan Medley, Head of Product Operations at RYAH.

According to Prohibition Partners’ “The European Cannabis Report, 2019”; Europe’s cannabis market is estimated to be worth up to €123b by 2028, led by medicinal treatments. The report highlights that Europe will likely become the world’s largest legal plant-based treatment market over the next five years. RYAH plans to roll-out several other clinical delivery mechanisms for dose measuring and data collection, including an oil delivery capability, state-of-the-art transdermal patch, tincture pen, and multi-cartridge mechanisms – all using groundbreaking technologies in conjunction with RYAH’s data aggregators.

About RYAH Medtech, Inc.

RYAH is a big data and technology company focused on valuable predictive analysis in the global medical plant intake industry. Its robust artificial intelligence platform aggregates and correlates HIPAA-compliant medical data, which is intended to help doctors and patients personalize plant-based treatments to better predict treatment outcomes. The data collection is also relevant for growers, dispensaries and Licensed Processors (LPs) to monitor and manage plant strain effects on patients. With a strong IP portfolio, RYAH gathers deep and insightful data on the complete medical plant lifecycle, from seed to consumption.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute “forward-looking information” as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words “may”, “would”, “could”, “should”, “potential”, “will”, “seek”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” and similar expressions as they relate to the Company, including: ‎the benefits of RYAH’s user-generated, HIPAA-compliant data to physicians; RYAH ‎shortly initiate its launch in Europe; RYAH plans to roll-out several other clinical delivery mechanisms; and the results users may receive from using RYAH; are intended to identify forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect the Company’s current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking information to vary from those described herein should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize. These factors include, without limitation: the general business and economic conditions in the regions in which the Company operates; the ability of the Company to execute on key priorities, including the successful completion of acquisitions, business retention, and strategic plans and to attract, develop and retain key executives; difficulty integrating newly acquired businesses; the ability to implement business strategies and pursue business opportunities; disruptions in or attacks (including cyber-attacks) on the Company’s information technology, internet, network access or other voice or data communications systems or services; the evolution of various types of fraud or other criminal behavior to which the Company is exposed; the failure of third parties to comply with their obligations to the Company or its affiliates; the impact of new and changes to, or application of, current laws and regulations; legal and regulatory risks inherent in the cannabis industry; risks relating to the regulatory landscape in certain countries and enforcement related to cannabis, including political risks; risks relating to anti-money laundering laws and regulation; other governmental and environmental regulation; public opinion and perception of the cannabis industry; risks related to proprietary intellectual property and potential infringement by third parties; risks inherent in an agricultural business; risks associated to cannabis products manufactured for human consumption including potential product recalls; a novel business model; granting of permits and licenses in a highly regulated business; the overall difficult litigation environment, including in the United States; increased competition; changes in foreign currency rates; increased funding costs and market volatility due to market illiquidity and competition for funding; the availability of funds and resources to pursue operations; critical accounting estimates and changes to accounting standards, policies, and methods used by the Company; the occurrence of natural and unnatural catastrophic events and claims resulting from such events; and the risk associated with a business in the cannabis industry. Should any factor affect the Company in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, the Company does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law.

For further information, please contact:

Stephen Hart
Investor Relations
917-658-7878
invest@ryah.com

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Taking A Bite Out of The Cannabis Edibles Market

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 22, 2019

Cannabis edibles and beverages have more than doubled their share of the overall cannabis market since 2011, according to data from ArcView Market Research and BDS Analytics, with revenue projected to grow from $1 billion in 2017 to $4.1 billion by 2022.

Consumer appetite for edibles also appears to be rising as people seek out ways to consume cannabis without smoking it. According to a Dalhousie University survey, 46% of people are willing to try cannabis-infused products when they become commercially-available and a full 93% of people favoring cannabis legalization were open to trying an edible product.

These dynamics have started to draw the attention of blue chip companies around the world. For instance, Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) shelled out $4 billion for its stake in Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) and Anheuser Busch Inbev NV (NYSE: BUD) partnered with Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) to research THC and CBD drinks.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest innovators in the space and some of the key challenges facing the industry as edibles go mainstream.

Who Are the Biggest Innovators?

There are many companies involved in the cannabis edibles space, but there are a few companies that have built a reputation in the emerging space.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) provides branding, transportation and distribution services through a wholly-owned network of California subsidiaries. The company recently signed an LOI to acquire the business and assets of SolDaze. SolDaze is a CBD/THC organic mango cannabis infused snack line conceived in Santa Cruz, California. The infused natural edible is low in sugar, and tastes like a healthier version of dried fruit. The tropical mango bites and the mango strawberry bites won best edible at the 2018 Emerald cup. Mangoes are packed with myrcene, a terpene that interacts with THC, making this cannabis edible a match made in heaven.

Click here to receive additional investor information on TransCanna

Sublime Canna is a leading cannabis manufacturing and distribution firm in California with an award-winning line of vape cartridges and pre-rolls. When developing an edibles product, the company sought out a discreet and easy-to-use product format. The team recently launched Dosies, a cannabis mint that contains just 2 milligrams of THC, to empower consumers to fine-tune the experience that they want or microdose throughout the day.

The company’s Tic Tac-like cannabis mints are only the beginning of what’s to come after the company brought on LJ Buffardi as its Vice President of Edibles Development. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Buffardi, along with his family members, sold Ferrara Candy to Ferrero, the Italian maker of Nutella and Tic Tacs, for an undisclosed amount. Next up from Sublime is a THC-infused freezer popsicle, called Freaze, that will be launching in July. Each popsicle will include 10 milligrams of THC.

Click Here to watch Sublime Canna CEO Alex Fang’s Executive Video Interview

Click here to Receive Additional Investor Information on Sublime Canna

Other companies are focused on private label contract manufacturing rather than developing their own brands. FinCanna Capital Corp.’s (CSE: CALI) portfolio company QVI Inc. is building a state-of-the-art production facility to produce edibles, topicals, tinctures, chocolates, hard candies, gummies, beverages and other products on a contract basis for licensed cannabis cultivators and brands — all under a single roof.

FinCanna is a royalty company that provides growth capital to rapidly emerging private companies operating in the licensed U.S cannabis industry. The Company earns its revenue from royalties paid by its investee companies that are calculated based on a percentage of their total revenues.

Click here to Receive Additional Investor Information on FinCanna Capital Corp.

What Are the Key Challenges?

The edibles industry must overcome some key hurdles before products reach mainstream consumers around the world.

The regulatory uncertainty surrounding the industry has caused some issues. In the U.S., the FDA is in the process of reviewing the status of CBD as an ingredient in foods and beverages, and it could decide to restrict its use. In Canada, the government is expected to legalize edibles and beverages later this year, but for now, consumers are limited to cannabis flower and concentrate products. Packaging and labeling regulations are also in a state of flux.

Cannabinoid metabolism could also pose a challenge for the industry. Unlike alcohol, cannabinoids are fat soluble, which means that there’s a slower on-set and potentially undesirable taste issues. Microemulsions and nanoemulsions could help solve some of these issues, but they come with their own set of issues, such as shelf life, taste, stability and predictability — there’s still a lot of work to be done on delivery systems.

Finally, many smaller companies in the space could face stiff competition from larger competitors. As these concerns clear up, there are many large companies that are likely to enter the space in a big way. Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) has reportedly expressed interest in CBD-related beverages, while many alcohol companies have already started to make strategic moves designed to capitalize on the potential for THC beverages.

Looking Ahead to What’s Next

Cannabis edibles and beverages could become a huge market segment over the coming years. Investors looking at the cannabis industry should consider adding exposure to their portfolios to diversify away from simply holding cultivators and dispensaries. Despite the significant potential, there are several key risk factors that investors should consider when looking at companies with ambitious plans in the space.

For more information please visit Transcanna

For more information please visit Sublime Canna

For more information please visit FinCanna Capital Corp.

For additional details on FinCanna’s disclaimer and Forward Looking Statements please visit:

https://www.fincannacapital.com/corporate/forward-looking-statement/

Disclaimer

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DNA Genetics: A Leader in Cannabis Branding & Licensing

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 21, 2019

The cannabis industry is projected to reach $146.4 billion by 2025, according to Grand View Research, representing a 34.6% compound annual growth rate. While many companies are focused on cultivation and retail, these business models involve high capital expenditures to produce commoditized products. Investors may be better off looking at companies focused on branding and licensing given the lower capital expenditure and competitive barriers.

DNA Genetics, co-founded by Don Morris and Aaron Yarkoni, is one of the oldest and most established cannabis brands in the industry with a vast library of highly sought after and award-winning strains. With wholly-owned subsidiaries in California and Amsterdam, the company is uniquely positioned to expand into both North American and European markets through strategic brand and cultivar licensing deals capable of generating high margin recurring income for shareholders.

Click here to receive an Investor Presentation and Company Updates

In this article, we will take a look at the company’s portfolio of award-winning strains as well as its unique business model that already is scaling into markets worldwide.

Award Winning Strains

DNA Genetics has amassed more than 200 awards in all categories at the most prestigious cannabis events around the world, making DNA a global standard in breeding and growing truly best-in-class cultivars. Such awards include the High Times ‘Top 10 Strain of the Year’, which was inducted into The High Times Seedbank Hall of Fame in 2019. Co-founders Don and Aaron have also been recognized for their contributions to the industry, having been named as part of High Times’ 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis and receiving the High Times Trail Blazers Award for contributions made towards uniting the fields of entrepreneurship, politics and medicine. In addition to its in-house strains, the company owns the rights to the Crockett Family Farms’ entire line-up, which are known for their exceptional flavor profiles. These strains promote high-yield production, pharmacological efficacy, and consumer interest.

The company markets these strains through an online and televised media presence. In the near future, the company’s founders will be featured on Pimp My Grow, a new video series, where Don and Aaron team up with Cypress Hill’s B-Real. They travel across the country turning amateur grows into industrial operations. The episode will appear on the PROHBTD Media Network—the first and largest cannabis lifestyle video network in the world.Unique Business Model

DNA Genetics has developed a licensing platform that is designed to keep capital expenditures low and profit margins high. License agreements are designed on a case-by-case basis with varying royalty terms, exclusivity rights and best practice consulting on the licensee’s scale and markets in which they operate. These licensing agreements produce high margin, recurring revenue over time.

Click here to receive an Investor Presentation and Company Updates

For example, the company licenses its brands and genetics to Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC)—the largest cannabis company in the world based on market capitalization—for use in its highest priced products. In March, DNA and Canopy extended their partnership through 2024 and expanded it to include select European markets.

The company has agreements in place in Canada, Europe and several U.S. states. Management projects to reach 12 states and five countries by the end of 2020, and ultimately expand to reach 20 states and ten countries by 2021. The company will also release its own product offering in California, where its brand is well positioned at the top of the world’s largest cannabis market.

Looking Ahead

DNA Genetics is one of the oldest and most established cannabis brands in the industry with ambitious plans to grow its footprint over the coming years. Investors may want to keep an eye on the company as it looks to become a publicly-traded entity over the coming quarters.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.dnagenetics.com

Click here to receive an Investor Presentation and Company Updates

Disclaimer

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MJMicro Conference Connecting Cannabis Investors in NYC

Written by Ryan Allway on

There are more than 400 public cannabis companies, and hundreds more are expected to go public over the next 12-18 months, according to Viridian Capital Advisors. With all of this noise in the market, it’s challenging for investors to discern what companies represent the best opportunities, and it’s equally challenging for companies to differentiate themselves.

The MJMicro Conference aims to cut through this noise on June 25, 2019 at the Westin Grand Central in New York City. The conference provides investors with unprecedented access to deal flow and companies, along with exposure to thousands of qualified investors. Attendees will hear from Canopy Growth’s VP of U.S. Strategy Andy Lytwynec, Viridian Capital’s Scott Greiper, and other thought leaders about the topics that matter most.

“We are excited to attend the MJMicro Conference, bringing critical insights from companies and investors to our audience,” said CFN Media President Frank Lane. “Our exclusive interviews are trusted by a broad worldwide financial audience seeking visceral insight on cannabis investments. Entrepreneurs, executives and dealmakers have a unique opportunity to tell their story, in their own words, to this targeted audience.”

CFN Media will be attending the conference to provide on-site filming for existing clients, including FluroTech Ltd. (TSX-V: TEST), FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE), as well as exciting new companies within the burgeoning market. Through these on-site videos, CFN is able to assist investors that weren’t able to attend the conference gain access to must-have information while providing wider exposure to presenting companies.

Cannabis companies, investment funds, and thought leaders interested in participating in a CFN Media Video Interview please contact Frank Lane to schedule a session at 206-369-7050.

Investors can watch these exclusive interviews by visiting the CFN Video Library or read our continuous coverage on CannabisFN.com.

Disclaimer

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Lesotho Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Monyane Moleleki, to Join Halo and Ms. Mojela at European Cannabis Week

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 19, 2019

TORONTO

Ms. Mojela to speak at Global Cannabis Partnership Launch in House of Commons

Halo Labs Inc. (“Halo” or the “Company”) (NEO: HALO, OTCQX: AGEEF, Germany: A9KN) is pleased to announce that the Deputy Prime Minister of Lesotho, Mr. Monyane Moleleki will be joining CEO of Halo Labs Kiran Sidhu and Chairman of Bophelo Bioscience Ms. Louisa Mojela at Prohibition Partners Cannabis Europa, IMN’s Inaugural Institutional Capital & Cannabis Conference in Europe (IC3), and other events throughout the week of June 24^th 2019.

On Monday June 24^th from 6:30-8:30 PM, Ms. Mojela will participate in a panel discussion at the Global Cannabis Partnership European launch in the House of Commons. Ms. Mojela’s panel will explore the cannabis industry’s opportunity to have a uniquely positive impact on society through social justice and environmental sustainability. The Global Cannabis Partnership is an international initiative that seeks to establish corporate social responsibility standards across legal cannabis markets worldwide. A collaboration of leaders from across the cannabis supply chain, GCP members include government agencies charged with the distribution and sale of legal cannabis, licensed cannabis producers, research institutions, and NGOs. The event will take place at the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA.

Ms. Mojela stated, “There is great potential for the African cannabis industry given our continent’s population of over a billion people with abundant land and natural resources. The Kingdom of Lesotho has taken a lead in this and that has positioned Bophelo to take advantage of the growing demand for GMP grade cannabis in the EU and other regions. Beyond the financial opportunity though, the I am excited by the potential this industry has to provide jobs and social benefits to our citizens including educational opportunities to the underprivileged.”

On Tuesday June 25^th the Hon. Monyane Moleleki Deputy Prime Minister of Lesotho will deliver a keynote speech at Cannabis Europa. He will be preceded by the Hon. Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat, who will be speaking on the opportunities for economic development and public health improvement allowed by the regulation of medical cannabis. The keynote addresses will take place at Queen Elizabeth Hall (Main Stage) at Southbank Centre Address: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XX.

Mr. Moleleki commented on his participation stating, “I look forward to discussing the current state of Lesotho’s cannabis industry and how we expect our regulations and legal industry to enable many benefits both social and economic. The cannabis industry is a significant development that should benefit the global cannabis market on the whole. With added strength from Halo Labs and commitment to EU GMP manufacturing, we look forward to the expansion of cultivation, production, and sales originating in our country. We anticipate Bophelo Bioscience to be an economic and socially responsible contributor to Lesotho and to have a positive impact on job creation and local opportunities for our citizens.”

On June 26^th Halo Labs will also have a booth located near the entrance to the main session room IC3 which is being held at Liverpool Street – 155 Bishopsgate, London, England EC2M 3YD. Kiran Sidhu will speak on a panel about best practices in due diligence for the cannabis industry.

Halo Labs is proud to sponsor Cannabis Europa as well as the Institutional Capital & Cannabis Conference Europe (IC3 Europe). The IC3 Europe is a meeting place for investors who wish to learn more about this exciting new asset class, as well as cannabis companies and investment funds who are looking to raise money or showcase their products and professional services.

ABOUT HALO

Halo is a cannabis extraction company that develops and manufactures quality cannabis oils and concentrates, which are the fastest growing segments in the cannabis industry. Halo is a global leader in cannabis oil and concentrates and has expertise across as major cannabis manufacturing processes, leveraging proprietary processes and products, and has produced over 4.0M grams of oils and concentrates since inception. The forward-thinking company is led by a strong management team with deep industry knowledge and blue-chip experience. The Company is currently operating in California and Oregon as well as Nevada with our partner Just Quality, LLC and in Lesotho with the Bophelo strategic partnership. With a consumer-centric focus, Halo will continue to market innovative branded and private label products across multiple product categories.

ABOUT BOPHELO BIOSCIENCE

Bophelo Bioscience is based in the Kingdom of Lesotho, Southern Africa and is the holder of one of a limited number of licenses issued in Lesotho for the production of medicinal cannabis products. Situated in proximity 70 kilometers to the capital city of Maseru, the Company’s operating site is an ideal location with ample labor, free water, flat land area, and low crime rates. The favorable high altitude, low humidity climate provides clean and organic growing conditions within the pristine mountainous region. With the motto “Sechaba se tlisa lerou” (community brings wealth), Bophelo highlights the value of community and empowerment of the Basotho people with a focus on the development of women and youth.

ABOUT LESOTHO

Lesotho is the first African country to legalize the cultivation and manufacturing of medicinal cannabis, becoming one of the most sought-after locations for cannabis operations in the world. The country has issued a limited number of licenses since legalization in 2016 and has been exporting cannabis since early 2018.

For further information regarding Halo, see Halo’s disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo’s beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo’s control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “will continue”, “will occur” or “will be achieved”. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein may include, but is not limited to, the appointment of Ms. Mojela to the board of directors of the Company, the appointment of Ms. Mojela as Chairman of the board of directors, the closing of the Transaction, the value to be realized by the Company from the appointment of Ms. Mojela, the continued expansion of the Company in the global market, that Ms. Mojela will become the first African woman to lead a publicly traded cannabis company, that Bophelo will continue to provide 10% of its pretax earnings to a trust, that Mr. Paterson will not stand for election at the upcoming annual and special meeting of shareholders, the effect of Ms. Mojela’s appointment on women in the cannabis industry and the appointment of Fred Leigh as interim Chairman of the Company’s board of directors.

