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McapMediaWire --Green Leaf Innovations, Inc., (“Green Leaf” or the “Company”)(OTC: GRLF), an emerging growth company engaged in the manufacturing,marketing, and distribution of handmade premium cigars, today issuedthe following letter to its shareholders from Green Leaf InnovationsCEO Robert Mederos:
Dear Fellow Green Leaf Innovations Shareholders,
I hope this letterfinds you in good health and in high spirits. On behalf of ouremployees, partners, and other key stakeholders, I am delighted tohave you as shareholders and valued members of our corporate family,and it is my pleasure to provide you with this update to share ourvision for the future of our company.
Who We Are
For investors new toour company, our business focuses on marketing and distributinghandmade premium cigars manufactured in Nicaragua. We strategicallyimport and distribute premium cigar brands and private label brands tocigar lounges, smoke shops, convenience stores, and vape shops acrossthe United States and in international markets. Additionally, wedistribute packaged whole-leaf tobacco to other wholesale distributorsof consumer tobacco products.
The Importance of Our FoundationalOperations in Nicaragua
Nicaragua is a land rich with volcanic soil, whichgives our tobacco its unique character. The fertile valleys of Jalapaand Estelí and the increasing tobacco cultivation in Condega andOmetepe have provided us with exquisite filler, binder, and wrapperleaves essential for our premium cigars. The importance of having along-standing operation in Nicaragua cannot be understated. In fact,during the first eight months of 2022, Nicaragua-based cigar firmsshipped 167 million cigars to the United States, an 8.9 percentincrease over the same period in 2021.
Our partnership with a third-generation,family-owned Nicaraguan business has been instrumental in craftinghigh-quality boutique cigars. Their passion and attention to detailhave allowed us to maintain consistency and deliver unique flavors toour customers.
Our production process, from greenhouse seedlings tofermentation and final product, is carefully managed to ensure thehighest quality of cigars. We employ traditional techniques, such asrow plowing with oxen and eucalyptus stick curing, alongside moderntechnology, like custom water filtration and drip irrigation systems,to balance tradition and innovation perfectly. Every cigarproduct I ship out reflects my commitment to delivering the bestpossible customer experience. I would even say I am obsessed with ourquality control, rooted in being from a third-generation Cuban tobaccofamily. My cigars reflect the pride of my family, and I will nevercompromise quality for a quick buck .
A GrowingIndustry on the Rise
The global luxury cigar market was valued at USD11.61 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annualgrowth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% from 2021 to 2028 . According to CigarAficionado Magazine, more than 307 million imported handmade,premium cigars were shipped to the United States in just the firsteight months of 2022, an increase of 4.3 percent . Shipping 300million cigars was once considered the benchmark for a goodyear in the cigar business: now, it’s just a starting point. Infact, according to the Cigar Association of America, imports throughNovember 30, 2022 have continued an upward trend for premium cigarimports at a 2% year-over-year growth rate, while imports of popularprice cigars are down 12% in the same period.
Key GrowthInitiatives for Green Leaf
Looking ahead, we see significant growth potentialin the premium cigar market. We will continue to strengthen ourpartnerships, expand our distribution network, and explore newdomestic and international markets.
- We have discovered unattended marketsripe for growth, including targeting golf courses, hotels and resorts,sporting events, and business gatherings.
These markets haveuntapped potential, ignored by major brands and large industrialproducers who continue to focus on traditional channels. Nearly 10% ofall U.S. premium cigar sales occur on golf courses or in relation togolf. Yet, point-of-sale displays at golf clubs are generally ignoredby major brands.
- We have the capabilities to deliver bespoke,white-label orders that meet the customer’s unique specificationsfor style, volume, and quality.
We have been approachedby several large potential customers in the wine and liquor industry,along with retailers that are interested in pairing our cigars withcomplementary products. Our cigars can pair with other premiumproducts for an all-encompassing customer experience.
- Our B2Bcustomers in the market are increasingly launching e-commerce websitesin large, lucrative markets owing to the rising internet penetrationand increasing propensity for mobile shopping amongconsumers.
