vff-10k_20211231.htm
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark one)
☒ ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
Commission file number 001-38783
VILLAGE FARMS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
4700-80th Street
Delta, British ColumbiaCanada
V4K 3N3
(Address of principal executive offices)
(604) 940-6012
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Shares, without par value VFF The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes☐No☒
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes☐No☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes☒No☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§229.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes☒No☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer ☒ Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
Indicate by check mark whether registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b 2 of the Act). Yes☐No☒
The aggregate market value of the voting stock and nonvoting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked prices of such common equity, as of June 30, 2021 was $748,505,742.
As of February 28, 2022, the registrant had 88,443,929 Common Shares outstanding.
Auditor Firm Id: 271 Auditor Name: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLPAuditor Location:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PART I. 1
Item 1. Business 1
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS 15
Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS RISK FACTORS 38
Item 2. PROPERTIES 39
Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS 39
Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES 39
Item 6. Selected Financial Data 41
Item 7A. Qualitative and Quantitative Disclosures About Market Risk 62
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 63
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 63
Item 9B. Other Information 64
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 64
PART III 65
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 65
Item 11. Executive Compensation 65
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services 65
PART IV. 66
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 66
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As used in this report, the terms “Village Farms,” “Village Farms International,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar references refer to Village Farms International, Inc. and our consolidated subsidiaries, and the term “Common Shares” refers to our Common Shares, no par value. Our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and all references in this prospectus to “$” means U.S. dollars and all references to “C$” means Canadian dollars.
This report contains the following trademarks, trade names and service marks of ours: Village Farms®, Delectable TOV®, From Our House To Your Home®, Mini Sensations®, Sinfully Sweet Campari®, Heavenly Villagio Marzano®, BC Grown Logo®, Texas Grown Logo®, Good for the Earth ®, Village Farms Greenhouse Grown ®, Village Fields®, Pure SunfarmsTM, Pure Sunfarms BC GrownTM, Farm to FlowerTM, No Sun No FlowerTM, Plants and People FirstTM, Pure ProvisionsTM, Rise with the SunTM, The BakeryTM, Purple Sun GodTM, and Pure Sun CBDTM. This report also contains trademarks, trade names and service marks that are owned by other persons or entities.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This Annual Report on Form 10-K also contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law. We refer to such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information collectively as “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements may relate to the Company’s future outlook or financial position and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding the financial position, business strategy, budgets, expansion plans, litigation, projected production, projected costs, capital expenditures, financial results, taxes, plans and objectives of or involving the Company. In particular, forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include statements regarding future results, performance, achievements, prospects or opportunities for the Company, the greenhouse vegetable industry and the cannabis industry and market are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by such terms as “outlook”, “may”, “might”, “will”, “could”, “should”, “would”, “occur”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “intend”, “try”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue”, “likely”, “schedule”, “objectives”, or the negative or grammatical variation thereof or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are subject to risks that may include, but are not limited to: our operating history, including that of Rose LifeScience Inc. (“Rose”), Balanced Health Botanicals, LLC (“Balanced Health”), Pure Sunfarms, Inc. (“Pure Sunfarms”) and our start-up operations of growing hemp in the United States; the legal status of Pure Sunfarms, Rose and Balanced Health cannabis business; risks relating to the integration of Balanced Health and Rose into our business; risks relating to obtaining additional financing, including our dependence upon credit facilities; potential difficulties in achieving and/or maintaining profitability; variability of product pricing; risks inherent in the cannabis, hemp, CBD, cannabinoids, and agricultural businesses; market position, ability to leverage current business relationships for future business involving hemp and cannabinoids, the ability of Pure Sunfarms and Rose to cultivate and distribute cannabis in Canada; existing and new governmental regulations, including risks related to regulatory compliance and regarding obtaining and maintaining licenses required under the Cannabis Act (Canada), the Criminal Code and other Acts, S.C. 2018, c. 16 (Canada) for its Canadian operational facilities), and changes in our regulatory requirements; legal and operational risks relating to expected conversion of our greenhouses to cannabis production in Canada and in the United States; risks related to rules and regulations at the U.S. Federal (Food and Drug Administration and United States Department of Agriculture), state and municipal levels with respect to produce and hemp, cannabidiol-based products commercialization; retail consolidation, technological advances and other forms of competition; transportation disruptions; product liability and other potential litigation; retention of key executives; labor issues; uninsured and underinsured losses; vulnerability to rising energy costs; environmental, health and safety risks, foreign exchange exposure, risks associated with cross-border trade; difficulties in managing our growth; restrictive covenants under our credit facilities; natural catastrophes; the ongoing and developing COVID-19 pandemic; and tax risks.
The Company has based these forward-looking statements on factors and assumptions about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this report are based upon assumptions that management believes are reasonable based on information currently available to management, there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, that may cause the Company’s or the industry’s actual results, performance, achievements, prospects and opportunities in future periods to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the factors contained in the Company’s filings with securities regulators, including this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In particular, we caution you that our forward-looking statements are subject to the ongoing and developing circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, operations and future financial results.
When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, the Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these statements, as forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as guarantees of future results, performance, achievements, prospects and opportunities. The forward-looking statements made in this report relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this report. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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PART I.
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Our Mission and Brands
Our mission is simple—to improve life’s journey for the wellbeing of humankind, and the earth on which we live. This is no empty promise. It’s the mantra that we live by every day. For in the end, we are what we do. It takes a village to build a great company, but no matter how big we get, the human touch is evident in everything we do and that will never change.
We are building a family of brands that encompass that mission. While each company has its own products and approach, we are united by our shared core values: integrity, fairness, quality, inclusion, sustainability and hard work along with an unwavering desire to do what’s right.
Village Farms Fresh, our produce brand, has pioneered Controlled Environment Agriculture (“CEA”) in North America and helped feed a hungry planet with sustainable greenhouse growing for over three decades. We produce and distribute fresh, premium-quality produce with consistency 365 days a year from more than eight million square feet of CEA greenhouses in British Columbia (“B.C.”) and Texas, as well as from our partner greenhouses in B.C., Ontario, and Mexico.
Our Canadian cannabis brand includes Pure Sunfarms Corp. (“Pure Sunfarms” or “PSF”) and Rose LifeScience Inc. (“Rose LifeScience or Rose”). Pure Sunfarms is one of the single largest and most respected cannabis growers in the world and one of the best-selling flower brands in Canada. Rose is a leading vertically integrated, branded cannabis producer, supplier and commercialization expert in the Province of Quebec.
Balanced Health Botanicals, LLC (“Balanced Health” or “BHB”) comprises our U.S. cannabis brand. Balanced Health owns and operates one of the leading brands in the hemp-derived cannabidiol (“CBD”) and other cannabinoids market, produces high quality health and wellness products and distributes primarily through its top-ranked e-commerce platform, CBDistilleryTM.
Village Farms Clean Energy (“VFCE”), our clean energy brand, currently converts landfill gas into clean energy sources, creating heat and electricity for our Vancouver greenhouses while also selling electricity to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (“BC Hydro”). VFCE is in the process of transitioning this operation to a renewable natural gas facility (“Delta RNG Project”) in conjunction with Mas Energy, LLC (“Mas Energy”) which is expected to provide food-grade CO2 to our greenhouse growing operations in Delta, British Columbia (“B.C.”).
Our Commitment and Values
Our core operation principle is to deliver fairness and satisfaction in its customer promise. We strive to operate the business for optimal success by endeavoring to be:
- a responsible producer of high-quality products
- a reliable, trusted partner to customers
- a provider of excellence in customer service and logistics
- a business with a solid balance sheet
- enhancing shareholder value through continual execution and growth
- a trusted steward of the environment
- a workplace where all employees can grow and prosper
- an employer for people who want to make a difference in the world.
For over thirty years, we have pioneered Controlled Environment Agriculture (“CEA”) in North America and helped feed an increasing population with sustainable, greenhouse growing. In 2017, we expanded our focus from produce, leveraging our considerable knowledge, to the flourishing cannabis and health and wellness markets. We envisioned and created Pure Sunfarms and Village Fields Hemp USA, LLC (“VF Hemp or VFH”) to artfully blend traditional greenhouse expertise with hands-on knowledge of legacy growing practices in cannabis and hemp. We are always innovating and never standing still. We only invest in and partner with companies that share our values and respect for people and the environment. In 2021, we acquired 100% of Balanced Health and 70% of Rose LifeScience; we increased our investment in Altum International Pty Ltd; and we entered into an option agreement with Leli Holland B.V. in order to expand our market offerings, provide additional avenues to distribute our products and expand our global footprint.
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We are extremely proud of many things that we achieved over the past three-plus decades, but none more than our highly responsible approach to the environment. Between our sustainably sourced ingredients and growing methods, to our use of clean energy and other innovative technologies, we are proud to bring sustenance and wellbeing to our consumers in a way that is ethical and responsible to the planet.
Our cutting-edge greenhouses use less water, land, and chemicals than traditional outdoor farming, and we aim to introduce new technologies to be greener in the future. The earth’s finite water supply is one of its most precious resources and Village Farms’ hydroponic growing sterilizes and recirculates the same water four times and 100% of the water reaches the plants. Utilizing our state-of-the-art CEA facilities, our proficient growing methods deliver vastly more yield per acre compared to outdoor growing, without depleting the soil. We use beneficial insects to control pests and promote healthy plant growth and administer organic pesticides, so our GMO-free crops grow in a nourishing environment free of harmful chemicals. In our cannabis greenhouses, we collect, filter and utilize rainwater for our plants, use renewable hydroelectricity as the main power source, provide innovative energy screens to help capture the sun’s warmth and prevent heat loss, and employ blackout curtains to reduce light pollution, all in an effort to minimize our impact to the local community and ecosystem.
Business Overview
Village Farms International, Inc. (“VFF”), (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”, “Village Farms”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) converted from an income trust to a publicly-traded company on December 31, 2009 and in connection with the conversion, the Company changed its name to Village Farms International, Inc. The Company’s subsidiaries operated vegetable producing greenhouses since 1989 and began production in Texas in 1996. On October 18, 2006, the merger between Village Farms and Hot House Growers resulted in one of the largest producers, marketers and distributors of greenhouse grown products in North America. VFF pioneered Controlled Environment Agriculture in North America, and over the years we transformed the organization, adapting to meet industry changes and customer preferences, in order to persevere and remain one of the largest and longest-operating vertically integrated greenhouse growers in North America.
We produce and distribute fresh, premium-quality produce with consistency 365 days a year from more than eight million square feet of CEA greenhouses in B.C. and Texas, as well as from our partner greenhouses in B.C., Ontario, and Mexico. The Company primarily markets and distributes under its Village Farms® brand name and proprietary produce trademarks to retail supermarkets and dedicated fresh food distribution companies throughout the United States and Canada.
In our Canadian cannabis operations, we wholly own British Columbia-based Pure Sunfarms. Pure Sunfarms is one of the single largest cannabis growing operations in the world, one of the lowest-cost greenhouse producers and one of the best-selling flower brands in Canada. Pure Sunfarms leverages our 30 years of experience as a vertically integrated greenhouse grower for the rapidly developing cannabis opportunity in Canada with commercial distribution in six Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec and Saskatchewan. Our long-term objective for Pure Sunfarms is to be the leading low-cost, high-quality cannabis producer in Canada.
On November 15, 2021, Village Farms acquired 70% ownership of privately-held, Quebec-based Rose LifeScience, as described in additional detail in “Recent Developments and Updates” below. Rose is a leading vertically integrated, branded cannabis producer, supplier and commercialization expert in the Province of Quebec and has become the Quebec operational unit of Village Farms’ Canadian cannabis segment.
On August 16, 2021, the Company acquired 100% interest in privately held Colorado-based Balanced Health, which now comprises the operational segment of our U.S. cannabis segment. Balanced Health owns and operates one of the leading brands in the hemp-derived CBD and other cannabinoid market in the United States, providing Village Farms with immediate entry into the U.S. CBD market in a consumer products category adjacent to the high-tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) cannabis market, as well as the broader consumer packaged goods wellness arena. BHB has established a diverse portfolio of CBD and other cannabinoid products, including ingestible, edible and topical applications that are distributed through brick-and-mortar retail channels as well as its top-ranked e-commerce platform, CBDistilleryTM(www.theCBDistillery.com).
The Company entered the U.S. hemp business in the spring of 2019 after the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill. We established a joint venture with a 65% interest in VF Hemp for multi-state outdoor hemp cultivation and cannabidiol extraction, also within Village Farms’ U.S. cannabis segment. Currently, VF Hemp is not cultivating hemp as we await Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) clarity on the use of CBD.
The Company, through its subsidiary VFCE, owns and operates a power plant from landfill gas that generates electricity and provides thermal heat to one of the Company’s adjacent B.C. greenhouse facilities and sells electricity to BC Hydro. On November 10, 2020, we announced that we will be transitioning this operation to a renewable natural gas facility in conjunction with Mas Energy which we expect will enhance our financial return as well as provide food-grade CO2, which can be used in both our cannabis and produce growing operations in Delta, B.C.
