FORT LAUDERDALE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 12, 2020 / Kaya Holdings, Inc., ("KAYS" or the "Company") (OTCQB:KAYS), the first U.S. publicly traded company to vertically integrate cannabis retail, cultivation and processing, announced today that its Greek Partnership, Kaya Kannabis, has hired a veteran pet industry executive to lead its recently announced Cannamo™ brand of CBD pet products.
"We are pleased to announce the appointment of Calliope Zogopoulou as the CEO of Cannamo™", said Panagiotis Kinnis, one of the founding partners of Greek Kannabis and a Kaya Kannabis executive. "We believe she has the experience, relationships, and leadership to bring our very first product line to market in Greece and the EU".
Ms. Zogopoulou is the co-founder, active partner, operational administrator and executive of "Ambrosia Pet Food" (https://www.ambrosiapetfood.com/), a producer of premium-quality dry pet food. Over the years she has developed strong relationships with some of the largest pet-food distributors in Greece, as well contacts in Romania, Russia, Israel, and major E.U. countries.
"I am enthusiastic and excited by the opportunities I believe we can create with the Cannamo™ brand," shared Calliope Zogopoulou. "CBD in pet food can provide our beloved pets with pain relief, better digestion and overall health. I am so pleased to help bring this newly recognized wellness product to Greek pet owners, and beyond."
"Once again our Greek partners have demonstrated their ability to deliver at an extremely high level, providing our joint venture, Kaya Kannabis, with opportunity and access", added KAYS CEO, Craig Frank, "We were also pleased to be able to activate our partnership with Day Three Labs to source product and provide logistical support. This deal serves to validate our plan to integrate talent and opportunities for a strong KAYS international presence".
About Kaya Holdings, Inc. (www.kayaholdings.com)
Kaya Holdings, Inc. ("KAYS") is a touch-the-plant vertically integrated legal cannabis company operating a number of majority-owned subsidiaries that retail, cultivate, produce and distribute premium medical and recreational cannabis products, including flower, concentrates, oils and extracts, cannabis-infused foods and beverages, topicals and cannaceuticals. KAYS is a fully reporting, US-based publicly traded company, listed for trading on the OTCQB Tier of the over-the-counter market under the symbol OTCQB:KAYS.
KAYS Cannabis operations are conducted under three main majority-owned subsidiaries as further detailed below:
Marijuana Holdings Americas, Inc. owns the Kaya Shack™ brand of licensed medical and recreational marijuana stores (www.kayashack.com) and the Kaya Farms™ brand of cannabis production and processing operations that operate in the United States.
Kaya Brands USA, Inc. owns a wide range of proprietary brands of cannabis extracts, oils, pre-rolls, topicals, food and beverages, cannaceuticals and related accessories.
Kaya Brands International, Inc., was founded to serve as the vehicle for the Company's non-U.S. operations including retail franchising in Canada and cultivation activities in Greece and Israel.
Marijuana Holdings Americas, Inc.- U.S. Cannabis Operations
Kaya Shack™ Retail Cannabis Stores
In 2014, KAYS became the first United States publicly-traded company to own and operate a Medical Marijuana Dispensary. KAYS presently operates two Kaya Shack™ OLCC licensed marijuana retail stores to service the legal medical and recreational marijuana market in Oregon, and is in the process of relocating a third retail cannabis license to serve as a delivery hub for the Eugene and Southern Oregon Cannabis Market.
Kaya Farms™
Eugene, Oregon Indoor Grow, Processing & Cannaceutical Facility: KAYS has developed its own proprietary Kaya Farms™ strains of cannabis, which it grows and produces (together with edibles and other cannabis derivatives) at its 12,000 square foot indoor grow and cannabis manufacturing facility in Eugene, Oregon, capable of producing approximately 1,500 pounds of premium cannabis annually, with the capacity for expansion. The Company also plans to use the space for production of oils, concentrates, extracts, edibles, and cannaceuticals. KAYS is currently conducting limited operations at the facility pending approval transfer of the production and processing licenses to KAYS by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (the "OLCC"), the Oregon state regulating agency which regulates legal cannabis production, processing and sale.
Lebanon, Oregon Farm & Greenhouse Facility: KAYS owns a 26-acre parcel in Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon which it intends to construct an 85,000-square-foot Kaya Farms™ greenhouse cultivation and production facility. To date KAYS has received Linn County Zoning approvals and upon issuance of OLCC Licensing it will begin construction. The farm is intended for immediate development and provides the Company with a potential additional capacity of more than 100,000 pounds annually, to be expanded once export from Oregon to other U.S. States and foreign countries where cannabis use is legal is permitted. Kaya Farms™ operates in accordance with a Grow Operations manual, as well as manuals for compliance, employment matters and safety.