By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190619005774/en/

Halo Labs
Investor Relations
info@halocanna.com

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Halo Labs Intends to Appoint Ms. Louisa Mojela as Chairman of the Board Upon Closing of Bophelo Bioscience Acquisition

Written by Ryan Allway on

Expected to Become First Ever African Business Woman to Chair a Publicly Traded Cannabis Company

Halo Labs Inc. (“Halo” or the “Company”) (NEO: HALO, OTCQX: AGEEF, Germany: A9KN) is pleased to announce that upon closing of the previously announced acquisition of Bophelo Bioscience & Wellness (Pty) Ltd. (“Bophelo”) (the “Transaction”), the Company intends to appoint Ms. Louisa Mojela, currently the Chairman of Bophelo, as Chairman of Halo’s board of directors. Ms. Mojela’s addition will be valuable for the Company as it continues to expand.

Ms. Mojela successfully founded and listed Women Investment Portfolio Holding Limited on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange that has grown to be worth over USD $250M today. She has led capital raises and held directorships at companies such as Sasol Mining (NYSE: SSL), Ixia Coal, South African Airways, Ericsson SA, Adcorp (SJ: ADR), and Sun International (SJ: SUI) amongst others.

Upon appointment, Ms. Mojela is expected to be the first African woman to lead a publicly traded cannabis company. Ms. Mojela commented, “Halo was a natural fit given its strong professional management team, global vision and success in the United States which has established the company as one of the market leaders in the cultivation and extraction of cannabis oils and concentrates.”

Ms. Mojela also applauds the platform that the cannabis industry and Halo affords her social development mission, “As an early stage growing industry, cannabis has the potential to provide much-needed jobs and contribute to the economic development of Lesotho, as well as uplift the citizens through the non-profit development trust that I established for underprivileged women and children. Since 2010 the trust has built schools, libraries, and a learning center as well as an agricultural project. Halo shares our values and after the transaction Bophelo will continue to provide 10% of its pretax earnings to the trust for the people of Lesotho.”

G. Scott Paterson will remain a valued strategic advisor to the Company as Ms. Mojela transitions into her new role at Halo. Mr. Paterson commented, “It was an honor to serve as Chairman of Halo, but this represents a historical step in our industry as the Company appoints the first African woman to chair a publicly traded cannabis company. I look forward to working with Halo in an advisory position as the Company continues to expand.”

Completion of the Transaction is subject to, among other things, the negotiation and execution of a mutually agreeable definitive acquisition agreement and related documents and the satisfaction or waiver of any conditions precedent to the consummation of the Transaction (including the receipt of any requisite regulatory and third-party approvals).

ABOUT HALO

ABOUT BOPHELO BIOSCIENCE

ABOUT LESOTHO

For further information regarding Halo, see Halo’s disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190619005125/en/

Halo Labs
Investor Relations
info@halocanna.com

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Cannabis Supply Chain Management Expert: ManifestSeven

Written by Ash Stringer on

On March 28, 2019, trading of shares of P&P Ventures was halted as the company prepared to merge with ManifestSeven, change its name and ticker, and jump to the Canadian Securities Exchange. The new company is ManifestSeven Holdings, with a proposed ticker of MSVN in a going-public transaction that is receiving good support as measured by a recent capital raise of $15 million, three times the targeted amount. This has been followed by another $5 million in overallotments.

Why The Buzz? The Business

ManifestSeven, or M7 for short, is looking to rattle the industry with a fully integrated business model where the company has a role in every part of the supply chain, whether for THC, CBD or ancillary products. While certainly not apples-for-apples in scale, think about a company like Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) to get a better picture of the plan. That e-commerce juggernaut has its hands in everything, from manufacturing to brick-and-mortar stores, including a massive distribution network with hubs littered across the country and travelled by a fleet of distribution trucks, delivery vehicles, and more.

With one fell swoop, and backed by brilliant leadership and investor support, the one-time book peddler simply re-shaped the whole retail sales industry.

Please click here to receive an investor deck and corporate updates.

As the legal cannabis industry evolves in the U.S., ManifestSeven (which is headquartered, appropriately, in Commerce, California) is pioneering the establishment of an Omnichannel Superhighway for commercial cannabis. To that end, ManifestSeven is acquiring licenses, trucks, and warehouses as it sets up the requisite infrastructure for logistics and transport of cannabis through legal corridors.

The initial focus is throughout California, arguably the biggest legal cannabis market in the world, including supplying its own retail locations and that of others. The company is presently expanding its logistics and industrial space by 150% to 100,000 square feet across California, Colorado and Arizona, with expectations for the expansion to be completed by the end of summer.

In building its network, ManifestSeven has assembled an impressive group of companies, including Hippie Butler, White Coat Hemp Co., Weden, CM Smoke Supply, Puff Pack and many more. Most recently, MyJane, founded by seasoned venture capitalist and entrepreneur Kimberly Kovacs, was added to the roster. ManifestSeven, then known as MJIC, acquired MyJane, a wellness technology platform designed to curate personalized cannabis experiences for women and deliver it privately to their homes, in February.

Kovacs, who has raised more than $130 million for her ventures, is still serving as President of MyJane, a true value-add to an already strong M7 team.

The company even has its own real estate investment vehicle, named Vicinity. This is a JV between ManifestSeven and a network of high-net worth investors formed to acquire, develop, and manage properties leased to licensed entities owned and controlled by ManifestSeven. Vicinity has backed the acquisitions of a distribution and delivery center in Oakland and a distribution center in Long Beach, adding them to the company’s other strategically placed hubs.

While the bread-and-butter of the company is commerce (both B2B and B2C), its portfolio of services are diversified to support the entire supply chain, including compliance, accounting, marketing, and investing offerings as well. Sound a little familiar to the diversified AMZN model with its Amazon Web Services?

Please click here to receive an investor deck and corporate updates.

Why The Buzz? The Team

To build and scale the operations in which M7 is continuously investing, it takes a team seasoned in all areas of business. The company has this covered, with an aggregate of approximately 60 years of experience in the cannabis space and centuries of relevant experience across business development, banking, venture capital, real estate, product development, marketing and e-commerce.

The experience underscores the company completing over 330,000 retail transactions to more than 75,000 customers.

Sturges Karban serves as CEO at M7, and has built an impressive C.V. since graduating Harvard 19 years ago, with experience in investment banking and as an entrepreneur. In addition to working at Robertson Stephens and Jefferies & Company, he co-founded and sold a residential real estate development company in Connecticut in just two years. He also served as COO and Director for Cutting Edge Music Services, where he was instrumental in structuring a portfolio of business that invest in the music publishing and master recording rights of the music created for feature films and television programs. Today, the group manages more than $100 million in IP assets. Furthermore, Karban co-founded the international boutique consultancy Meridian Advisors before joining MJIC in 2014 and taking the top executive spot in 2017.

Please click here to receive an investor deck and corporate updates.

President Urban Smedeby started as a consultant to the company in 2014 before coming on board full time in 2015, bringing more than 25 years of investment banking and fund management experience with early-stage companies to M7. During his career, which has included co-founding two boutique investment banking companies, Smedeby has completed more than 150 equity and debt structure transactions. Among other accomplishments, he co-managed Instream Capital LLC, a convertible debt fund that was a component of a $4 billion hedge fund.

CFO Jordan Gerber joined M7 via MJIC’s acquisition of CFO Worldwide and Panther Micro Opportunity Fund I in 2016. A CPA and recognized financial boffin, Gerber has acted as an outsourced CFO for more than 100 companies with collective revenues of over $500 million.

COO Pierre Rouleau is the elder statesman of the group and boasts repeated successes in the cannabis industry. He previously served as Chairman and COO of Green Light District Holdings, more commonly known as ShowGrow, where he was integral in that company’s expansion of its dispensary strategy into multiple locations ranging from Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

CIO Dmitry Gordeychev, a graduate of the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University, went straight from college to positions (Analyst, Associate, and Associate Vice President of Investments) at CIM Group, a California-based private equity real estate fund manager with over $19 billion in AUM. In 2012, Gordeychev joined Karban at Meridian as a Managing Partner.

Corporate Secretary Lawrence Horwitz, who earned his law degree at the venerable University of California at Berkeley, brings a wealth of legal expertise to M7. A founding partner in Horwitz + Armstrong, which specializes in corporate finance and securities regulation, he has practiced, co-founded, and/or made partner at various law firms across his 30-year legal career. Horwitz is admitted to the United States Federal District Court, Central District of California, and the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

For the sake of brevity, we won’t go into the board of directors, which includes executives from companies acquired by M7, business professionals and entrepreneurs, including the likes of Scott Wessler, who was previously a Director of Product Development at Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) and VP of Product Development at Local.com.

The Day is Coming…

After receiving shareholder approval to merge with P&P in April, it is only a matter of time before we see ManifestSeven listed on the CSE. At that point, the company will have a leadership position as a public cannabis play looking to change the landscape by owning the entire supply chain. The management team exemplifies how cannabis is transitioning from the black market to the board room, with the cannabis and business veterans at M7 more than amply suited to execute on the vision.

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Zenabis Chief Growing Officer Outlines Potential in Exclusive Interview

Written by Ryan Allway on

Canada’s cannabis industry is projected to reach C$22.6 billion over the coming years, according to Deloitte, driven by the legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis. With concentrates and edibles anticipated later this year, licensed producers could reach new consumers that aren’t interested in smoking cannabis. Investors may want to take a closer look at experienced LPs that are well-positioned in the market.

CFN Media recently spoke with Mr. Leo Benne, Chief Growing Officer of Zenabis Global Inc. (TSX: ZENA), to discuss his unique credentials and the company’s strong growth since becoming a publicly traded company earlier this year.

Mr. Leo Benne, Chief Growing Officer of Zenabis Global Inc.

CFN: Can you provide a brief overview of the company and its unique history for investors new to the company’s story? What sets the company apart from competitors in the space?

Benne: Zenabis is an amalgamation of SunPharm, a startup cannabis company, and Bevo, a 30-year family owned greenhouse propagation company. This combination of acquired knowledge and expertise makes Zenabis a unique partnership.

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CFN: Zenabis has an exceptional management team with a diverse background. Mr. Leo Benne, you in particular, bring a significant horticulture knowledge and expertise to the table. Can you describe your background a bit?

Benne: I studied modern horticultural methods in the Netherlands and worked several years in greenhouses honing skills in vegetable propagation. Since I started Bevo in 1993, the company has become one of the most prolific propagators in the world by harnessing new technologies. I have enjoyed applying my years of experience propagating hundreds of different crop types at an industrial scale to the nascent cannabis industry.

CFN: Zenabis recently reported its first quarter financial results. Can you discuss the company’s progress over the past quarter and any upcoming catalysts that investors should watch for over the coming months?

Benne: We have been hitting our milestones at all facilities in terms of both construction plans and production goals. Many more production rooms are coming online in the next few months, increasing our capacity to meet consumer demand. We have also seen continuous improvement in production yields and processes in Atholville. The team is looking forward to the first crop being planted in Langley early in the 3^rd quarter and harvested in the 4^th quarter.

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About Zenabis

Zenabis is a significant Canadian licensed cannabis cultivator of medical and recreational cannabis, and a propagator and cultivator of floral and vegetable products. Zenabis employs staff coast-to-coast, across facilities in Atholville, New Brunswick; Delta, Aldergrove, Pitt Meadows and Langley, British Columbia; and Stellarton, Nova Scotia. In addition to gaining technologically advanced knowledge of plant propagation, the recent addition of state-of-the-art greenhouses in Langley, Pitt Meadows and Aldergrove provides Zenabis with 3.5 million square feet of facility space that can, upon full conversion, be dedicated to cannabis production.

If all facility space at Zenabis Atholville, Zenabis Stellarton, Zenabis Delta and Zenabis Langley is fully converted and dedicated to production, Zenabis will own, and have access to, 660,000 square feet of high quality indoor cannabis production space, as well as 2.1 million square feet of greenhouse cannabis production space at its Langley facility, with this production strategically positioned on Canada’s coasts. Zenabis expects these facilities to have an annual design capacity of 131,300 kg of dried cannabis by the third quarter of 2019. These facilities, if fully built out and converted for cannabis production, would have an annual design capacity to yield approximately 479,300 kg of dried cannabis annually, for both national and international market distribution. An additional 700,000 square feet of greenhouse space will be used to continue the existing propagation business and produce industrial hemp, and can be converted to cannabis production at such a time that is beneficial to the strategic position of the Company. The Zenabis brand name is used in the cannabis medical market, while the Namaste and Blazery brand names are used in the cannabis adult-use recreational market, and the True Büch brand name is used for Zenabis’ kombucha products.

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A Top Selling Product and a CEO Buying Shares Sets This Cannabis Company Apart

Written by Ash Stringer on

Cannabis in Canada has a long and storied history, going back to 1923 when the plant was added to the Confidential Restricted List as a prohibited drug. Fast-forward to 2001 and regulators loosened laws to allow medical use to treat certain conditions under the MMPR (Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations). Then, in October 2017, history was made with Canada becoming the first G7 country to legalize recreational marijuana nationwide, creating a vibrant industry and multi-billion-dollar companies.

According to Statistics Canada, about 4.9 million Canadians aged 15 to 64 spent an estimated C$5.7 billion on cannabis for medical and non-medical purposes in 2017, spending that the government hopes to turn into revenue with the end of prohibition. Canadian bank CIBC estimates the legal Canadian market will grow to C$6.5 billion by 2020.

Long before recreational cannabis was legalized in the country, THC BioMed (CSE: THC) (OTCQX: THCBF) had planted its roots as a cultivator and researcher of medical marijuana in Kelowna, British Columbia. Through an Exemption 56, MMPR license, ACMPR (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations) license and now a Cannabis Act license, the company is an expert in the full gamut of production and regulations, offering its products and services throughout Canada and other parts of the world.

The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Clone Shipper Ltd., owns all rights to an eponymous product used to transport plants. Patent-pending technology of Clone Shipper covers an invention of an illuminated shipping container for live cannabis plants.

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Strategic Motion

Making the moves to scale, THC has invested over $1.1 million in acquiring properties adjacent to its flagship facility. They needed it because in November THC earned a Cannabis Actand Cannabis Regulations license that allows it to produce and sell cannabis products on a large scale under the new Canadian laws.

To that end, THC now has 11 strata lots licensed for production, three more that are being submitted to Health Canada for review and another three under construction. All told, the company has 20 strata lots under its ownership, lease or contract to purchase in Kelowna.

The company, one of only 30 inaugural members of OTC Markets Group’s newly coined OTCQX Cannabis Index, recently entered into an agreement with the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB), the provincial wholesale distributor of non-medical cannabis, to supply several of its cannabis products exclusively throughout B.C.. Per the agreement, THC will be supplying 3.5-gram and 7-gram formats of select flower strains, including its THC Sativa Landrace, THC Indica Landrace, THC Hybrid Landrace, THC CBD Indica Landrace, Atomical Haze, West Coast Dream, Original Cheese and Jacky White.

West Coast Dream and Original Cheese are hybrid flowers containing an even mix of Indica and Sativa, differentiated by THC level. Jacky White is a Sativa-dominant hybrid.

The exclusive agreement strengthens the relationship between THC BioMed and BCLDB that kicked-off with the company delivering its first shipment of its Landrace line for the recreational market in October. Only weeks later, three of the strains and pre-rolls were listed on the BCLDB’s online store as best sellers, with the THC Hybrid flower and THC Hybrid pre-rolls taking the number one spots for their categories on launch day.

By the end of October, THC had made three shipments in order to restock sold-out products. Come the start of December, five shipments to BCLDB were sent, which now included THC CBD and Atomical Haze strains.

Also in December, the company expanded its sales channels into Saskatchewan, sending its first shipment of dried and pre-rolled cannabis to an undisclosed retailer in Saskatoon.

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THC Makes Cannabis History

On the topic of pre-rolls, THC made history this month by becoming the first Canadian Licensed Producer to automate its pre-rolls containing 100% cannabis. With this accomplishment, the cannabis industry took another stride forward, as the word “joint” could one day be nearly obsolete in its traditional sense.

THC intends to soon begin shipment throughout its distribution network of its automated pre-rolls in four different strains of cannabis containing THC, and one strain of cannabis containing mostly CBD.

The momentum being gained translated to improving sales figures even ahead of the recent developments. During the quarter ended January 31, 2019, THC reported unaudited revenue of $474,041, up 55.2% from $305,448 in the year prior period. For the six months ended January 31, 2019, revenue totaled $753,181, a gain of 29.5% from $581,685 in the same period a year earlier.

THC Kiss Promise

As THC widens its flower and pre-roll distribution, the company is preparing to launch its first beverage, called THC Kiss. THC holds this developmental product in high regard, claiming the one-of-a-kind organic cannabis drink will deliver where all other similar products have failed. In part, its uniqueness comes from an extraction method that enhances cannabinoids that have never by utilized before.

Through its extensive research, THC believes it has the solution to overcome the obstacle of cannabis beverages causing fatigue and drowsiness. The company is confident that THC Kiss will be the first cannabis beverage to provide a mental and physical high for a short period of time following consumption. For now, though, the drink is under wraps while the Canadian government hammers out the details to legalize beverages and edibles containing cannabis.

Companies like Corona beer maker Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) have bet big on the future of cannabis drinks, investing $5 billion for a 38% stake in Canadian marijuana juggernaut Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: CGC) to get into the space. Not to be left out, Molson Coors (NYSE: TAP) (TSX: TPX.B) teamed up with Quebec’s Hexo Corp. (NYSE American: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO) to launch a line of cannabis beverages called Truss, as the evolution of the green rush is aligning for cannabis beverages to become big business.

Ahead of any beverage legalization, THC CEO John Miller says he is satisfied with the progress his company is making. So pleased in fact that he recently bought another 500,000 shares of the company, boosting his position to about 23.3 million shares, or about 17.3% of THC’s outstanding shares.

