Kevin Murphy Archives - Green Market Report

StaffApril 9, 2019
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9min00

Former Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Clinician and Researcher Brings Expertise in Clinical Cannabinoid Therapeutics to Guide Multi-State Cannabis Operator

 

NEW YORK, April 09, 2019 /AxisWire/ Acreage Holdings (“Acreage”) (CSE: ACRG.U) (OTCQX: ACRGF), today announced the appointment of Corey Burchman, MD as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Burchman will oversee development of an Acreage medical advisory board, assist in developing patient outreach programs, and serve as medical risk mitigator to the company’s product development and innovation. Additionally, Corey will cultivate important relationships with regulatory partners and patient advocacy groups, and drive medical education and engagement throughout the company. Dr. Burchman will report to Chief Operating Officer, Bob Daino.

“Corey is a nationally recognized expert on clinical cannabinoid therapeutics and has chaired multiple national and international conferences on the use of medical cannabis for therapeutic purposes. He is the perfect fit for this critical position and will play an instrumental role in helping Acreage deliver on our mission of bringing safe, affordable cannabis to anyone who needs it,” said Acreage Chairman and CEO, Kevin Murphy

Prior to joining Acreage, Dr. Burchman served as Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, in Lebanon, NH. At Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, he directed the Section on Neuroanesthesia, the Post Anesthesia Care Unit, and the Same Day Surgical Program. Additionally, he was an Attending Physician on the Acute Pain Service. Dr. Burchman also served as Medical Advisor to the Board at Prime Alternative Treatment Center of New Hampshire, a therapeutic cannabis dispensary.

Dr. Burchman is an author of a May 2017 study that found a significant reduction in use of opioids, antidepressants and alcohol for pain, anxiety and sleep among medical cannabis patients in New England. Published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, it remains one of the largest studies of its kind.

On joining Acreage Dr. Burchman said, “In my role as Chief Medical Officer, I hope to bring my experience in clinical cannabinoid therapeutics as the basis for developing strong patient outreach programs, and building relationships with advocacy groups and partners. Working with Acreage allows me to further a theme that has anchored my entire career—patient safety—in an industry that has the capacity to change lives for the better across the country.”

Dr. Burchman received his medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine and his residency and fellowship training at Harvard Medical School, the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He has been actively involved in teaching medical residents, medical research, and administering clinical care for over 33 years. He is a US Navy veteran of 13 years.

ABOUT ACREAGE HOLDINGS
Headquartered in New York City, Acreage is the largest vertically integrated, multi-state owner of cannabis licenses and assets in the U.S. with respect to the number of states with cannabis related licenses, according to publicly available information.  Acreage owns licenses or has management services agreements in place with license holders to operate in 19 states (including pending acquisitions) with a population of more than 172 million Americans, and an estimated 2022 total addressable market of approximately $14 billion in legal cannabis sales, according to Arcview Market Research.  Acreage is dedicated to building and scaling operations to create a seamless, consumer-focused branded cannabis experience.  Acreage’s national retail store brand, The Botanist, debuted in 2018.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information, including, for greater certainty, statements regarding expanding our industry-leading footprint, rolling out a national brand, pending legislation, opening of new cannabis markets and the commencement of Oklahoma operations in 2019. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “proposed”, “is expected”, “budgets”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects Acreage’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Acreage and on assumptions Acreage believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: market acceptance and approvals. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Acreage to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations; competition; changes in legislation affecting Acreage; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. A description of additional assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Acreage’s disclosure documents, such as Acreage’s listing statement filed on November 14, 2018, on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although Acreage has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Acreage as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, Acreage expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.  The Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

Investor Contact:

Steve West
Vice President, Investor Relations
Investors@acreageholdings.com
646-600-9181

Media Contacts:

Howard Schacter
Head of Communications
h.schacter@acreageholdings.com
646-600-9181

 

 


William SumnerDecember 6, 2018
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3min00

As companies throughout the cannabis industry are seeking ways to create consistent and scalable cannabis products, Acreage Holdings Inc. (CSE: ACRG.U) is positioning itself to become the United States’ first national cannabis Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) company. On December 6, 2018, the company announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Form Factory, a multi-state distributor and manufacturer of cannabis beverages and edible products, in an all-stock transaction valued at $160 million.