Internationally, we evaluate, and target select, nascent, legal cannabis opportunities with significant long-term potential. This has resulted in a minority investment in Australia-based Altum International Pty Ltd (“Altum”), and Village Farms also entered into an option agreement on September 28, 2021 to receive the irrevocable right to acquire ownership interest in Netherlands-based Leli Holland B.V.
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Our Canadian Cannabis Segment
Village Farms’ Canadian cannabis segment includes Pure Sunfarms and Rose LifeScience.
Pure Sunfarms
In June 2017, the Company formed a Canadian joint venture, Pure Sunfarms, with Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (“Emerald”) to commence Canadian cannabis operations in anticipation of the adult use cannabis market becoming legal in October 2017. The Company contributed one of its Delta, B.C. greenhouses (“Delta 3”) to the joint venture in exchange for a 50% ownership interest in the joint venture. Emerald contributed C$20 million, which was paid in installments, in exchange for the other 50% ownership interest in the joint venture. Village Farms also contributed its experienced grower management and Delta 3 workforce to the joint venture and Emerald contributed its existing cultivation license and cannabis expertise.
On November 2, 2020, the Company acquired 36,958,500 Common Shares in the capital of Pure Sunfarms owned by Emerald, which increased the Company’s ownership of Pure Sunfarms to 100%. The shares, representing 42.6% of the ownership at the time, were acquired for a total purchase price of C$79.9 million (US$60.0 million), satisfied through a C$60.0 million (US$45.0 million) cash payment and a C$19.9 million (US$15.0 million) secured promissory note payable to Emerald due on May 2, 2021. The promissory note was paid in full to Emerald on February 8, 2021.
Business of Pure Sunfarms
During the course of 2017, the joint venture between Village Farms and Emerald applied for a cultivation license for the Delta 3 facility. In March 2018, the joint venture received its initial cultivation license for a portion of the Delta 3 facility and expanded its cultivation space via amendments to its cultivation license throughout 2018, culminating with the complete cultivation license for the entire 25-acre facility (1.1 million square feet) in March 2019. During 2018, the joint venture also hired a chief executive officer and adopted a name for the joint venture, Pure Sunfarms Corp. Pure Sunfarms commenced cultivation in the spring of 2018, after receiving its initial cultivation license.
On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Act came into effect, regulating both the medical and recreational cannabis markets in Canada and providing provincial, territorial, and municipal governments the authority to regulate the distribution and sale of recreational cannabis. For the first nine months of 2019, Pure Sunfarms was a wholesale supplier to other licensed producers. In September 2019, Pure Sunfarms received its provincial sales license and commenced sales to the Ontario Cannabis Store (“OCS”) and British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (“BCLDB”). In October 2019, Health Canada approved the second phase of recreational cannabis products including ingestible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals, referred to as Cannabis 2.0 products.
During 2020, Pure Sunfarms commenced sales to three additional provinces, Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (“SLGA”), Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (“AGLC”) and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation (“MLLC”), allowing availability of Pure Sunfarms’ products to five of Canada’s provinces. Pure Sunfarms continues to advance discussions with other provincial distributors for supply agreements to further expand its presence in the Canadian cannabis market. In May 2020, Pure Sunfarms received its cannabis cultivation license from Health Canada for the Delta 2 facility, providing an additional 1.1 million square feet of production capacity, enhancing its ability to grow, package and sell cannabis and cannabis extracts. Pure Sunfarms also received amended licensing from Health Canada in the fall of 2020, permitting in-house extraction operations and the sale of cannabis derivative products directly to provincial boards and authorized retailers. On June 30, 2021, Health Canada amended the Delta 2 facility license received in May 2020, permitting Pure Sunfarms to cultivate cannabis in the completed west half of the facility. In the west half of the facility, Pure Sunfarms has planted seven flower rooms and began harvesting in November 2021. Management is currently evaluating the timing of the expansion and completion of the east half of the facility in concert with supply and market demands.
Pure Sunfarms has continued expansion of its direct to provincial sales in 2021 and 2020 and is now the top selling flower brand in Ontario based on weekly point of sales data. In addition, Pure Sunfarms launched new dried cannabis products such as pre-rolled flower and commenced sales of cannabis derivative products, including pre-filled vape cartridges, edibles and bottled cannabis oils. Pure Sunfarms’ sales were approximately 74% in branded sales and 26% in non-branded sales in 2021, as compared to 54% of revenue from branded flower and pre-roll sales, with an additional 5% from branded cannabis oil and vape pens, which Pure Sunfarms launched in September 2020, and 41% of revenue from non-branded sales in 2020. We believe that Pure Sunfarms is the leading low-cost high-quality producer in the Canadian market and its low-cost structure, primarily driven by economies of scale and large-scale greenhouse experience, is sustainable and provides a competitive industry advantage. Pure Sunfarms’ cost structure should allow a continued increase of incremental market share as we go to market at a lower price for most of our products than other licensed producers can maintain.
Village Farms acquired Rose LifeScience in November 2021. In the fourth quarter of 2021, Pure Sunfarms, via our relationship with Rose LifeScience, began generating sales in Quebec. Pure Sunfarms and Rose are developing a business strategy that leverages the strengths of both companies, while providing a means to distribute Pure Sunfarms’ products to Quebec’s consumers.
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Due to the Health Canada limitations on marketing, branding, and packaging rules, it is difficult to distinguish our products which places more emphasis on our ability to manage the price, potency and quality. Pure Sunfarms’ British Columbia grown flower and extracts continue to distinguish themselves from the competition due to the agricultural expertise of our growers and brand management, which we believe ensures the highest quality cannabis at the right price.
The retail channel remains very competitive and continues to experience an oversupply situation as the licensed growers are producing more cannabis than the current legal recreational market is purchasing. This situation is a function of too many federally licensed cannabis producers (“License Holder” or “LPs”). In response, many LPs have either curtailed or halted their cannabis production to right size the supply to consumer demand. We anticipate continued industry consolidation and attrition as LPs face margin compression, high operating costs and seek potential synergistic benefits from consolidation with an aim to generate positive earnings and cash flows from operations. Furthermore, the cannabis industry is not immune to COVID-19 impacts which has adversely affected key markets in Canada, particularly in Ontario, as the provincial government has imposed access restrictions at points throughout the pandemic. As the industry matures, we believe that Pure Sunfarms will be well-positioned as one of the best-selling brands in Canada, while we continue to evaluate and seek to secure partnerships to realize future opportunities to expand our sales, products and footprint in Canada and internationally.
Rose LifeScience
Village Farms acquired 70% ownership of privately-held Rose on November 15, 2021. Rose is the Quebec operational unit of Village Farms’ Canadian cannabis business segment, with its headquarters in Huntingdon, Quebec. Rose is a leading third-party cannabis products commercialization expert in the Province of Quebec, acting as the exclusive, direct-to-retail sales, marketing and distribution entity for some of the best-known brands in Canada as well as Quebec-based micro and craft growers. With decades of regulated-market experience, Rose partners with cannabis companies to assist in commercializing their products, distributing the products throughout Quebec and ensuring a strong presence in the marketplace. Rose champions Quebec producers by working directly with micro-producers to advance homegrown, craft products in the province and easing the burden of commercial complexities facing smaller, local businesses. Rose also works with CAREY 3PL, their preferred carrier, to provide full-scale direct-to-store logistics and distribution services to meet the ever-changing needs of their customers.
Rose cultivates and processes cannabis at their Huntingdon-based 55,000 square-foot CEA facility. The indoor controlled growing facility was commissioned in 2020 and is licensed for use by Health Canada. Rose has been granted environmental rebates from the government of Quebec for its energy efficient design. The CEA is outfitted with special filtration on the facility exhausts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lessen odors and minimize the impact on the local community. In addition, Rose has a team of experienced cannabis growers developing innovative products and distinctive strains.
Rose LifeScience adds a highly experienced, successful, Quebec-based leadership team that is now reinforced by the industry knowledge, financial backing and human capital of Village Farms and Pure Sunfarms to grow and expand its footprint throughout Quebec as well as other provinces.
Canadian Cannabis Industry Overview
Legal History of Medical Cannabis in Canada
Prior to October 17, 2018, the production, distribution, and use of cannabis for medical use was and has been legal in Canada since 2001, first under the federal Medical Marihuana Access Regulations, which established a legal regime for the licensing of cannabis producers and the sale of dried cannabis to registered patients pursuant to a medical document provided by a health care practitioner. The Medical Marihuana Access Regulations were later replaced with the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (“MMPR”), and then the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”) as a result of a decision by the Federal Court of Canada (the “Federal Court”) in Allard v. Canada. The Federal Court held that requiring individuals to obtain cannabis only from federally licensed cannabis producers violated liberty and security rights protected by section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Federal Court found that individuals who require cannabis for medical purposes did not have “reasonable access” under the MMPR regime. Accordingly, the ACMPR contemplated both access to medical cannabis through a License Holder or through personal production exemptions, thereby giving patients reasonable access to, and choice of, cannabis product. The ACMPR provided three possible alternatives for individuals to access cannabis for medical purposes: (i) they can continue to access quality-controlled cannabis by registering with federal License Holders; (ii) they can register with Health Canada to produce a limited amount of cannabis for their own medical purposes (starting materials must be obtained from a License Holder); or (iii) they can designate someone else who is registered with Health Canada to produce cannabis on their behalf (starting materials must be obtained from a License Holder).
Current Applicable Regulatory Regime
On October 17, 2018, the federal Cannabis Act and accompanying Regulations, including the Cannabis Regulations, the new Industrial Hemp Regulations (“IHR”) (together with the Cannabis Regulations, collectively, the “Regulations”), came into force, legalizing the production, distribution, and sale of cannabis for adult non-medicinal (i.e. recreational) purposes, as well as incorporating the existing medical cannabis regulatory scheme under one complete framework.
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On October 17, 2019, the Cannabis Regulations were amended to expand the legally permitted categories of cannabis products and support the production and sale of edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals. The amendments, among other things, outline the rules relating to packaging, labelling, and advertising, shelf-stability, cannabinoid concentration levels, restrictions on ingredients, and production and sanitation standards for edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topical products. December 16, 2019 was the earliest date that the new classes of cannabis products could be available for sale. Edible cannabis, as well as extracts and topicals, are all now available for sale in the legalized recreational market in Canada.
Pursuant to the federal regulatory framework in Canada, each province and territory may adopt its own laws governing the distribution, sale and consumption of cannabis and cannabis accessories within the province or territory. All Canadian provinces and territories have implemented mechanisms for the distribution and sale of cannabis for recreational purposes within those jurisdictions, and retail models vary between jurisdictions.
The Cannabis Act maintains separate access to cannabis for medical purposes, including providing that import and export licenses and permits will only be issued in respect of cannabis for medical or scientific purposes or in respect of industrial hemp. Part 14 of the Cannabis Regulations sets out the regime for medical cannabis following legalization, which is substantively the same as the ACMPR with adjustments to create consistency with rules for non-medical use, improve patient access, and reduce the risk of abuse within the medical access system. Patients who have the authorization of their healthcare provider continue to have access to cannabis, either purchased directly from a federal License Holder authorized to sell for medical purposes, or by registering to produce a limited amount of cannabis for their own medical purposes or designating someone to produce cannabis for them.
Adult Use Cannabis
The Company participates in the Canadian adult use market for cannabis in compliance with all applicable federal and provincial laws and regulations concerning the Canadian adult use cannabis market. The Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations provide a licensing scheme for the production, importation, exportation, testing, packaging, labelling, sending, delivery, transportation, sale, possession, and disposal of cannabis for non-medicinal use (i.e., adult recreational use). Transitional provisions of the Cannabis Act provide that every license issued under the ACMPR that is in force immediately before the day on which the Cannabis Act comes into force is deemed to be a license issued under the Cannabis Act, and that such license will continue in force until it is revoked or expires.
Below are additional highlights of the Cannabis Act:
Licenses, Permits and Authorizations
The Cannabis Regulations establish the following classes of licenses:
• license for cultivation;
• license for processing;
• license for analytical testing;
• license for sale;
• license for research; and
• a cannabis drug license.
The Cannabis Regulations also create subclasses for cultivation licenses (standard cultivation, micro-cultivation and nursery) and processing licenses (standard processing and micro-processing). Different licenses and each sub-class therein, carry differing rules and requirements that are intended to be proportional to the public health and safety risks posed by each license category and each
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sub-class. Licenses that were issued under the ACMPR are deemed to be licenses issued under the Cannabis Act. Licenses issued under the Cannabis Act have associated expiry dates and are subject to renewal requirements.