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To Learn more about THC BioMed (CSE: THC) (OTCQX: THCBF) visit the Company’s Website: https://thcbiomed.com

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Nabis™ Expands National Footprint with California Acquisition

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 18, 2019

There are many multi-state operators seeking a slice of the $14.5 billion U.S. cannabis industry, but few have the ambition and expertise of Nabis Holdings Inc. (CSE: NAB) (OTC: INNPF) (FRA: 7IP). Staying true to its name, meaning ‘repeat performance’ or ‘encore’, the co-founders behind MPX Bioceuticals Corp. (CSE: MPX), which was purchased by iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc. (CSE: IAN) for C$835 million, is looking to repeat and exceed its success.

Shay Shnet and Mark Krytiuk plan to continue to build a national presence. The goal? 18 states within 18 months of inception. The company began its quest only 6 months ago and is currently on pace to meet its ambitious targets. Nabis Holdings Inc. has signed definitive agreements on assets in Michigan, Arizona, Washington and now California. We are expecting a lot of great news in the coming months as the company aggressively pursues its strategy.

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Let’s take a closer look at this acquisition and the company’s activities across other limited license states.

Desert’s Finest Acquisition

California’s cannabis industry is projected to reach $5.1 billion this year, according to ArcView Market Research and BDS Analytics, driven by the legalization of adult-use cannabis last year. While the market has experienced some growing pains, there’s no doubt that it will quickly become one of the largest markets in the world. Nabis Holdings’ acquisition of Desert’s Finest represents its entry into this massive market.

Desert’s Finest is a 6,000 sq. ft. dispensary located in Desert Hot Springs, California — a city strategically-located less than two hours east of Los Angeles and north of San Diego. Currently, the dispensary has more than 37,000 registered patients and generated more than $5.7 million in sales over the past 12 months with a 47% gross profit margin. With only $5.7 million paid in consideration, the acquisition could provide a strong return on investment.

“As we continue national expansion of the Nabis footprint, we are pleased to announce our first acquisition in the state of California, one of the dominant cannabis markets in the United States,” said Shay Shnet, CEO & Director of Nabis. “Desert’s Finest has successfully generated material revenue driven in part by their convenient dispensary location in the Palm Springs region and extensive list of registered patients. We look forward to adding Desert Hot Springs to the Nabis portfolio and the loyal customer base to the Nabis brand.”

Deals on the Horizon

Nabis aims to expand this footprint into Michigan, Arizona and Washington State over the near-term with binding letters of intent to acquire operations in each. With some buildouts, plans for cultivation and operating dispensaries in play, each of these businesses are or will be EBITDA positive, vertically-integrated businesses in limited license states with large addressable clientele, which translates to high-quality access to strategic markets for investors interested in exposure to multi-state operators.

The company’s near-term deal flow includes:

Michigan – The company has closed the acquisition of five strategically-located properties that have municipal approval for provisioning centers throughout the state as well as 10 cultivation licenses and 1 production license. Nabis also has binding LOIs on 2 additional sites for provisioning centers.
Arizona – The company executed a binding LOI to acquire control over a basket of operating assets in the state, including dispensaries, indoor cultivators, and established branded products that are already in 25% all dispensaries.
Washington State – The company closed on a transaction to purchase extraction and production equipment and lease a production facility in Townsend, WA. Management plans to expand these operations to produce upwards of 20,000 kilograms of cannabis concentrate on an annual basis.

Looking Ahead

Nabis Holdings Inc. (CSE: NAB) (OTC: INNPF) (FRA: 7IP) is uniquely positioned to provide investors with diverse exposure to limited license states with strong growth potential. With 4 state already under its belt, management plans to expand into at least nine other states by the end of the year and 18 states within 18 months of starting its plans.

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Learn more about the company: https://www.nabisholdings.com/

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Betting Big on the New Age of Synthetic Cannabinoids

Written by Ash Stringer on

In the U.S. and globally, there is an explosion in demand for cannabinoids, naturally occurring components of the cannabis plant, for medical research purposes. The overarching problem, however, is that the natural extraction technologies that dominate the field today are chock full of issues, including high costs and potential for contamination. While the bias still leans towards natural methods, ultra-pure synthetic cannabinoids – which some pundits consider the future of the space – are gaining traction, with Noramco, the biggest name in the API business leading the way, with Willow Biosciences (CSE: WLLW) now by its side shepherding a next-generation manufacturing process.

Although more research is necessary, the days of eyebrow raising over the medicinal value of cannabinoids, including the two most famous, CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), are fading in the rear-view mirror with a myriad of clinical trials now initiated. Any real doubts surrounding medical potential were effectively squashed by GW Pharma (NASDAQ: GWPH) garnering FDA approval for Epidiolex, indicated for two rare forms of drug-resistant, childhood-onset epilepsy last year, marking the first ever green light by the FDA for a non-synthetic cannabis-based drug. The active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in Epidiolex is CBD.

The first synthetic cannabis drug was Marinol, a THC-based drug now marketed by AbbVie (NASDAQ: ABBV) that was first approved in 1985 for treating nausea in chemotherapy patients.

Noramco’s roots in cannabis go back more than 15 years, when it invested millions of dollars in R&D and equipment to successfully help a customer develop a generic alternative for Marinol.

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While cannabis remains illegal at the federal level in the U.S., 33 states have approved the plant for medical purposes. At least 20 common conditions, such as arthritis, glaucoma, inflammation and chronic pain, qualify under current laws, in addition to hard-to-treat conditions like cancer, epilepsy and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Partnering With a Giant

Noramco, once a unit of Johnson&Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) until it was acquired in 2016 by private equity firm SK Capital for a reported $800 million, is the top supplier of controlled substance APIs in the United States and the world’s largest producer of pharmaceutical APIs. The company has demonstrated capacity for 750+ tons per year of finished API and intermediates.

Since the acquisition and appointment of James Mish as CEO, Noramco has put an emphasis on its cannabinoid business, betting big that synthetics are the future of cannabinoid APIs. Now, Noramco is the juggernaut of the space, offering 35 different cannabinoids APIs, all of which are produced via chemical synthesis, not natural extraction. In fact, Noramco is leaps and bounds ahead of the pack as the only CMO using chemical synthesis to make commercial quantities of pharmaceutical-grade CBD and THC. The company currently stocks research quantities of ten cannabinoids shown to have potential therapeutic benefits, along with about two dozen others.

Now, through a new Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with Willow Biosciences, the two companies are looking to further cement their names as pioneers in the synthesis of cannabinoids.

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The Benefits of Synthetic Production

It takes a brief understanding of today’s technologies to understand the merits and potential of what Willow and Noramco are aiming to accomplish. Simply put, purity, consistency, standardization and costs are hallmarks of APIs. Without getting into the minutia as we did here, natural extraction has limitations in all of these aspects compared to synthesis methodologies.

Armed with data showing their CBD produced synthetically is 1,000x lower than the FDA’s guidelines of <0.1% THC, Noramco’s Wen-Chun Zhang, Senior Principal Scientist, Pharmaceutical API Process Development, detailed the case for mainstream adoption of synthetic CBD APIs in a presentation at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists in Washington, D.C. in November. Amongst other things, Dr. Zang said that their production methods that produce ultra-pure molecules are “way ahead cost-wise” compared to other purification methods.

Willow, a company with deep experience and success in synthetic biology, believes it has a key to a new generation in cannabinoid APIs that is pharmaceutical grade with shorter production times and less expense. To that end, the company estimates that costs for producing multi-ton quantities of high-purity CBD with its synthetic biology technology can be slashed by about 60% from that of Noramco’s chemical synthesis, which were already lower than natural extraction by about 40%.

Synthetic biology, or biosynthesis, is a newer technology clearly differentiated from chemical synthesis. In short, chemical synthesis uses, as the name implies, chemicals to create a chain of reactions resulting in the desired compound.

Biosynthesis breaks down natural processes into individual parts, analyzes the steps and then re-creates the process in the lab setting with the opportunity to make enhancements where possible. Ultimately, it provides the opportunity to meet market demand by rapidly scaling volumes because it doesn’t rely upon production cycles of the cannabis plant. Further still, it is clean, eliminating any threat of residual pathogens, heavy metals from the soil and any other possible contaminants in the conventional extraction process.

This goes without mentioning that there is an established regulatory pathway for synthetic drug manufacturing, a fact that the plethora of natural extraction techniques does not enjoy.

The JDA with Noramco lays out the plan to prove the case for biosynthesis as a new standard for cannabinoid APIs.

The seasoned team of scientists at Willow didn’t draw this idea out of thin air. Led by Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Peter Facchini, has made great strides in identifying the unknown steps in the opium poppy pathway that is believed to be responsible for the opioid addiction pandemic. These advancements allow the company to explore for non-addictive opioids. If all goes well, Dr. Facchini believes that they are about two years away from having a new, non-addiction pain drug (yeast-based thebaine as the API) as an alternative to the likes of morphine and oxycodone to hopefully stem the ever-growing presence of opioid-related deaths.

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As it relates to cannabinoids, Willow has proven its ability to biosynthesize API at commercial scale through its work with thebaine.

Meeting of The Minds

Per the pact with Noramco, Willow will be responsible for optimizing yeast strains in a biosynthetic process that will generate ultrapure CBD at high yield and at substantially lower cost compared to current methods. Noramco will leverage its decades of knowledge in producing CBD and related compounds and its experience in delivering them in clinical and pharmaceutical applications to shoulder scale-up, regulatory submission, marketing and distribution.

That bears repeating for Willow investors. Noramco, the world’s biggest supplier of pharmaceutical APIs, will take care of all the leg work to get the new products through regulatory agencies and into the massive distribution network.

Each company will retain their respective intellectual property and share equally in gross profits from future sales for any products manufactured under the JDA.

“The addition of biosynthetic CBD production will augment Noramco’s ability to work with our existing customers and the capacity to address the rapidly increasing market demand for CBD-based APIs and ingredients from pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, consumer packaged goods, beverage and other industry sectors,” said Bill Grubb, Noramco’s Chief Innovation Officer and VP Global Business Development, in a statement on the new agreement with Willow.

Mr. Grubb was touching on expectations that the new cannabinoid APIs will have a bevy of potential applications, ranging from CBD beverages and creams to pharmaceutical uses (100’s of clinical trials are currently ongoing). Cumulatively, the market size for CBD packaged consumer goods and CBD pharmaceuticals is estimated to reach $41 billion by 2025, according to Ackrell Capital 2018 Cannabis Investment Report, creating a more than favorable opportunity for a best-in-class API that sits at the center of each and every one of those products.

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For more information on the company: www.willowbio.com

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7 Minutes with Matt Willer and a Little Cannabis Alliteration

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 17, 2019

Marcus Lemonis, the iconic entrepreneurial Profit, is famously known for building successful businesses under the mantra of “people, process and product.” If there is a company employing the “3 P’s” recipe in the cannabis space, it’s STWC Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: STWC), or Strainwise Consulting as it is often called, a company steeped with experience building a suite of services that shepherd success for its clients.

When it comes right down to it, Strainwise could add two more P’s: partners and profits. As explained by Matt Willer, President of Strainwise, in an interview with CFN Media’s Nova Gaver, the company takes its work and the success of its clients very personally.

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“Ultimately, we’re a partner in each of these entities, whether that’s formally or informally. We look at them as an extension of our business,” said Willer, adding, “Success is measured by our client’s bottom line. We’re feeling that we had a successful engagement or partnership when we’re improving someone’s business and obviously that is largely displayed by profit and loss.”

Strainwise’s diverse business model means the company could provide services for cash or equity (or a combination of both) or even make an investment in the client/partner if the opportunity is ripe.

The People

Strainwise’s roots go as deep into the legal cannabis industry as anyone. Co-founder and CEO Erin Phillips has the distinction of securing the first ever recreational marijuana license in the United States, that for a Strainwise branded dispensary. With Erin spearheading the consulting and regulatory end of business, husband and co-founder Shawn Phillips took care of operations, with the duo growing from a single dispensary and 4,000 square feet of production capacity in 2010 to nine retail shops in Colorado, more than three dozen licenses and 90,000 square feet of cultivation space.

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The Phillips are the type of people that when licenses to expand grow operations were unexpectedly delayed by Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division resulted in employees needing to be temporarily laid off, the couple worked to place their staffers with other companies in the industry so they didn’t have to go without work. It’s is this personal and deeply-experienced approach that Strainwise leadership brings to its partners that differentiates it from competitors.

Willer who was promoted to the position of President at Strainwise in February, is relatively new to the cannabis industry, but brings a wealth of knowledge of the capital markets to the company underscored by two decades of serving on boards and executive positions at public companies.

During his time as the former President and Director at Assure Holdings (TSX-V: IOM), Willer took the company public and was instrumental in a four-fold increase in market capitalization in 12 months. Willer also served as President of the U.S. division of Xylitol Canada, which experience 10x revenue growth under his tutelage.

There is something to be said for sticking to what you do best and letting others do what they do best in building a company. Willer can see the synergies, in particular the skill set each person at Strainwise possesses as advantageous to growth.

“[The Phillips] learned from the school of hard knocks. They started a business; They grew it; They went through the challenges like any business owner would. Through those years of experience, we’re able to translate that into a more efficient roadmap for our clients,” said Willer in the interview.

“The challenge that we have in the capital market is not specific to any one industry and the challenges that are dealt with at the operational level are really a shot into Erin’s domain. By allowing them to focus on helping our clients and grow the operational piece, it relieves them from the responsibilities that are more in my domain,” he added.

The Process

The process, as the Phillips found out with decision timelines for regulators being a moving target, can be the greatest challenge to any company in the cannabis space. The simple fact that the emerging industry is still so nascent inherently means that changes are incessant.

“It’s constantly trying to understand what is happening at the local, state or even federal level, which often times falls into compliance and legal issues, etc.,” said Willer. “In that murky environment, you still have to be able to run a business. What we’re trying to do is alleviate that stress of all these moving parts; let them know that they’re partnered with someone that can look after their best efforts and monitor all these dynamic movements,” he continued.

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As an example, Willer noted a company in Oklahoma City that came to Strainwise in its infancy. Strainwise led the new partner from concept to fruition, advising them through the licensing procedure to building-out their first dispensary and successful launch of the business.

The Product

For Strainwise, the lines between process and product can be somewhat blurred. There is, of course, the company’s own products. At the same time that it broadens the STWC footprint in its home state, as well as Oklahoma, into the massive California markets and down into Puerto Rico, the company is growing horizontally too.

“Growth is not just more dispensary partners or more cultivation partners,” Willer explained.

Strainwise is executing on a broad strategy to build a robust ecosystem providing products and services that will augment legacy consulting revenue and allow partners to save on capex by working directly with Strainwise.

For instance, the company in April launched a new packaging division offering customizable and compliant cannabis product packaging options to its clients. Elsewhere, Strainwise partnered with Dana Ress of Denver’s RedPoint Solutions on a joint venture for the purpose of developing a software solution called Supergrower. The customizable software is designed to address the complexities of operating in the legal marijuana space, with functionality across all four cannabis verticals: cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and retail. The JV is targeting July for Supergrower, giving investors something to look forward to in the near term.

Back to the People

In closing, Willer circled right back to the people as clear differentiators setting Strainwise apart from others in the cannabis business. The Phillips as bona fide industry pioneers speaks for itself in building the brand that is starting to gain momentum.

Willer succinctly summarized the importance of the team, offering, “The people are really what drives this business. I think that as an extension of that – and that our partners would say – that you can trust us like a partner. We do what we say on time and on budget. I’d say 95 percent of our business comes by way of referral, which I think is a testimony to the caliber of people that we have in the organization.”

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For More Information on STWC Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: STWC) please visit the Company’s website: http://www.strainwiseconsulting.com

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Halo Labs to Expand Globally and Acquire Bophelo Bioscience

Written by Ryan Allway on

Cannabis Industry in Lesotho, Africa to Become Gateway to EU Cannabis Markets

Halo Labs Inc. (“Halo” or the “Company”) (NEO: HALO, OTCQX: AGEEF, Germany: A9KN) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) for the proposed acquisition of Bophelo Bioscience & Wellness (Pty) Ltd (“Bophelo”) (the “Transaction”). The Transaction is expected to strengthen the Company’s position in Lesotho, Africa, a country quickly becoming the continent’s export gateway to the global cannabis market. Lesotho is the first African country to grant medical marijuana licenses for cultivation and patient use and is making strides toward becoming the worldwide export hub for cannabis. Halo’s planned acquisition of Bophelo brings together two socially-minded companies on a shared mission to better the communities in Lesotho.

Halo’s initial partnership with Bophelo included operation of the 5-hectare cultivation and production site and purchase of its entire production in exchange for a 20% equity stake and a royalty on cannabis sales. In a growing consumer market, Halo now intends to purchase the entire issued share capital of Bophelo for 40,786,667 common shares in the capital of Halo (approximately USD $18.4M or CAD $24.7M).

Supreme Cannabis (TSX: FIRE) and Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) made significant investments in Lesotho recently with Supreme Cannabis making a CAD $10M strategic investment in Medigrow Lesotho (Pty) in exchange for a 10% ownership interest in that company, and Canopy Growth Corporation acquiring 100% of DaddyCann Lesotho (Pty) Ltd for CAD $28.8M.

This Transaction is expected to strengthen Halo’s position in a region strategically set to become the international breadbasket of Good Agricultural and Collecting Practice (GACP) and EU Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-grade cannabis isolates and distillates. GACP and GMP designations demonstrate Halo’s capability to grow and manufacture at scale while adhering to high-quality standards and enables distribution to European and international pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies in these attractive and growing markets.

Beyond providing a source of low-cost cannabis inputs and products for Europe and other regions, Africa as a continent boasts a strong consumer market. According to New Frontier, there are over 83 million annual cannabis consumers on the continent and the current market is estimated at USD $37.3 billion in combined legal and illegal sales out of the total USD $344.4 billion worldwide. This emerging opportunity will be unlocked with increased cannabis decriminalization and legalization policies, such as neighboring South Africa; which in 2018 approved private use and decriminalized possession, a market which according to the March 2019 Prohibition Partners Africa Report is now expected to be worth USD $1.851 billion by 2023.

