“Past, Present, Future”: Taat CEO Sets the Scene for the Next Steps of Beyond Tobacco™ in New Corporate Video

Rhea-AI Summary

TAAT announced the release of an updated corporate video featuring CEO Setti Coscarella, highlighting the development of their nicotine-free, tobacco-free product, Beyond Tobacco™. The product mimics the smoking ritual while enabling users to abandon nicotine. In the video, Coscarella shares insights from his previous tobacco industry experience that have shaped Taat's strategies for product commercialization. The company plans to launch Beyond Tobacco™ in mid-Q4 2020, leveraging a substantial market of tobacco users aiming to quit. The video also reflects Taat's recent advancements, including improved product quality and manufacturing partnerships.

Positive

• Beyond Tobacco™ is nicotine-free and tobacco-free, catering to smokers seeking alternatives.
• The product has been engineered to closely mimic the traditional smoking experience, enhancing user adoption.
• Taat has entered into a contract manufacturing agreement with a North American producer for large-scale production.
• A patent application has been filed for the base material refinement method, indicating innovation.
• The company has appointed an experienced Chief Revenue Officer from the tobacco industry to enhance commercialization efforts.

Negative

• The launch of Beyond Tobacco™ is still pending, with no specific sales metrics disclosed.
• The company faces a highly competitive market with established tobacco brands offering alternatives.

Taat has released an updated corporate video in which CEO Setti Coscarella shares his path from the tobacco industry to Taat, and how he has applied his experience in positioning alternatives to tobacco cigarettes to optimize product development and commercialization strategies for Beyond Tobacco™.

LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT LIFESTYLE & WELLNESS LTD. (CSE: TAAT) (OTC: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP2) (the “Company” or “Taat”) is pleased to announce that it has released an updated corporate video, narrated by CEO Setti Coscarella with supplemental footage of in-house refinement of Beyond Tobacco™ base material, as well as production and packaging of the Beyond Tobacco™ product. In the video, Mr. Coscarella provides an overview of his path from the tobacco industry to Taat, a recap of the Company’s achievements to date under his administration, and a summary of the Company’s next steps in introducing Beyond Tobacco™ to the retail market in the United States.

The Company has developed Beyond Tobacco™, a tobacco-flavoured combustible product that is nicotine-free and tobacco-free, designed to offer a user experience closely resembling that of smoking a tobacco cigarette. According to the World Health Organization, 1.3 billion people worldwide use tobacco¹. Despite this incidence rate, many tobacco users aspire to leave nicotine behind. Based on 2018 data from the CDC, 55.1% of adult smokers had attempted to quit in the past year, though only 7.5% successfully quit smoking in that timeframe². A factor that is commonly attributed to tobacco smokers’ abandonment of alternative products such as vaping is the unfamiliar format which lacks the sensorimotor components of smoking a tobacco cigarette. These components play a significant role in the “ritual” of smoking cigarettes. Beyond Tobacco™ has been meticulously engineered to mimic these components, allowing current tobacco smokers of legal age to enjoy a substantially similar ritual by using Beyond Tobacco™ in place of a traditional cigarette, while refraining from nicotine intake.

In Taat’s new corporate video, Mr. Coscarella explains how during his time as a strategist in the tobacco industry it was a fundamental objective to understand the likes and dislikes of tobacco smokers. This understanding was then used to shape a consumer journey from combustible tobacco cigarettes to smokeless products. While the tobacco industry has relied on the delivery of nicotine without combustion as the central value proposition of smokeless products, Mr. Coscarella explains in the video why the combustible format and corresponding ritual are crucial to gaining product adoption and preventing abandonment. Taat’s new corporate video can be watched by clicking the image below, and can also be accessed by clicking here. Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to access the corporate video link. As an alternative method of accessing Taat’s updated corporate video, the Company has posted the video to its profiles on Facebook and Twitter.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b5d96934-0aaf-4390-a1e5-8d2c49ea28da.

For clarity, product and manufacturing footage in Taat’s new corporate video was captured prior to the completion of provisional new pack designs for Beyond Tobacco™, which were released to the public in a press release dated September 29, 2020. The Company anticipates that finalized new pack designs will appear in Taat’s next corporate video update.

Taat CEO Setti Coscarella commented, “In just two months as CEO of Taat, I believe we have made considerable progress in preparing Beyond Tobacco™ to be the best it can be, and establishing our go-to-market approach to align the product with the shopping patterns of current legal-aged smokers of tobacco cigarettes. Releasing this video is an important part of our messaging, as it reflects exactly where the Company is today compared to where it was when our original corporate video was published in early July 2020. We now have an improved product, a patent application filed for our base material refinement method, commercial-scale production with a North American contract manufacturer who produces for national and regional tobacco cigarette brands, and a former ‘Big Tobacco’ commercialization executive as our Chief Revenue Officer. Now that we are in Q4 2020, we are very excited to share new developments as they materialize leading up to the mid-Q4 2020 Beyond Tobacco™ launch in the United States.”

Sources:

1 - https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco

2 - https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/smoking-cessation-fast-facts/index.html

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company,

TAAT LIFESTYLE & WELLNESS LTD.

“Setti Coscarella”

Setti Coscarella, CEO

For further information, please contact:

Mauricio Inzunza
1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872)
investor@taatusa.com

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE.

About Taat Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd.

Having developed Beyond Tobacco™, which contains no tobacco or nicotine, Taat’s objective is to introduce an innovative, experience-driven alternative to tobacco cigarettes for tobacco smokers who aspire to leave nicotine behind. Beyond Tobacco™, which is to be offered in “Original” and “Menthol” varieties, is designed to closely emulate every aspect of smoking a traditional cigarette. From the cigarette-style packaging and stick format, to the proprietary flavouring blend which imparts the flavour and scent of tobacco, to the draw sensation, and the amount of smoke exhaled, Beyond Tobacco™ has been meticulously engineered to enable smokers to continue enjoying the ritual of smoking, while discontinuing nicotine intake. Taat plans to launch Beyond Tobacco™ in mid-Q4 2020 and is seeking to position itself in the USD $814 billion (2018)¹ global tobacco industry to capitalize on the growing worldwide demand for alternatives to traditional cigarettes.

For more information, please visit http://taatusa.com.

References

¹ British American Tobacco - The Global Market

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the potential launch of Beyond Tobacco™. The forward-looking information reflects management’s current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; and (iii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company’s management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Company’s products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Company’s products on an individual’s health and well-being. The Company’s products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees.

Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms

Disclosures relating to investor relations firms retained by Taat Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. can be found under the Company's profile on http://sedar.com.

FAQ

What is Beyond Tobacco™ by Taat and how does it differ from traditional cigarettes?

Beyond Tobacco™ is a nicotine-free, tobacco-free product designed to replicate the smoking experience without tobacco or nicotine, allowing users to enjoy the ritual of smoking.

What are the key features of the updated corporate video released by Taat?

The corporate video features CEO Setti Coscarella discussing product development, company achievements, and the strategy for launching Beyond Tobacco™ in the U.S. market.

When is Taat planning to launch Beyond Tobacco™ in the United States?

Taat plans to launch Beyond Tobacco™ in mid-Q4 2020.

Who narrated Taat's updated corporate video?

The updated corporate video was narrated by Taat's CEO, Setti Coscarella.

What strategic advantages does Taat have in launching Beyond Tobacco™?

Taat's advantages include a product that closely mimics traditional smoking rituals, a strong manufacturing partnership, and leadership with deep experience in the tobacco sector.