Security Clearances
Certain individuals associated with cannabis licensees, including individuals occupying “key positions”, directors, officers, individuals who exercise, or are in a position to exercise, direct control over the corporate licensee, and other individuals identified by the Minister of Health (the “Minister”), must hold a valid security clearance issued by the Minister. Under the Cannabis Regulations, the Minister may refuse to grant security clearances to individuals with associations to organized crime or with past convictions for, or an association with, drug trafficking, corruption, or violent offences. This was largely the approach in place under the ACMPR and other related regulations governing the licensed production of cannabis for medical purposes. Individuals having a history of nonviolent, lower-risk criminal activity (for example, simple possession of cannabis, or small-scale cultivation of cannabis plants) are not precluded from participating in the legal cannabis industry, however, grant of security clearance to such individuals is at the discretion of the Minister and such applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Cannabis Tracking System
Under the Cannabis Act, the Minister is authorized to establish and maintain a national cannabis tracking system. The purpose of this system is to track cannabis throughout the supply chain, to help prevent cannabis from being diverted to an illicit market or activity and to help prevent illicit cannabis from being a source of supply of cannabis in the legal market. Pursuant to the Ministry of Health’s Cannabis Tracking System Order (the “Order”), a holder of a federal license for cultivation, a license for processing or a license for sale for medical purposes that authorizes the possession of cannabis must report monthly to the Minister with specific information about their authorized activities with cannabis (e.g. cannabis inventory quantities), in the form and manner specified by the Minister. The Order also provides for monthly reporting by provincial bodies and provincially authorized private retailers of certain information in the form and manner specified by the Minister.
Cannabis Products
The Cannabis Regulations set out the requirements for cannabis products that are permitted for sale at the retail level, including the limit on THC content, permitted ingredients, limit on pest control product residues, as well as microbial and chemical contaminants. As of October 17, 2019, the Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations permit the sale of the following classes of products: dried cannabis, cannabis oil, fresh cannabis, cannabis plants, cannabis plant seeds, as well as cannabis edibles, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals.
Packaging and Labeling
The Cannabis Regulations set out strict requirements pertaining to the packaging and labelling of cannabis products. These requirements are intended to promote informed consumer choice and safe consumption and allow for the safe handling and transportation of cannabis, while also reducing the appeal of cannabis to youth.
The Cannabis Regulations require all cannabis products to be packaged in a manner that is tamper-proof and child resistant. Strict limitations are also imposed on the use of colors, graphics, and other special characteristics of packaging. For example, all-over package coverings must be clear, and the interior surface and exterior surface of any container in which a cannabis product is packaged must be one uniform color. Cannabis package labels must include specific information, such as (i) product source information, including brand name, the class of cannabis and the name, phone number and email of the licensed processor or cultivator, (ii) mandatory warnings, including rotating health warning messages on Health Canada’s list of standard health warnings; (iii) the Health Canada standardized cannabis symbol; and (iv) information specifying THC and CBD content.
A cannabis product’s brand name may only be displayed once on the principal display panel or, if there are separate principal display panels for English and French, only once on each principal display panel. It can be in any font style and any size, so long as it is equal to or smaller than the health warning message. The font must not be in metallic or fluorescent color. In addition to the brand name, only one other brand element can be displayed. Such brand element must meet the same requirements noted above as the brand name, and if an image, it must be in a size equal to or smaller than the surface area of the standardized cannabis symbol.
Health Products Containing Cannabis
Health Canada is taking a scientific, evidenced-based approach for the oversight of health products with cannabis that may be approved with health claims, including prescription and non-prescription drugs, veterinary drugs, and medical devices. Under the current regulatory framework, health products are subject to the Food and Drugs Act (Canada) and its regulations and may be additionally regulated by the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations. For many of these products, pre-market approval from Health Canada is required.
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Possible Changes to the Federal Regulatory Framework
On December 12, 2020, Health Canada issued a notice of intent, consulting stakeholders on the expansion of non-medicinal cannabis research involving human participants. Health Canada proposed to amend the Cannabis Act, the Cannabis Regulations and the Food and Drug Regulations so that non-medicinal cannabis research involving human participants is regulated exclusively under the cannabis legislation. Further, Health Canada also sought feedback on a host of other regulatory issues, including public possession, product labeling, micro-class and nursery licensing, and COVID-19 measures.
The consultation closed on January 11, 2021. Pending results of the consultation, it is possible that Health Canada may introduce legislative updates in the future.
Provincial and Territorial Regulatory Framework for Recreational Cannabis
While the Cannabis Act provides for the regulation of the commercial production of cannabis and related matters by the federal government, the Cannabis Act provides the provinces and territories of Canada with authority to adopt their own laws governing the distribution, sale and consumption of cannabis and cannabis accessory products within the province or territory, permitting for example, provincial and territorial governments to set lower possession limits for individuals and higher age requirements. Currently, each of the Canadian provincial and territorial jurisdictions has established the minimum age for cannabis use to be 19 years old, except for Québec and Alberta, where the minimum age is 21 and 18, respectively.
The provinces and territories are responsible for the establishment of a retail distribution system for adult use cannabis in their respective jurisdictions. All Canadian provinces and territories have implemented mechanisms for the distribution and sale of cannabis for recreational purposes within those jurisdictions, and retail models vary between jurisdictions. Provincial/territorial bodies act as intermediaries between entities licensed federally under the Cannabis Act and consumers, such bodies acting in some jurisdictions as exclusive cannabis wholesalers and distributors, and in some instances such bodies acting as exclusive retailers. The laws continue to evolve, and differences in provincial and territorial regulatory frameworks could result in, among other things, increased compliance costs, and increased supply costs.
Municipal and regional governments may choose to impose additional requirements and regulations on the sale of recreational cannabis, adding further uncertainty and risk to the company’s business. Municipal by-laws may restrict the number of recreational cannabis retail outlets that are permitted in a certain geographical area or restrict the geographical locations wherein such retail outlets may be opened.
There is no assurance that the provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal regulatory frameworks and distribution models will remain unchanged, or that the Company will be able to navigate such changes in the regulatory frameworks and distribution models or conduct its intended business thereunder. See: “Risk Factors”.
Ontario: Pursuant to the Cannabis Control Act, 2017 (Ontario), the distribution and retail sale of recreational cannabis is currently conducted through the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation (“OCRC”), a subsidiary of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Recreational cannabis has been sold on-line through the OCRC-operated Ontario Cannabis Store (“OCS”) platform, as of October 17, 2018.
On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis License Act, 2018 (Ontario) became law and other legislation, including the Cannabis Control Act, 2017, the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation Act, 2017 and the Liquor Control Act were amended to create a private retail framework for the sale of recreational cannabis in Ontario. As of April 1, 2019, recreational cannabis has been available for sale by private retailers that operate brick-and-mortar stores licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (“AGCO”).
The recreational cannabis retail regulatory regime in Ontario has the following requirements and features:
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Manitoba: The Government of Manitoba has implemented a ‘‘hybrid model’’ for cannabis distribution, whereby supply is secured and tracked by the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corp. (“MLLC”); however, licensed private retail stores are also permitted to sell recreational cannabis.
Alberta: The Government of Alberta has implemented a cannabis framework providing for the purchase of cannabis products from private retailers that receive their products from a government-regulated distributor, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (“AGLC”), similar to the distribution system currently in place for alcohol in the province. Only licensed retail outlets are permitted to sell cannabis with online sales run by the AGLC. The Government of Alberta recently passed an amendment to the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act that will allow online sales of cannabis by licensed retail outlets once the amendment is proclaimed into force.
New Brunswick: All recreational cannabis is managed and sold through a network of tightly controlled, stand-alone “Cannabis NB” stores managed by the Cannabis Management Corporation, a subsidiary of New Brunswick Liquor Corporation and is available for sale online through the Cannabis NB platform.
Quebec: All recreational cannabis is managed and sold by Société québécoise du cannabis (the “SQDC”) outlets and is available for sale online, the entire process controlled by the SQDC.
Newfoundland and Labrador: Recreational cannabis is sold through private stores, with the crown-owned liquor corporation, the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corp. (the “NLC”), issuing private retailer licenses and overseeing the distribution to private sellers who may sell to consumers. The NLC also controls the possession, sale, and delivery of cannabis, and sets prices. The NLC is also the online retailer, although licenses may later be issued to private interests.
Yukon: Yukon had initially limited the distribution and sale of recreational cannabis to government outlets and government-run online stores but has since opened up its retail market to permit licensed private retailers in the territory. Cannabis retail licenses are issued by the Cannabis Licensing Board. Authorized retailers must purchase cannabis from the Yukon Liquor Corporation, acting as the wholesaler and distributor in the territory.
Northwest Territories: The Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission (the “NTLCC”) controls the importation and distribution of cannabis, whether through NTLCC-approved retail outlets or online retail run by the NTLCC. Communities in the Northwest Territories are able to hold a plebiscite to prohibit cannabis, similar to the options currently available to restrict alcohol.
British Columbia: Recreational cannabis is sold through both public and licensed privately operated stores, with the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch handling licensing of private stores and the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (“BCLDB”) handling wholesale distribution.
Saskatchewan: The Government of Saskatchewan implemented a framework in which both wholesale and retail recreational cannabis are conducted by the private sector and regulated by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (“SLGA”). A number of retail permits have been issued to private stores. Beginning in April 2020, SLGA began accepting applications for cannabis retail permits in Saskatchewan communities with populations less than 2,500. In September 2020, SLGA began accepting permit applications for stores in all communities in the province. SLGA is currently accepting applications for wholesale cannabis permits as well as federally licensed producer registrations. Permitted wholesalers can sell to permitted retailers and other permitted wholesalers but not to the
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general public. Wholesale operations must be physically located within Saskatchewan and product can only be sold and distributed within Saskatchewan. Further, only federally licensed producers registered with SLGA will be allowed to sell into the Saskatchewan market.
Nova Scotia: The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation is responsible for the regulation of cannabis in the province, and recreational cannabis is only sold publicly through government-operated storefronts and online sales.
Prince Edward Island: Similar to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island requires cannabis to be sold publicly, through government stores and online, overseen by the Prince Edward Island Cannabis Management Corporation.
Nunavut: Nunavut allows for the sale of cannabis through both public and private retail and online. In Nunavut, a person can submit an application with the Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Commission for a license to operate a cannabis store, remote sales store, or cannabis lounge.
Several of the provinces and territories have been actively working to secure supply agreements from existing federal License Holders. Pure Sunfarms has entered into supply agreements with the OCS, SLGA, BCLDB, AGLC, MLLC and is in discussions with several other provinces with respect to entering supply agreements. On November 15, 2021, Village Farms acquired Rose LifeScience, which is a producer, supplier and commercialization expert in the Province of Quebec.
Industrial Hemp
The new Industrial Hemp Regulations under the Cannabis Act replaced the previous IHR under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (“CDSA”) as of October 17, 2018. The regulatory scheme for industrial hemp production largely remains the same, however the IHR permits the sale of hemp plants to licensed cannabis producers, and licensing requirements under the new IHR are softened in accordance with the lower risk posed by industrial hemp. The IHR defines industrial hemp as a cannabis plant, or any part of that plant, in which the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) is 0.3 % or less in the flowering heads and leaves.
Our U.S. Cannabis Segment
Village Farms’ U.S. cannabis segment includes Balanced Health and VF Hemp.
Balanced Health
On August 16, 2021, the Company acquired 100% interest in privately held Colorado-based Balanced Health. Balanced Health is one of the leading CBD and other cannabinoid brands and e-commerce platforms in the United States. BHB develops and sells high-quality cannabinoid-based health and wellness products, distributing their diverse portfolio of consumer products through retail storefronts and its top-ranked e-commerce platform, CBDistilleryTM. Through its strong, long-term partnerships, we believe that Balanced Health is uniquely positioned to ensure seamless sourcing, manufacture and sale of their affordable, high-quality family of cannabinoid brands to target the diverse health and wellness needs and preferences of their consumers. The strong management team of BHB adds a wealth of leadership and industry experience across healthcare, technology, consumer packaged goods and cannabis.
Balanced Health is intensely focused on high quality standards and sources non-GMO and pesticide free hemp directly from U.S. Hemp Licensed farms through partnerships and contractual relationships. BHB collaborates with hemp extraction partners using advanced proprietary methods and rigorous testing to ensure product quality and concentration guidelines. In its 8,000 square foot facility, Balanced Health provides on-site bottling, labeling and packaging that follow the FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (“cGMP”) guidelines. Balanced Health was awarded U.S. Hemp Authority Certification for its commitment to quality and safety of its products and also achieved Generally Recognized as Safe designation, an evaluation its products are recognized as safe for consumption for CBD Isolate (“ISO”), Full-Spectrum CBD (“FSO”) and Broad-Spectrum CBD (“BSO”). In the event that the FDA regulates CBD, and the overall Food, Drug and Mass Merchandise (“FDM”) channel accepts ingestible CBD products, we believe that Balanced Health is uniquely positioned to immediately capitalize on the opportunity.
Balanced Health’s CBD and other cannabinoid product portfolio primarily includes oils, ingestibles and topicals to meet any consumer’s needs and consumption preferences. The majority of sales are within the United States. Balanced Health has a presence in over 4,000 retail locations across health and wellness, independent pharmacies, convenience stores and lifestyle shops. And, BHB also has an industry-leading Ecommerce platform with an extensive customer base and following.
