Sign Up NowThis Month's Tiny Gems - February 2019

Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (NUGS)
Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V:RIV) (OTC: CNPOF)
Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF)
Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTC: LXRP)
Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE)
Pacific Software, Inc. (PFSF)
The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTC: TGODF)
VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTC: VVCIF)
Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI)

 

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Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (NUGS)

 

Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (NUGS), headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is focused on supporting entrepreneurial growth within the fast-growing legal cannabis sector. Through a selective portfolio of subsidiaries, Cannabis Strategic Ventures offers outsourced personnel solutions tailor-made to match the growth dynamics of cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries and other cannabis marketplace participants. The company also pursues investment opportunities in the areas of real estate, cultivation, extraction, distribution, packaging, dispensary operations, and branded products within the cannabis space.

 

The legalization of adult-use sales in California is expected to create nearly 99,000 cannabis industry jobs in the state by 2021, representing about a third of all cannabis jobs nationwide, and 146,000 jobs overall when indirect and induced efforts are considered, according to Arcview Market Research. By 2021, direct cannabis industry employment will top 291,500 FTE jobs, with a total employment effect of nearly 414,000 FTEs across all legal cannabis states, according to the report.

 

Cannabis Strategic Ventures believes its staffing capabilities will be in a similar state of demand. The company in April 2018 completed a definitive agreement to acquire Worldwide Staffing Group, Inc., which booked approximately $1.5 million in revenues in 2017.

 

Worldwide will operate within Cannabis Strategic Ventures as an independent and separate wholly owned subsidiary providing strictly non-cannabis related employment and staffing services. As Worldwide continues to expand its operations in general clerical and administrative, marketing, accounting, and other verticals, Cannabis Strategic Ventures will leverage the subsidiary's expertise to expand its business operations further into the cannabis staffing arena, with an emphasis on the California markets.

 

Cannabis Strategic Ventures' BudHire™ subsidiary is an outsourced employment service specifically designed to meet the needs of growing cannabis-related business operations, utilizes a proven recruiting formula to match the most qualified candidates to a broad spectrum of cannabis-related jobs. Under the BudHire™ brand, Cannabis Strategic Ventures offers temporary, seasonal, permanent staffing solutions, as well as professional employment organization services and human resources consulting to the cannabis industry.

 

Cannabis Strategic Ventures portfolio also includes Pure Applied Sciences Inc. and its brand "PureOrganix™," a line of high quality concentrate, organic and pure cannabis oils that conform with Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and meet FDA guidelines for Active Pharmaceuticals Products (API). The acquisition includes all intellectual properties, including formulations and technologies, and related accessories of Pure Applied Sciences.

 

Cannabis Strategic Ventures Pure Applied Sciences subsidiary, has a cannabis concentrate extraction services agreement with CP Logistics LLC ("CPL"), a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Sunniva Inc. (CSE:SNN) (OTCQX:SNNVF). Under this agreement, CPL will perform white label services producing high quality, ultra-purified cannabis extracts out of its Sun-Oil Facility in Cathedral City, California, for Pure Applied Sciences under the Pure Organix brand name.

 

The management team at Cannabis Strategic Ventures believes there is incredible opportunity to carve-out and control specific industry niches, to create unique cannabis consumer branded products, and to expand into other sub-sectors of the cannabis marketplace.

 

 

 

 

Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF)

 

Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) is the venture capital investment platform of Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED, NYSE: CGC).

 

Canopy Rivers is a unique investment and operating platform structured to pursue investment opportunities in the emerging global cannabis sector. Canopy Rivers collaborates with Canopy Growth to identify strategic counterparties seeking financial and/or operating support. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Canopy Rivers has developed an ecosystem of complementary cannabis operating companies operating throughout the cannabis value chain.

 

Canopy Rivers, in collaboration with Canopy Growth, has established a diverse portfolio of cannabis industry investments that includes domestic and international companies, licensed producers, late-stage licensed producer applicants, pharmaceutical formulators, brand developers and distributors, retail networks, and technology and media platforms. Investments are customized for each counterparty and include a balanced mix of equity, debt, royalty and profit-sharing agreements.