Kiran Sidhu, the CEO of Halo Labs, commented, “The high-altitude, low-humidity climate and access to water, as well as low cost utility, tax, and labor rates mean cannabis in Lesotho can be cultivated naturally at a very competitive cost. While most of the licenses issued to date restrict cultivation to 2-3 hectares and indoor or greenhouse growing, Bophelo operates one of the largest sites in Lesotho at 5 hectares. The state has also given Bophelo preliminary approval to expand up to 200 hectares and has indicated they would consider granting permission for outdoor growing from 2019 onwards, following consultation with the INCB (International Narcotics Control Board). Bophelo has secured this site with a 20-year lease and option to renew for an additional 30 years.”

Once fully operational on the initial 5 hectare site, Bophelo intends to harvest GACP cultivated cannabis approximately twice per annum and will have the potential to produce approximately 4.6M grams of high quality EU GMP cannabis concentrate per annum.

Mr. Sidhu continued, “We anticipate EU GMP cannabis concentrate would be exported to the European market at an estimated price of USD $10 per gram while our FOB Lesotho all-in cost ready for export would not exceed USD $2 per gram. We expect the initial planting to occur in November and to complete our first harvest by the second quarter of 2019. Bophelo will also give Halo Labs an international platform for our innovative products like the DabTabs Dablets, the first ASTM C373-18 certified doseable cannabis product.”

Halo continues to solidify its reputation as a leader in cannabis oil and concentrates and is now the first U.S. based publicly traded company to make an investment into Lesotho. Upon closing of the Transaction, Halo will expand its global footprint and be one of the first cannabis companies in the world to have products and technology carried across the EU, the United States, and Africa.

The Chairman and non-executive director of Bophelo, Ms. Louisa Mojela, stated, “The acquisition of Bophelo by Halo Labs gives me great hope for the future of Africa’s cannabis industry. I am glad to be working with Halo’s executive team, too. Together we will strengthen Lesotho’s position as the breadbasket for Europe, Australia, and other global markets.” Ms. Mojela is among Africa’s most successful business personalities and a prominent citizen of Lesotho. She has been recognized by countless international organizations for her contributions to business, women, and impoverished communities winning an All Africa Business Leaders award by CNBC in 2016.

Halo’s acquisition of Bophelo will further solidify the Company’s strategic vision in addition to exemplifying its support of social responsibility initiatives. For example, the land leased by Bophelo is held by a non-profit trust that benefits the community. 10% (ten percent) of Bophelo’s pre-tax profits will go to this trust and be given back to the people of Lesotho. Both Ms. Mojela and Mr. Sidhu are like-minded about social impact and equity. Through support from the trust, Ms. Mojela has founded and built a school on Bophelo’s premises and Mr. Sidhu is personally donating computers for the school’s students. Ms. Mojela commented, “The social benefits of our public-private partnership are extremely important to me. Halo shares that commitment and these values will differentiate us from our competitors.”

Chairman of Halo Labs, G. Scott Paterson, summed up anticipated benefits from the transaction, “The proposed acquisition of Bophelo is game changing for Halo and important for the global cannabis economy. We are enthusiastic about the Lesotho opportunity and operating a scale cultivation and production facility for the international export of oil and concentrates. We expect a lift both to revenue and profit and are looking forward to delivering these financial results to our shareholders.”

ABOUT HALO LABS

Halo is a cannabis extraction company that develops and manufactures quality cannabis oils and concentrates, which are the fastest growing segments in the cannabis industry. Halo is a global leader in cannabis oil and concentrates and has expertise across as major cannabis manufacturing processes, leveraging proprietary processes and products, and has produced over 4.0M grams of oils and concentrates since inception. The forward-thinking company is led by a strong management team with deep industry knowledge and blue-chip experience. The Company is currently operating in California and Oregon as well as Nevada with our partner Just Quality and in Lesotho with the Bophelo strategic partnership. With a consumer-centric focus, Halo will continue to market innovative branded and private label products across multiple product categories.

ABOUT BOPHELO BIOSCIENCE

ABOUT LESOTHO

For further information regarding Halo, see Halo’s disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo’s beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo’s control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “will continue”, “will occur” or “will be achieved”. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein may include, but is not limited to, statements regarding the Transaction (including the terms thereof, the entering into of definitive documentation and closing conditions), the receipt of regulatory approvals, the distribution and sale of Halo and Bophelo and the size and growth of the global and regional cannabis market generally.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190617005892/en/

Halo Labs
Investor Relations
info@halocanna.com

The post Halo Labs to Expand Globally and Acquire Bophelo Bioscience appeared first on CannabisFN.

FSD Pharma Continues to Add Expert Advisors Amid Buildout of Massive Facility

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 13, 2019

FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE) (OTCQB: FSDDF) has been focused on building out its board of directors and advisory board since becoming a full Canadian licensed producer earlier this year. After receiving its cultivation license in 2017, the company began work on a massive cultivation facility that could house nearly four million sq. ft. on 70 acres of land before receiving its sales license in April of this year.

By building an independent board to oversee governance and provide expertise, the company is building a solid foundation as it looks to become a medical cannabis leader.

Noteworthy New Appointments

FSD Pharma recently announced the addition of James A. Datin and Robert J. Ciaruffoli, CPA, to its Board of Directors. Both of these board members bring significant industry experience and connections at some of the largest companies in their respective sectors.

Mr. Datin is the President and CEO of BioAgilytix, a leading global bioanalytical contract research organization (CRO). Since becoming CEO, he has been instrumental in growing the company’s customer base and capacity, including an expansion into Europe. BioAgilytix was recently acquired by a private equity fund after being named to the Inc. 5000 list of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America six times.

Mr. Ciaruffoli is the co-founder of Broad Street Angels, which is the largest angel investor network in the Philadelphia region with over 100 members. As a CPA, he also served as Chairman and CEO of ParenteBeard/Baker Tilly accounting and advisory firm. He orchestrated the merger of ParenteBeard and Baker Tilly in 2014 to create the 12th largest U.S. accounting and advisory firm.

FSD Pharma also added two prominent cannabis researchers to its scientific advisory board as it looks to solidify its footprint in the medical side of the industry. The two new board members join an existing team that brings widespread expertise.

Dr. Ziva Cooper, Ph.D., is the Research Director of UCLA’s Cannabis Research Initiative in the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She has been overseeing and publishing studies investigating cannabis neurobiology and dependence for over a decade, including the effects of cannabinoids on experimentally-induced pain. She’s currently focused on understanding how cannabinoids impact various medical conditions.

Dr. Mallory Loflin, Ph.D., is a research scientist for Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of San Diego’s School of Medicine. She has dedicated her entire research career to the study of cannabinoids with the goal of informing both prevention efforts for problematic use and the development of cannabinoid-based therapeutics.

Building Towards a Long-term Goal

FSD Pharma received its sales license earlier this year from Health Canada, which enables it to start monetizing its various projects. In addition to building out its facility, the license enables its partner, Canntab Therapeutics, to commence sales of its suite of novel cannabis oral dose delivery platforms, including CBD and THC capsules, in Canada and other global markets, while paving the way for other tenants to do the same.

For example, FSD Pharma announced a $1.5 million strategic investment in and profit-sharing agreement with Pharmastrip Corp., developer of medical cannabis-infused oral thin film strips. Under the terms of the agreement, FSD will install Pharmastrip’s proprietary equipment at its Cobourg, Ontario facility and use the equipment to manufacture oral thin film strips and Pharmastrip will grant FSD an exclusive license to manufacture and sell in Canada.

Click Here to See FSD CEO Video Interview: FSD Pharma CEO Lays Out Roadmap in Exclusive Video Interview with CFN Media

The company also continues to look for ways to scale up production and improve quality. For instance, its agreement with Solarvest BioEnergy Inc. (TSX-V: SVS) will research the use of algal expression technology in developing pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids. The company is already using algae to create omega-3 products for the nutraceutical industry, and the same approach could be used to develop cannabinoids in a much faster and more reliable process.

The company’s new board members and advisors could be instrumental in helping build out these initiatives at its own facility and continue to explore new research initiatives. In the meantime, investors can look forward to seeing early revenue in the near-term from Canntab’s production and potential long-term revenue as it continues to build out its massive cultivation facility that could eventually become a leading medical cannabis supplier.

Looking Ahead

FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE) (OTCQB: FSDDF) (FRA: 0K9) continues to invest heavily in cutting-edge technologies that could revolutionize the way cannabis is grown and consumed. At the same time, the company continues to appoint board members and advisors that could become instrumental in bringing its vision to life. Investors may want to take a closer look at the stock given these dynamics and the potential for near-term revenue.

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Rubicon Steps Up to the Cannabis Branding Plate

Written by Ryan Allway on

In the rapidly-evolving legal cannabis industry, we’ve gone from complete prohibition to limited medical markets to widespread retail markets in a few short years. In order for licensed producers to compete in the retail marketplace, the need to develop powerful consumer brands has become an incredibly important step for success. Companies that manage to marry high-quality, consistent products with an effective branding strategy could move to the forefront over the coming quarters as the production boom levels out.

Rubicon Organics (CSE: ROMJ) (OTCQX: ROMJF), a Canadian Licensed Producer with operations in British Columbia and Washington, recently announced a bold move forward by partnering with the iconic California lifestyle and cannabis brand, Cookies. With two other existing brands to its name (Supplied by 1964and Doctor & Crook Co.), Rubicon is building a highly coveted brand portfolio to pair with its proprietary organic cultivation methodologies. By combining premium organic cannabis with the already-popular Cookies empire, Rubicon is aggressively advancing its vision of becoming a North American cannabis mainstay.

What’s the Big Deal with Cookies?

Cookies is a brand empire developed in the Bay Area by Berner and Jigga. Berner is a rapper, record label executive, and serial entrepreneur. Jigga is a cannabis breeder who is generally credited with creating the wildly popular Girl Scout Cookies (aka ‘Cookies’ or ‘GSC’) strain. The “Cookie Fam” was formed by combining Berner’s marketing savvy and extensive reach in the cannabis-friendly rap music world with the top shelf genetics developed by Jigga and his fellow breeders. Many other award-winning strains have been developed by the Fam since, and Berner has expanded the organization’s influence by opening Cookies-branded dispensaries and selling Cookies-branded clothing.

Click Here to Receive Additional Investor Information

The clothing line actually plays a key and interesting role in the success of the brand. Trademarks are not issued for cannabis in the United States due to its illegal federal status. Berner developed a clothing and lifestyle line around the Cookies brand and trademarked that, providing protection for the cannabis brand through something of a side door. It is a brilliant workaround in a legal environment that makes the branding of cannabis strains very difficult…and it’s working.

The current Cookies universe is a positive feedback loop of award-winning and market-defining cannabis strains, urban cool clothing and accessories, social media savvy, rap industry credibility. Cookies strains are regularly listed among the top sellers across the nation as growers have purchased clones of the plant and worked their own variations on the theme. The company operates a number of branded dispensaries across California as well as the clothing and accessories store in San Francisco.

Rubicon’s Strategy

Rubicon Organics has built its cultivation operation around the principles of organic and sustainable farming practices, advanced hybrid greenhouse design, and (somewhat surprisingly) low-cost production. The company owns a 40,000 square foot high-tech, venlo-style facility in the state of Washington as well as a similarly built 125,000 square foot facility in British Columbia which will begin producing 11,000 kg of super premium organic cannabis in 2020. Due to state licensing requirements, the facility in Washington is leased to an operator who employs Rubicon’s proprietary organic cultivation techniques to grow premium organic cannabis – with 4,500 kg of cannabis production slated for 2020.

Those techniques were developed by Rubicon’s executive team following their experience in launching Whistler Medical Marijuana, Canada’s first certified organic licensed producer, several years ago. Rubicon’s CEO co-founded Whistler Medical, and Rubicon’s Chief Science Officer (CSO) helped to guide the company through the organic certification process. A Professional Agrologist, Rubicon’s CSO has long been a central figure in British Columbia’s robust sustainable and organic farming scene. He contributed to the Certified Organic Standard for Canadian Greenhouse Production of Vegetables and wrote the first draft for the BC’s only standard for organic cannabis certification under the Frasier Valley Organic Producers Association (FVOPA).

After leaving Whistler Medical, the two embarked on several years of experimentation with organic greenhouse growing methods and materials. The result is Rubicon Organics, fueled by passion for and expertise in sustainable, organic, low-cost, high-quality cannabis. Rubicon uses its own proprietary soil mix in combination with the most advanced hybrid greenhouse technology to achieve its goals.

Click Here to Receive Additional Investor Information

By combining Rubicon’s advanced production systems with the award-winning genetics and brand recognition of the Cookies strains, the companies envision a Washington premium cannabis powerhouse. “The fact that Cookies – one of the top brands in California – has chosen Rubicon Organics to license its highly coveted cannabis strains is a testament to the strong commercial appeal of Rubicon’s unique cultivation methods,” said Jesse McConnell, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Our proprietary cultivation methodologies will enable the fullest expression of Cookies’ cannabis genetics and we are looking forward to working alongside the Cookies team to spread their iconic brand across Washington State.”

Rubicon has an existing brand in the state, Doctor & Crook Co., as well as a California-based brand, 1964 Supply Co.. The company is planning to launch both the Cookies and the 1964 brands in Washington later this year.

The Upshot

Rubicon Organics is building a family of brands in the key markets of Washington and British Columbia. With organic products fetching significantly higher prices than non-organic, the company is looking to leverage its proprietary low-cost production techniques into a healthy bottom line based on premium products. The addition of a highly successful and high acclaimed brand only adds to the probability of achieving this goal. The company is in the final stages of the FVOPA organic certification process which would make it Canada’s fourth certified organic licensed producer. There is a lot going on with Rubicon Organics this year, and the Cookies brand could play a key role in unlocking the company’s market potential.

Click Here to Receive Additional Investor Information

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FinCanna’s QVI Looks to Become California’s Premier Contract Manufacturer

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 12, 2019

California’s cannabis industry is projected to reach $7.7 billion in revenue by 2021, according to *BDS Analytics and Arcview Group, driven by the legalization of adult-use cannabis. Within this market, manufactured products edibles and concentrates have outpaced cannabis flower to become the *fastest growing segment of the market. Concentrates can be incorporated into many different value added product formats, including but not limited to vaporizers, topicals, tinctures, edibles and beverages.

One of the effects on the industry is that many cultivators and brands don’t have the expertise or facilities to create their own value added products. As companies look to expand their offerings to meet growing consumer demand they find themselves needing to outsource their manufacturing to meet their product requirements .

FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) a royalty company focused on the burgeoning U.S. licensed cannabis industry, plans to take advantage of this rapidly emerging trend through its royalty investment in, QVI, Inc.. QVI is a cannabis infused product manufacturer located in Sonoma County, California that conducts its business under the brand “The Galley”.

Click Here: Receive an Investor Presentation and Company Updates

State of the Art Facility

QVI is building a state-of-the-art, production facility that’s capable of producing edibles, topicals, tinctures, chocolates, hard candies, gummies, beverages and more, on a contract basis for licensed cannabis cultivators and brands. The Galley will be differentiated from its peers by its automated capabilities to produce virtually all high-value cannabis products under one roof. This one-stop production capability is attractive to top tier in-state and out-of-state brands and positions QVI as a go-to producer for many cultivators and brands looking to capitalize on the rising demand for value added products.

The company is nearing completion of its of its Santa Rosa, CA, based, 8,300 sq. ft. commercial manufacturing facility and looks to be in production shortly subject to final licensing and permitting.

“We are very pleased with QVI’s ability to continue to move its business forward in strategically located Sonoma County,” said Andriyko Herchak, CEO of FinCanna Capital. “The demand for their manufacturing and over all fulfillment services is exceptionally strong and bodes well for their future success. FinCanna shareholders, along with QVI co-founders, look forward to The Galley’s successful transition to commercial operations in the near future.”

Significant Royalty Potential

QVI has already vetted more than 100 potential cannabis operators that require contract manufacturing services for a wide range of products. Based on existing MOUs, the company expects to generate upwards of $5 million in revenue during its first 12 months once operational. The company anticipates that these revenues will increase as operations and marketing efforts commence leveraging the co-founders’ extensive industry network.

In addition to producing third-party products, the company plans to manufacture its own line of products under the name “Big Fish Brands”. These products could offer the potential to generate higher profit margins than contract manufacturing. QVI is also submitting for a distribution license to help brand customers package and fulfill their products.

FinCanna will receive a tiered corporate royalty, adjusted based on revenue levels, ranging from 15% to 6% of QCI’s total revenue, with a top royalty rate of 15% on the first $20 million in annual sales until cumulative royalties reach $10 million. This revenue could have a significant impact on the company’s top-and bottom-line over the coming quarters as the facility is built out and goes into production.

Looking Ahead

FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) is well positioned to capitalize on rising demand for edibles, topicals, tinctures and other products in California’s nascent cannabis industry. In addition to QVI, the company holds stakes in other U.S. based cannabis companies to learn more click Here to view the Fundamental Research Report

*https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/bds-arcview-report-concentrates-sales-market-growth/

*https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-consumer-potential-of-retail-cannabis/

For additional details on FinCanna’s disclaimer and Forward Looking Statements please visit:

https://www.fincannacapital.com/corporate/forward-looking-statement/

Disclaimer

CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on https://www.cannabisfn.com (the ‘Site’) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies. We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news.

https://www.fincannacapital.com/corporate/forward-looking-statement/

DehydraTECH: The Cynosure of Efficient CBD Delivery

Written by Ryan Allway on

Scientists use words like “bioavailability,” “pharmacokinetics” and “targeted” in describing keys to efficiently treating disease and conditions. To the patient, it is just swallowing a pill, but there is years of research that goes into improving drug delivery with the goal of getting the medicine to the right spot as quickly as possible to maximize the effect. Thanks to the innovative work conducted at Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP), the next generation of drug delivery is here, a patented technology called DehydraTECH that can improve outcomes and save lives.

Backstopped by successful in vivo, in vitro and clinical trials, Lexaria has shown that utilizing DehydraTECH promotes healthier administration methods and higher effectiveness of ingestible drugs and other molecules. The precision of DehydraTECH means that improved therapeutic benefits can be observed with lower doses of the active ingredient compared to traditional delivery methods.

While the technology can be used for a wide spectrum of drug molecules, Lexaria is putting an emphasis currently on delivery of cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive component of cannabis and hemp. Long touted for its medicinal uses, there is a growing body of clinical evidence validating the potential of CBD to safely treat an array of maladies ranging from anxiety to hard-to-treat diseases like epilepsy.