Our cigars can pair with other premium products for anall-encompassing customer experience.
CorporateUpdates
It is fair to say that up to this point, we have not made anypublic comments or addressed investors, only making our regulatoryfilings and issuing occasional press releases. Going forward, GreenLeaf will be more transparent in our investor communications. As weannounced earlier this month, I have hired an investor relationsagency to address investor concerns, answer questions, and help bringnew investors to our company. Running this operation between ouroffices in Florida and our factory in Nicaragua, I’ve had to wearmany different hats, and regretfully I couldn’t keep up with all theinvestor inquiries. This will no longer be the case, and I urgeeveryone to contact our investor relations agency with theirquestions.
Iinvite everyone to subscribe to our distribution list to stay informedon upcoming developments. Please visit: https://greenleafinnovations.co/subscribe-for-free-newsletter/ .
In the coming weeks, wewill update everyone on the progress we’ve made in growing ourbusiness. We intend on actively marketing our company, putting moreresources into social media and popular online investor forums togenerate greater awareness of our story. We are working on updatingour investor presentation and website. We will inform everyone ofthese updates in a timely manner.
- Regarding our tier 1 Regulation AOffering, we recently filed an amended OfferingCircular where we amended the final pricing of theoffering to a price of $0.08 per share of Series B Preferred Stock(from $0.10) for a total aggregate offering amount of$8,000,000.
The cigar manufacturing and distribution businessis capital-intensive, from raw materials and equipment to SG&A(and being a public company). We need growth capital to fulfillpurchase orders and scale our business through the growth initiativesI’ve described. I don’t take stock dilution lightly and will onlylook to raise capital to grow our business and deliver value toshareholders.
Going Forward
Our commitment to providing exceptional cigarsremains unwavering, and we are confident that our products willcontinue to delight cigar enthusiasts around the world.
In closing, I wouldlike to express my gratitude for your ongoing support and investmentin Green Leaf Innovations, Inc. Our success is a testament to yourbelief in our vision, and I remain committed to delivering outstandingreturns for our shareholders while preserving the rich tradition ofhand-crafted, premium cigars.
Sincerely,
Robert Mederos
Chief Executive Officer
Green Leaf Innovations, Inc.
About Green LeafInnovations, Inc.
Green Leaf Innovations, Inc., a Florida corporation, is anemerging growth company engaged in the marketing and distribution ofhandmade premium cigars. The Company strategically imports andexclusively distributes some of the best-known premium cigar brands inthe marketplace. The Company was created by the Mederos family, athird generation Cigar maker with Robert Mederos at the helm, who hasowned and operated handmade cigar operations in Nicaragua and the U.S.for over 20 years with a rich family history in the craft dating backto the 1800s in Cuba. Green Leaf features brands such as CUBANACAN , MEDEROS,and TABACALERASERRANO . The Company also distributes packaged whole leafTobacco to cigar lounges, smoke shops, C-stores, and vape shops acrossthe United States and soon in international markets.
Additional informationcan be found on our website, www.greenleafinnovations.co ,or follow us on Twitter .
Safe HarborStatement
Certain statements, other than purely historical information,including estimates, projections, statements relating to our businessplans, objectives, and expected operating results, and the assumptionsupon which those statements are based, are forward-looking statements.These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the wordsbelieves, project, expects, anticipates, estimates, intends, strategy,plan, may, will, would, will be, will continue, will likely result,and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based oncurrent expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks anduncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially fromthe forward-looking statements. Our ability to predict results or theactual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain.Factors which could have a material adverse effect on our operationsand future prospects on a consolidated basis include, but are notlimited to: changes in economic conditions, legislative/regulatorychanges, availability of capital, interest rates, competition, andgenerally accepted accounting principles. These risks anduncertainties should also be considered in evaluating forward-lookingstatements and undue reliance should not be placed on suchstatements.
Company Contact:
Investor RelationsContact:
Matthew Abenante, IRC
President
Strategic Investor Relations, LLC
Tel: 800-303-6268x4
Email: matthew@greenleafinnovations.co
ContactDetails
Green Leaf Innovations, Inc.
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