 

Canopy Rivers' expanding portfolio includes:

 

As the company's portfolio continues to develop, each constituent benefits from opportunities to collaborate with Canopy Growth and among themselves. Canopy Rivers believes this formula results in an ideal environment for innovation, synergy and value creation for Canopy Rivers, Canopy Growth and across the entire Rivers ecosystem.

 

Canopy Rivers is led by an experienced team of qualified financial and technical professionals with deep industry experience and relationship networks. The company's acting CEO and chairman is Bruce Linton, CEO of Canopy Growth and founder of Tweed Marijuana.

 

 

 

 

Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF)

 

Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) is a lifestyle-oriented cannabis and cannabidiol ("CBD") consumer products company with a portfolio of lifestyle brands customized to connect specific, like-minded customers. Each Green Growth Brand provides the best quality products within a retail experience that appeals to users in an environment that is emotionally branded and easy to navigate.

 

In the next five years, the cannabis industry will generate more than $28 billion of new revenue from an estimated 14 million new customers, according to Ackrell Capital's 2018 Cannabis Investment Report. Meanwhile, Hemp Business Journal projects that the CBD market will increase 8x to $3 billion by 2021, up from $200 million in 2017. Green Growth Brand intends to dominate in these markets with a lineup up products grown, manufactured and presented with the highest quality standards in mind.

 

Products under the Green Growth Brand umbrella include:

 

Business Strategy

 

Green Growth Brands has identified numeroushitches in the current cannabis retail space. The company intends to counter these challenges and provide a customer experience ripe with a friendly staff, in-stock assortments, efficient operations and more. The company's retail partners provide distribution opportunities within 4,000 stores, as well as robust and established digital platforms to best reach the modern consumer.

 

Management

 

Green Growth Brands brings together a collection of expert retailers, scientists, botanists, developers, artists and business leaders for the benefit of building community. Led by an executive management team steeped in decades of experience with several of America's most successful brands, including Victoria's Secret, American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Limited Brands and Designer Shoe Warehouse, Green Growth Brands is uniquely positioned to create memorable brands, retail experiences, and quality products for the emerging cannabis industry.

 

Chief Executive Officer Peter Horvath heads strategy and execution across all company channels, and previously took shoe retailer DSW public on the NYSE at $1.5 billion. As a dynamic, creative brand leader, team builder, and specialty retail veteran with deep roots in finance, Horvath's unique ability to understand the big picture while never missing the subtle details is a critical factor in Green Growth Brands' success and brand popularity among customers.

 

Chief Marketing Officer Scott Razek is a brand strategist, storyteller and strategic marketer. Razek's 25 years of experience in brand building, product development and customer experience focus are a key differentiator for the Green Growth Brands portfolio.

 

CAO Ed Kistner brings 33 years of multifaceted experience at leading retail businesses, notably in finance, merchandise planning, operations and stores. His well-rounded experiences in fast-changing environments position Kistner to be the architect of the operational execution at Green Growth Brands.

 

CSO Kellie Wurtzman brings significant retail leadership to Green Growth Brands with a proven track record of leading high-performance stores and teams across multiple retail sectors. Her unmatched experience in identifying and supporting developing business opportunities is ideal for evolving the cannabis industry and will be instrumental in expanding operations at Green Growth Brands.

 

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Green Growth Brands is traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange and on the OTCQB, providing investors with increased access to data, transparency and liquidity.

 

 

 

 

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTC: LXRP)

 

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTC: LXRP) has developed and out-licenses its proprietary technology for improved taste, rapidity, and delivery of bioactive compounds, including nicotine and cannabinoids. To achieve higher absorption rates and fast onset, consumers traditionally defaulted to smoking. Lexaria provides a superior administration method by delivering these substances through a patented process within edible food products, thus eliminating all the harmful health consequences of smoking.