VF Hemp
The Company entered the U.S. Hemp business in the spring of 2019 after the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill. As Village Farms was not experienced in outdoor field growing, the Company created two U.S. based joint ventures – Village Fields Hemp, Inc., in which it owns 65% and Arkansas Valley Green and Gold Hemp (“AVGGH”), in which it owns 60%, with 5% owned by VFH. The remaining interests in both U.S. hemp joint ventures were partners who had experience in outdoor growing of hemp (VFH) and cannabis (AVGGH). The State of Texas approved the production, manufacture and retail sale of hemp crops and products in June 2019. We wrote off the investment in AVGGH in 2019 due to losing the biomass during a windstorm. Currently, VF Hemp is not cultivating hemp as we await FDA clarity on the use of CBD.
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United States Cannabis Industry and Regulatory Overview
Village Farms does not maintain any direct or indirect investment in cannabis or cannabis-related products in its U.S. operations, excluding Balanced Health’s CBD and other cannabinoid business and the VF Hemp joint venture. The Company targets its efforts on participating in federal and state permissible activities in the U.S. Village Farms does not engage nor intend to engage in direct or indirect business with any business that derives revenue, directly or indirectly, from the sale of cannabis or cannabis-related products in any jurisdiction where the production and sale of cannabis is unlawful under current applicable laws.
The Company owns and operates four greenhouse facilities in west Texas consisting of nearly six million square feet of produce production area, where we produce and distribute tomatoes. The Company has proven experience converting its produce greenhouses to cannabis greenhouses, as evidenced by its Pure Sunfarms’ Delta 3 and Delta 2 greenhouses located in British Columbia, Canada. Village Farms is strategically positioned, utilizing decades of agricultural experience coupled with its Pure Sunfarms’ operational and product expertise, to convert its existing greenhouses when legally permitted to do so.
As of December 31, 2021, thirty-eight states plus Washington, D.C. passed medical marijuana laws and eighteen states plus Washington, D.C. passed recreational laws. Public support for the adult-use legalization of cannabis has increased significantly across the country. Several hundred thousand Americans now work full-time in the cannabis industry and tax revenues associated with the production and sale of cannabis are providing economic benefits in states that have passed legislation.
Unlike in Canada, which has uniform federal legislation governing the cultivation, distribution, sale, and possession of cannabis under the Cannabis Act, in the United States, cannabis is regulated at both the federal and state levels. Notwithstanding the permissive regulatory environment of cannabis in some states, cannabis with a delta-9 THC level of more than 0.3% by dry weight (“marijuana”) continues to be categorized as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act ("CSA"), making it illegal under federal law in the United States to cultivate. distribute, or possess cannabis. This means that while state law in certain U.S. states may take a permissive approach to medical and/or recreational use of cannabis, the CSA may still be enforced by U.S. federal law enforcement officials against citizens and businesses of those states for activity that is legal under state law. As a result of the conflicting views between state legislatures and the U.S. federal government regarding cannabis, investments in cannabis businesses in the United States are subject to inconsistent legislation and regulation.
Until 2018, the federal government provided guidance to federal agencies and banking institutions through a series of United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) memoranda. The most notable of this guidance came in the form of a memorandum issued by former U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Cole on August 29, 2013 (the “Cole Memorandum”). The Cole Memorandum offered guidance to federal agencies on how to prioritize civil enforcement, criminal investigations, and prosecutions regarding marijuana in all states and quickly set a compliance standard for marijuana related businesses. The Cole Memorandum concluded that the Department of Justice should be focused on addressing only the most significant threats related to cannabis. States where medical cannabis had been legalized were not characterized as a high priority. The Cole Memorandum was rescinded by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in January 2018, however, the DOJ guidance on how to prioritize civil enforcement, criminal investigations, and prosecutions regarding marijuana related businesses appears to be relatively unchanged. Nonetheless, there is no guarantee that state laws legalizing and regulating the sale and use of marijuana will not be repealed or overturned, or that local governmental authorities will not limit the applicability of state laws within their respective jurisdictions. Until the United States Congress amends the CSA with respect to marijuana, there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current U.S. federal law.
On December 20, 2018, the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law in the United States. The 2018 Farm Bill, among other things, defines industrial hemp, removes industrial hemp and cannabinoids derived from industrial hemp so long as the delta-9 THC concentration is less than 0.3% by dry weight, from the CSA and allows for industrial hemp production and sale in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has retained authority over the addition of CBD and other cannabinoids to products that fall within the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (''FDCA"). To date, the FDA deems that it is currently illegal to add CBD to a food or beverage, and the FDA does not deem CBD a dietary supplement as the agency cannot conclude that CBD is "generally recognized as safe" among qualified experts for its use in human or animal food. There can be no assurance that the FDA will approve CBD as an additive to products under the FDCA.
There are three major pieces of cannabis legislation currently in process, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (“MORE”) Act, the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (“STATES”) Act and the Secure and Fair Enforcement (“SAFE”) Banking Act.
The MORE Act passed the House of Representatives in December 2020, but the bill did not advance to the Senate. The MORE Act has been reintroduced to the House of Representatives on May 28, 2021 with some minor changes. The December 2020 vote marked the first time in over fifty years that a chamber of Congress addressed ending the federal criminalization of marijuana. If the revised MORE Act is passed by the House of Representatives, the next step for the MORE Act is introduction to the Senate. The MORE Act would deschedule and decriminalize cannabis at the federal level. The MORE Act would remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances, allow states to set their own marijuana policy and establishes a process to expunge convictions and conduct hearings related to prior federal cannabis offenses. The MORE Act also institutes a five percent federal sales tax on all cannabis products and creates a trust that utilizes the tax revenue to support various programs and services in communities impacted by the war on drugs.
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In addition, the MORE Act would impact Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, which forbids businesses engaged in the trafficking of a Schedule I or II controlled substance from deducting ordinary business expenses to reduce their taxable income. Currently, a cannabis-related business can only deduct cost of goods before taxation, resulting in significantly higher effective tax rates than a non-cannabis business. If cannabis were removed from the Schedule I designation, cannabis-related businesses would be able to deduct employee salaries, rent, marketing, advertising and other selling, general and administrative costs from their operating income.
The STATES Act was originally introduced to Congress in 2017 and was re-introduced in 2019. The STATES Act eliminates regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the CSA for certain marijuana-related activities that comply with state or tribal law. The STATES Act creates an exemption in the CSA to allow states to determine their own cannabis policies without fear of federal reprisal. The STATES Act does not legalize cannabis on a federal level but aims to protect individuals and companies acting in compliance with state and tribal law.
The SAFE Banking Act passed the House of Representatives in September 2019 but has not passed the Senate. In September 2021, the House of Representatives included the SAFE Banking Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2022, but the SAFE Banking Act was removed from the Defense Spending Bill by a Senate conference committee in December of 2021. The SAFE Banking Act is designed to prohibit federal banking regulators from punishing financial institutions from providing services to legitimate cannabis companies, their owners, and employees. In particular, a federal banking regulator cannot terminate or limit deposit insurance, prohibit or penalize a financial institution from providing services to legitimate cannabis-related business or take any adverse or corrective action on a loan made to a legitimate cannabis-related business.
Under current federal law, it may be a violation of federal anti-money laundering statutes to take any proceeds from the sale of any Schedule I controlled substance. Financial institutions could potentially be prosecuted and convicted of money laundering under the Bank Secrecy Act for providing services to cannabis businesses. In 2014, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued guidance not to focus enforcement on financial institutions that serve cannabis-related business, as long as the business activities are legal in their state. Thus, most legitimate cannabis-related companies have established relationships with state banks and financial institutions. Also, since these legitimate cannabis firms do not have access to traditional bank financing, they primarily rely on private capital to address their financing needs.
Since we do not conduct any cannabis-related business in the United States aside from our Balanced Health cannabinoid products and VF Hemp joint venture, the SAFE Banking Act would not alter the current financial services for the Company. However, the ability to access public capital for all legitimate cannabis-related companies could provide the industry with additional financing avenues not available today as well as reducing the overall cost of capital.
In addition, several bills have been introduced in 2021 which further highlight the positive environment to pass federal legislation legalizing cannabis. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act was introduced on July 14, 2021 by Senators Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker and Ron Wyden. And the States Reform Act was introduced on November 15, 2021 by Representative Nancy Mace, the first time a cannabis bill was proposed by a Republican party member. Although the bills differ in many ways, both bills seek to deschedule marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act, impose federal excise tax provisions, provide justice reform for non-violent cannabis offenses, permit movement of cannabis products through interstate commerce, and transfer agency jurisdiction from the Drug Enforcement Administration. While federal legislation did not occur in 2021, states continue to introduce and pass their own legislation to mitigate federal constraints imposed on cannabis business within a state.
Texas Cannabis Industry and Regulatory Overview
The Texas Legislature meets every two years beginning on the second Tuesday in January and commencing for 140 calendar days. The 2021 session began on January 12, 2021 and ended on May 31, 2021. Texas advocates, lobbyists and some legislators attempted to take advantage of the current momentum behind marijuana policy reform in the U.S. and filed nearly three dozen bills for the 2021 session. The bills reflect similar policy reform presented at the national level, including criminal justice reform and decriminalization of marijuana possession, expanding compassionate use programs and repealing marijuana prohibition entirely by legalizing responsible adult use.
While the 2021 legislative session was largely focused on addressing the catastrophic freeze and failures of the Texas energy supply, a modest expansion to the medical cannabis program, the Texas Compassionate Use Program (“TCUP”), did pass. TCUP provides low-THC cannabis oil to registered patients who have a prescription from their physician. This legislation added post-traumatic stress disorder, any form of cancer, and any condition that is part of a medical cannabis research program to the list of conditions which qualify patients for TCUP. The legislation also raised the overall THC by weight cap from 0.5% to 1.0%. Since the law went into effect on September 1, 2021 through the period ending January 31, 2021, the patient count has risen by 120% from roughly 8,200 to just over 18,000 patients and the participating physician count has risen by 27% to just over 500. Consequently, advocates expect that Texas will open TCUP up to more license applications sometime in the near future.
The legislature will not meet again until 2023. Thus, any significant changes to Texas cannabis laws and policy will not occur until May 2023 or later.
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Our Greenhouse Produce Segment
The Company commenced its produce operations in 1989 and maintains produce operations under both its U.S. subsidiary, Village Farms L.P., and its Canadian subsidiary, Village Farms Canada Limited Partnership. The Company owns and operates four greenhouse facilities in west Texas totaling 130 acres and one produce greenhouse in Delta, B.C. totaling 60 acres. The Company also represents third party growers (based in Canada and Mexico) on a sales commission basis, which represents approximately 58% of the Company’s 2021 gross produce revenues.
The Company grows tomatoes at its own facilities. Approximately 84% of its total 2021 produce sales were tomatoes, 10% peppers, 4% cucumbers and 2% mini-cukes, as compared to total 2020 produce sales comprised of 85% tomatoes, 10% peppers, 4% cucumbers and 1% mini-cukes. The Company sells produce predominantly to retailers in the United States and Canada. For both 2021 and 2020, roughly 84% of the Company’s sales were in the United States, respectively, with the top two customers comprising 22% of produce sales in 2021 and 27% in 2020. Retail direct sales were approximately 69% and 76% of total produce sales for 2021 and 2020, respectively, with the balance to wholesale customers who service small retailers or other markets such as food service.
While the Company grows in greenhouses, as does its produce supply partners, produce production is lower in the winter months as compared to the summer months. As such, the produce business has seasonality to its produce sales. Historically, the Company has had higher sales in its second and third quarters and lower sales, due to lower volumes, in the first and fourth quarters.
The produce business is competitive, and the Company’s primary competition consists of large commercial producers. There is an abundance of growers as discussed in the Greenhouse Vegetable Industry Overview, which has resulted in an oversupplied market resulting in our retail customers continually pressing for price reductions. Due to the perishable nature of the produce business, pricing is very sensitive to the daily demand versus supply in each produce category, with the Company’s primary category being tomatoes. We try to combat the commoditization of the tomato category by offering unique tomatoes such as the Heavenly Villagio Marzano® and Sinfully Sweet Campari® as a means of distinguishing Village Farms to our retail customers but the large tomato varieties such as tomatoes on the vine (“TOVs”) and beefsteak are still a predominant part of the Company’s produce business and industry sales. Our produce business has limited trademark or brand loyalty.
Greenhouse Vegetable Industry Overview
(A) The North American Industry
The greenhouse vegetable industry in North America has experienced rapid growth over the past 20 years, particularly in the western regions of the United States, southwest British Columbia and southern Ontario in Canada, and concentrated areas in Mexico. Mexico is the largest producer of greenhouse tomatoes followed by Canada and the United States.
