Green Leaf Innovations CEO Robert
Mederos Issues Letter to Shareholders and Provides Corporate Update
Focusing on Long-Term Growth and Value Creation
PEMBROKE PINES, FL -- April 18, 2023 -- InvestorsHub NewsWire
-- Green Leaf Innovations, Inc., ("Green Leaf" or the
"Company") (OTC:
GRLF), an emerging growth company engaged in the manufacturing,
marketing, and distribution of handmade premium cigars, today
issued the following letter to its shareholders from Green Leaf
Innovations CEO Robert Mederos:
Dear Fellow Green Leaf Innovations Shareholders,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and in high spirits. On
behalf of our employees, partners, and other key stakeholders, I am
delighted to have you as shareholders and valued members of our
corporate family, and it is my pleasure to provide you with this
update to share our vision for the future of our company.
Who We
Are
For investors new to our company, our business focuses on marketing
and distributing handmade premium cigars manufactured in Nicaragua.
We strategically import and distribute premium cigar brands and
private label brands to cigar lounges, smoke shops, convenience
stores, and vape shops across the United States and in
international markets. Additionally, we distribute packaged
whole-leaf tobacco to other wholesale distributors of consumer
tobacco products.
The
Importance of Our Foundational Operations in Nicaragua
Nicaragua is a land rich with volcanic soil, which gives our
tobacco its unique character. The fertile valleys of Jalapa and
Estelí and the increasing tobacco cultivation in Condega and
Ometepe have provided us with exquisite filler, binder, and wrapper
leaves essential for our premium cigars. The importance of having a long-standing operation
in Nicaragua cannot be understated. In fact, during the first eight
months of 2022, Nicaragua-based cigar firms shipped 167
million cigars to the United States, an 8.9 percent increase over
the same period in 2021.
Our partnership with a third-generation, family-owned Nicaraguan
business has been instrumental in crafting high-quality boutique
cigars. Their passion and attention to detail have allowed us to
maintain consistency and deliver unique flavors to our
customers.
Our production process, from greenhouse seedlings to fermentation
and final product, is carefully managed to ensure the highest
quality of cigars. We employ traditional techniques, such as row
plowing with oxen and eucalyptus stick curing, alongside modern
technology, like custom water filtration and drip irrigation
systems, to balance tradition and innovation perfectly. Every cigar product I ship
out reflects my commitment to delivering the best possible customer
experience. I would even say I am obsessed with our quality
control, rooted in being from a third-generation Cuban tobacco
family. My cigars reflect the pride of my family, and I will never
compromise quality for a quick buck.
A Growing
Industry on the Rise
The global luxury cigar market was valued at USD 11.61 billion in 2020 and is expected to
expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% from 2021 to
2028. According to Cigar Aficionado Magazine, more than
307 million imported handmade,
premium cigars were shipped to the United States in just
the first eight months of 2022, an increase of 4.3 percent. Shipping 300 million
cigars was once considered the
benchmark for a good year in the cigar business: now, it's just
a starting point. In fact, according to the Cigar Association of
America, imports through November 30, 2022 have continued an upward
trend for premium cigar imports at a 2% year-over-year growth rate,
while imports of popular price cigars are down 12% in the same
period.
Key Growth
Initiatives for Green Leaf
Looking ahead, we see significant growth potential in the premium
cigar market. We will continue to strengthen our partnerships,
expand our distribution network, and explore new domestic and
international markets.
-
We have
discovered unattended markets ripe for growth, including targeting
golf courses, hotels and resorts, sporting events, and business
gatherings.
These markets have untapped potential, ignored by major brands and
large industrial producers who continue to focus on traditional
channels. Nearly 10% of all U.S. premium cigar sales occur on golf
courses or in relation to golf. Yet, point-of-sale displays at golf
clubs are generally ignored by major brands.
-
We have
the capabilities to deliver bespoke, white-label orders that meet
the customer's unique specifications for style, volume, and
quality.
We have been approached by several large potential customers in the
wine and liquor industry, along with retailers that are interested
in pairing our cigars with complementary products. Our cigars can
pair with other premium products for an all-encompassing customer
experience.
