The Parent Co & Glass House Terminate $50 Million Cannabis Investment Deal
SAN JOSE– TPCO Holding Corp. (NEO: GRAM.U) (OTCQX: GRAMF), today announced that its previously announced conditional agreement to complete a $50 million strategic investment in GH Group, Inc, has been terminated by the parties effective today and the Strategic Investment will not be completed at this time.
The Parent Co., based in New York, did not give a reason for the deal’s termination in a news release.
The investment, announced in May, would have seen The Parent Co. buy a 6.2% stake in Glass House in exchange for access to cannabis supply from Glass House and retail shelf space for Parent Co. products in Glass House retail stores.
Glass House was recently acquired by Mercer Park Brand Acquisition Corp., an acquisition that was already in the works when The Parent Co. and Glasshouse announced the investment deal.
Mercer Park Brand Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, recently merged with Glass House.
The Parent Company will consider future partnership opportunities as Glass House purchases and completes the retrofit of its greenhouse cultivation facility in southern California.
“In addition to our supply of award-winning, in-house cannabis, we remain well-positioned with sufficient access to both high-quality, low-cost indoor and outdoor-grown cannabis for use in our portfolio of branded products that are sold through our wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels,” said Steve Allan, Chief Executive Officer of The Parent Company. “Glass House is building a robust cultivation footprint in California, and we look forward to working with their team in the future on potential collaborations as we broaden our reach across the State. Looking ahead, we will continue to strategically deploy our capital on high-growth investment opportunities that will solidify our leadership position and offer strong value for our shareholders.”
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation which reflects The Parent Company’s current expectations regarding future events. The words “will”, “expects”, “intends” and similar expressions are often intended to identify forward looking information, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words.
Specific forward-looking information contained in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements concerning potential future collaborations between Glass House and The Parent Company and plans to deploy capital towards high-growth opportunities. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond The Parent Company’s control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, changes in applicable laws, the U.S. and Canadian regulatory landscapes and enforcement related to cannabis, changes in public opinion and perception of the cannabis industry, reliance on the expertise and judgment of senior management, as well as the factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in The Parent Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 25, 2021, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Parent Company undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.
Caution Regarding Cannabis Operations in the United States
Investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable U.S. federal money laundering legislation.
While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with medical or adult-use cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve The Parent Company of liability under U.S. federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against the Company. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of The Parent Company and any proceedings brought against the Company thereunder may adversely affect the Company’s operations and financial performance.
(This information is primarily sourced from TPCO. Highly Capitalized has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Read our Disclaimer here).