TORONTO, June 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX:CRON) ("Cronos" or the "Company"), an innovative global cannabinoid company, announced an expansion of Cronos Growing Company ("GrowCo"). GrowCo is a leading cannabis cultivation company that Cronos owns 50% of. The investment will be funded by an additional credit facility provided by Cronos and is intended to assist GrowCo's expansion of its purpose-built cannabis facility to address the increased global market demand for high-quality cannabis flower.
Key Highlights of the Investment:
- Investment in Expansion: Cronos will provide an approximately $51 million ($70 million CAD) secured non-revolving credit facility to GrowCo to fund facility expansion, enabling growth opportunities in the markets Cronos operates in today as well as enabling future growth into new markets that open.
- Enhanced Governance: On July 1, 2024, the GrowCo board of directors will expand to five members, three of whom will be appointed by Cronos.
- New Supply Agreement: Cronos will have the option to purchase up to 70% of the total production from the expanded facility.
- Financial Consolidation: Cronos will be consolidating the joint venture's results in its financial statements beginning in the third quarter of 2024.
GrowCo has consistently demonstrated exceptional cultivation performance, contributing significantly to Cronos' portfolio. In 2023 Cronos purchased approximately $21 million of biomass from GrowCo, and GrowCo sold approximately $20 million to third parties. GrowCo has strong gross margins that the Company expects to be accretive on a consolidated basis and delivered positive net income and positive cash flow in 2023. This success underscores GrowCo's ability to produce premium cannabis at scale, meeting our stringent quality standards and market demands. The expansion will aid our ability to supply markets we operate in, which include Canada, Israel, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia, while also fueling the potential for international expansion.
"This investment enables GrowCo to increase its production of high-quality cannabis which supports our ambition to expand across the markets we operate in, and add new international growth opportunities where they arise," said Mike Gorenstein, Chairman, President, and CEO of Cronos. "At the onset of cannabis legalization, we deliberately chose not to overbuild our facilities, focusing ...