(B) Greenhouse Industry — United States
The majority of greenhouse vegetable producers in the United States are located in the southwestern and western states, where the growing conditions are more ideal for winter growing operations and the possibility of year-round production. New greenhouse facilities have recently been completed and planned in the northern U.S. to be closer to major population centers. These facilities have lights to allow for production in the winter months. Producing in the winter months is advantageous as produce prices are generally higher, although with increasing Mexican production (which produce in the winter months), seasonal pricing fluctuations are gradually decreasing. The majority of greenhouse tomatoes produced in the United States are used for domestic consumption, and producers in the United States benefit from high yields, consistent product quality, year-round supply, and closer proximity to its customers. In order to meet domestic demand, the United States imports a significant portion of its supply of greenhouse tomatoes from Canada and Mexico.
In addition, many U.S. growers of labor-intensive crops rely on immigrant workers from countries such as Mexico. The demand for farm labor in the U.S. continues to grow while the labor supply remains constant or slightly decreasing, leading to rising wages and benefits. U.S. employers may utilize H-2A workers to assist in fulfilling their labor needs. Section 218 of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the lawful admission into the United States of temporary, nonimmigrant workers (H-2A workers) to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. The H-2A worker has additional costs to the greenhouse grower as the H-2A program has set a Texas state-level minimum prevailing wage of $13.08 in 2021. Additionally, growers must pay for worker expenses, such as transportation costs and housing.
(C) Greenhouse Industry — Canada
Among the North American greenhouse vegetable producers, Canada is the largest supplier from April to October. Several factors, including climatic advantages (cooler summer temperatures) and the proximity of greenhouse producers to consumer markets, contribute to Canada’s favorable positioning relative to the United States during that time period. The primary markets for greenhouse produce grown in British Columbia include the west and northwest regions of the United States, as well as western Canada, while the primary markets for Ontario produce include the east and central regions of the United States, as well as eastern Canada.
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The strengths of the Canadian greenhouse vegetable industry include its high yields and consistent product quality. The main weakness of the Canadian greenhouse industry relates to its lack of production during the historically higher priced winter months. However, because of the high volume of tomatoes produced in Canada during the April to October growing season, profits generated during this time period generally are sufficient to sustain producers through the full year.
(D) Greenhouse Industry — Mexico
Although Mexico was the last country to enter the greenhouse tomato industry in North America, it has more greenhouse tomato acreage than the United States and Canada combined. It should be noted there is no formal definition of a “greenhouse” and a significant portion of the greenhouse acreage in Mexico is very low-tech, shade field structures. The product from the shade facilities is in some instances marketed as greenhouse-grown, which until the recent update on the Suspension Agreement between the United States and Mexico, was not in violation of any regulations, but for the State of California, which has a strict definition of greenhouse-grown for produce sold within the state. Average yields and product quality in Mexico are comparatively low, as compared to U.S. and Canadian greenhouse operations. Currently, Mexican producers tend to grow a majority of their production during the fall, winter, and spring seasons as they have sufficient light levels to grow and cooler temperatures during these months, although the trend towards more sophisticated greenhouses is permitting a longer growing season as well as increased yields.
Over the last several years, the greenhouse industry in Mexico has continued to make significant advances with respect to its growing expertise and ability to extend its growing season, which continues to put pressure on produce pricing. Mexican growers are continuing to invest in greenhouses and other technology to improve production and yields. As the greenhouse industry is a labor-intensive business, the labor costs are a significant portion of overhead. Mexico has a considerable wage advantage versus the U.S. due primarily to the lower cost of living in Mexico. The U.S. Federal minimum wage has remained constant since 2019 at US$7.25 per hour; the Texas prevailing hourly wage for H2-A workers is $13.08 in 2021 and $13.88 in 2022. Mexico’s minimum wage for 2021 was 141.70 Mexican pesos a day or approximately US$7.10 per day and increased to 172.87 Mexican pesos a day or approximately US$8.28 per day on January 1, 2022.
Pricing
Prices for vegetables fluctuate depending upon availability of supply and consumer demand. Greenhouse vegetable producers typically command a higher price for their products compared to field producers, as a result of the vegetables’ consistent quality, taste, appearance, and year-round availability. This higher price, combined with higher production yields for greenhouse produce, typically offset the higher costs associated with greenhouse production relative to field production. Production costs for greenhouse-grown produce are generally higher due to greater energy, labor, infrastructure, technological requirements, and more intense crop yields per acre. As the fresh produce market share of big box retailers increases, pricing is moving towards more contract pricing for six, nine or even twelve-month periods reducing some of the fluctuations with traditional seasonal pricing. However, contract pricing does not provide volume guarantees.
Intellectual Property
We have registered many trademarks and service marks in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The following is a list of the key trademarks and service marks the Company has registered for our produce: Village Farms Logo®, BC Grown Logo®, Texas Grown Logo®, A Revolution in Flavor®, Baby Beefs®, Blissfully Bright®, Cabernet Estate Reserve®, Cheeky Sweets®, Cherry No.9®, Cherry No.9 Fall in Love Again®, Delectable TOV®, Exquisite Heirloom®, Fall in Love Again®, From Our House To Your Home®, Garden Fresh Flavor®, Good for the Earth®, Heavenly Villagio Marzano®, Home Choice®, Hydroperfect®, Hydroperfect Campari®, It Takes a Village®, Juicy Beefsteak®, Lip Smackin’ Grapes®, Lorabella Blossom®, Maverick Mix®, Mini Sensations®, No.9®, Savory Roma®, Scrumptious Mini®, Sensational Sara®, Sinfully Sweet®, Sinfully Sweet Campari®, Sweet Bells®, Ture Rebel Mix®, Village Farms® , Village Fields®, Villagio Chef’s Pack® , Villagio Magic Mix® , Villagio Marzano® and Where Freshness is Always in Season®.
We also have the following trademarks registered for Pure Sunfarms in Canada: Pure SunfarmsTM, Pure Sunfarms BC GrownTM, Everyday PremiumTM, Farm to FlowerTM, Hit The GasTM, No Sun No FlowerTM, Plants and People FirstTM, Pure ProvisionsTM, Rise with the SunTM, SoarTM, Soar CannabisTM, The BakeryTM, Purple Sun GodTM, and Pure Sun CBDTM.
We have the following trademarks registered and service marks in the United States, Canada, Europe and Costa Rica for Balanced Health: Balanced Health Botanicals®, BOTA®, BOTA Hemp®, CBDefine®, CBDistilleryTM, CBDistileryRX®, CBDOL®, Gimmick-free CBD®, Pick A Phyte®, Terpsolate®.
We also have the following trademarks registered for Rose LifeScience in Canada: RoseTM, Rose LifeScienceTM, Rose LifeScienceVieTM, DLYSTM, ElektTM,PromenadeTM, Pure LaineTM, Tam TamsTM.
Employees
We have approximately 1,800 employees and contract workers throughout all of our brands, Village Farms Fresh, Pure Sunfarms, Rose LifeScience, Balanced Health Botanicals, Village Farms Hemp and VF Clean Energy. The majority of our employees and contract workers are employed in our produce and cannabis greenhouse operations. None of our employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We believe that we enjoy a good working relationship with our employees.
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Human Capital
We respect diversity and accordingly are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Our management team is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs, and general treatment during employment. The Company is proud to bring together individuals from a wide breadth of industries, backgrounds, and experiences, and promotes a culture of belonging. Additionally, we respect the religious beliefs and practices of all employees and will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation if those religious beliefs or practices conflict with an employee’s job unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.
Paid vacation time is available for all employees in accordance with the Company’s Paid Time Off (“PTO”) Policy. In addition to good working conditions and competitive pay, it is the Company’s policy to provide a combination of supplemental benefits to all eligible employees. In keeping with this goal, each benefit program has been carefully devised. The Company provides all full-time employees with life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment (“AD&D”) insurance beginning on their date of hire. Currently, the Company pays the full premium for such coverage. Eligible full-time U.S. employees may participate in the Company’s 401(k) savings plan beginning ninety days after the date of hire. Currently, the Company matches a portion of eligible employee contributions.
In Texas, Village Farms opted out of the state-run workers’ compensation insurance program. Village Farms is self-insured and utilizes private insurance to provide benefits to employees in the event of a work-related injury or occupational disease in lieu of workers’ compensation insurance. All employees outside of Texas are covered under our Workers’ Compensation policy, which also covers accidental injuries or illness which occur during working hours or conditions caused by work activities. Both our private insurance and workers’ compensation are paid by the Company. The private insurer provides for the payment of medical expenses and weekly compensation payments during the period of an employee's work-related injury or illness and Village Farms reimburses the private insurer in whole. In addition, Village Farms maintains stop gap coverage with their private insurance carrier to prevent the liability of a significant claim. The Company has a long-standing philosophy of taking pride in its practices to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of our employees. To ensure a safe and healthful workplace environment, the Company has established a program that serves to outline our commitment to this philosophy and the Company provides guidance to all employees on the standards for compliance.
In Canada, Village Farms and Pure Sunfarms offer competitive extended health care and dental benefits which include an additional health spending account, a sponsored group retirement savings plan with company matching and wellness days. As part of their wellness program, Pure Sunfarms hired a full-time occupational registered nurse to lead the wellness initiatives, guide the organization during the covid pandemic and cultivate best-in-class health, safety and wellness practices. Pure Sunfarms’ innovative wellness program offers opportunities to employees that include mental health wellness, yoga, mindful meditation and nutrition sessions virtually and on-site, along with one paid volunteer day per year to all full-time employees.
In response to COVID-19, we implemented, and continue to improve, appropriate safety programs and protocols to help ensure the safety and well-being of our employees. We took proactive actions early on to protect the health of our employees and their families, including curtailing business travel and encouraging video conferencing whenever possible. We initiated protocols including the option to work from home when feasible, proper hygiene, social distancing, mask use and temperature screenings and other health and safety standards as required by federal, state and local government agencies. While we believe we have responded appropriately to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the situation evolves, we will continue to analyze additional mitigation measures that may be needed to preserve the health and safety of our workforce, our customers and the ongoing continuity of our business operations. Those measures might include modifying workspaces, continuing social distancing policies, implementing new personal protective equipment or health screening policies at our facilities, or such other industry best practices needed to continue to maintain a healthy and safe environment for our employees amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social Responsibility
Village Farms has stood by its core Good for the Earth principles since the Company’s inception over 30 years ago. Since its inception, Village Farms is guided by a Sustainable Agriculture Policy, which integrates three main goals, environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equality. The Company’s greenhouse growing is the environmentally sustainable future of farming in its ability to preserve natural resources, such as reduced water usage while growing more on less land. In Controlled Environment Agriculture, soil erosion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions are largely neutralized. In addition, Village Farms’ investments in the latest technological advancements, and its ability to produce higher yields per square meter, mean there is more GMO-free products grown with little impact to the environment. In addition, the Company’s clean energy facility converts methane gas from a nearby landfill to energy sources that are utilized in its greenhouses in Canada, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide heat and carbon dioxide for our crops.
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The Company’s greenhouses rely on, and have successfully employed, non-chemical methods for pest control known as Integrated Pest Management, whereas beneficial insects largely alleviate the need for pesticides. Our greenhouses utilize biodegradable coconut fiber or rockwool, not soil, to support the plants in a hydroponic solution, so there is no soil erosion or loss of precious nutrients. Pure Sunfarms’ greenhouses installed blackout curtains to reduce energy consumption, mitigate light pollution and protect ecosystems to minimize the impact to the greater Vancouver area. At all greenhouse facilities, Village Farms sterilizes and recirculates water numerous times. In Texas, discharged water is used to irrigate an adjacent track of land where a local rancher is then able to graze his cattle year-round and in Delta, B.C., Pure Sunfarms collects rainwater throughout the year to minimize the use of external water sources while utilizing renewable hydroelectricity as its main power source.
Rose LifeScience’s indoor controlled growing facility in Quebec was granted environmental rebates from the local government for its energy efficient design. The facility is digitally responsive as the growing rooms are equipped with technology that interprets and responds to the needs of the growers and the plants. The energy-conscious building design helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the facility is outfitted with special filtration to reduce odors and minimize any impact to the local community.
Balanced Health is intensely focused on product quality and conducts internal and third-party quality testing across the supply chain and at all stages of the cannabinoid creation process to confirm the purity and concentration of its products. All hemp utilized by BHB is required to be non-GMO, pesticide free and is tested for compliance. Balanced Health is one of thirteen companies awarded U.S. Hemp Authority Certification for its commitment to quality and safety of its products and has also achieved Generally Recognized as Safe designation, an evaluation that its products are recognized as safe for consumption for full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and isolate CBD.