 

Lexaria's technology is unique in that it takes advantage of GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) food ingredients processed with its patented DehydraTECHTM technology to improve taste, remove odor, and decrease the time to onset of bitter-tasting drugs. Lexaria is primarily a B2B enterprise and has existing cannabinoid licensing agreements with companies in Canada, the largest-market states in the United States, and internationally. Lexaria has entered into a R&D partnership with one of the largest cigarette companies in the world for oral forms of nicotine delivery. Lexaria has also developed its own brands partly for demonstration purposes, utilizing its patented technology to infuse hemp oil ingredients within popular foods such as coffee, tea, and supplements. These brands include ViPova™ and TurboCBD™.

 

In 2015, Lexaria commissioned an independent third-party lab to test its technology under carefully monitored in vitro conditions. Results showed that the company's technological process and lipid formulation improve intestinal absorption as much as 500%. Lexaria has conducted multiple rounds of studies including in vivo and human clinical. In absorption studies conducted on rats, for example, Lexaria detected nicotine in the animal's bloodstream just two minutes after it entered the stomach. In a randomized, double blinded human clinical study, cannabidiol (CBD) was measure in the human bloodstream at a 317% higher rate 30 minutes after swallowing a capsule processed with DehydraTECH than a non-enhanced capsule of equal strength.

 

Lexaria also has an R&D partnership with the Canadian government's National Research Council. That R&D is expected to characterize molecular bond formation theorized to occur with Lexaria's unique technology between the lipid delivery agents and the bioactive substances it processes and combines. Results from this R&D have helped support B2B relationships with Fortune 500 companies. Lexaria has four distinct subsidiaries that focus on different market sectors: Hemp/CBD; Pharmaceutical; Cannabis; and Nicotine.

 

Aside from testing, a critical component of Lexaria Bioscience's business model is a strong and growing intellectual property portfolio. As of the end of 2018, the company's patent portfolio includes 53 patent applications filed and pending in more than 40 countries around the world; and 10 patents granted to date. Lexaria is expecting additional new patent awards both in the U.S. and internationally in 2019 and beyond. Some of its more recent areas of investigation have included human hormones and erectile dysfunction substances, among others.

 

Royalties play a vital role in Lexaria's revenue-generating business model. The company out-licenses its technology (royalty) to third-partners and has signed royalty deals with start-up companies as well as with a Fortune 100. The company's growth initiatives are guided by a management team headed by CEO Chris Bunka, a serial entrepreneur who has contributed to several multi-hundred million-dollar valuations over the course of his career. He is supported by a growing team of professionals with extensive experience in pharmaceutical and bioscience sectors, invention, toxicology, consumer goods, and other relevant skillsets.

 

 

 

 

Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE)

 

Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) is a global financial technology and value-added solutions group that supports electronic payments acceptance in an omni-channel environment spanning across point-of-sale, e-commerce, and mobile devices. Net Element operates a payments-as-a-service transactional model and value-added services platform for small to medium enterprises in the U.S. and selected emerging markets. Internationally, Net Element's strategy is to leverage its omni-channel platform to deliver flexible offerings to emerging markets with diverse banking, regulatory and demographic conditions. Net Element was ranked as one of the fastest growing companies in North America on Deloitte's 2017 Technology Fast 500 ™ and South Florida Business Journal's 2016 fastest growing technology companies.

 

Net Element believes the future of global commerce is being revolutionized as consumers quickly migrate toward omni-channel shopping utilizing mobile devices, desktop, and online services. Net Element's all-in-one payment solutions support and unify a whole range of applications through a single, robust platform, allowing global onboarding and support for multiple payment methods.

 

With an eye on emerging markets, Net Element is pursuing growth opportunities and footholds in a number of industries. The company's most recent application of its technology is to the cannabis industry, which is paced to hit $591 million and could increase 40 times in the next four years. This rampant growth also creates heightened need for smooth transactions between merchants and consumers. Payment processing and compliance for the cannabis industry has become increasingly complex, and Net Element's Unified Payments subsidiary is addressing the challenges by offering a compliant, seamlessly integrated payment solution that makes it simple to transact.