Kaya Brands USA, Inc.- Brand and Product Development
The Company maintains a genetics library of over 30 strains of cannabis and owns a number of proprietary brands in traditional and innovative cannabis categories including Kaya Buddies™ pre-rolls, Really Happy Glass™ cannabis accessories, and Kaya Gear™, company-related and cannabis-centric fashion. These brands are currently available at Kaya Shack™ stores.
The Company has made advances in the development of its Kumba Extracts™, Syzygy Extracts™, Pakalolo Juice Company™ Soothe Topicals™, Tony Giggles Pleasure Foods™ (frozen infused Italian entrees), Uptown Shaman™ (cannaceuticals), and Kaya Yums™ (chocolates, gummies, power bars) brands. Pending approval of our production and processing license, KAYS intends to begin a multi-state rollout planned in 2020 to the extent permitted by U.S. legal infrastructure. These brands are intended for all Kaya Shack™ stores, both corporate-owned and franchised.
Kaya Brands International, Inc.- Foreign Cannabis Operations
After over six years of conducting "touch the plant" U.S. cannabis operations inside the strict regulatory confines of a public company, KAYS has formed a subsidiary, Kaya Brands International, Inc. ("KBI") to leverage its experience and expand into worldwide cannabis markets. KBI's current operations and initiatives include:
Canadian Franchising: KAYS has targeted Canada (the only G7 country that has legalized both medical and recreational cannabis production, sale and use on a national level) for its first international sale and operation of Kaya Shack™ cannabis store franchises, with a goal of 75-100 Kaya Shack™ Cannabis Retail locations throughout Canada through a multi-year structured rollout, subject to licensing and market conditions. KAYS has retained Toronto, Canada based law firm of Garfinkle Biderman, LLP to prepare the Franchise Disclosure Documents and related items for the sale of Kaya Shack™ cannabis store franchises in Canada. We expect the franchise sale and placement effort throughout Canada to progress over the next 3-24 months and have tar. KAYS plans to ultimately expand its franchise operations to the U.S., as regulations and laws permit.
Kaya Kannabis- Kaya Farms™ Greece
General: KAYS has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") setting forth an agreement in principle for KBI to acquire a 50% ownership interest in Greekkannabis, PC ("GKC"). GKC is a recently formed Athens, Greece based cannabis company which has applied for and is awaiting issuance of a medical cannabis cultivation, processing and export license from the Greek government.
The MOU sets forth an agreement in principle, pursuant to which in consideration for KBI providing the necessary expertise related to cannabis cultivation, processing, brand development and other matters, KBI will have the right to acquire a 50% ownership interest in GKC by reimbursing GKC for 50% of its license application costs (with allowances for KBI's expenses as well). Consummation of the transaction contemplated by the MOU is subject to, among other customary conditions, satisfactory completion by KBI of its due diligence review of GKC, the drafting, execution and delivery of definitive transaction documentation and final license approval and issuance by the Greek government.
GKC plans to establish its cannabis cultivation and processing facility on land already identified outside of Athens. Project Management envisages a total of 425,000 square feet of light deprivation greenhouses situated on fifteen acres of land and supported by an additional 50,000 sq. feet building for workspace, storage and administrative offices. The Company estimates total farm production, once completely constructed and operating at full capacity, to be at a minimum of approximately 225,000 pounds of premium grade cannabis annually.
Licensing Status: On April 22, 2020 KAYS/KBI received confirmation from their Greek Counsel that the Greek Government had awarded the crucial Installation License for the project.
KAYS and KBI are represented in Greece by the Athens based law firm of Dalakos Fassolis Theofanopoulos (https://dftlaw.gr/). The firm has developed a long-established and well-respected commercial legal practice and has developed a wide international network of correspondent relationships with overseas law offices throughout the world.
Kaya Farms™ Israel
KAYS, through KBI is seeking to establish a state of-the-art cannabis cultivation facility on approximately 50 acres of prime agricultural land.
Important Disclosure
KAYS is planning execution of its stated business objectives in accordance with current understanding of state and local laws and federal enforcement policies and priorities as it relates to marijuana. Potential investors and shareholders are cautioned that KAYS and MJAI will obtain advice of counsel prior to actualizing any portion of their business plan (including but not limited to license applications for the cultivation, distribution or sale of marijuana products, engaging in said activities or acquiring existing cannabis production/sales operations). Advice of counsel with regard to specific activities of KAYS, federal, state or local legal action or changes in federal government policy and/or state and local laws may adversely affect business operations and shareholder value.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements, usually containing the words "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect" or similar statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, acceptance of the Company's current and future products and services in the marketplace, the ability of the Company to develop effective new products and receive regulatory approvals of such products, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.
For more information contact Investor Relations: 561-210-7664
SOURCE: Kaya Holdings, Inc. via EQS Newswire