“Creating a wide range of products that meet the diversified tastes of consumers and owning the national manufacturing and distribution platform to ensure their consistent and predictable delivery on a national basis is a key to long-term success and value creation in the cannabis industry,” said Kevin Murphy, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Acreage Holdings. “With this acquisition, we are now positioned to be both the first and only national cannabis CPG company and distribution platform in the U.S. cannabis industry.  The combination of the largest U.S. operational footprint, combined with the unique food and beverage manufacturing capabilities of Form Factory sets us on a direct path to becoming the Procter & Gamble of cannabis.”

Under the agreement, Acreage will issue 6.4 million Subordinate Voting Shares to Form Factory shareholders at a price of $25 per share. The company will acquire Form Factory’s grow/processor license and operations in the cities of Los Angeles, California; Oakland, California; and Portland, Oregon. Acreage will also acquire the management services contracts for Form Factory’s contract manufacturing business, as well as all of the company’s intellectual property.

With this acquisition, Acreage hopes to consistently manufacture and distribute branded cannabis products throughout the company’s 19 U.S. state footprint at a scalable level. In addition to cannabis products, Acreage plans on serving traditional, non-cannabis CPG companies. Although a specific date has not been set, the acquisition is expected to close within the first quarter of 2019.


William SumnerNovember 29, 2018
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3min00

Today, Acreage Holdings Inc. (CSE: ACRG.U) announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter, which ended on September 30, 2018.

Acreage reported quarterly revenue of $5.5 million, representing a 160% increase when compared to the same period in the previous year. The company’s year-to-date revenue increased by 92% to $10.6 million. The company’s net loss increased from $0.7 million in the third quarter of 2017 to $4 million. The year-to-date net loss was $2.1 million.

Gross profits for the quarter, excluding fair value items, was $1.9 million; up 118% when compared to the same period in the previous year. Year-to-date gross profits were $3.8 million, representing an increase of 76% over the previous year.

During the last quarter, Acreage launched its flagship brand, “The Botanist;” opening a cannabis dispensary in Baltimore, Maryland and increasing the number of dispensaries owned by the company to 16. By January 2019, the company expects to have as many as 23 retail dispensaries opened. Acreage was also awarded the right to receive one of eight total dispensary licenses in the state of North Dakota.

“We are in the midst of a transformative moment for the U.S. cannabis industry and we have been laying the groundwork to fully leverage our unique strategic advantages – scale, operational depth, and financial strength,” commented Kevin Murphy, Founder, and CEO of Acreage. “Our November public listing and private placement equity raise of approximately $314 million gives us the ability to continue to expand our industry-leading footprint beyond the 18 states that we are in. These efforts have laid the foundation for us to roll out the nation’s first truly national brands in the industry. With our operational foundation now in place and the tailwinds of transformational pending legislation that we anticipate will open new cannabis markets in the U.S., we believe we are in a strong position for the future.”

Acreage on the Move

Over the last month, Acreage has made a number of property purchases and acquisitions to strengthen its portfolio. Most recently the company close the acquisition of Michigan-based Blue Tire Holdings LLC, entered into an agreement to acquire the intellectual property rights of one of the world’s largest and diverse libraries of cannabis genetics, and has agreed to purchase a third Connecticut cannabis dispensary. The latest purchase in Connecticut will give Acreage three of nine dispensary licenses in the state.