 

Net Element has also launched a blockchain-focused business unit that will develop and deploy blockchain technology-based solutions. Net Element expects the new division to create a decentralized crypto-based ecosystem that will act as a framework for an unlimited number of value-added services, connecting merchants and consumers in a seamless, economically efficient transaction. This new business unit intends to also identify and invest in unique projects that decentralize and disrupt the payment processing industry by combining blockchain technology and real-world applications with talented development teams, strong fundamentals and addressable markets large in size.

 

"We believe that we're at the dawn of a new evolution where additional digital payment methods are being introduced," Net Element CEO Oleg Firer, says. "Introduction of our division focused on blockchain as part of the NASDAQ-listed entity will add transparency and compliance assurance to our investors as well as provide access to deploy value-added services to over 20 million electronic commerce clients that are currently part of Net Element's growing network."

 

Net Element clients are treated to customized solutions that provide the flexibility needed to keep up with customers. Among the services offered are mobile payment apps that accept payments anywhere, anytime; cloud-based solutions built to increase productivity and enhance revenue for clients and partners; marketing solutions that turn lookers into buyers; and business analytics that make it easy for clients to monitor business metrics, engage with customers and compare the competition. Its multi-channel platform combines e-commerce, offline, point-of-sale, comprehensive back office tools, mobile point-of-sale, credit scoring and customer interaction in one powerful platform-as-a-service technology.

 

Net Element owns and operates a global mobile payments and transactional processing provider, TOT Group, Inc., with the following subsidiaries:

 

Net Element is ranked No. 418 on Deloitte's 2017 Technology Fast 500™ list of North America's 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies. Net Element grew 190 percent. The company's chief executive officer, Oleg Firer, credits the company's progression to organic growth in its North America Transactions Segment, specifically the success of its Unified Payments brand, which focuses on value-added payment acceptance solutions for small to medium enterprises in the United States.

 

"The Deloitte 2017 North America Technology Fast 500 winners underscore the impact of technological innovation and world class customer service in driving growth, in a fiercely competitive environment," said Sandra Shirai, vice chairman, Deloitte Consulting LLP and U.S. technology, media and telecommunications leader. "These companies are on the cutting edge, and are transforming the way we do business."

 

Net Element's suite of application performing interfaces (APIs) and connectors power commerce for businesses of all sizes through multi-channel platforms, all-in-one digital solutions, and end-to-end encryption of cardholder data utilizing tamper resistant hardware that ensures integrity and simplifies security.

 

Net Element's corporate team is led by director and CEO Oleg Firer, who is responsible for the overall vision, strategy and execution of the company's mission of powering global commerce. He is joined by CFO Jeffrey Ginsburg, CPA, and Steven Wolberg, who is the company's chief legal officer and secretary. Each corporate officer brings a unique blend of leadership, vision, experience and creative energy to the company.

 

From mobile payments and value-added transactional innovations such as Digital Provider and Aptito to e-commerce and retail payment transaction processing brands like Payonline and United Payments, Net Element is transforming the online and mobile experience.

 

 

 

 

Pacific Software, Inc. (PFSF)

 

Pacific Software Inc. (PFSF) is an emerging technology corporation positioned for investments, mergers and acquisitions of software technologies and platforms. The company is building "BoaPin," a subscription-based e-commerce trading platform focused on cross border trade expansion with an international emphasis. The multi-faceted e-commerce platform is scheduled for launch in Q1 of 2019.

 

The Company is uniquely positioned to deliver a B2B and B2C intelligent e-commerce trade platform which will provide various solutions, data, applications and tools for subscribers, including IBM's Hyperledger Blockchain "Backend as a Service" (BaaS) Infrastructure, multi-lingual communication, fintech, digital marketing, smart contracts, commodities search/match applications, customs clearance, taxation data, product advertising and logistics solutions.

 

Through smart contract technology for global supply chain management, BoaPin is designed to improve product traceability and deliver solutions to its subscribers for product certification, marketing, logistics, commodities search/match interface, trade finance, cross border payment solutions and customs clearance. Some of the tools available to execute these capabilities include cross border payments, blockchain solutions, smart contracts and multilingual access.

