High Tide Celebrates Lifting of Alberta Retail Licencing Moratorium with 9 More Stores Ready to Sell Cannabis Products
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CALGARY , May 31, 2019 /CNW/ - High Tide Inc. ("High Tide" or the "Company") (HITI.CN) (HITIF) (2LY.F), an Alberta -based, retail-focused cannabis corporation enhanced by the manufacturing and wholesale distribution of smoking accessories and cannabis lifestyle products, today is celebrating the announcement by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis ("AGLC") that it has lifted the moratorium on issuing retail cannabis licences and accepting new licence applications. The announcement provides certainty and clarity for the licencing of nine approved Canna Cabana locations currently selling accessories, as well as for the next 23 locations in various stages of development, in addition to the four Canna Cabana locations currently selling cannabis in Alberta .
AGLC will be issuing five licences per week until all approved locations have been licenced. "Now that the moratorium has been lifted, High Tide's retail segment can resume its high rate of growth by helping satisfy the strong demand for legal cannabis products throughout Alberta ," said Raj Grover, President and Chief Executive Officer of High Tide. "This announcement also enables us to hire more Albertans, deliver our top-rated retail experience to more customers, as well as educate and engage with more communities across the province," added Mr. Grover. The Company has been a leading retailer of cannabis products since October of 2018, subsequent to the legalization of recreational cannabis for adult use across Canada .
High Tide expects its next licence to be issued within the next two weeks and all nine approved stores to be licenced to sell cannabis products in the near term, barring any changes by AGLC. Work is now being accelerated on the next 23 locations permitted in Alberta , of which 19 will be Canna Cabana stores and four will be KushBar stores, all of which will be added to AGLC's queue for licencing upon completion. This announcement, along with the recent acquisition of a retail cannabis business in Saskatchewan , Canna Cabana being drawn to open a cannabis store in Manitoba as well as the upcoming opening of the branded Canna Cabana Toronto store, all position High Tide to significantly increase its retail footprint in Canada .
About High Tide Inc.
High Tide is an Alberta -based, retail-focused cannabis corporation enhanced by the manufacturing and wholesale distribution of smoking accessories and cannabis lifestyle products. It is a vertically-integrated company in the Canadian cannabis market, with portfolio subsidiaries including RGR Canada Inc., Famous Brandz Inc., Kush West Distribution Inc., Smoker's Corner Ltd., Grasscity.com, Canna Cabana Inc. and the majority of KushBar Inc. High Tide's strategy as a parent company is to extend and strengthen its integrated value chain, while providing a complete customer experience and maximizing shareholder value. Key industry investors in High Tide include Aphria Inc. (APHA.TO) (APHA), Aurora Cannabis Inc. (ACB) (ACB.TO) (21P.F) and FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE:HUGE) (FSDDF) (0K9.F).
Representing the core of High Tide's business, RGR Canada Inc. is a high-quality and innovative designer, manufacturer and distributor of cannabis accessories. Famous Brandz Inc. is a dominant manufacturer of licenced lifestyle accessories, through partnerships with celebrities and entertainment companies including Snoop Dogg and Paramount Pictures. Famous Brandz' products are sold to wholesalers and retailers around the world. Founded in 2009 and approved by the Canadian Franchise Association, Smoker's Corner Ltd. is among Canada's largest counter-culture chains with 13 locations. Kush West Distribution is in the process of becoming a cannabis wholesaler in the province of Saskatchewan . Based in Amsterdam since 2000, Grasscity.com is the world's preeminent and most searchable online retailer of smoking accessories and cannabis lifestyle products with approximately 5.8 million site visits annually. With the deregulation of recreational cannabis for adult use across Canada , Canna Cabana Inc., with 16 currently-branded locations, is in the process of becoming a sizeable retail brand with a sophisticated yet playful customer experience, while KushBar Inc. is a retail concept that will also be focused on the valued Canadian cannabis consumer.
For more information about High Tide Inc., please visit www.hightideinc.com and its profile page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. Such information and statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements" are made as of the date of this news release or as of the date of the effective date of information described in this news release, as applicable. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by use of words such as "outlook", "expects", "intend", "forecasts", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "envisages, "assumes", "needs", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof, or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "can", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms or similar expressions, and other similar terminology) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, including but not limited to the ability of High Tide to execute on its business plan and that High Tide will receive one or multiple licences from Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis, British Columbia's Liquor Distribution Branch, Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba , Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario or the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority permitting it to carry on its Canna Cabana Inc. and KushBar Inc. businesses. High Tide considers these assumptions to be reasonable in the circumstances. However, there can be no assurance that any one or more of the government, industry, market, operational or financial targets as set out herein will be achieved. Inherent in the forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
The forwardâ€looking statements contained herein are current as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, High Tide does not have any obligation to advise any person if it becomes aware of any inaccuracy in or omission from any forward-looking statement, nor does it intend, or assume any obligation, to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances. Any and all forward-looking statements included in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement, and except as otherwise indicated, are made as of the date of this news release.
SOURCE High Tide Inc.
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