As such, there is a growing choir of patient voices calling out for CBD products to give them relief where traditional medicines have failed or come with unpleasant side effects.

This demand is at the heart of a May report from industry analyst firms BDS Analytics and Arcview Market Research that forecast CBD sales to exceed $20 billion in the U.S. within five years.

To that end, it’s no surprise that Lexaria is focusing on this emerging market.

Better and Better Results

Recently conducted animal experiments have shown that standard DehydraTECH formulations combining cannabinoids with long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) deliver CBD at industry-leading volumes and speed with appealing flavor and aroma profiles that don’t require artificial chemical masking agents, additional flavoring agents or sweeteners.

More specifically, research showed that the DehydraTECH formulation delivered measurable quantities of CBD into the blood in as little as 2 minutes, three times faster than the medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil-based control formulation. MCT oils, such as coconut oil, are commonly used today in the manufacturing of popular cannabis edibles.

In just 15 minutes, the technology delivered more CBD to the bloodstream than the MCT control formulation did in 60 minutes. In fact, at the 15-minute point, the DehydraTECH formulation had a blood concentration level that was 475% greater than the MCT oil formulation. Furthermore, the peak level of the MCT formulation (achieved at about 52 minutes) was already topped by the DehydraTECH formulation at 15 minutes.

The area under the curve (AUC – a measure of drug concentration in blood plasma compared to time to determine the total amount of drug delivered) for DehydraTECH was 389% more than the MCT oil control, lending additional credence to the potency of the technology.

The image below paints a clear picture of the robust effect of DehydraTECH versus an MCT oil formulation.

At the conclusion of the 60-minute study, those animals receiving the DehydraTECH formulation had blood concentration levels 319% more than the MCT oil formulation and had an average maximum CBD blood concentration level 334% above the MCT group’s average.

While impressive, Lexaria this month released more animal study data from a test combining DehydraTECH with compounds believed to be synergistic to enhance gastro-intestinal absorption. The results showed the company to be correct in the hypothesis.

Again, the DehydraTECH formulation was measured against a traditional MCT coconut oil formulation. Instead of the 475% improvement in CBD concentration in the blood, the “Enhanced DehydraTECH” formulation led to 811% more CBD delivery into blood that the MCT formulation.

The image below lends some color to the dramatic improvement in rapid CBD uptake between the three formulations.

The Enhanced DehydraTECH formulation simply blew the MCT formulation out of the water on every metric, including delivering more CBD to blood in just 12 minutes than the MCT formulation was able to achieve at any point during the 60-minute test duration.

The Enhanced version was even far superior to the traditional DehydraTECH formulation, reaching a maximum blood concentration level in just 45 minutes compared to traditional DehydraTECH at 50 minutes (and the MCT coconut oil formulation at 57 minutes).

The novel formulation delivered roughly twice as much CBD to animal blood at all measured time points in the study from the 15-minute mark onwards, compared to traditional DehydraTECH; and during the same time points from 717% to 1098% more CBD than the generic industry MCT formulations.

Also worth noting is that both versions of DehydraTECH starting tapering off within the one hour parameter of the test. The quick onset/quick offset creates a favorable PK profile in cases where multiple dosings are necessary for the optimal outcome.

Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier

The brain is obviously a complex organ the employs a barricade of cells to keep foreign cells out. This protective wall, known as the blood-brain barrier, is a double-edged sword insomuch that while it keeps pathogens out, it won’t let in about 95% of all tested pharmaceutical agents either, creating a huge area of unmet medical need to treating conditions of the brain.

Lexaria has previously shown in animal models that its technology can not only deliver nicotine to the bloodstream, but also across the blood-brain barrier more efficiently than today’s industry standards. Apropos, Lexaria has licensed its technology for this application to one of the largest nicotine products companies in the world.

Following on that research, Lexaria tested brain tissue concentrations to evaluate 8-hour CBD delivery from the DehydraTECH LCFA formulation versus the MCT oil formulation. What they found was that the concentration of CBD in the brains of the animals receiving the DehydraTECH formulation was 246% greater than those in the MCT group.

Late in May, the company raised the bar yet again with more animal testing proving that the combination of DehydraTECH and generic nanotechnology techniques in an oral formulation delivered 1,137% more CBD into brain tissue than a common industry formulation in use today.

The recent tests of the Enhanced DehydraTECH formulation set the benchmark even higher, delivering a whopping 1,937% more CBD into animal brain tissue after 8 hours compared to generic industry MCT coconut oil formulations and 487% more than traditional DehydraTECH.

Better, Stronger, Faster

It’s not hyperbole to say that Lexaria has set new performance thresholds for CBD delivery technology considering its tests show and 8-fold increase in blood plasma and 19-fold increase in concentrations in brain tissue compared to generic industry formulations. Unprecedented results like that should put the company at the center of attention in scientific circles as a thought leader in oral CBD delivery, albeit in tablet, capsule or pill form for the pharmaceutical, medical and supplement markets.

Lexaria has been licensing its DehydraTECH technology to partners in the cannabis industry for over three years and intends to extend this new data to its licensees expeditiously. These latest development provide cogent evidence of the technology greatly outperforming anything on the market today, while opening up market opportunities for customized approaches to develop new products and improve upon existing ones.

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Israel Builds Dominant Position in the Global Medical Cannabis Industry

Written by Ryan Allway on

Israel has always been a leader in cannabis research and development—thanks to Raphael Mechoulam’s groundbreaking research—but it’s just starting to realize the potential for cultivation. In addition to having one of the highest per capita usage rates in the world, Israel is expected to soon have upwards of 50,000 patients on a waitlist and is uniquely located to become a major supplier to Germany and other European end markets.

Isracann Biosciences Inc. [CSE: IPOT (Pending)] aims to become Israel’s first pure-play cannabis firm listed in Canada with a four-pronged focus on cultivation, distribution, products and manufacturing, and R&D genetics.

Click Here To Receive Isracann’s Investor Presentation

Why Israel Stands at the Forefront

Israel is a well-known global science and technology hub with more than four percent of its GDP devoted to civil research and development and 140 scientists and technicians per 10,000 employees. Most investors are familiar with Israeli companies like Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA) and Wix.com Ltd. (NASDAQ: WIX) that were born from this devotion to cutting-edge research and development.

Not surprisingly, Israel has also become a leader within the nascent cannabis industry. Raphael Mechoulam is widely recognized as the “Godfather of Cannabis” for discovering tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids. Earlier this year, the country doubled down on medical cannabis research by pouring $2.13 million into 13 cannabis research projects, making it one of just three countries with government funding for research.

Earlier this year, the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture officially classified the growing of medical cannabis as a ‘farming sector’, which paves the way for cannabis cultivators to receive government aid, grants, and water quotas like any other farmer. The Ministry of Health and Finance also recommended legalizing the export of medical cannabis, which experts believe could open the door to a $1 billion per year export market.

Building a Massive Footprint

Isracann is building 230,900 sq. ft. of hybrid greenhouses for the ultra-low-cost production of high-quality medical cannabis. Management expects these facilities to be completed by year end with an initial production capacity of 11,500 kilograms per year with the long-term goal of reaching 23,500 kilograms per year. The hybrid greenhouse has several advantages over indoor purpose-built greenhouses, including precise environmental controls and containment.

Through a distribution partnership in Malta, the company plans to efficiently export cannabis products to the European Union—and Germany in particular. The German market has 82.7 million citizens and serves as a key gateway to other European end markets, which could exceed North American end markets over time. New legislation passed earlier this year could pave the way for a new legal import framework.

While the company plans to deliver high-quality GMP flower for export in the early stages, management plans to expand into higher margin products, such as ultra-pure cannabinoid distillate that can be infused into a variety of products. At the same time, the company has partnered with leading research institutions and imports genetics from Canada and Holland to ensure that it’s offering the most competitive premium products.

Looking Ahead

Isracann Biosciences Inc.[CSE: IPOT (Pending)] is uniquely positioned to become a leader in Israel’s nascent cannabis industry. With a massive cultivation footprint and a four-pronged business plan, the company could begin generating revenue as early as next year. The country’s long-term potential to be a leader in R&D and a well-positioned exporter to Europe could make it the next big global cannabis destination.

Click Here To Receive Isracann’s Investor Presentation

For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.isracann.com.

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The Unique Advantages, and Challenges, of Multi-State Operators

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 11, 2019

As the cannabis industry continues to mature, an increasing number of companies are choosing to become multi-state operators, with assets and operations in a number of US legal markets. Most have achieved this through the acquisition of companies with existing assets and licenses in target states, which most often become regional subsidiaries, allowing companies to quickly gain control over cultivation and processing facilities, licensing, and often retail operations and distribution agreements, increasing capacity and augmenting their vertical integration, one of the key benefits of multi-state operations.

Multi-state operators bring to new markets valuable experience, standard operating procedures, and best practices, as well as shared branding, equipment, expertise, and intellectual property, not to mention a track record of navigating and complying with complex and varied regulatory environments – which means a lot to the people granting state and local licenses. As new markets continue to emerge, multi-state operators who’ve successfully expanded can build on the lessons learned elsewhere and more easily transition into them.

This all comes at a cost, of course, but if done correctly, it can result in huge payoffs.

MSO’s Reflect Changing Legal Landscape

Cannabis is, of course, still illegal under federal law, but attitudes are quickly changing; most Americans now support legalization and even a majority of Republicans (traditionally the most hostile to legalization efforts) now favour full federal legalization.

As of last year’s midterm elections, 33 states have legalized cannabis for medical purposes, while ten of them and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for recreational adult use. In December, the 2018 Farm Bill was also signed into law, legalizing hemp and the production of hemp-derived CBD, enabling operations in states where other cannabis operations are still illegal. Prior to the legislation, the US was the only industrialized nation with a ban on hemp, placing hemp-dependent US companies at a distinct disadvantage.

Halo Expanding National Footprint, Product Offering

Halo Labs Inc. (NEO: HALO, OTCQX: AGEEF, Germany: A9KN) is a successful multi-state operator with assets and operations in Oregon, Nevada, and California, the world’s largest single cannabis market. The company manufactures cannabis oils and concentrates, the fastest-growing segment of the industry, and operates eight distinct product brands of extract-based products.

In California, Halo is operating an initial 1,600 square foot facility in Southern California with expectations to begin operations in a second 7,800 square foot facility which is already licensed and is currently finalizing approval for buildout. Halo also has several large contracts including a $2 million per month supply agreement with Falcon International Corp. and a $1 million per month agreement with ikanik Farms, establishing the company early on as a leader in extraction in California.

In Oregon, where the company is based, it controls six acres of outdoor cultivation and a 19,200 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, and its revenues have risen as a result of the introduction DabTabs – a proprietary vaping technology in which ceramic discs store a dose of cannabis oil, providing a solution to the mess often involved in vaping concentrates – as well as a full line of edibles. Halo already boasts over 20% of the state’s highly-competitive wholesale concentrates market, and has begun a shift to a product mix comprised of higher margin items.

Click here to see a Video on HALO Labs ~ The Journey of a Pioneer in Cannabis Extraction

In Nevada, the company controls state licenses as well as an 8,000 sq. ft. processing facility near the Las Vegas airport, with plans to develop larger grow operations, and the rollout of DabTabs is expected to increase its dispensary penetration. The company announced in February that MedMen will distribute DabTabs in all of its Nevada and California dispensaries.

Most recently, the company announced a partnership with High Tide Inc. to distribute Halo branded products through High Tide’s distribution channels into the United States, Canada and Europe. The partnership will initially entail distribution of do-it-yourself DabTabs kits where consumers can prefill their products with measured doses of cannabis.

Halo Labs CEO, Kiran Sidhu said, “I am truly excited about our new partnerships that will strengthen Halo’s presence within the United States and expand its reach into Canada and Europe. This introduction to international markets through High Tide is laying the groundwork for the company to obtain access to the world, while providing Halo branded products directly to the consumer. With Halo being the product producer and High Tide being the hardware provider, the potential is endless.”

Click Here to Receive Additional Investor Information & Company Updates On HALO Labs

Cansortium a Steadily-Expanding MSO

A strategic first-mover in regulated markets with high barriers to entry, including Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico, Miami-based Cansortium (CSE: TIUM) is a multi-state operator that aims to redefine the standard for the medical cannabis industry, a multi-state cultivator, processor, formulator and premium retailer of medical cannabis.

The company owns one of 14 operating licenses in Florida – which has the fastest growing medical cannabis patient population in the US – and operates nine Florida dispensaries with an additional 14 in active development and seven more planned. It also owns a 31,000 sq. ft, GMP-certified greenhouse cultivation and 9,000 sq ft processing facility, located in Winter Garden with up to an additional 187,000 sq. ft of cultivation space being added this year. Cansortium’s successful Florida operations serve as a model for expansion into other key markets.

In Texas, Cansortium controls one of only three operating licenses granted, and was the first to receive a medical marijuana license from the state. It operates a 1300 sq ft cultivation and 650 sq ft processing facility, with state-wide delivery services and the potential for an additional 400,000 sq. ft of cultivation space as demand increases.

Click Here to Watch CFN Media’s interview with CEO Jose Hidalgo ~ Multi-State Operators Cansortium

The company’s currently operating in Pennsylvania under a Dispensary License in Region 3 with one dispensary open and two more set to open by the end of the year.

Michigan currently has 300,000 registered medical marijuana patients, and a Cansortium affiliate has received pre-application status for 12 Class C cultivation licenses and a processing license, and is pending pre-qualification approval for a dispensary license, with three initial locations planned. Michigan regulations allow dispensary license holders to open an unlimited number of dispensary locations.

Cansortium’s multi-state and international expansion will be driven by Fluent Cannabis Care, which replaces the Knox Medical brand, under which it currently operates cultivation, processing, and dispensary facilities in Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico.

About the rebranding, Cansortium Founder & CEO Jose J. Hidalgo said, “Launching the Fluent Cannabis Care brand is a significant step in our mission to redefine the medical cannabis experience for customers in Florida, throughout the United States, and across the globe. Our society is becoming fluent in cannabis, learning and gaining a deeper understanding of cannabis’ potential positive impacts on human health and wellness. Fluent reflects our foundational commitment to science, quality, and customer care, and the evolution of the Company into a global cannabis leader with operations that cross borders, languages and cultures.”

Investors may want to take a closer look at multi state operators Halo Labs Inc. (NEO: HALO, OTC: AGEEF) & Cansortium (CSE: TIUM), as they are well positioned to capitalize on expanding legal markets and favorable regulations in additional states over the coming years.

For more information on the companies profiled, please visit:

http://cansortium.com/

https://getfluent.com/

https://halocanna.com/

Disclaimer

THC BioMed Engages CFN Media to Support its Public Market Strategy

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 06, 2019

VANCOUVER, May 22, 2019

THC.CSE
THCBF – OTC
TFHC.F

VANCOUVER, May 22, 2019 /CNW/ – THC BioMed Intl Ltd. (“THC“, or the “Company“) (CSE: THC) announces that they are engaging CFN Media to conduct a 6-month investor and market visibility program beginning towards the end of May, 2019. Compensation for the public markets program will be USD $10,000 per month.

THC BioMed (CNW Group/THC BioMed)

CFN Media will leverage its powerful content platform and extensive reach into mainstream and cannabis-focused investor audiences and media across North America to educate high-quality investors on THC’s value proposition. CFN Media’s program will measure investor engagement and identify interested investors via opt-in leads while elevating the Company’s financial brand.

About CFN

CFN Media is the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the cannabis industry. CFN Media helps private, pre-public and public cannabis companies in the US and Canada attract capital, investors and media attention.

CFN Media’s powerful digital media and distribution platform conveys a company’s message and value proposition directly to accredited and retail investors and national media active in the North American cannabis markets. www.cannabisfn.com

About THC

THC is an ACMPR Licensed Producer and Canada’s largest supplier of legal Cannabis Genetics. THC is on the leading edge of scientific research and the development of products and services related to the medical cannabis industry. Management believes THC is well-positioned to be in the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. Please visit our website for a more detailed description of our business and services available. www.thcbiomed.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of THC. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of THC. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “will,” “may,” “would,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “could” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Although THC believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because THC can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and include that CFN Media will leverage its powerful content platform and extensive reach into mainstream and cannabis-focused investor audiences and media across North America to attract high-quality investors to THC while elevating the Company’s financial brand. THC disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thc-biomed-engages-cfn-media-to-support-its-public-market-strategy-300854695.html

SOURCE THC BioMed

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2019/21/c8846.html

President and CEO: John Miller, THC Biomed Intl Ltd., T: 1-844-THCMEDS, E: info@thcbiomed.comCopyright CNW Group 2019

Cannabis Pioneer Strainwise Takes an Innovative Approach to the Industry

Written by Ryan Allway on Jun 02, 2019

STWC Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: STWC), better known as Strainwise®, was founded by two cannabis industry pioneers that aim to transform their consulting practice into a national cannabis enterprise.

Co-founder/CEO Erin Phillips acquired the first recreational cannabis license in the world for one of her clients, The Annie’s: A STRAINWISE® Branded Dispensary in Central City, Colorado. The other co-founder, Shawn Phillips, began with a single store and 4,000 sq. ft. of cultivation space in 2010 and quickly became one of Denver’s top license-holders with nine dispensaries, 90,000 sq. ft. of cultivation space, and about 150 employees.

Strainwise® plans to leverage its founders’ experience in Colorado to build a repeatable and scalable model in states and territories that are just starting to legalize recreational cannabis, including Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, and California.

Innovative Business Model

STWC Holdings is a complete ecosystem of entities and services that support the burgeoning cannabis industry, including capital formation, strategic partnerships, seed-to-sale consulting, design, marketing, and advertising. By developing eclectic, customized, and bespoke solutions to address a wide range of unique challenges, the company creates significant value for cannabis entrepreneurs and businesses across a wide range of jurisdictions.

The company’s business model involves three types of contracts:

*Service Only: The company provides services on an annual or monthly basis, which generates recurring cash flow, creates brand awareness for STWC, and opens the door to potential acquisitions in the future.