 

With these features at hand, the company is targeting several key industries where its online applications and solutions could have significant corporate impact in various forms, including: agriculture, fertilizers, chemicals, cosmetics, electronics, equipment, apparel and controlled substance management.

 

Business Model

 

Pacific Software initially will focus on Brazil and China for BoaPin. After paying a registration fee to utilize the online trade portal, subscribers to the platform will have access to a variety of tools and features that may enhance and increase revenue initiatives by showcasing their commodities and products for sale or trade.

 

Buyers of the commodities, products or services will pay a transaction fee only to the company which could materialize in the form of cash, cash equivalents, royalties or in-kind fees.

 

As the company executes its strategy, the online trade business is anticipated to generate significant revenue from subscribers obtained from regionally and federally organized Brazilian Trade Associations. The members wish to market their commodities or products, and the portal users or buyers materialize from China, Hong Kong and surrounding countries. As a result, this business model may be organized separately in the company's wholly owned subsidiary, incorporated as HyperSoft Ventures, which could generate appreciable value for investors and shareholders.

 

 

 

 

The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTC: TGODF)

 

The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTC: TGODF), whose principal location is in Hamilton, Ontario, produces farm grown, organic, pesticide-free medical cannabis in small batches using all natural, organic craft growing principles. TGOD is licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) to cultivate medical cannabis. The company carries out its principal activities producing cannabis pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada).

 

Committed to becoming the global leader in delivering organic cannabis solutions that enhance people's lives, TGOD consistently adheres to the highest levels of excellence. Its world-class management team includes a proven group of leaders with outstanding executive and operational experience specific to consumer packaged goods, consumer products, cannabis and finance industries.

 

TGOD is positioned as one of the highest quality and most cost efficient cannabis producers in Canada by leveraging innovative technology and low-cost power solutions. It holds one of the largest land packages under a single ACMPR license in Canada, providing future cannabis Agri-park style development and opportunities for joint ventures, licensing and distribution partners. Its industry leading alliance partners include Eaton, Ledcor Group and Hamilton Utilities Corp.

 

Eaton is the second largest power management company in the world and promises to supply innovative and cost effective power solutions to meet TGOD's growing demands. Construction management is supplied by Ledcor, Canada's second largest multidisciplinary construction company and a pioneer in the Green Building Industry. An alliance with Hamilton Utilities Corp allows TGOD to reduce its power costs from $0.13 per kWh to less than $0.05 per kWh. Greenhouse design is provided by Larssen Greenhouse, whose 25-plus years of experience in building some of the most modern and sophisticated greenhouses in the industry will provide TGOD with state of the art, climate-controlled hybrid greenhouse solutions.

 

Canada is quickly becoming a hub for cannabis investors with over $1.3 billion raised by Canadian companies to date. There are 58 licensed producers to service a population of 36 million and only two organic producers. TGOD, which holds licenses in Ontario and Quebec, is strategically located in both provinces that together claim 22 million Canadians as residents. Another estimated 57 million people live next door in six U.S. bordering states.

 

The Canadian cannabis market currently has a massive supply demand gap, which makes TGOD's expansion plans even more important to investors. These plans include a combined build-out capacity of 970,000 square feet, allowing TGOD to produce 116,000 kg annually of organic cannabis. Upon completion, Phase One in Hamilton, Ontario, which is fully funded, will provide 150,000 square feet of growing capacity capable of producing up to 14,000 kg of cannabis or $112 million in revenue at $8 a gram.

 

The company's Quebec expansion will be constructed on a recently secured 75-acre property near Montreal. This new property has a planned expansion of 820,000 square feet capable of producing 102,000 kg of organic cannabis. The first phase of this expansion is underway and construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. Quebec's first phase will consist of 220,000 square feet capable of producing 22,000 kg of cannabis. Two additional expansion phases will add 250,000 square feet (26,000 kg of cannabis) and 350,000 square feet (54,000 kg of cannabis). Power costs remain exceptionally low for both facilities with access to all other needed utilities available and close by.

