The Daily Hit: January 24, 2018

It’s time for your Daily Hit of cannabis news for January 24, 2019.

On The Site

Super Bowl Ad

On February 3, the 53rd Super Bowl in Atlanta Georgia will decide the league champion of football for the 2018 NFL season. If you are in attendance at the Super Bowl, you will see CBD coffee ads in the stadium, but if you are watching the game from home you will be not be exposed to any cannabis related advertising.

New York-based Acreage Holdings, Inc. (CSE: ACRG.U) wanted to run an advocacy ad during the game. The ad featured three medical marijuana patients saying how the product had helped them. It made no health claims for their own products and it didn’t promote the purchase of the company’s products.  Football fans at the stadium will, however, see advertisements for Baristas Coffee Company, Inc. (OTCPK: BCCI) White Coffee and the new Baristas EnrichaRoast CBD Coffee. The company said that the ads will run throughout the day in and around the stadium before, during, and after the game, and will include a special offer to send a message to Maroon 5.

In Other News

Caliva

Carol Bartz, former CEO of Yahoo and Autodesk and former Cisco Board Member, along with three time Super Bowl MVP and Pro-Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana both participated in Caliva’s initial round of funding. Ms. Bartz will serve on Caliva’s Board of Directors.

“We are laser-focused on our strategy to build the most trusted brand in cannabis. With our best selling product portfolio, our large scale vertical integration, and our award-winning distribution channels we are confident we can maintain our growth rates in California in 2019,” said Dennis O’Malley, CEO of Caliva.

Caliva has quickly become a market leader in cannabis consumer products in California, which represents more than 35 percent of the overall United States legal cannabis market. While California’s cannabis economy shrunk by 17 percent year over year due to expanding regulations, Caliva grew its revenues by 350 percent. The company now employs over 440 workers and has two current operating locations in the Bay Area.

Kona Gold

Kona Gold Solutions, Inc. (OTC Pink: KGKG), a hemp and CBD lifestyle brand focused on product development in the functional beverage sector, is pleased to announce they have acquired the newly formed distribution company, Gold Leaf Distribution, LLC. Gold Leaf Distribution, a Florida based company, has purchased its first beverage truck, which will be fully wrapped to advertise Kona Gold Hemp Energy Drinks, HighDrate CBD Energy Waters, and Storm CBD Waters. The Company is presently conducting interviews to hire a full-time beverage sales person/driver that will establish new distribution routes in the Melbourne-Orlando Florida markets.

Elev8 Brands, Inc.

Elev8 Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: VATE) has acquired Blessed Bean Coffee, LLC. Elev8 Brands, Inc. continues to execute on opportunities for potential growth. The Company is now able to control the means of production from start to finish. Elev8 Hemp, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, has seen tremendous growth over the last twelve months and should continue to do so throughout 2019. The Company has acquired Blessed Bean Coffee, LLC for 3,541,228 restricted common shares of Elev8 Brands, Inc. With the growing demand for Elev8 Hemp Coffee, the Company plans to purchase a larger roaster and other miscellaneous equipment to increase productivity and continue increasing the volume.

Plus Products

Plus Products Inc. announced that the OTC Markets Group, Inc. has approved the trading of the Company’s shares on the OTCQB® Venture Market and will commence trading under the symbol “PLPRF” on January 23, 2019. The Company’s shares will continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol “PLUS”.

Additionally, PLUS has also applied for eligibility for book-entry delivery and depository services of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), to facilitate electronic settlement of transfers of its shares in the United States.  This electronic method of clearing securities speeds up the receipt of stock and cash and accelerates the settlement process for investors. DTC eligibility will help enhance the Company’s potential investor base and offer a more convenient trading experience for current and future shareholders while enhancing the liquidity of the Company’s shares on the OTCQB.

Vangst

Vangst, the leading human capital resource platform to the legal cannabis industry, announced today the closing of an over-subscribed $10 million Series A financing round.  This round increases the total capital raised to date by the Company to $12.5 million. The financing was led by Casa Verde Capital and included Lerer Hippeau, among others.