*Service + Equity: The company provides services in exchange for an annual amount plus a percentage of equity in the business. In addition, the company may have options to increase its equity stake in the future.

*Services + Investment: The company provides services in exchange for an annual amount plus an equity stake in the business, as well as makes a strategic investment and takes a more active role in the business.

While many cannabis companies are raising hundreds of millions of dollars for capital-intensive operations, Strainwise® has focused on minimizing its cash outlay and making a diverse set of strategic investments while generating recurring revenue.

Click Here to receive a Corporate Deck & Investor Updates on Strainwise®

Numerous Near-term Catalysts

Strainwise® has made tremendous progress in growing its business over the past few months and has several upcoming catalysts ahead.

The company recently announced contracts in Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, California and Colorado that could translate to significant new revenue opportunities in cultivation, manufacturing and retail markets.

In Oklahoma, the company opened a hemp-based CBD retail location and a new dispensary, illustrating the team’s ability to execute on time and on budget. The 1,700 sq. ft. Strainwise shop in Oklahoma City sells CBD capsules, tinctures, creams, salves and more with about ten different brands in the store. The legalized marijuana dispensary next door will carry items infused with THC and target a different demographic.

The company has also been focusing on diversifying its revenue into ancillary services rather than cannabis-touching operations.

The company recently announced a new joint venture to develop a unique software package for cultivators, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, which could open the door to higher margin revenue and build recurring revenue streams. The company also launched a new packaging division in April that could further diversify its revenue. The division will offer cost-effective, innovative, customizable, and compliant packaging options for clients.

Looking Ahead

STWC Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: STWC) has ambitious plans to leverage its management team’s experience and diverse skill sets to build a national presence across several subsets of the industry. From cultivation to packaging to software, the company provides investors with diverse exposure to the industry without capital requirements of its competitors. Investors may want to take a closer look at the stock given these near-term catalysts.

Click Here to receive a Corporate Deck & Investor Updates on Strainwise®

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.strainwiseconsulting.com.

Disclaimer

How Celebrities & Politicians Help Build Cannabis Brands

Written by Ryan Allway on May 30, 2019

There’s no doubt that celebrities can have a significant influence on a brand, particularly when it comes to Gen Z and Millennial demographics. At the same time, politicians can lend an air of credibility and provide valuable insights into the regulatory future of a market. These attributes have made them invaluable to cannabis companies that aim to set their products apart from the competition and gain a competitive edge.

Let’s take a look at why celebrity endorsements work, how politicians influence brands, and how innovative cannabis companies are leveraging both of them.

Why Celebrity Endorsements Work

A Taiwanese study found that consumers better recall products that have been endorsed by celebrities, regardless of whether they are actual fans. The reason is that the human brain recognizes celebrities like it recognizes someone that they know and trust. At the same time the brain subconsciously believe that purchasing a product promoted by a celebrity will enable them to emulate that celebrity’s desired traits.

There are many examples of this success in action:

Chanel’s decision to sign Nicole Kidman in 2003 helped global sales of its promoted perfume by 30%.
Nike’s decision to sign Tiger Woods in 2000 helped its market share rise from 0.9% to 4% in just six months.

Not surprisingly, Wall Street has also caught on to these trends and investors have started to pay attention. MarketWatch reported that a simple announcement from a brand singing a celebrity or athlete can cause the stock price to rise slightly and increase sales by four percent on average. These bottom line improvements mean that investors should keep an eye on brands that are drawing the attention of celebrities.

Critical to Cannabis

The cannabis industry has turned to celebrity and political endorsements for a variety of reasons, including the lack of consistency for consumers, advertising limitations for brands, and even the expertise that can be offered to ancillary service providers. In other cases, celebrity endorsements have become critical for promoting medical cannabis legalization, including in the U.S. market where federal legislation is absent.

The lack of consistency and reliability when it comes to cannabis brands has made endorsements one of the only reliable quality metrics for consumers looking for products on dispensary or retail shelves. If a celebrity is willing to put their name on it, many consumers reason that the product is better than lesser known brands on the shelf.

For example, Chemesis International Inc. (CSE: CSI) signed Jay and Silent Bob last year to help create a new brand and endorse its products in the United States. The exclusive licensing deal helps set apart its products by associating the company’s products with two of the most famous faces in the industry. Consumers that see these endorsements could prefer its products over competing and lesser known products on the shelves.

Click Here to receive Investor Information & Corporate Updates on Chemesis International

Some cannabis markets also have branding restrictions that make celebrity endorsements one of the only ways to stick out. Canada’s nascent cannabis industry, for example, permits only plain packaging and doesn’t permit any outright marketing campaigns for cannabis products. Celebrities provide a valuable way to differentiate products with these kinds of restrictions and build trust among customers.

Finally, celebrities have been critical in advancing cannabis legalization. Gabriella’s Kitchen Inc. (CSE: GABY) sponsored the documentary Weed the People, which featured celebrity talk show host Ricki Lake. The critically-acclaimed documentary sought to show how medical cannabis has made a positive impact on the lives of several families in an effort to promote the beneficial effects of medical cannabis and support broader legalization.

Since its debut in Oregon, the documentary has expanded its distribution onto Netflix, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play, Vimeo on Demand and Vudu. The documentary also secured a 100% rating among ten critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Looking Ahead

Celebrity and political endorsements play an important role in the cannabis industry. Given the proven impact they have on revenue, investors may want to pay close attention to companies that are actively seeking out endorsements and secure some of the most prolific tastemakers.

For more information on Chemesis International Inc. Click Here

For more information on Gabriella’s Kitchen Click Here

Disclaimer

FinCanna Combines Investment & Industry Expertise to Capitalize on California

Written by Ryan Allway on

California’s cannabis industry is projected to reach $7.7 billion by 2022, according to BDS Analytics and Arcview Group, making it the largest medical and recreational cannabis market in North America. While there are many different investment opportunities in the state, the best companies have innovative business models that avoid future commoditization issues and maximize scalability to build long-term shareholder value.

In this article, we will take a look at FinCanna Capital Corp.’s (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) unique business model that addresses these concerns and its experienced management and advisory team capable of executing on its ambitious goals.

Targeting California with a Unique Business Model

FinCanna Capital has developed a royalty investment business focused on the US and California in particular. In exchange for providing capital to licensed cannabis businesses, the company enters into royalty agreements that seek to generate predictable high-margin recurring revenue. The business model is also very scalable since there are no operational components.

For portfolio companies, FinCanna’s business model enables them to avoid dilutive equity financing agreements with a potentially lower cost of capital. Portfolio companies also have greater flexibility; their owner/operators maintain control and operating autonomy and the agreements can be customized based on the situation. Incentives for both companies are also aligned since FinCanna only makes money when portfolio companies make money.

FinCanna’s shareholders benefit from a diversified portfolio of companies across different sectors as the company seeks to invest its capital in rapidly emerging private companies operating in the licensed U.S cannabis industry. For investors, diversification helps mitigate the risk of any individual company or sub-sector impacting an entire portfolio’s value. Cannabis investors also have access to private versus public cannabis companies as added diversification. Additionally, FinCanna’s royalty business model doesn’t require nearly as many personnel or resources as production companies, which keeps overhead costs relatively low and predictable.

Click Here to view the Fundamental Research Report

FinCanna’s current active royalty portfolio includes:

ezGreen Compliance – ezGreen Compliance offers state-of-the-art enterprise compliance and point-of-sale (POS) software solutions to licensed cannabis dispensaries and cultivators. ezGreen’s POS software supports and simplifies the maintenance of accurate reporting, inventory control and taxation requirements for licensees seeking to remain compliant.
Refined Resin Technologies – Refined Resin Technologies, located in Oakland California, is a cannabinoid research and refinery company engineered for industrial scale. Upon build out of its 6,000 sq. ft. extraction facility looks to provide B2B and B2C products and services to licensed dispensaries and distributors in the licensed cannabis supply chain.
QVI Inc. – QVI Inc. is a manufacturer of cannabis infused products under the trade name “The Galley”. Currently, the company is retrofitting its 8,300 sq. ft. facility with dedicated spaces for a large-scale commercial kitchen for baked goods, chocolate products and hard candy and gum products. The facility will also have a designated area for contract manufacturing and additional products.

For More Information on FinCanna’s Portfolio Companies Visit the Company’s Website

Experienced Team at the Helm

FinCanna has an experienced management team and advisory board with financial and industry expertise.

CEO Andriyko Herchak, CPA, CA, has over 20 years of executive leadership experience with publicly traded companies and formerly served as the CFO of an international sales and marketing company generating $1.4 billion in annual revenue. Other members of the executive team have similar experience at successful public and private companies where they have demonstrated their ability to execute on their plans.

Chief Financial Officer Robert Scott brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, including merchant and commercial banking with a major Canadian bank. He has also served on the board of many Canadian publicly-traded companies as well as successfully listing several companies on the TSX Venture Exchange.

Chairman of the Board Morris Reid is a globally-recognized corporate and political strategist based in Washington D.C. and London. In addition to advising prime ministers, presidents, and royal families around the world, he is a partner at Mercury, a high-stakes public strategy firm that represents the world’s most successful companies, leading advocacy groups, governments, political parties, and NGOs.

Advisor Gaynell Rogers based in California, has been an expert and frequent speaker on national and international media relations, marketing and investments in the cannabis industry since 2009. She was Head of Media Relations & Special Projects for 10 years at Harborside in Oakland. Formerly a Senior Publicist for Lucasfilm Ltd., and Head of Feature Film Publicity for Pixar – she also secured the creation of the first cannabis mini series TV show “Weed Wars” on The Discovery Channel. She was the 1st in the industry to secure multiple national features for her clients in Fortune, NYT, and other major U.S. and international outlets.

Additional advisors, like Patrick Goggin, who served as co-counsel in the HIA vs. DEA case in the 2000s, and Dani Walton, who is the wholesale and distribution manager at Harborside, provide critical insights into the U.S. market.

Click Here to View the Full FinCanna Team

Looking Ahead

FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) is well positioned to capitalize on California’s burgeoning cannabis industry. With an experienced team at the helm, the company is making progress in securing new investments that should build shareholder value over the long-term.

Click Here to receive an Investor Presentation and Company updates

For details on FinCanna’s disclaimer and Forward Looking Statements please visit:

https://www.fincannacapital.com/corporate/forward-looking-statement/

Disclaimer

https://www.fincannacapital.com/corporate/forward-looking-statement/

Halo Labs: Building a Cannabis Concentrates Empire

Written by Ryan Allway on May 28, 2019

Cannabis concentrates are projected to reach $8 billion by 2022, according to BDS Analytics and Arcview Market Research, making it the fastest growing of the three major segments of the legal cannabis market (flower, concentrates, and edibles). In particular, vaporizers sales soared from less than $100 million in 2014 to more than half of total concentrate sales last year—and they’re expected to hit $6.5 billion in sales by 2022.

Halo Labs Inc. (NEO: HALO, OTC: AGEEF, Germany: A9KN) has emerged as a leader in the concentrates sub-sector with revenue that tripled to $8.7 million last quarter with more than $25 million in total assets. In addition to its growing footprint in concentrates, the company recently acquired a hemp processing facility in mid-April that will power their entry into the cannabidiol (CBD) market and began operations in Lesotho via a strategic partnership.

CFN Media interviewed Halo Labs CEO Kiran Sidhu to discuss the company’s humble origins and its ambitions to become the world’s leading extraction provider.

The Extraction Experts

Halo Labs was founded by an experienced team with blue-chip pedigrees. After its humble beginnings on a farm back in 2015, the company moved into a 16,000 sq. ft. facility the following year and captured one-fifth of Oregon’s concentrates market by 2018. The company is now growing its presence beyond Oregon and into other states where recreational cannabis has been legalized—including Nevada and California.

The company’s founding team included:

CEO Kiran Sidhu founded a leading EU electronic money institution that was sold to Bancorp (NYSE: TBBK) in 2011, serves as the audit committee chair and director for Namaste (TSX-V: N), and led the IPO of On Stage Entertainment (NASDAQ: ONST).
COO Andreas Met was a Senior Merchant at Walmart that managed the company’s $5 billion Household Chemicals Desk, as well as the former Head of Sales & Marketing at Golden Leaf (CSE: GLH).
CFO Philip van den Berg was a director covering European Equities at Goldman Sachs, founded a series of hedge funds, and served as the CFO of Namaste (TSX-V: N) and Golden Leaf (CSE: GLH).

The team began by using volatile extraction methods, but quickly realized that there was no panacea. Rather than focusing on a single volatile or CO2 extraction method, they began using different processes for different products to achieve the best results, always trying to deploy the latest technology and equipment. This exploration helped the company build unparalleled expertise in all major manufacturing processes for cannabis concentrates.

Click Here to receive a HALO Investor Presentation & additional Company Updates

In addition to extraction, the team developed proprietary chemical processes that could convert THC and CBD into powders for edibles or vaporizing applications. The DabTab was born as a no-mess solution for dabbing distillate, shatter, or live resin with precise filling and dosing for medical and recreational applications. The company is also gearing up to launch microencapsulation technology that could pave the way for beverage products.

Innovative Growth Strategy

Many cannabis concentrate companies are focused on building brands. After all, it stands to reason that branding is the best way to build barriers to entry in a market that could become commoditized over time. But, that’s not always the case.

Halo Labs founders’—some of whom have MBAs from prestigious schools like Wharton and Anderson—recognized that nascent markets behave differently than one would expect.

Brands don’t matter as much as the opening price point—or the least costly item in a given category. The company’s approach has therefore been to control the opening price point at each product level on dispensary shelves, which helps maintain its shelf space and encourages trial and repeat business over time.

The best way to control opening price points is through white-labeling products. Many concentrate providers are hesitant to develop white label products for dispensaries, but Halo Labs has embraced the opportunity as a way to capture market share. About 35 percent of its revenues come from white labeled products today, but the team plans to grow that figure to upwards of 50 percent of its business in 2019.

The strategy has also helped it springboard into new markets. The company entered into Nevada’s market where it has already started to experience early successes. Nevada differs from Oregon in that it’s a much more closed market, modeled after the state’s casino industry, which creates valuable barriers to entry.

The company also launched in California where it has already secured multiple long term contracts with a leading distributor. Since its initial entry, California has already become the single largest contributor to its total revenue and profitability.

While it’s focus is on white label products, the company has developed its own set of in-house brands, which provides a valuable proof-of-concept for its white label partners and establishes its own higher-margin opportunities. The company’s DabTabs have already proven highly successful, while its new edibles line launched in November 2018 could further enhance average selling prices and boost revenue and profitability.

Click Here to receive a HALO Investor Presentation & additional Company Updates

Looking Ahead

Concentrates represent the fastest growing segment of the cannabis industry, which means that all brands will require cannabis oil at the end of the day.

Halo Labs Inc. (NEO: HALO, OTC: AGEEF, Germany: A9KN) has taken a unique approach to the market by tailoring their methods to match products and seeking to control the opening price point rather than building in-house brands. Investors may want to take a closer look at the stock as its experienced team continues to execute.

Click Here to receive a HALO Investor Presentation & additional Company Updates

For more information, visit the company’s website or download their investor presentation.

Disclaimer

Isracann Raises C$10.1 Million in Bid to Supply European Market with Israeli Cannabis

Written by Ryan Allway on May 27, 2019

The global cannabis industry is projected to be worth nearly $150 billion by 2025, according to Grand View Research, driven by the liberalization of cannabis laws around the world.

Many investors have been focused on North America given Canada’s move to legalize recreational use and the growing number of states doing the same. However, Europe’s massive population could make it the most significant growth market over the coming decade as its laws evolve.

Isracann Biosciences Inc. (CSE: IPOT – Pending) plans to capitalize on these dynamics through its cultivation operations in Israel — a country with an ideal climate, liberal laws, and extensive cannabis research and development experience.

Let’s take a look at the company’s plans to go public in the near-term and its plans to target Europe’s nascent market.

Gearing Up to Go Public

Atlas Blockchain Group Inc. (CSE: AKE) (OTC Pink: ATLEF) recently raised C$10.1 million in a private placement ahead of its takeover of Isracann Biosciences Inc.. After the reverse merger takes place, the company plans to change its name and trade under the ticker symbol “IPOT” on the CSE.

“Our strong balance sheet will propel our efforts to complete Isracann’s proposed Phase I facility of 230,000 square feet of cultivation area and we can look beyond the immediate plans in order to execute additional strategic goals,” said Isracann President Darryl Jones. “With the recently announced regulatory changes allowing product export from Israel, we look forward to rapidly building an enterprise aimed at both the domestic and underserved European consumer markets.”

Click here to learn how to Invest in Isracann Bioscience as an Accredited Investor

The private placement offering consisted of subscription receipts at C$0.17 a piece that entitles the holder to receive one common share and one purchase warrant to acquire one share at C$0.34 per share for two years following the issuance date.

The financing efforts are concurrent to a share exchange agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares of Isracann Biosciences in exchange for common shares of Atlas Blockchain Group Inc. The arm’s length transaction is expected to result in a name and ticker symbol change.

Meeting European Demand

Isracann is an Israeli firm with rights to prime agricultural land and preexisting production permits equivalent to the Canadian ACMPR cultivation license. The company plans to build a 230,000 sq. ft. cultivation presence that leverages the country’s unique climate and extensive R&D expertise.

Click here to learn how to Invest in Isracann Bioscience as an Accredited Investor

Management believes that the country’s unique climate and R&D advantages could enable low-cost cannabis production of about C$0.40 per gram, according to its website. The ability to form partnerships with leading research organizations could also lead to unique strains, pharmaceuticals, and devices.

While there is significant domestic demand, the company’s long-term ambition is to become a leading supplier to European markets given its proximity. The European Union’s population exceeds that of the U.S. and Canada combined, which could make it an attractive market as legalization unfolds.

In January, the Israeli government approved the export of cannabis raw materials, such as oils and tablets. Regulators are drafting specific rules and regulations that will guide the implementation of the new law, and experts believe that these new regulations could be ready by the fourth quarter of 2019.

Looking Ahead

Isracann Bioscience’s C$10.1 million private placement and pending reverse merger with Atlas Blockchain Group Inc. (CSE: AKE) (OTC Pink: ATLEF) could pave the way for a unique pure-play in Israel’s cannabis industry.