 

TGOD also plans to gain a share of the burgeoning cannabis oils market which by Q1 2017 accounted for 49 percent of all cannabis sold in Canada under the ACMPR, up from only 27% in Q2 2016. TGOD has ordered a purpose-built extraction laboratory with an estimated commission in Q4 of 2017. This is a commercial-scale CO2 extraction unit capable of processing up to 12,000 kg of raw material per year and producing approximately $170 million worth of organic cannabis oils. Raw cannabis oil provides a significant downstream manufacturing opportunity into several potential recreational market verticals including edibles, beverages, topicals and concentrates.

 

Data from the Canadian ACMPR Market Trends report indicates a rising number of consumers will continue to seek out healthier, less conspicuous ways to consume cannabis, ensuring sales of organic cannabis oil products remain brisk. Organic cannabis products demand a significant premium compared to non-organic products and the demand keeps growing.

 

Plans to take the company public are underway with an initial public offering (IPO) slated for January 2018. In November, the company raised $13 million in equity financing and in March closed a $27 million non-brokered private placement. Another $20 million is currently being raised before the IPO in January, which will be utilized for expansion plans.

 

TGOD is uniquely positioned between the medical and recreational cannabis industry since Canada is scheduled to legalize cannabis for all adults in mid-2018. As of August 2017, TGOD has 2,400 shareholders. Established in 2012, TGOD's motto, "Making Life Better," can be seen in its strategic partnerships, top quality management team, and dedication to organic farming and principles.

 

 

 

 

VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTC: VVCIF)

 

VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTC: VVCIF) is a globally licensed, cost efficient producer of premium quality, organic, standardized medicinal cannabis. One of the earliest licensed medical marijuana producers under Canada's federally-controlled Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), VIVO has five years of operating experience in the burgeoning medical marijuana space through its flagship operation, ABcann Medicinals, Inc. The company recently received its Health Canada license to produce medical cannabis oils and is working toward production of saleable, extracted, finished products that will lead to a final inspection allowing sales of its oils.

 

"Receipt of the license to produce cannabis oils is a major milestone in our pursuit to provide our medical cannabis patients with additional product formats that can be precisely dosed. The expansion and innovation of our product lines are a top priority for the Company as we continue to serve the needs of our customers, and we anticipate strong demand for our cannabis oil products," VIVO CEO Barry Fishman said.

 

VIVO owns and operates a fully functioning 14,500 square foot facility in Napanee, Ontario, which is being doubled in size to produce 1,400 kg of cannabis per year. The company's expansion plans include adding a seasonal greenhouse and a hybrid, multipurpose facility, capable of producing 31,000 kg of cannabis per year between the two facilities, to be constructed on 65 acres it already owns near the Napanee facility. This additional location is properly zoned with existing infrastructure in place for an eventual 1.2 million square feet of production space.

 

VIVO has built a reputation over the years for its best-in-class standardized approach to growing cannabis that includes the absence of pesticides and a computer monitored growing technique that provides a consistent, pharmaceutical-grade with high yields. The company's custom, scalable growing chambers with proprietary lighting can be replicated anywhere in the world, leading to lower production costs. This technique has helped it record a customer retention rate of 94.7 percent alongside 30 percent month-over-month customer growth. When combined with VIVO's current yield rate, which it has measured at roughly 100 percent greater than the industry average, the company has constructed a strong foundation upon which to build a sizable presence in the global cannabis industry.

 

This global growth potential is illustrated by VIVO's partnership with Israel's Syqe Medical, producer of the world's first selective-dose pharmaceutical grade medicinal plant inhaler. After visiting VIVO's production facility, Perry Davidson, founder of Syqe Medical, noted that the company's production technologies put it "in a class with the best in the world" in its ability to produce standardized pharmaceutical grade cannabis.

 

VIVO's recent acquisition of Harvest Medicine Inc. represents further progress toward the company's goal of becoming a vertically integrated medical cannabis company. Harvest Medicine is one of the fastest growing medical cannabis clinics in Canada – adding over 1,200 new patients monthly from a single location – with an aggressive expansion plan and a patient-focused approach that perfectly aligns with VIVO's philosophy of quality and innovation.

