TERMINATION OF LICENSING AGREEMENT

Rhea-AI Summary

YourWay Cannabis Brands Inc. has announced the termination of contracts with Old Pal LLC and Airo Brands, Inc. due to unfavorable market conditions in Arizona. The decision, while impacting sales for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, aligns with the Company’s focus on enhancing in-house brands and pursuing product innovation. This strategic move aims to improve profitability and shareholder returns. The Company's Acting CEO, Jakob Ripshstein, emphasized a commitment to ensuring a smooth transition for customers.

Positive

• Focus on in-house brand development and product innovation.
• Exploration of white-label opportunities and expansion into new markets.

Negative

• Termination of contracts with brands may lead to reduced revenue.
• Operational demands of servicing terminated brands were not aligned with returns.

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - YourWay Cannabis Brands Inc. (CSE: YOUR) (OTC: YOURF) (FSE: HOB) (the "Company" or "YourWay"), a consumer-centric House of Brands committed to redefining the way consumers and cannabis brands interact, announced today it has terminated its contracts with two cannabis brands: Old Pal LLC ("Old Pal"); and Airo Brands, Inc. ("AIRO").

Due to the current market conditions in Arizona, the terms of these contracts were no longer viable or attractive for the Company.  Although these brands contributed to YourWay's sales performance for the December 31, 2022, fiscal year, the expected reduction in revenue and profitability, licensing structure and operational demands of servicing the brands did not match the return on investment and, ultimately, it is in the best interest of the parties to part ways.

With the termination of these contracts, the Company's focus in the short term is to grow and develop its in-house brands with product innovation, including exploring white-label opportunities while expanding into other markets. The Company believes this strategy will allow it to better serve its customers and utilize its capital to provide greater shareholder returns.

YourWay's Acting Chief Executive Officer Jakob Ripshstein said, "We have valued our partnership with Old Pal and AIRO, and we are grateful for the opportunity to have worked with them."

The Company will continue to work closely with Old Pal and AIRO to ensure a smooth transition for its customers.

About YourWay Cannabis Brands

YourWay is a publicly traded, consumer-centric House of Brands committed to redefining the way consumers and cannabis brands interact. By building their own brands, partnering with others, and supporting retail partners control brand strategy, they are dedicated to expanding their reach; remolding the cannabis industry and ultimately redefining consumers and cannabis brands interact.

YourWay aims to connect with the cannabis consumer on a deeper level, utilizing decades of brand-building expertise and an integral understanding of the customer experience to create an intuitive suite of branded products that closely aligns with consumer need states. The YourWay portfolio is an all-encompassing house of brands designed to create a sense of belonging for every cannabis consumer regardless of their relationship with the plant. Please visit www.yourwaycannabis.com or follow on Twitter at @yourwaycannabis for the latest news and information about YourWay and its brands.

Website: www.yourwaycannabis.com 

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: 

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding: the Company's expectations regarding a reduction in revenue and profitability in connection with the termination of its contracts with Old Pal and AIRO; the Company's focus on growth and development of its in-house brands through product innovation; the Company's exploration of white-label opportunities; expansion into other markets; the Company's exepctations regarding its growth strategy and its ability to provide greater shareholder returns; the Company's continued efforts to work with Old Pal and AIRO to ensure a smooth transition for customers;  and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical fact but instead reflects management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance, or achievements of the Company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the timing for filing the Company's financial statements; regulatory and licensing risks; changes in consumer demand and preferences; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; the global regulatory landscape and enforcement related to cannabis, including political risks and risks relating to regulatory change; compliance with extensive government regulation; public opinion and perception of the cannabis industry; the impact of COVID-19; and the risk factors set out in the Company's annual information form dated August 28, 2020, filed with Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The Company, through several of its subsidiaries, is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale, and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States. Local state laws where the Company operates permit such activities however, investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the US Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable United States federal money laundering legislation.

While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward nonenforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with recreational and medicinal cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve the Company of liability under United States federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against the Company. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of the Company and any proceedings brought against the Company thereunder may adversely affect the Company's operations and financial performance.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated, or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company 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 law.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/termination-of-licensing-agreement-301743306.html

SOURCE YourWay Cannabis Brands Inc.

FAQ

What are the recent changes at YourWay Cannabis Brands with the stock symbol YOURF?

YourWay Cannabis Brands has terminated its contracts with Old Pal LLC and Airo Brands, focusing on in-house product development due to unfavorable market conditions.

How will the contract termination affect YourWay Cannabis Brands' revenue?

The terminations are expected to lead to a reduction in revenue and profitability as reported for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

What is the strategy YourWay Cannabis Brands plans to implement after terminating the contracts?

The Company plans to grow its in-house brands through product innovation and explore white-label opportunities, aiming for better shareholder returns.

When was the press release regarding the contract termination issued?

The press release was issued on February 9, 2023.