The Company has memberships in core industry associations such as the United Fresh Produce Association and the Produce Marketing Association, where leaders explore strategies and provide solutions to expand fresh produce consumption and strive to feed a growing world population. Pure Sunfarms is the founder of Cannabis Cultivators of B.C. dedicated to advocating for the growth of a responsible cannabis industry and advancing a favorable social, economic and business environment for cannabis cultivation in B.C. Village Farms continues to contribute and distribute fresh produce to help feed those in need, as well as champion volunteer efforts in national food banks, such as Feeding America and Conscious Alliance. Donation efforts to food banks and food pantries are also localized in all the regions where company offices and facilities are located. On a community level, local involvement in organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Wounded Warrior Fund, NAACP education fund, Rotary clubs, hospitals, and community art outreach activities, are just some of the diverse charitable contributions the company supports.
Corporate Information
Village Farms is a publicly traded company in the United States on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”), under the symbol “VFF”. VFF was incorporated pursuant to the Canada Business Corporations Act (“CBCA”) in 2003. Our headquarters are located at 4700-80th Street Delta, British Columbia, Canada V4K 3N3 (telephone: 604-940-6012).
VFF’s principal operating subsidiaries as of December 31, 2021 are Village Farms Canada Limited Partnership (“VFCLP”), Village Farms, L.P. (“VFLP”), VF Clean Energy, Inc., Pure Sunfarms Corp., Balanced Health Botanicals, LLC and Rose LifeScience Inc. VFF also owns a 65% equity interest in Village Fields Hemp USA LLC and a minority interest in Altum International Pty Ltd.
We file annual, quarterly, current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The SEC maintains an internet site that contains our public filings with the SEC and other information regarding the Company, at www.sec.gov. We make available free of charge at our website, www.villagefarms.com, all of our reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”) including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K and should not be considered a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the reference to our website in this Annual Report on Form 10-K is an inactive textual reference only.
We are also a reporting issuer under the securities laws each of the provinces and territories of Canada and accordingly our public filings with Canadian securities regulators are available under our issuer profile at www.sedar.com.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Any of the risks and uncertainties described below could significantly and negatively affect our business, prospects, financial condition, operating results, or credit ratings, which could cause the trading price of our Common Shares to decline. In particular, we caution you that we may face substantial risks and uncertainties due to the ongoing and developing circumstances related to the COVID-19, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, operations, and future financial results. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or risks that we currently consider immaterial, could also impair our business operations or financial condition.
We are providing the following summary of risk factors contained in the Annual Report on Form 10-K to enhance the readability and accessibility of our risk factor disclosures. We encourage you to review the full risk factors in their entirety for additional information regarding the material risks that could adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, operating
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results, or credit ratings, which could cause the trading price of our Common Shares to decline. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following:
Business and Operational Risk Factors
• We may be unable to remain profitable;
• We may need additional financing to further develop our business;
• We may be unable to manage our growth successfully;
• Our operations are subject to natural catastrophes;
• We may suffer from uninsured and underinsured losses;
• Our business and operating results rely on effective quality control;
• We face risks related to cyber security attacks and other incidents;
• Our potential international expansion may heighten our operational risks;
• Our competitive position may be affected by technological advances;
• Our products may be subject to recalls;
• We are subject to risks related to payment from our customers;
• We face risks related to intellectual property;
Industry Risk Factors
• Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain customers;
• We face significant competition in the cannabis industry;
• Our revenues may be impacted by fluctuating market prices for our products;
• We face risks inherent in an agricultural business;
• We face risks associated with cross-border trade;
• We may be negatively affected by the customer credit risk of our customers;
Legal and Regulatory Risks Factors
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• Our cannabis operations in Canada are subject to Canadian supplier standards;
• We may be subject to product liability claims;
• Our greenhouse produce business is subject to certain regulations;
• We may experience environmental, health and safety incidents;
Labor and Employment Risks Factors
• Our operations are dependent on labor availability;
• We rely on third-party distributors;
• Our operations depend on our key executives;
Tax Risk Factors
• The IRS and Canada Revenue Agency may challenge our transfer pricing;
Common Shares Risk Factors
• Certain Canadian laws could delay or deter a change of control;
• We do not expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future;
BUSINESS AND OPERATIONAL RISK FACTORS
Our business may be subject to disruptions as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus a global pandemic. We continue to closely monitor the rapid evolution of COVID‐19 with a focus on the jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries operate. During this ongoing period of uncertainty, it is our priority to safeguard the health and safety of our personnel, support and enforce government actions to slow the spread of COVID‐19, and continually assess and mitigate the risks to our business operations. We have taken responsible measures to maximize the safety of staff working at all of our facilities. This includes reorganizing physical layouts, adjusting schedules to improve physical distancing, implementing extra health screening measures for employees, and applying rigorous standards for personal protective equipment. The Company continues to maintain regular communications with legal and government representatives, suppliers, customers, and business partners to identify and monitor any potential risks to our ongoing operations. The production and sale of produce and cannabis has been recognized as an essential service
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throughout the U.S. and Canada. Cannabis sales in Canada are primarily with government bodies, which continue to offer end customers online ordering and home delivery options. Consumer market retail stores are generally permitted to remain open in the U.S. and Canada subject to adhering to the various health and safety measures. All of our facilities in the U.S. and Canada continue to be operational and we continue to work closely with local, national, and international governmental authorities to ensure that we are following the required protocols and guidelines related to COVID‐19 within each region. However, our Canadian and U.S. cannabis operations and financial performance (including with respect to Pure Sunfarms) were negatively impacted by COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021. Given the ongoing and dynamic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot predict the extent to which COVID-19 will impact our financial results and operations in the future, and our results may be materially adversely affected by COVID-19 in 2022.
We may be unable to remain profitable.
Our ability to generate net earnings and remain profitable is based, in part, on our ability to manage our cannabis profit margins and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) as well as maintaining tomato production at a low-cost structure to support our produce margins. These margins are dependent upon our ability to continue to profitably sell our products and to be the supplier of choice to our customers. The failure to execute on our low-cost structure at favorable margins or an increase in cost of goods or operating costs could have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations, and cash available.
A principal objective of ours is to pursue operational efficiencies. Profitability depends in significant measure on our ability to, among other things, successfully manage, identify, and implement operational efficiencies. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in managing our cost control and productivity improvement measures. In addition, a failure to achieve a low-cost structure through economies of scale or continue to improve our cultivation and manufacturing processes could have a material adverse effect on our commercialization plans and our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
The ongoing and developing COVID-19 pandemic has caused a broad impact globally. While the potential economic impact brought by, and the duration of, COVID-19 may be difficult to assess or predict, the pandemic and any resulting recession or economic slowdown (particularly in Canada and/or in the United States) could reduce our productive capacity, labor availability (see “Our operations are dependent on labor availability” below) and operations generally, may reduce demand for our products (see “Pure Sunfarms and Rose LifeScience may be affected by cannabis supply and demand fluctuations” below) and could overall affect our ability to achieve profitability. In addition, any significant disruption of global financial markets, reducing our ability to access capital or our Credit Facilities (as defined in Liquidity and Capital Resources below), could negatively affect our liquidity. Any of the foregoing effects from the COVID-19 pandemic could materially adversely affect our business, prospects and future results of operations, and the value of our Common Shares.
We may need additional financing to further develop our business.
The continued operations and development of our business may require additional financing, which may be in the form of future equity securities offerings or any form of debt financing. For example, on January 20, 2021, we completed a registered direct offering for the purchase and sale of an aggregate 10,887,097 Common Shares at a public offering price of US$12.40 per Common Share for gross proceeds of approximately US$135 million. Although we believe we have sufficient liquidity to meet our cash requirements for the foreseeable future, we may require additional equity financing which may have a dilutive effect and may not be achievable due to market conditions (including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic) or other reasons. The failure to raise such capital could result in the delay or indefinite postponement of our current business objectives or may require us to cease to carry on business. There can be no assurance that additional capital or other types of financing will be available if needed or that, if available, the terms of such financing will be favorable to us.
We are dependent on the availability of financing under our Credit Facilities. Under the terms of our Credit Facilities, we are subject to a number of covenants, including debt service covenants. These covenants could reduce our flexibility in conducting our operations by limiting our ability to borrow money and expand into new business lines. For more information, see “We are subject to restrictive covenants under our Credit Facilities” below.
The Company has also provided full recourse guarantees and has granted security interests in respect of the FCC Term Loan with Farm Credit Canada (“FCC”). We are also subject to fluctuations in our working capital on a month-to-month basis, and as a result, we have access to financing under our operating loan (“Operating Loan”), which matures in May 2024. Consistent with our past practice, we may draw down on revolving credit facilities available under our Operating Loan. An inability to draw down upon our Operating Loan, or to amend or replace the Operating Loan on favorable terms (or at all), could have an adverse effect on our businesses and our financial condition.
Pure Sunfarms has term loans and a revolver loan with a bank syndicate that mature in February 2024 (the “Pure Sunfarms Term Loans”). The bank syndicate loans have quarterly financial covenants; an inability to adhere to these financial covenants could accelerate one or more of the bank syndicate loans which could have a material adverse effect on our cannabis business and our financial condition.
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There is no assurance that sufficient financing will be available when needed to allow us to continue as a going concern. The perception that we may not be able to continue as a going concern may also make it more difficult to operate our business due to concerns about our ability to meet our contractual obligations.
We are dependent on the success of Pure Sunfarms, which has a limited operating history in the cannabis industry.
Pure Sunfarms, which represented a significant portion of our net income for the year ended December 31, 2021, has a limited operating history. Pure Sunfarms is therefore subject to many of the risks common to early-stage enterprises, including limitations with respect to personnel, financial, and other resources. In addition, we have incurred and anticipate that we will continue to incur substantial expenses relating to the development and initial operations of Pure Sunfarms. The payment and amount of any future dividend and shareholder loan repayments to the Company from Pure Sunfarms will depend upon, among other things, its available cash flows, after taking into account its operating and capital requirements. There is no assurance that we will be successful in achieving a return on Pure Sunfarms and the likelihood of success must be considered in light of the early stage of its operations.
Pure Sunfarms may incur losses in the future for a number of reasons, including as a result of unforeseen expenses, regulatory impediments, unforeseen difficulties, complications and delays, the other risks described in these “Risk Factors” and other unknown events. The amount of any future net losses will depend, in part, on the growth of our future expenses and our ability to generate revenue. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with producing and selling cannabis and cannabis-derived products, we are unable to accurately forecast operating results to predict when, or if, we will be able to sustain our profitability. If Pure Sunfarms is unable to sustain profitability, the market price of our Common Shares may significantly decrease and our ability to raise capital, expand our business or continue our operations may be impaired.
The ability of Pure Sunfarms to grow will depend on a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including, but not limited to, the number of licensed retail cannabis stores, the availability of sufficient capital on suitable terms, changes in laws and regulations respecting the production and sale of cannabis products, competition from other entities licensed under the Cannabis Act, its ability to recruit and retain sufficient experienced personnel and its ability to expand into international operations and sales. In addition, Pure Sunfarms is subject to a variety of business risks generally associated with developing companies. Future development and expansion could place significant strain on our management personnel and likely will require us to recruit additional management personnel, and there is no assurance that we will be able to do so. As the operations of Pure Sunfarms grow in size, scope, and complexity and as it identifies and pursues new opportunities, Pure Sunfarms may need to increase in scale its infrastructure (financial, management, informational, personnel and otherwise).
We are subject to restrictive covenants under our Credit Facilities (as defined in “Liquidity and Capital Resources” below).
Under the terms of our Credit Facilities, we are subject to a number of covenants, including debt service covenants. These covenants could reduce our flexibility in conducting our operations by limiting our ability to borrow money and expand into new business lines. On December 31, 2021, we were not in compliance with one financial covenant under our Term Loan. Subsequent to December 31, 2021 we received a waiver from FCC for the annual test on December 31, 2021 for the one financial covenant. FCC measures our financial covenants once a year on the last calendar day of the year. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain a future waiver from FCC. We were not in compliance with some of the financial covenants of our FCC Term Loan on December 31, 2020 (the annual testing date) but obtained a waiver from FCC for our annual 2020 financial covenants. There can be no assurance that we will be in compliance with the future financial covenants and that we would be able to obtain a future waiver from our creditors for any non-compliance in connection with the next testing date.
Generally, non-compliance with our covenants may increase a risk of default on our debt (including by a cross-default to other credit agreements. If we are unable to comply with our debt covenants in the future, we may seek a waiver and/or an amendment(s) from the applicable lenders in respect of any such covenant in order to avoid any breach or default that might otherwise result therefrom. If we default under any of the Credit Facilities and the default is not waived by the applicable lenders, the debt extended pursuant to all of our debt instruments could become due and payable prior to their stated due dates. In addition, a default on all or some portion of the Credit Facilities may result in foreclosure on our collateral, which includes promissory notes, a first mortgage on the Company’s owned greenhouse properties, and general security agreements over our assets. We cannot give any assurance that (i) our lenders will agree to any covenant amendments or continue to waive any covenant breaches or defaults that may occur under the applicable debt instruments, or (ii) we could pay this debt if any of it became due prior to its stated due date. Accordingly, any default by us under our existing debt that is not waived by the applicable lenders could materially adversely impact our results of operations and financial results and may have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our Common Shares.