 


StaffNovember 15, 2018
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4min00

NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2018 /AxisWire/ Kevin Murphy announced today that, in connection with the business combination (the “Business Combination”) completed on November 14, 2018 among certain parties, including Acreage Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) and High Street Capital Partners, LLC (d/b/a Acreage Holdings) (“Acreage Holdings”), Mr. Murphy acquired ownership of 168,000 class C multiple voting shares (the “Multiple Voting Shares”) of the Company, representing 100% of the issued and outstanding Multiple Voting Shares.  Murphy Capital LLC and The Kevin Murphy 2018 Annuity Trust, entities under the control and direction of Mr. Murphy, acquired an aggregate of 113,102 class B proportionate voting shares (the “Proportionate Voting Shares”) of the Company, representing approximately 7.8% of the issued and outstanding Proportionate Voting Shares. Following the Business Combination, Mr. Murphy and the entities under the control and direction of Mr. Murphy continue to hold an aggregate of 15,957,908 units of Acreage Holdings (the “Convertible Units”), which are ultimately convertible into 15,957,908 class A subordinate voting shares (the “Subordinate Voting Shares”) of the Company. Upon completion of the Business Combination, Mr. Murphy also received 540,000 options (the “Options”), each of which entitles  him to purchase one Subordinate Voting Share.

Immediately prior to the completion of the Business Combination, Mr. Murphy did not own or exercise control or direction over any securities of the Company.  The Multiple Voting Shares, Proportionate Voting Shares, Convertible Units and the Options represent, on an as-converted to Subordinate Voting Share-basis (converting only the shares and securities that Mr. Murphy owns or exercises control and direction over), ownership of an aggregate of approximately 49.7% of outstanding Subordinate Voting Shares.

Mr. Murphy holds and controls his shares of the Company for investment purposes and only and Mr. Murphy may increase or decrease his beneficial ownership or control over the shares of the Company or the Convertible Units, which he may do, from time to time, depending on market or other conditions and to the extent deemed advisable in light of his general investment strategy.  The Multiple Voting Shares held by Mr. Murphy are designed to ensure that  Mr. Murphy has voting control at meetings of shareholders of the Company and the existing share structure is subject to the provisions of the coattail agreement between the Company, Mr. Murphy and the Company’s transfer agent as described in the Company’s listing statement dated November 14, 2018, which is posted and filed under the Company’s profile on www.sedar.com.

This news release is being disseminated as required by National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bids and Insider Reporting Issues in connection with the anticipated filing of an early warning report (the “Early Warning Report“). A copy of the Early Warning Report will be available on SEDAR under the Company’s issuer profile at www.sedar.com and can be obtained by contacting the contact set out below.

For further information please contact:

Communications Contact:
Lewis Goldberg / Jon Goldberg
KCSA Strategic Communications
212-896-1282
Acreage@kcsa.com

Company Contact:
Howard Schacter
Head of Communications
917-579-0727
h.schacter@acreageholdings.com


StaffJuly 23, 2018

4min00

Company Announces Completion of Roll-up and Plans for Public Listing on Canadian Securities Exchange for Q3 2018

New York City, NY – July 23, 2018 /AxisWire/ Acreage Holdings (“Acreage”), one of the United States’ largest vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operators, announced it has successfully closed its Series E funding round. The Company secured $119 million of capital and concurrently completed the rollup of control positions in several U.S. states. The proceeds raised will be used to prepare the company for its impending public listing.

“The response we received from our investor partners was profoundly encouraging. The combination of monies raised and the rollup cements Acreage as one of the best capitalized companies in the industry with a footprint that is second to none,” Kevin Murphy, founder and CEO of Acreage Holdings said. “This gives us an exceptionally strong investment proposition to bring into the public markets in our upcoming listing.”

It is believed that the $119 million raised represents the largest private funding raise in U.S. cannabis history. Acreage currently owns or operates licenses in 13 states and plans to use the monies raised to acquire additional licenses, brands and other properties to increase its reach, breadth of offerings and depth of management team. Acreage intends to list the Company this fall on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”).