Given the country’s significant domestic demand, move to legalize exports, and decades of R&D expertise, investors may want to take a closer look at Isracann and other companies that are building a presence in the country.

Click here to learn how to Invest in Isracann Bioscience as an Accredited Investor

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.isracann.com.

Disclaimer

Sublime Canna: Building the Next Big Cannabis Brands

Written by Ryan Allway on May 22, 2019

California’s cannabis industry is expected to reach $5.1 billion in 2019, according to Arcview and BDS Analytics, driven by the legalization of adult-use cannabis last year. With nearly 40 million residents and more than a million medical marijuana patients, the state’s market represents about a third of the North American cannabis industry. Cannabis edibles and concentrates have surpassed cannabis flower as the most popular product format.

Sublime Canna, an award-winning cannabis manufacturing company located in Oakland, is well positioned to capitalize on these trends. Let’s take a look at what sets Sublime Canna apart from the competition and where the company is headed over the coming quarters.

Please click here to receive additional investor information on Sublime Canna

Unrelenting Focus on Quality

Many cannabis companies are focusing on scaling up their production capacity at any cost. While these companies may generate the greatest early revenue, the lack of product quality eventually catches up to brand reputation and hurts profit margins. Investors may want to shift their focus to cannabis companies that have a strong understanding of cannabis cultivation, manufacturing processes, and other elements of quality control.

Sublime Canna addresses these issues by taking control over the entire cannabis production process. Starting with pesticide-free buds from partners, the company manufactures cannabis oils and concentrates using state of the art cold ethanol extraction machines designed to maintain the plant’s natural profile. The company’s team then reintroduces full-spectrum terpenes to the oil for enhanced flavor and effect.

The company’s pre-rolls and edibles use similar quality control systems. Pre-rolls are made from the finest premium flower and are sprinkled with extract and rolled in oil and kief, and edibles utilize industry-leading confectionery manufacturing to produce the best tasting edibles on the market with precise dosages. Throughout all of these processes, the company aims to bring a high level of science to the cannabis production process.

Unique Products & Distribution

Sublime is well-known for its vaporizer cartridges and Fuzzies pre-rolls, which are already widely distributed throughout California and have received several awards. Most recently, the company’s CBD-infused Sleep and High-C vape cartridges were awarded both first and second place at the 2018 Emerald Cup for “Best CBD Concentrate.” The company’s Sublime Gold cartridges are its flagship line with terpene blends that provide a “dab-like” pull.

In February, the company launched its first edible product, Dosies, a cannabis-infused, low-dose mint. With the tagline, “A Tiny Miracle in Ever Mint”, Dosies provide a smooth and sweet shell for a delicious and different experience. With 2mg of THC per mint, they provide consistent microdosing for individual consumers and a product format that’s both portable and discreet for anyone seeking a unique experience.

“Expanding into the edibles space is an exciting move for Sublime,” said CEO Alex Fang in the press release announcing the new product launch into the multibillion dollar edibles space. “Customers already know and love our prized vapes and ‘Fuzzies’ prerolls. With the introduction of the world’s first ‘panned’ cannabis mint we are confident that Dosies will be just as beloved. I like to say it’s a microdose with a perfect coat.”

Please click here to receive additional investor information on Sublime Canna

Looking Ahead

California’s cannabis industry is projected to top $5 billion this year and edibles and concentrates are the fastest growing segments. While many companies are rapidly scaling into the business, only a handful are creating premium brands that have staying power. Sublime Canna, an award-winning cannabis manufacturing company located in Oakland, is one of those quality brands that’s building a strong presence.

Last year, the company closed a $6.2 million Series A and plans on using the proceeds to expand production capacity and launch new products to meet the growing demand for high-quality legal cannabis products in California.

Please click here to receive additional investor information on Sublime Canna

Disclaimer

Supreme Cannabis Revenue Soars 382% to $10M Amid Ongoing Expansion

Written by Ryan Allway on May 21, 2019

The Supreme Cannabis Co. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) reported fiscal third quarter revenue that soared 382% year-over-year and 29% sequentially to $10 million. The gains were largely due to a 63% increase in recreational cannabis sales.

“Revenue growth was driven by an increase in our capacity at the 7ACRES facility, a ramping up of our product packaging capabilities and, we believe, consumer preference for high-quality cannabis,” says CEO Navdeep Dhaliwal.

While many licensed producers have focused on expanding production capacity, the company’s consumer-oriented approach has led to strong consumer feedback, status as a top-ten revenue producer in the industry, and recognition as a coast-to-coast award-winning premium brand. The company’s leading position as a premium brand could insulate it from the effects of commoditization and maintain premium margins over time.

The company began selling products into the recreational market with its award-winning “Respect the Plant” marketing campaign. Sales revenue from recreational markets were a key revenue driver during the quarter with a 63% sequential increase. In addition, the company continues to provide high-end dried flower to wholesale buyers, including Tilray Canada Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY), under the original terms of those agreements.

Growing Revenue & Profitability

Supreme Cannabis plans to further expand its revenue and profits by increasing production capacity and moving into new higher-margin markets.

7ACRES recently received Health Canada approval for an additional 50,000 sq. ft. of production space, which brings its total licensed production space ot 230,000 sq. ft. Along with new technologies and the licensing of all 25 flowering rooms, management projects that its production capacity could reach approximately 50,000 kilograms per year.

At the same time, the company has been working with MediPharm Labs Inc. (TSX-V: LABS) to produce premium oil products. The two companies are operating under a three-year agreement whereby 7ACRES will supply a minimum of 1,000 kilograms of high-quality cannabis trim as input for extraction and production of premium oil products. These high-margin products will be sold under the Supreme Cannabis brand.

The company also agreed to acquire BlissCo, a distinct and authentic premium wellness brand, following its strategic partnership and prior investment. The transaction enables BlissCo to focus its business around the production and commercialization of cannabis oils and topicals for the premium wellness consumer and opens the door to a new revenue stream and market opportunity for Supreme shareholders.

Investing in the Future

Supreme Cannabis also continues to invest in research and development initiatives aimed at improving its products.

For example, the company recently launched a cannabis genetics company, Cambium Plant Sciences, that will focus on developing next generation premium cannabis genetics for recreational, medical and wellness applications. The subsidiary will operate out of a 34,000 sq. ft. facility in Goderich, Ontario and has already commenced the Health Canada licensing process that’s required prior to entering operation.

Its Medigrow investment, located in Lesotho, also continues to make progress in building future international expansion opportunities. The company scaled its operations to more than 250 employees and successfully achieved a positive Certificate of Analysis from a U.S.-based laboratory. Supreme Cannabis believes that the company could reach an annual run rate of 40,000 liters of cannabis extract with additional scaling efforts.

Looking Ahead

The Supreme Cannabis Co. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) has made significant progress in growing its revenue during the fiscal third quarter. In addition, the company continues to advance its efforts to grow revenue, increase profitability, and expand its operations into international markets through various initiatives.

Investors may want to keep an eye on these efforts over the coming quarters.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.supreme.ca.

Disclaimer

Is Sustainable Cannabis Farming Possible?

Written by Ryan Allway on

Farming, in general, is pretty resource intensive. Cannabis farming can be even more so. One study from 2012 estimated that indoor cannabis cultivation accounted for 1% of the total electricity used in the United States, representing about $6 billion in annual expenditures. That study was done before the wave of legalization hit the US. In Denver in 2018, the city’s Department of Public Health and Environment data indicates cannabis cultivation accounted for nearly 4% of the city’s overall electricity use. Denver is an interesting case, as the city has targeted an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. The proliferation of indoor cannabis operations is not helping to meet that goal.

Water use is another issue. Consumption levels and estimates vary based on the systems used, ranging from 2 to 6 gallons per day per plant. Outdoor grows have higher usage, due in large part to evaporation, than indoor operations. In addition, there is also the issue of grey water and how it is treated. The use of pesticides and fertilizers leads to polluted effluent. Combining high water usage with contaminated waste water is basically the exact opposite of sustainability.

Meanwhile, as legal cannabis markets mature and more cannabis flower becomes available, prices tend to decrease. Bottom lines get pinched, and growers become even more motivated to cut expenses. This concern for the bottom line is probably more responsible than anything else for the efficiency movement in the industry. LED lights and more efficient, computer-controlled cooling and ventilation systems are a couple of the more prominent trends. These techniques and technologies pay off the investment required over a long period of time, but do little to balance out the big picture of a resource-intensive industry expanding at breakneck speed.

Hybrid Greenhouse Growing is Part of the Answer

When comparing indoor vs. outdoor cultivation, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Indoor is great for climate control, providing a predictable environment for more ideal plant growth, but comes with high energy costs and a large carbon footprint. Outdoor utilizes natural sunlight to mitigate energy consumption, but uses more water while losing the ability to control the climate. Hybrid greenhouses combine the advantages of each system while minimizing the disadvantages.

These hybrid greenhouses have been developed over many years for use in industrial-level agricultural operations and are now revolutionizing the cannabis industry. They allow cultivators to take advantage of natural sunlight while supplementing with high efficiency lighting systems to maximize yield. They limit evaporation and water loss while allowing growers to mimic natural airflow patterns that lead to more robust growth rates.

One Canadian Licensed Producer that has committed to these hybrid facilities is Rubicon Organics (CSE: ROMJ) (OTCQX: ROMJF). The company operates a 125,000 sq. ft. facility in British Columbia, and owns a 40,000 sq. ft. facility in the state of Washington which is leased to a licensed operator there. Rubicon is in production now after receiving its Canadian cultivation and processing licenses in early February, 2019.

The company is in the process of application for its organic certification from the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association (FVOPA), with the site inspection having been recently completed. When certified, Rubicon would become just the 4th certified organic licensed producer in the country, and the one with the largest licensed footprint.

The story could end there, with an organic cultivator utilizing hybrid facilities to save costs and decrease resource use. But Rubicon’s commitment to sustainability goes much deeper than that, down to the very core of its corporate identity.

Unprecedented Commitment to Sustainability

Canada’s first organic cannabis producer, Whistler Medical Marijuana Corp., is an indoor operation located in its namesake town. Rubicon’s CEO, Jesse McConnell, co-founded Whistler Medical. When he left, he committed to finding the most sustainable and productive methods for growing cannabis. Rubicon’s Chief Science Officer joined him on this quest. Peter is a Professional Agrologist long involved in the British Columbia sustainable farming community as a consultant. He contributed to the Certified Organic Standard for Canadian Greenhouse Production of Vegetables and wrote the first draft for the BC’s only standard for organic cannabis certification under FVOPA.

After helping to guide Whistler Medical through its organic certification, the two embarked on several years of experimentation with organic greenhouse growing methods and materials. The result is Rubicon Organics, fueled by passion for and expertise in sustainable, organic, low-cost, high-quality cannabis. Rubicon uses its own proprietary soil mix in combination with the most advanced hybrid greenhouse technology to achieve its goals.

Further underlining Rubicon’s extraordinary commitment to sustainable farming is the fact that the company is the first and only cannabis operation in Canada to complete an Environmental Farm Plan. The plan ensures the application of best practices throughout Rubicon’s facility, including net zero energy and waste, 100% rainwater collection and recycling, and carbon capture/reuse. The level of detail required by, and the unwavering organizational commitment to, this comprehensive plan demonstrates Rubicon’s position as a leader in the movement toward sustainable cannabis production.

Sustainable Organics Could Equal Healthy Bottom Line

One of the company’s goals is interesting given its commitment to sustainable and organic practices. Those words are not often used in conjunction with a low-cost approach, but that is exactly the result for Rubicon. Many other companies are positioning themselves as low cost producers by targeting a cash outlay of about $1/gram of dried cannabis grown. Rubicon believes they will hit about $0.50/gram while maintaining consistently high quality in its certified organic product.

At the same time, prices for organic cannabis tend to be significantly higher than those for non-organic flower products. Earlier this year, Aurora Cannabis signed on to purchase Whistler Medical for $175 million. This Financial Post article outlining the deal highlights the organic premium price as a major reason for the purchase, with a gram of Whistler’s organic flower going for $17.99 on average in comparison to the national average price of $8/gram for non-organic flower. The willingness of a significant number of consumers to pay an organic premium for products has been proven across industries, and the cannabis market is no different.

Rubicon’s position as a sustainable cannabis leader could be written off, in error, simply as a noble pursuit, or as a marketing ploy, or as a waste of time and money. It should, however, be viewed as a shrewd business decision, rooted in the company’s DNA and a full expression of what makes Rubicon Organics unique and compelling. With full production levels expected at its British Columbia facility by the end of 2019, the coming quarters could serve as proof the company is onto something big.

Disclaimer

Canntab Receives Cultivation Licence for Industrial Hemp

Written by Ryan Allway on

Enables Canntab to Leverage Properties in Saskatchewan and Ontario to Cultivate High Quality Hemp for the Extraction of Cannabidiol (CBD)

Additionally, Canntab’s application is currently “In Progress” to obtain a Cannabis Licence (Processing- Standard, Federal Sales – Medical) from Health Canada at its Markham, Ontario facility.

TORONTO, May 21, 2019 /CNW/ – Canntab Therapeutics Limited (CSE:PILL.CN) (OTCQX:CTABF) (FRA:TBF1.F) (the “Company” or “Canntab“), the leading innovator in hard pill oral dose therapeutic cannabinoid and terpene blends, is pleased to announce that it has received a cultivation licence for industrial hemp from Health Canada pursuant to the Cannabis Act (Canada) (the “Hemp Licence“). Canntab intends to utilize the Hemp License to secure a substantial amount of hemp biomass that it will grow and cultivate for the extraction of cannabidiol (“CBD“) and to conduct research on high CBD hemp varieties, complementing the Company’s business plan to also manufacture CBD gel capsules for distribution through its partners in Canada, Australia and Mexico. In addition, Canntab intends to use part of this CBD oil in its manufacturing of its suite of cannabis hard pills.

The Company has identified and secured two properties at which it intends to commence growing and cultivating industrial hemp. The first property, situated in Caledon, Ontario, will be operated in conjunction with the horticultural expertise of Thomas Elcome, with whom Canntab entered into supply agreements this past February (previously released on February 12^th and 28^th, 2019). The second property located near Regina, Saskatchewan, will allow Canntab, together with a prominent Saskatchewan farming corporation, to cultivate hemp. The two properties have an approximate total capacity of 560 acres, and Canntab has secured off-take agreements. Canntab intends to cultivate high quality hemp at both locations, leveraging the technical know how of Thomas Elcome. This hemp will then be used for extracting CBD and to conduct research into hemp varietals for the purpose of identifying high CBD strains to be used in future seasons.

Health Canada Cannabis Licence

In addition to the newly acquired Hemp Licence, Canntab’s application is currently “In Progress” to obtain a Cannabis Licence (Processing- Standard, Federal Sales – Medical) from Health Canada at its Markham, Ontario facility. Canntab currently operates out of Cobourg, Ontario with its strategic partner, FSD Pharma Inc. Upon receiving its Standard Processing Licence, Canntab intends to fully leverage both the Cobourg facility and its Markham facility for ongoing research and development, manufacturing and distribution through its growing network which currently includes Canada, Australia and Mexico.

“Today’s news is another important milestone achieved by Canntab. We have now ensured a security of raw materials that we need for not only our oil filled gel capsules but ultimately our hard pill dosage forms. We also intend to apply for a Cannabis Drug License that will enable Canntab to conduct further research into making medical claims and develop and manufacture pharmaceutical grade cannabis derived dosage forms in a GMP environment,” stated Jeff Renwick, Chief Executive Officer of Canntab.

About Canntab

Canntab Therapeutics Ltd. is a Canadian company engaged in the research and development of advanced, pharmaceutical-grade formulations of cannabinoids in a variety of timed-release dosages, including extended release, immediate release and flash melt. In doing so, Canntab has developed a suite of precision oral dose products that are unavailable elsewhere in the marketplace. Our proprietary hard pill cannabinoid formulations will provide doctors, patients and the general consumer with a medical grade solution with all the features you would expect from any prescription or over the counter medication. Canntab trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol PILL, on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol CTABF, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol TBF1.

Forward Looking Statements

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE“) nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “could”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company’s current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the Standard Processing Licence application, the exportation of certain products into foreign markets, regulatory approvals relating to the Company’s medical cannabis business, and sales and distribution of cannabis-based products in a variety of regulated jurisdictions. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

SOURCE Canntab Therapeutics Limited

For further information: Canntab Therapeutics Limited: Jeffrey Renwick, Chief Executive Officer, +1 289.301.3812, jeff@canntab.ca; Frank Candido, Business Development, 514-969-5530, frank@canntab.ca; Investor Relations: Relations Publiques Paradox Inc., Jean-Francois Meilleur, 1-866-460-0408, jfmeilleur@paradox-pr.ca, https://www.paradox-pr.ca/

Distribution, Brands, and Revenue Growth are Key for Emerging Cannabis Companies

Written by Ryan Allway on May 20, 2019

As the legal cannabis market matures across North America, the story is slowly turning from potential to reality. Companies are being examined more closely than ever to gauge which ones have staying power, which ones are executing on long-heralded plans, and which ones are actually creating revenue from whatever it is they are selling. There are enough consumers in enough legal markets now to make real revenues, products, infrastructure, and growth reasonable measuring sticks.

Gabriella’s Kitchen Inc. (CSE: GABY) is a cannabis and hemp consumer packaged goods (CPG) company with a dual channel sales strategy, meaning it sells into the regulated dispensary channel as well as the mainstream retail and grocery channel. The inspiration came from the efforts of two sisters, Gabriella and Margot Micallef following Gabriella’s dire cancer diagnosis. Their success in exponentially prolonging Gabriella’s life now forms the foundation of GABY. The company already offers healthy prepared meals, many containing hemp hearts and seeds, in over 3,400 mainstream retail stores. Now, GABY has taken the lessons learned from traditional CPG and expanded aggressively into the cannabis industry with its acquisition of new product lines and distribution networks focused on CBD- and THC-derived products. By marrying the nutritional food products with the wellness and lifestyle cannabis brands, the company is now demonstrating significant and growing revenues in key markets.