-
Our B2B
customers in the market are increasingly launching e-commerce
websites in large, lucrative markets owing to the rising internet
penetration and increasing propensity for mobile shopping among
consumers.
Our cigars can pair with other premium products for an
all-encompassing customer experience.
Corporate
Updates
It is fair to say that up to this point, we have not made any
public comments or addressed investors, only making our regulatory
filings and issuing occasional press releases. Going forward, Green
Leaf will be more transparent in our investor communications. As we
announced earlier this month, I have hired an investor relations
agency to address investor concerns, answer questions, and help
bring new investors to our company. Running this operation between
our offices in Florida and our factory in Nicaragua, I've had to
wear many different hats, and regretfully I couldn't keep up with
all the investor inquiries. This will no longer be the case, and I
urge everyone to contact our investor relations agency with their
questions.
I invite everyone to subscribe to our distribution list to stay
informed on upcoming developments. Please visit: https://greenleafinnovations.co/subscribe-for-free-newsletter/.
In the coming weeks, we will update everyone on the progress we've
made in growing our business. We intend on actively marketing our
company, putting more resources into social media and popular
online investor forums to generate greater awareness of our story.
We are working on updating our investor presentation and website.
We will inform everyone of these updates in a timely manner.
-
Regarding
our tier 1 Regulation A Offering, we recently filed an amended
Offering Circular where we
amended the final pricing of the offering to a price of $0.08 per
share of Series B Preferred Stock (from $0.10) for a total
aggregate offering amount of $8,000,000.
The cigar manufacturing and distribution business is
capital-intensive, from raw materials and equipment to SG&A
(and being a public company). We need growth capital to fulfill
purchase orders and scale our business through the growth
initiatives I've described. I don't take stock dilution lightly and
will only look to raise capital to grow our business and deliver
value to shareholders.
Going
Forward
Our commitment to providing exceptional cigars remains unwavering,
and we are confident that our products will continue to delight
cigar enthusiasts around the world.
In closing, I would like to express my gratitude for your ongoing
support and investment in Green Leaf Innovations, Inc. Our success
is a testament to your belief in our vision, and I remain committed
to delivering outstanding returns for our shareholders while
preserving the rich tradition of hand-crafted, premium cigars.
Sincerely,
Robert Mederos
Chief Executive Officer
Green Leaf Innovations, Inc.
About Green Leaf Innovations,
Inc.
Green Leaf Innovations, Inc., a Florida corporation, is an emerging
growth company engaged in the marketing and distribution of
handmade premium cigars. The Company strategically imports and
exclusively distributes some of the best-known premium cigar brands
in the marketplace. The Company was created by the Mederos family,
a third generation Cigar maker with Robert Mederos at the helm, who
has owned and operated handmade cigar operations in Nicaragua and
the U.S. for over 20 years with a rich family history in the craft
dating back to the 1800s in Cuba. Green Leaf features brands such
as CUBANACAN,
MEDEROS, and TABACALERA
SERRANO. The Company also distributes packaged whole leaf
Tobacco to cigar lounges, smoke shops, C-stores, and vape shops
across the United States and soon in international markets.
Additional information can be found on our website, www.greenleafinnovations.co,
or follow us on Twitter @otcgrlf.
Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements, other than purely historical information,
including estimates, projections, statements relating to our
business plans, objectives, and expected operating results, and the
assumptions upon which those statements are based, are
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
generally are identified by the words believes, project, expects,
anticipates, estimates, intends, strategy, plan, may, will, would,
will be, will continue, will likely result, and similar
expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current
expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and
uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially
from the forward-looking statements. Our ability to predict results
or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently
uncertain. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on
our operations and future prospects on a consolidated basis
include, but are not limited to: changes in economic conditions,
legislative/regulatory changes, availability of capital, interest
rates, competition, and generally accepted accounting principles.
These risks and uncertainties should also be considered in
evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not
be placed on such statements.
Company Contact:
info@greenleafinnovations.co
Investor Relations
Contact:
Matthew Abenante, IRC
President
Strategic Investor Relations, LLC
Tel: 800-303-6268 x4
Email: matthew@greenleafinnovations.co