“We are planning on listing on the CSE for many reasons, including the positive reception that the Canadian institutional investment community has shown to the U.S. cannabis industry and to Acreage in particular.  Additionally, the CSE has become the exchange of choice for U.S. companies like ours,” Murphy continued. “The liquidity on the CSE is incredibly attractive to Acreage, and we know that retail investors in the U.S. have become comfortable with that exchange. We expect to see a tremendous response to our offering this fall.”

“Our objective with our investors is to set the standard in terms of professionalism and competency in order to remove as much risk from cannabis investing as possible,” said George Allen, the President of Acreage Holdings. “It is a mission that will remain paramount to us as we transition from a private to a public investor base.”

ABOUT ACREAGE HOLDINGS

Acreage Holdings is a vertically integrated, multi-state owner of cannabis licenses and assets in states where either medical and/or adult use of cannabis is legal. Headquartered in New York City and currently operating in 13 states, Acreage owns cultivation, processing and dispensary operations and has one of the largest footprints of any cannabis company in the U.S. Acreage is dedicated to building and scaling operations to create a seamless, consumer-focused branded cannabis experience.

 

 


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5min00

Jamil Myrie To Manage Development, Execution of Retail Operations for Nation’s Largest Cannabis Company

New York City, June 18, 2018 /AxisWire/ Acreage Holdings (“Acreage”) (www.acreageholdings.com), the nation’s largest, multi-state actively-managed cannabis corporation, announced the hire of Jamil Myrie as the Head of Retail Operations. Myrie brings deep experience in expansion, strategic partnership development, and operational efficiency from leadership roles at GrandVision NV and For Eyes, both national optical retail chains. In his new role he will be responsible for the development, implementation, and execution of Acreage’s rapidly growing retail portfolio.

Myrie, a Harvard graduate, spent the past 18 years leading retail development and expansion. Most recently, he worked with GrandVision NV, a leading global optical retailer, to drive a North American expansion strategy across one thousand retail locations. Myrie spent over 16 years at For Eyes, a national optical retail chain, leading real estate, strategic planning, asset management and operations. He was also in charge of maximizing operational efficiency through and after For Eye’s 2015 acquisition by GrandVision.

In his new role as Head of Retail Operations, Myrie will manage Acreage’s rapidly growing retail portfolio spanning 12 states and growing. Acreage, which is on track to become the world’s leading cannabis company, is focused on providing safe, predictable and affordable cannabis through vertically integrated operations, including cultivation, processing and dispensing. In addition to managing portfolio acquisitions, Myrie will be leading the development, launch, and management of an innovative multi-state retail brand concept that Acreage will be announcing later this year.

On Myrie, Acreage CEO Kevin Murphy said, “Jamil’s skillset and professional experience enable him to keep pace with Acreage Holdings’ growth strategy. He brings a unique understanding of complex industries and changing regulatory landscapes. Acreage is committed to maximizing the consumer experience within the cannabis industry and Jamil will play a critical role in ensuring that our vision is developed and implemented to the highest level.”

On his new position, Jamil Myrie added, “I am humbled and excited to join the best team in the industry. Working with Acreage offers a rare opportunity to have a voice in the national conversation around cannabis. Leading the retail operations will enable me to leverage my professional experience to maximize expansion efforts and operational efficiency with a relentless focus on the consumer experience.”

ABOUT ACREAGE HOLDINGS

Acreage Holdings is a vertically integrated, multi-state owner of cannabis licenses and assets in states where either medical and/or adult use cannabis is legal.  Headquartered in New York City and currently operating in 12 states, Acreage owns cultivation, processing and dispensary operations and has among the largest footprints of any cannabis company in the U.S.  The company is focused on building and scaling the best-in-breed operations and creating the best consumer-focused cannabis experiences and brands in the space.

Communications Contact:

Lewis Goldberg / Jon Goldberg

KCSA Strategic Communications

212-896-1282

Acreage@kcsa.com

Company Contact:

Harris Damashek

Acreage Holdings

Chief Marketing Officer

917-877-1766

h.damashek@acreageholdings.com

 


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