 

VIVO's seasoned management team, board of directors and advisory board features well over a century of combined industry experience. Fishman, who has over 20 years of experience as a business leader, previously served as CEO of both Teva Canada and Taro Canada, as vice president of marketing at Eli Lilly Canada, and as past chair of the Canadian Generic Manufacturers Association. He most recently served as CEO of international specialty pharmaceutical company Merus Labs.

 

Notably, VIVO also has access to the 'Father of Cannabis Research', Raphael Mechoulam, PhD, through its board of advisors. An organic chemist and professor of medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mechoulam was the first scientist to isolate both cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). He has received more than 25 prestigious academic awards, including the Rothschild Prize in Chemical Sciences and Physical Sciences in 2012.

 

With more than 65 acres of growth capacity, a healthy cash balance to fund upcoming construction efforts, steady sales growth, industry-leading yield rates and an established operations team in place, VIVO is well positioned to compete in the rapidly expanding Canadian cannabis industry and beyond.

 

 

 

 

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI)

 

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) is a leading omni-direct lifestyle company offering a hybrid of the direct selling business model that includes e-commerce and the power of social selling. Among the Top 100 Global Direct Selling Companies, Youngevity offers products from the six top selling retail categories: health/nutrition, home/family, food/beverage (including coffee), spa/beauty, apparel/jewelry, and a range of innovative services. Created through the 2011 merger of Youngevity Essential Life Sciences with Javalution® Coffee Company, today's Youngevity International Inc. is a virtual worldwide Main Street of products and services under one corporate entity that supports a healthy and empowered lifestyle.

 

Youngevity International is dedicated to improving lifestyles through the universal desires of vibrant health and flourishing economics. Catering to health-conscious consumers, Youngevity believes that combining the best of the direct selling industry with the fundamentals and capabilities of a traditional business model will maximize shareholder value. The company's Nutritional, Lifestyle and Telecommunications products and services are distributed through a global network of Preferred Customers and Distributors.

 

Youngevity's wholly owned CLR Roasters LLC business line offers quality branded and private label coffee to retail stores, office coffee services, hospitality, food services, distributors, convenience, petrol stores and vending businesses. Today, CLR Roasters is the largest coffee provider for cruise lines in North America and the second largest roaster in the state of Florida. Producing a consistent premium product with superior taste, CLR Roasters has earned numerous certifications that demonstrate the company's commitment to the craft of providing the highest quality coffee products using the best practice standards available.

 

Youngevity, operating in the direct-selling channel, is rapidly expanding its product and distributor base through acquisitions and mergers under an innovative concept called "the Network Cloud" that provides other direct selling companies with a home base. The company's YoungevityGO2 mobile distributor app, a new technology-driven web platform supporting expansion of global e-commerce and social selling platforms, is available on Google Play and the App Store. In addition to the Network Cloud concept, Youngevity International owns CLR Coffee Roasters which operates a traditional coffee roasting business offering a JavaFit® gourmet product line that vertically integrates with Youngevity and its growing network of direct marketers.

 

Youngevity International offers more than 1,000 high quality, technologically advanced products under the following categories:

 

Youngevity International Inc. has compiled a best-in-class management team with a strong track record of success in private and public companies. Steve Wallach, CEO, has nearly two decades of sales and network marketing experience and has successfully guided Youngevity International Inc. to become an international, publicly-traded direct marketing company positioned for worldwide growth. Dave Briskie, president and CFO, has shepherded the company's development into a fully vertical coffee roasting and distribution company that owns the direct marketing brand JavaFit® and the retail brand, Café La Rica.

 

Youngevity has also attracted a stunning group of Brand Evangelists who endorse its products. Among these are actress, author and well-known health and wellness activist Marilu Henner; former NBA basket player, Mike "Stinger" Glenn; former NFL wide receiver Drew Pearson; "Greatest Natural Bodybuilder in the World" Gene Nelson; and WNBA champion, Olympic gold medalist Delisha Jones.