We have identified a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting relating to compliance with one of our debt covenants, which has been waived subsequent to year end. If we had failed to remediate the debt covenant in a timely manner or at all, our liquidity and financial condition may be materially adversely affected, and in that case, our shareholders could lose confidence in our financial position and reporting, which would harm our business and could negatively impact the price of our Common Shares.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (“SOX 404”) requires that our management assess and report annually on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting and identify any material weaknesses in our internal controls over
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financial reporting. The Company became a large, accelerated filer at June 30, 2021 and accordingly, the Company has lost “emerging growth company” status. As such, SOX 404 requires our independent registered public accounting firm to issue an annual report that addresses the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting.
In connection with our management’s assessment of internal controls over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, we have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to the calculation of our debt covenants that resulted in our failure to identify a violation of a debt coverage covenant as at December 31, 2021 in a timely manner. Although the lender has waived the debt covenant and there was no impact on the classification of the debt, or our December 31, 2021 financial statements, and we have a remediation plan to improve the review of the calculation of our debt covenants, as well as a plan to align our various debt coverage ratios between our debt financings, we can provide no assurance that, if we are in violation of any of our debt covenants in the future, our lenders will not accelerate repayment of our indebtedness and/or refuse to extend credit in the future. Accordingly, we may have difficulty gaining access to credit on commercially reasonable terms, which would have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and financial condition.
A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The existence of a material weakness creates a reasonable possibility that an error may not be prevented or detected in the Company’s annual or interim financial statements on a timely basis. Accordingly, we concluded that our internal controls were not effective as of December 31, 2021.
Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and prevent fraud. If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we might not be able to report our financial results accurately or prevent fraud; and in that case, our shareholders could lose confidence in our financial reporting, which would harm our business and could negatively impact the price of our Common Shares. While we believe that we have sufficient personnel and review procedures to allow us to remedy the above-mentioned material weaknesses and maintain an effective system of internal controls, we cannot assure you that we will not experience additional material weaknesses in our internal control. Even if we are able to remedy the outstanding material weakness and conclude that our internal control over financial reporting provides reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), because of its inherent limitations, our internal controls over financial reporting may not prevent or detect fraud or misstatements. Failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm our results of operations, or cause us to fail to meet our future reporting obligations.
The process of compiling the system and processing documentation necessary to perform the evaluation needed to comply with SOX 404 is costly and challenging, and we may not be able to complete evaluation, testing, and any required remediation in a timely fashion. If we fail to remedy the material weakness in a timely manner, or at all, and are unable to achieve adequate internal control over financial reporting in the future, we may not be able to produce reliable financial reports or help prevent fraud, which could prevent us from complying with our reporting obligations on a timely basis, which could result in the loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our consolidated financial statements, harm our business and negatively impact the trading price of our Common Shares.
We expect to incur ongoing costs and obligations related to infrastructure, growth, regulatory compliance, and operations for Pure Sunfarms.
Pure Sunfarms expects to incur significant ongoing costs and obligations related to its investment in infrastructure and growth and for regulatory compliance, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows. In addition, future changes in regulations, more vigorous enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events could require extensive changes to our operations, increased compliance costs or give rise to material liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Our efforts to grow our business may be costlier than expected, and we may not be able to increase our revenue enough to offset our higher operating expenses. We may incur significant losses in the future for a number of reasons, including the other risks described in these “Risk Factors”, and unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications and delays, and other unknown events.
We may be unable to manage our growth successfully.
We may not be able to successfully manage our growth. Our growth strategy will place significant demands on our financial, operational and management resources. In order to continue our growth, we will need to add administrative, management and other personnel, and make additional investments in operations and systems. We may not be able to locate and train qualified personnel, or do so on a timely basis, or expand our operations and systems to the extent, and in the time, required.
In particular, we may not have the capacity to meet customer demand or to meet future demand when it arises in respect of our Canadian cannabis business and BHB’s cannabinoid business. In addition, delays in obtaining, or conditions imposed by, regulatory approvals and quality control and health concerns in respect of these businesses could have a negative effect on our growth strategy. If we cannot manage growth in these markets effectively, it may have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
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In addition, we will need to effectively execute on business opportunities and continue to build on and deploy corporate development and marketing assets as well as access sufficient new capital, as may be required. The ability to successfully complete acquisitions and to capitalize on other growth opportunities may redirect our limited resources. This may require us to commit substantial financial, operational, and technical resources in advance of an increase in the volume of business, with no assurance that the volume of business will increase. There can be no assurance we will be able to respond adequately or quickly enough to the changing demands that material expansion of our business will impose on management, team members and existing operations and systems, and changes to our operating structure may result in increased costs or inefficiencies that we cannot anticipate. Changes as we grow may have a negative impact on our operations, and cost increases resulting from our inability to effectively manage our growth could adversely impact our profitability. In addition, continued growth could also strain our ability to maintain reliable service levels for our clients, develop and approve our operational, financial and management controls, enhance our reporting systems and procedures and recruit, train and retain highly skilled personnel.
Failure to effectively manage our growth could result in difficulty or delays in servicing clients, declines in quality or client satisfaction, increases in costs, difficulties in introducing new products or applications or other operational difficulties, and any of these difficulties could adversely impact our business performance and results of operations. There can be no assurance that we will effectively be able to manage our expanding operations, including any acquisitions, that our growth will result in profit, that we will be able to attract and retain sufficient management personnel necessary for growth or that we will be able to successfully make strategic investments or acquisitions.
In addition, acquisitions of additional businesses that we may pursue in the future may be financed wholly or partially with debt, which may temporarily increase our debt levels above industry standards. Any debt financing secured in the future could involve additional restrictive covenants relating to capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including other future potential acquisitions.
Our operations are subject to natural catastrophes.
Our operations may be adversely affected by severe weather including wind, snow, hail, and rain, which may result in our operations having reduced harvest yields due to lower light levels, or a more catastrophic event as occurred at our Marfa, Texas facilities on May 31, 2012, when we lost three of our operating greenhouses to a short but powerful hailstorm. Although we anticipate and factor in certain periods of lower than optimal light levels, extended periods of severe or unusual light levels may adversely impact our financial results due to higher costs and missed sales opportunities arising from reduced production yields.
From February 13-17, 2021, a major winter and ice storm with extremely cold temperatures impacted parts of the United States and Canada and in particular Texas. The unprecedented winter storm caused electricity demand in Texas to increase dramatically as Texas facilities were not built for such climate conditions. The storm caused major problems with sources of electricity, due to frozen wind turbines, natural gas production losses, and power generator outages, leading to a short-term situation in which demand vastly exceeded supply within the Texas power grid, which is not connected to the larger U.S. power grid. The loss of fuel supply and power generating capacity forced the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”), the nonprofit grid operator, to declare an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3 and begin rotating power outages. Throughout the 5-day emergency period, the real-time price for electricity elevated to the maximum allowable price of $9,000 per MWh, which is more than 100 times higher than the prices observed in early February 2021 and historical February pricing. In order to mitigate future price instability, in winter months, the Company has initiated fixed contracts for a significant portion of its anticipated electricity requirements at all our Texas facilities. In addition, the Company reassessed its back-up systems to ensure that the greenhouses have enough capacity to produce the required electrical output if an outage occurs again in the future. While we maintain fixed contracts for a portion of our anticipated electricity requirements and have improved back-up systems, the impact of a future similar event may adversely impact our business operations and financial condition of the Company.
Our business operations, some of which are located on the British Columbia coast, are located in an area that is geologically active and considered to be at risk from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Our earthquake and volcanic eruption deductible are 10% of our loss caused by the earthquake or volcanic eruption, subject to a maximum deductible of C$5,000,000. In addition, climate change over time is predicted to lead to changes in the frequency of storm events as well as their severity. We are unable to predict the impact of climate change on our business. Our Texas facilities, due to our claim in respect of the May 31, 2012 hailstorm, are also subject to high deductibles as well as a total claim limit that if all four facilities were simultaneously impacted by the same storm or catastrophic event may result is less than adequate coverage. While we maintain insurance coverage, we cannot predict that all potential insurable risks have been foreseen or that adequate coverage is maintained against known risks.
We may suffer from uninsured and underinsured losses.
We maintain insurance coverage in respect of our potential liabilities and the accidental loss of value of our assets from risks, in those amounts, with those insurers, and on those terms as we consider appropriate to purchase and which is readily available, taking into account all relevant factors including the practices of owners of similar assets and operations, as well as costs. However, not all risks are covered by insurance or the insurance may have high deductibles, and no assurance can be given that insurance will be consistently available or will be consistently available on an economically feasible basis, or that the amounts of insurance will at all
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times be sufficient to cover each and every loss or claim that may occur involving the assets or our operations and loss payments may not be as timely and responsive as our working capital needs require.
In particular, because Pure Sunfarms and Rose LifeScience are engaged in and operate within the cannabis industry, there are exclusions and additional difficulties and complexities associated with obtaining insurance coverage that could cause the Company to suffer uninsured losses, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and profitability. Further, our insurance coverage is subject to coverage limits and exclusions and may not be available for the risks inherit in the business. If the Company were to incur substantial liability and such damages were not covered by insurance or were in excess of policy limits, the Company may be exposed to material uninsured liabilities that could impede liquidity, profitability, or solvency.
In addition, damage caused by an accidental or natural disaster to any or all of our key production facilities may result in significant replacement costs and loss of business that may not be fully recoverable or is subject to a high deductible (such as an earthquake or volcanic eruption in British Columbia) under any insurance policy. Furthermore, we do not carry crop loss insurance, and accordingly, we would have to bear the cost of any significant losses related to crop losses in the future.
Our operations require certain key inputs, including raw materials and energy, and we are subject to their costs and potential supply disruptions.
Our business is dependent on a number of key inputs and their related costs including raw materials, packaging materials and supplies related to our growing operations, as well as electricity, water, and other local utilities. Any significant interruption or negative change in the availability or economics of the supply chain for key inputs could materially impact our business, financial condition, and operating results. Any inability to secure required supplies and services or to do so on appropriate terms could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and operating results. Our greenhouse operations consume considerable energy for heat and carbon dioxide production and are vulnerable to rising energy costs. Energy costs have shown volatility, which has and may continue to adversely impact our cost structure. Should the cost of energy rise, and should we face difficulties in sustaining price increases to offset the impact of increasing fuel costs, gross profit margins could be adversely impacted.
In addition, our Canadian cannabis cultivation operations consume considerable energy, making it vulnerable to rising energy costs and power outages. Rising or volatile energy costs may adversely impact our business, and our Canadian cannabis operations could be significantly affected by a prolonged power outage.
Our ability to compete and grow will be dependent on having access, at a reasonable cost and in a timely manner, to skilled labor, equipment, parts, and components. No assurances can be given that we will be successful in maintaining the required supply of skilled labor, equipment, parts, and components. It is also possible that the expansion plans contemplated by Pure Sunfarms may cost more than anticipated, in which circumstance Pure Sunfarms may curtail, or extend timeframes for completing the expansion plans. This could have a material adverse effect on our financial results and operations.
Our business and operating results rely on effective quality control.
The quality and safety of our products are critical to the success of our business and operations. As such, it is imperative that our (and our service providers’) quality control systems operate effectively and successfully. Quality control systems can be negatively impacted by the design of the quality control systems, the quality training program, and adherence by employees to quality control guidelines. Although we strive to ensure that all of our service providers have implemented and adhered to high caliber quality control systems, any significant failure or deterioration of such quality control systems could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.
We face risks related to cyber security attacks and other incidents.
Cyber security has become an increasingly problematic issue for issuers and businesses around the world, including us. Cyber security attacks against organizations of all sizes are increasing in sophistication and are often focused on financial fraud, compromising sensitive data for inappropriate use or disrupting business operations. A cyber incident is considered to be any adverse event that threatens the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of our information resources. More specifically, a cyber incident is an intentional attack or an unintentional event that can include gaining unauthorized access to information systems to disrupt operations, corrupt data or steal confidential information. As our reliance on technology has increased, so have the risks posed to our systems. Our primary risk that could directly result from the occurrence of a cyber incident include operational interruption, damage to our reputation, damage to our business relationships, disclosure of confidential information regarding our employees and third parties with whom we interact, and may result in negative consequences, including remediation costs, loss of revenue, additional regulatory scrutiny, and litigation. We maintain cyber security insurance and have implemented processes, procedures, and controls to help mitigate these risks, but these measures, as well as our increased awareness of a risk of a cyber incident, do not guarantee that our financial results will not be negatively impacted by such an incident.
Our potential international expansion may heighten our operational risks.
Any expansion by us into jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States is subject to additional risks, including political, economic, legal, and other risks and uncertainties associated with operating in or exporting to these jurisdictions. These risks
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and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, changes in the laws, regulations and policies governing the production, sale and use of cannabis, cannabis-based products, hemp, CBD, political instability, currency controls, fluctuations in currency exchange rates and rates of inflation, labor unrest, changes in taxation laws, regulations and policies, restrictions on foreign exchange and repatriation and changing political conditions and governmental regulations relating to foreign investment and the cannabis, hemp and CBD businesses more generally.