Click Here to receive corporate updates on GABY

California is the Focus

California has a long history with the cannabis industry, dating back to the earliest days of marijuana prohibition and continuing through today where it comprises the largest legal cannabis market in the world. The state is still catching up to its own legalization efforts as it wrangles the deeply entrenched black market, with regulatory confusion and a sluggish licensing process slowly giving way to a robust and healthy legal environment. Companies with their licenses, infrastructure, and processes in place at this stage may have a leg up on less-developed hopefuls looking to enter the still-constrained marketplace.

GABY took its place in the California cannabis market by acquiring Sonoma Pacific Distribution earlier this year. Sonoma Pacific holds cannabis manufacturing and distribution licenses, selling its own brands as well as a wide variety of third-party brands throughout the state. The company’s mission is to represent California’s conscious cannabis products, brands, and cultivators with integrity. Sonoma Pacific has deep relationships across the state’s cannabis supply chain which should prove invaluable as GABY looks to quickly penetrate the market with its own lines of cannabis-derived and infused products.

The acquisition is accretive to GABY, as Sonoma Pacific brings with it significant and growing metrics reporting Q1 2019 sales of CAD$9.8 million. Based on updated projections for the balance of the year, GABY now is expecting its yearly revenues for FY 2019 to end up somewhere around CAD$35 million. In the very near term, Sonoma Pacific’s existing business makes up a large chunk of GABY’s revenue.

Click Here to receive corporate updates on GABY

But GABY sees a much larger and more profitable opportunity as a result of the acquisition. By leveraging the existing Sonoma Pac infrastructure and supply chain, the company anticipates the continued expansion of its own value added branded cannabis edibles across the state. This infrastructure enables GABY to get its products to market more quickly than prior to the acquisition. The acquisition also has the potential to improve Sonoma Pac’s financials, as augmenting its portfolio with higher margin proprietary products could eventually result in higher margins for the combined company.

In a recent interview, GABY CEO Margot Micallef stated, “Even though we own our manufacturing facility and we own our distribution license and logistics, we are not a manufacturing company and we are not a distribution company. We use that infrastructure to support our brands, and to get our brands to market in a quality way and expeditiously.”

Click here to see the full CEO Interview with Margot Micallef.

Cannabis and Wellness, Combined

While the Sonoma Pacific acquisition represents a major leap forward for GABY, especially in terms of California and cannabis-derived products, the company is already fairly established in the health and wellness market across North America. Through the development and marketing of its Gabriella’s Kitchen line of healthy food products, the company boasts over 3,400 distribution points throughout Canada and the United States. This mainstream network consists of outlets like grocery stores, health food stores, and co-ops.

GABY is planning to introduce hemp-derived CBD wellness products through this channel in 2019. To that end, the company has launched a line of CBD infused and flavored olive oils, and has entered into several joint ventures to produce hemp-derived CBD products including a line of CBD infused coffee beverages and a line of topicals. GABY most recently announced an agreement to acquire a manufacturer of healthy CBD infused chocolates that are already being sold in 250 mainstream retails outlets. This diversity of products is an indication of the types of products in the pipeline. The strategy is to meet consumers “wherever, however and whenever they want to consume cannabis or hemp products,” says Margot Micallef. To this end the company will continue to evolve its product line to accommodate the changing tastes of consumers.

In the regulated cannabis channel, according to the Marijuana Policy Group, Leeds School of Business, the majority of products sold are still primarily flower and concentrates, at around 75% of sales. GABY’s sales in this channel reflect this trend and as COO Jamie Fay says, “While we want to introduce novel and unique products, we don’t want to get too far ahead of the consumer. With our deep CPG experience we continually analyze where the market is and manage the product mix at a state, county and store level accordingly. In the mainstream channel we are introducing hemp-derived CBD edibles, beverages, topicals, and tinctures because that is what consumers in that channel are looking for,” he concluded.

By combining the upward trends of wellness products and cannabis, and by focusing on the crucial California market, Gabriella’s Kitchen has positioned itself at the intersection of some major retail thoroughfares. Keep an eye on the company as it executes on key growth initiatives throughout the balance of the year and beyond.

Click Here to receive corporate updates on GABY

Disclaimer

Is Sustainable Cannabis Farming Possible?

Written by Robin Lefferts on

Hybrid Greenhouse Growing is Part of the Answer

Unprecedented Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainable Organics Could Equal Healthy Bottom Line

One of the company’s goals is interesting given its commitment to sustainable and practices. Those words are not often used in conjunction with a low-cost approach, but that is exactly the result for Rubicon. Many other companies are positioning themselves as low cost producers by targeting a cash outlay of about $1/gram of dried cannabis grown. Rubicon believes they will hit about $0.50/gram while maintaining consistently high quality in its certified organic product.

Disclaimer

Emerald Health Therapeutics Introduces Unique Premium CBD Oil SYNC 25 to British Columbia Recreational Marketplace

Written by Ryan Allway on May 17, 2019

Emerald’s ultra-pure SYNC 25 CBD oil fills significant need in BC’s recreational marketplace, offering a non-THC, smoke-free alternative

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (“Emerald”) (TSXV: EMH; OTCQX: EMHTF) has shipped 6,000 40 ml units of its SYNC 25 CBD oil to the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB). The Emerald-branded pure CBD oil offers consumers a non-THC, smoke-free product alternative.


	Emerald Health Therapeutics releases the CBD oil product for the recreational marketplace in Canada.

“We are pleased to offer our new Emerald-branded wellness product SYNC 25 to the recreational marketplace in British Columbia,” said Dr. Avtar Dhillon, President and Executive Chairman of Emerald. “The introduction of SYNC 25 marks the next step in our product growth strategy to develop innovative and quality consumer products that respond to a growing demand while providing higher profit margins.”

The SYNC 25 CBD oil product was extracted by MediPharm Labs Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSXV: LABS; OTCQX: MEDIF) (“MediPharm Labs”).

“Emerald’s success in bringing products to the market that address the significant consumer demand for CBD demonstrates how MediPharm Labs’ specialized expertise in extraction empowers our partner brands with an advanced oil strategy and a competitive advantage,” said Pat McCutcheon, Chief Executive Officer of MediPharm Labs. “We look forward to providing high-quality, pharmaceutical-like cannabis concentrates as Emerald expands on its product growth strategy in the future.”

Emerald’s SYNC 25 CBD oil is currently available for purchase at: https://www.bccannabisstores.com/products/sync-25-cannabis-oil.

About MediPharm Labs Corp.

Founded in 2015, MediPharm Labs has the distinction of being the first company in Canada to become a licensed producer for cannabis oil production under the ACMPR without first receiving a cannabis cultivation licence. This expert focus on cannabis concentrates from our cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) and ISO standard clean rooms and critical environments laboratory, allows MediPharm Labs to produce purified, pharmaceutical-like cannabis oil and concentrates for advanced derivative products. MediPharm Labs has invested in an expert, research-driven team, state-of-the-art technology, downstream extraction methodologies and purpose-built facilities to deliver pure, safe and precisely-dosed cannabis products to patients and consumers. MediPharm Labs’ private label program is a high margin business for the Company, whereby it opportunistically procures dry cannabis flower and trim from its numerous product supply partners, to produce proprietary cannabis oil concentrate products for resale globally on a private label basis.

Through its subsidiary, MediPharm Labs Australia Pty. Ltd., MediPharm Labs has also completed its application process with the federal Office of Drug Control to extract and import medical cannabis products in Australia.

For further information about MediPharm Labs Corp :

Please visit www.medipharmlabs.com

About Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc.

Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. is a Canadian licensed producer of cannabis. Its 50%-owned Pure Sunfarms joint venture in BC is licensed and in full production in 1.03 million square feet of the first of two 1.1 million square foot greenhouses. The capacity of each greenhouse is estimated to exceed 75,000 kg of cannabis annually. Emerald’s Verdélite operation in Québec is completing the build-out of its 88,000 square foot indoor cultivation facility and is scaling up production. Emerald secured over 500 acres of hemp harvest in 2018 and has contracted for approximately 1000 acres in 2019 to 2022, with the objective of extracting low-cost cannabidiol. Emerald has secured exclusive strategic partnerships for large scale extraction and softgel encapsulation, as well as for proprietary technology to enhance cannabinoid bioavailability. Its team is highly experienced in life sciences, product development, large-scale agri-business, and marketing, and is focused on developing proprietary, value-added cannabis products for medical and adult-use customers.

Emerald is part of the Emerald Health group, which represents a broad array of companies focused on developing pharmaceutical, botanical, and nutraceutical products aimed at providing wellness and medical benefits by interacting with the human body’s endocannabinoid system.

For further information about Emerald Health Therapeutics.

Please visit www.emeraldhealth.ca or contact:

Rob Hill, Chief Financial Officer
(800) 757 3536 Ext. # 5

Emerald Investor Relations
(800) 757 3536 Ext. #5
invest@emeraldhealth.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements and are subject to important risks, uncertainties and assumptions, both general and specific, which give rise to the possibility that actual results or events could differ materially from our expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include projected job creation figures at our operating facilities; production and processing capacity of various facilities; expansion of facilities; and anticipated production costs.

We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties related to, among other things, failure to obtain regulatory approvals; failure to obtain necessary financing; results of production and sale activities; results of scientific research; regulatory changes; changes in prices and costs of inputs; demand for labour; demand for products; as well as the risk factors described in the Company’s annual information form and other regulatory filings. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent our expectations as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are presented for the purpose of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to obtain a better understanding of our anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company undertakes no obligations to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur, unless required by applicable law.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3efcc108-9167-4b3b-91db-f094e2d7ad3f

Source: Emerald Health Therapeutics Inc.

Released May 17, 2019

Halo Labs Revenue Triples After Expansion into California & Nevada

Written by Ryan Allway on

Halo Labs Inc. (NEO: HALO) (OTCQX: AGEEF) revenue tripled to more than $8.7 million after launching cannabis oil and concentrate operations in California and Nevada.

The company’s California operations generated $5,324,396 in revenue; it’s Nevada-based business generated $514,365 in revenue; and its existing Oregon operations reported a 32.8% increase in revenue to $2,168,975 for the quarter.

While the company has roots in Oregon, its California business has quickly become the biggest growth driver. California-based operations generated $1,865,542 in EBITDA, which offset operating losses of $618,400 in Oregon and $299,371 in Nevada, to achieve aggregate EBITDA of $929,260 for the quarter.

The California businesses’ gross margins were a robust 39.7%, which was significantly higher than the 8% in Oregon and 3.9% in Nevada. While the Oregon business reported a 4% increase in average selling prices, the Nevada business’ gross margins were temporarily depressed due to high inventory costs as a result of FIFO inventory accounting. These margins are projected to normalize in the second quarter.

The company used approximately $2 million in cash and raised a $1.7 million bridge financing to end the quarter with about $360,000 in cash and cash equivalents.

Click here to receive an investor presentation and additional Company updates

Positive Outlook

Halo Labs anticipates that it’s Coastal Harvest will continue to be a strong growth driver for revenue and profitability. With the launch of DabTab Dablets and other initiatives, the subsidiary is already operating at an annualized production rate of about $25 million. New distributor agreements could further improve these figures and cement its leadership position.

In addition to these efforts, the company continues to launch new higher margin products across all three markets. The company introduced its first edible line in November 2018, DabTabs Dablets in late March, and DabTab GO in early-May. These products could further enhance average selling prices and help improve overall EBITDA.

The company also secured a hemp processing facility in mid-April that will power its entry into the market for cannabidiol (CBD) products. The facility is expected to process about 10,000 kilograms of hemp per month when fully operational, which could yield 700 to 900 kilograms of high-grade distillate or isolate CBD each month.

Outside of the United States, the company has begun operations in Lesotho, Africa through a strategic partnership. The country was the first in Africa to regulate medical marijuana and its regulations were crafted with exports in mind. The company’s focus on cannabis oils and concentrates sets it apart from many others in the country.

HALO Labs – The Journey of a pioneer in Cannabis Extraction and Oils. Please click this link to see a video on HALO Labs.

Looking Ahead

Halo Labs Inc. (NEO: HALO) (OTCQX: AGEEF) represents a unique opportunity to invest in a multi-state operator focused on cannabis oils and concentrates. With its proven success in Oregon, the company is quickly expanding into new states to increase revenue and launching new higher margin products to increase profitability. The company’s upcoming move into the CBD market could also prove to be a catalyst for further growth.

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For more information, visit the company’s website at www.halocanna.com.

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Supreme Cannabis’ 7ACRES Facility Approved for Additional 50,000 Square Feet of Production Capacity

Written by Ryan Allway on May 13, 2019

Licensed space at 7ACRES increases to 230,000 sqft.
Target annual production capacity is estimated to increase by 28% to approximately 33,580kg.
Supreme Cannabis expects to submit additional rooms for Health Canada approval in the near term.

TORONTO, May 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ – The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc. (“Supreme Cannabis” or the “Company”) (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, 7ACRES, has obtained Health Canada approval for five additional flowering rooms totalling 50,000 sqft of additional production space at its facility in Kincardine, Ontario.

Total flowering room space at 7ACRES increases from 180,000 sqft to 230,000 sqft and 7ACRES’ annual production capacity estimate increases from approximately 26,250kg to 33,580kg. As noted previously, Supreme Cannabis expects to realize further production efficiencies following the licensing of all 25 flowering rooms, whereby 7ACRES’ potential capacity is anticipated to reach approximately 50,000kg.

“With five more flowering rooms at 7ACRES now approved by Health Canada, the finish line is in sight,” said John Fowler, President and Founder of Supreme Cannabis. “As 7ACRES continues to work towards full production capacity, we are excited to fulfil demand for our high-end cannabis from enthusiasts coast-to-coast.”

About Supreme Cannabis

The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc., is a global diversified portfolio of distinct cannabis companies, products and brands. Since 2014, the Company has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing, premium plant driven-lifestyle companies by effectively deploying capital, with an emphasis on disciplined growth and high-quality products.

Supreme Cannabis’ portfolio includes 7ACRES, its wholly-owned subsidiary and multi-award-winning brand; Cambium Plant Sciences, a plant genetics and cultivation IP company; Medigrow Lesotho, a cannabis oil producer located in southern Africa; and a brand partnership and licensing deal with Khalifa Kush Enterprises Canada.

Supreme trades as FIRE on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: FIRE), SPRWF on the OTC Exchange in the United States (OTCQX: SPRWF) and 53S1 on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA: 53S1). Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

We simply grow better.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements made in this press release may constitute forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. These statements may relate to anticipated events or results and include, but are not limited to, the estimated annual production capacity at 7ACRES’ facility in Kincardine, Ontario, the Company’s submission for additional flowering rooms for Health Canada approval in the near term and other statements that are not historical facts. Particularly, information regarding our expectations of future results, targets, performance achievements, prospects or opportunities is forward-looking information. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “believe”, “estimate”, “plan”, “could”, “should”, “would”, “outlook”, “forecast”, “anticipate”, “foresee”, “continue” or the negative of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements are current as of the date they are made and are based on applicable estimates and assumptions made by us at the relevant time in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. However, we do not undertake to update any such forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws in Canada. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Many factors could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements or future events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Information Form dated October 2, 2018 (“AIF”). A copy of the AIF and the Company’s other publicly filed documents can be accessed under the Company’s profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR”) at www.sedar.com. The Company cautions that the list of risk factors and uncertainties described in the AIF is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information.

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SOURCE The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire (May 13, 2019 – 8:30 AM EDT)

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Grown Rogue Talks Growth Strategy in Exclusive Interview

Written by Ryan Allway on May 12, 2019

Multi-state operators, or MSOs, have become increasingly common across the United States given their economies of scale. With the industry’s relatively easy access to capital, many of these MSOs have bought up assets at all costs to rapidly build a footprint. Investors may want to avoid some of these companies and seek out those that have pursued thoughtful expansion that’s more focused on return on investment and longevity.

CFN Media recently caught up with Jacques Habra, CSO of Grown Rogue International Inc. (CSE: GRIN), to discuss what sets the company apart from the competition:

Let’s take a closer look at some of the key points in the video and why investors may want to take a closer look at the stock over the coming quarters.

‘Thoughtful Expansion’

There are no shortage of multi-state operators for investors to choose from, but many are focused on ‘growth at all costs’. While this approach may work out for a handful of companies, it could leave many shareholders extremely diluted or companies saddled with debt. The best MSO opportunities are companies that take a more thoughtful approach to the market with a focus on shareholder return on investment and high quality portfolio companies.

Grown Rogue is a multi-state operator that’s currently in Oregon, California and Michigan. In each state, the company began by analyzing the regulatory framework to determine the optimal time to build a presence and where to focus. The team then looked for operators and partners that were already established a strong asset portfolio, as well as deal terms that provided its shareholders with a compelling return on investment.

These values have been with the company since its inception. Rather than raising millions of dollars and going on an acquisition spree, the company began as a husband-and-wife team that raised a family-and-friends round that was followed by a small seed round. The company proved its business model in Oregon and has since been sought out by experienced operators in other states looking for advice and capital to grow.

‘Cultivation to Experience’

Cultivators and distributors operate under a business-to-business model, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to the consumers. Consumer preferences and demand creates a pull for certain high-quality products and brands through the entire supply chain. This means that it’s very important for all cannabis companies—even B2B companies—to focus on cannabis consumers and maximizing their experiences.

To this end, Grown Rogue coined the term C2E, or cultivation to experience, which is a play off of the traditional seed-to-sale business model. Rather than focusing on a sale, the company focuses on the consumer’s experience of the product. The goal is to create products that elicit the right experience for consumers every time, whether it’s a better hike, less anxiety, better sleep, or less pain following a workout.

The company has focused on improving by keeping a tight feedback loop. Using direct to consumer surveys, the company has matched up its products to the right experiences and ensured made it easier for retailers to make recommendations. Interviews with intake managers and budtenders has also uncovered customer objections and helped improve product development over time.

Looking Ahead

Grown Rogue International Inc. (CSE: GRIN) is a multi-state operator that’s well positioned to grow over the coming quarters. With its unique focus on thoughtful expansion and consumer experiences, the company sets itself apart from many other MSOs in the space.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.grownrogue.com.

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