Changes, if any, in the laws, regulations and policies relating to the advertising, production, sale and use of cannabis and cannabis-based products or in the general economic policies in these international jurisdictions, or shifts in political attitude related thereto, may adversely affect the operations or profitability related to international operations in these countries. Specifically, operations may be affected in varying degrees by government regulations with respect to, but not limited to, restrictions on advertising, production, price controls, export controls, controls on currency remittance, increased income taxes, restrictions on foreign investment, land and water use restrictions and government policies rewarding contracts to local competitors or requiring domestic producers or vendors to purchase supplies from a particular jurisdiction. Failure to comply strictly with applicable laws, regulations and local practices could result in additional taxes, costs, civil or criminal fines or penalties or other expenses being levied, as well as other potential adverse consequences such as the loss of necessary permits or governmental approvals.
There can be no assurance that our current acquisitions, investments or expansions of scope of existing relationships will have a beneficial impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We currently have acquisitions and investments with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our existing business. Our ability to complete acquisitions is dependent upon, and may be limited by, the availability of suitable candidates and capital. In addition, acquisitions could present unforeseen integration obstacles or costs, may not enhance our business, and/or may involve risks that could adversely affect us, including significant amounts of management time that may be diverted from operations in order to pursue and complete such transactions. Acquisitions, investments or expansion of scope of existing relationships could result in the incurrence of additional debt, costs and contingent liabilities, and there can be no assurance that our acquisitions, investments or expansion of scope of existing relationships will achieve the expected benefits to our business. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
There can be no assurance that future mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, alliances, joint ventures, investments or other strategic transactions will be consummated or have a positive impact on our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations.
Historically, the senior management of the Company and the Company’s board have been engaged in discussions surrounding the strategic direction of the Company in light of, among other things, the rapid growth and substantial changes in the cannabis industry and the other businesses in which we operate. As part of these discussions, senior management of the Company and the Company’s board from time to time have considered, and may consider in the future, various transactions in the context of its long-term business plan, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, alliances, joint ventures, investments or other strategic transactions. The Company also has also been approached from time to time by parties wishing to discuss potential commercial or acquisition opportunities. In certain cases, the Company has entered into confidentiality agreements with third parties under which the Company provided certain non-public information to those parties.
We can provide no assurance that any such discussions will result in a transaction or that any such transaction ultimately will have a positive impact on our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations.
Our competitive position may be affected by technological advances.
Rapidly changing markets, technology, emerging industry standards and frequent introduction of new products characterize our business, particularly in the cannabis market. The introduction of new products embodying new technologies, including new manufacturing processes, and the emergence of new industry standards may render our cannabis products obsolete, less competitive, or less marketable. The process of developing our cannabis products is complex and requires significant continuing costs, development efforts and third-party commitments. If we fail to develop new technologies and products and address the obsolescence of existing technologies, our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be adversely affected. In addition, it is possible that more economical or efficient greenhouse production technology than what we currently use will be developed, thereby potentially adversely affecting our competitive position.
We may be unable to anticipate changes in our customer requirements for our cannabis that could make our existing technology obsolete. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to continue to enhance our existing technologies, develop new technology that addresses the increasing sophistication and varied needs of the market, and respond to technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices on a timely and cost-effective basis. Although we are committed to researching and developing new markets and products and improving existing products, there can be no assurances that such research and market development activities will prove profitable or that the resulting markets and/or products, if any, will be commercially viable or successfully produced and marketed. The development of our proprietary technology entails significant technical and business risks, and may require significant continuing costs, development efforts and third-party commitments. We may not be successful in using new technologies or exploiting niche markets effectively or adapting our cannabis business to evolving customer or medical
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requirements or preferences or emerging industry standards. This may have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our products may be subject to recalls.
Manufacturers of products are sometimes subject to the recall or return of their products for a variety of reasons, including product defects, such as contamination, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety and inadequate or inaccurate labelling disclosure. If any of our products are recalled due to an alleged product defect or for any other reason, we could be required to incur the unexpected expense of the recall and any legal proceedings that might arise in connection with the recall. We may lose a significant number of sales and may not be able to replace those sales at an acceptable margin or at all. In addition, a product recall may require significant management attention. Although we have put in place detailed procedures for testing our products, there can be no assurance that any quality, potency, or contamination problems will be detected in time to avoid unforeseen product recalls, regulatory action, or lawsuits. A recall for any of the foregoing reasons could lead to decreased demand for products and could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Additionally, product recalls may lead to increased scrutiny of our operations by Health Canada and other regulatory agencies, requiring further management attention and potential legal fees and other expenses.
Any product recall affecting the cannabis industry more broadly, whether or not involving us, could also lead consumers to lose confidence in the safety and security of the products sold by entities licensed under the Cannabis Act generally, including the cannabis products sold by Pure Sunfarms and Rose LifeScience.
We are subject to risks related to payment from our customers.
We accept payments using a variety of methods, including credit card, debit card, consumer invoicing, physical bank check and payment upon delivery. As we offer new payment options to consumers, we may be subject to additional regulations, compliance requirements, fraud and other risks. For certain payment methods, including credit and debit cards, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time and raise our operating costs and lower profitability. We are also subject to payment card association operating rules and certification requirements, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (“PCI DSS”) and rules governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult for us to comply. Failure to comply with these rules or requirements, as well as any breach, compromise, or failure to otherwise detect or prevent fraudulent activity involving our data security systems, could result in our being liable for card issuing banks’ costs, subject to fines and higher transaction fees, and loss of our ability to accept credit and debit card payments from our customers, process electronic funds transfers, or facilitate other types of online payments, and our business and operating results could be adversely affected.
Furthermore, as our business changes, we may be subject to different rules under existing standards, which may require new assessments which may increase our current compliance costs. In the future, as we offer new payment options to consumers, including by way of integrating emerging mobile and other payment methods, we may be subject to additional regulations, compliance requirements and fraud. If we fail to comply with the rules or requirements of any provider of a payment method we accept or if a data breach occurs relating to our payment systems, we may, among other things, be subject to fines or higher transaction fees and may lose, or face restrictions placed upon, our ability to accept credit card payments from consumers or facilitate other types of online payments. We are also subject to or voluntarily comply with other laws and regulations relating to payments, money laundering, international money transfers, privacy, data protection, data security, network security, consumer protection, and electronic fund transfers. If we were found to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations, we could be subject to regulatory, civil or criminal penalties, or lose the ability to provide certain services. If any of these events were to occur, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
We face risks related to intellectual property.
The ownership, licensing and protection of trademarks and other intellectual property rights are significant aspects of our future success. It is possible that we will not be able to register, maintain registration for or enforce all of our intellectual property, including trademarks, in all key jurisdictions. The intellectual property registration process can be expensive and time-consuming, and we may not be able to file and prosecute all necessary or desirable intellectual property applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner or may obtain intellectual property registrations which are invalid. It is also possible that we will fail to identify patentable aspects of inventions made in the course of their development and commercialization activities before it is too late to obtain patent protection for them. Further, changes in either intellectual property laws or interpretation of intellectual property laws in the U.S, Canada and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property rights or narrow the scope of our intellectual property protection. As a result, our current or future intellectual property portfolio may not provide us with sufficient rights to protect our business, including our products, processes, and brands.
Termination or limitation of the scope of any intellectual property license may restrict or delay or eliminate our ability to develop and commercialize our products, which could adversely affect our business. We cannot guarantee that any third-party technology we license will not be unenforceable or licensed to our competitors or used by others. In the future, we may need to obtain licenses, renew existing license agreements in place at such time or otherwise replace existing technology. We are unable to predict whether these license agreements can be obtained or renewed, or the technology can be replaced on acceptable terms, or at all.
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Unauthorized parties may attempt to replicate or otherwise obtain and use our products, brands, and technology. Policing the unauthorized use of our current or future trademarks, patents or other intellectual property rights could be difficult, expensive, time consuming and unpredictable, as may be enforcing these rights against unauthorized use by others. Identifying the unauthorized use of intellectual property rights is difficult as we may be unable to effectively monitor and evaluate the products being distributed by our competitors, including parties such as unlicensed dispensaries and black-market participants, and the processes used to produce such products. In addition, in any infringement proceeding, some or all of our trademarks or other intellectual property rights or other proprietary know-how, or those we license from others, or arrangements or agreements seeking to protect the same for our benefit, may be found invalid, unenforceable, anti-competitive or not infringed; may be interpreted narrowly; or could put existing intellectual property applications at risk of not being issued.
In addition, other parties may claim that our products, or those it licenses from others, infringe on their intellectual property, including their proprietary or patent protected rights. Such claims, whether meritorious or not, may result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources and legal fees, result in injunctions or temporary restraining orders, or require the payment of damages. As well, we may need to obtain licenses from third parties who allege that we have infringed on their lawful rights. Such licenses may not be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all. In addition, we may not be able to obtain or utilize on terms that are favorable to us, or at all, licenses, or other rights with respect to intellectual property that we do not own.
We also rely on certain trade secrets, technical know-how and proprietary information that are not protected by patents to maintain our competitive position. Our trade secrets, technical know-how and proprietary information, which are not protected by patents, may become known to, or be independently developed by competitors, which could adversely affect us.
INDUSTRY RISK FACTORS
The legal cannabis and hemp-derived CBD industries are relatively new, and we cannot predict whether they will continue to grow as anticipated.
As federal License Holders under the Cannabis Act, Pure Sunfarms and Rose LifeScience are operating in the relatively new cannabis industry and market in Canada, and Balanced Health is operating in the relatively new hemp-derived cannabinoid industry and market. In addition to being subject to general business risks, we must continue to build brand awareness in these industries and market share through significant investments in our strategy, production capacity, quality assurance and compliance with regulations. Research in Canada, the United States and internationally regarding the health benefits, viability, safety, efficacy and dosing of cannabis or isolated cannabinoids remains in relatively early stages. Few clinical trials on the benefits of cannabis or isolated cannabinoids have been conducted. Future research and clinical trials may draw opposing conclusions to statements contained in the articles, reports and studies currently favored, or could reach different or negative conclusions regarding the health benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing or other facts and perceptions related to cannabis, which could adversely affect social acceptance of cannabis and the demand for our cannabis and cannabinoid products.
Accordingly, there is no assurance that the cannabis and hemp-derived CBD industries and markets will continue to exist and grow as currently estimated or anticipated or function and evolve in the manner consistent with management’s expectations and assumptions. Furthermore, we can provide no assurance that cannabis will ever become federally legal in the United States. Any event or circumstance that adversely affects the cannabis and hemp-derived CBD industries could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain customers.
Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain customers. There are many factors which could impact our ability to attract and retain customers, including but not limited to the ability to continually grow and distribute desirable produce and cannabis.
For Pure Sunfarms, Rose LifeScience and Balanced Health, the successful implementation of a customer acquisition plan and the continued growth in the aggregate number of potential customers are critical to the ability to attract and retain customers. Even if the products of our Canadian cannabis companies and Balanced Health achieve initial retail success, our long-term success is significantly dependent upon the ability to develop new and improved product lines. In addition, we can provide no assurance that campaigns to promote the products of Pure Sunfarms, Rose LifeScience and Balanced Health will be successful in attracting customers, and any such campaigns are heavily regulated and can entail significant expense. Our failure to acquire and retain customers and the imposition of further restrictions on sales and marketing or further restrictions on sales in certain areas and markets, could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
Pure Sunfarms and Rose LifeScience may be affected by cannabis supply and demand fluctuations.
Entities licensed under the Cannabis Act have most recently and may continue to produce more cannabis than the current adult use demand. In order to meet the initial adult use demand, Pure Sunfarms, Rose LifeScience and other entities licensed under the Cannabis Act built special purpose cultivation facilities with additional production capacity to be licensed. Recently, due to oversupply within the industry, some Licensed Producers are reducing capacity by shuttering cultivation facilities. Adult use demand for cannabis products is dependent on a number of social, political, and economic factors that are beyond our control including the pace of new retail cannabis stores, which could be slowed by the impact of COVID-19. In addition, the initial demand that has been
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experienced following legalization in Canada may not continue at comparable levels or may not be sustainable as a portion of such demand may have been a result of the novelty of legalization.
Currently, Pure Sunfarms, Rose LifeScience and other entities licensed under the Cannabis Act are producing more cannabis than is needed to satisfy the collective demand of the Canadian adult use markets. As a result, the available supply of cannabis exceeds demand, resulting in a significant decline in the market price for cannabis. If this continues, there is no assurance that Pure Sunfarms or Rose LifeScience would be able to generate sufficient revenue from the sale of adult use cannabis to be profitable. Ultimately, Canadian adult use market demand may not be sufficient to support our current or future products or business.
We may be negatively affected by unfavorable publicity, adverse scientific findings and/or negative consumer perception of cannabis.