MustGrow Appoints Seasoned Social Impact Financier Barry Palte as Global Advisor
Saskatoon, SK, September 17, 2020 – MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTC: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0) (the “Company“, “MustGrow“) is pleased to announce the appointment of seasoned global social impact financier Barry Palte to its advisory team. Barry will leverage his extensive global relationships in sustainable & innovative ag-tech to support the global rollout of MustGrow’s remarkably safe and effective mustard-derived crop protection products.
Barry is a global investment markets expert with a passion for impact investing in disruptive companies and projects which have a major impact on the health of people and the planet. All of his investment projects contribute explicitly to these goals. He has hands on experience working with a broad spectrum of deep tech disruptive technology companies around the world.
Barry served as Global Chairman of the International Association of Investment Bankers (recently renamed Orion International Advisors) – a global network of investment banks with member firms in the US, UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Japan, India, Brazil, China and Australia. His career spans 35+ years in company and board management, funds management, investment and investment banking, the last 21 years as the founder and owner of his own globally focused investment group EQ Capital Partners.
Barry is also an invited member of Top Tier Impact, a Geneva headquartered global community for investors, entrepreneurs and professionals focused on solving contemporary critical issues as well as the Global Investment Leaders Club, a Dubai headquartered global family office investment community.
His prior corporate / institutional roles included serving as the head of Strategy and M&A for the funds management business of Commonwealth Bank (Australia’s largest bank) in both Australia and Asia.
“I am delighted to be joining the MustGrow team to assist with their mission of developing and deploying highly effective crop protection solutions that are safe for our natural environment and the consumers and workers who rely on a safe global food system. The world is facing incredible trials at the moment, from financial to medical and environmental. Key to solving these challenges is connecting the right investment capital and partners to the highest impact companies and projects, at speed and on a global basis. I look forward to supporting the passionate and committed MustGrow team with my global networks,” remarked Barry Palte.
Natural Biological Crop Inputs
A Rare Alignment of Consumer, Regulatory & Industry Interests
The agricultural industry and investment capital flow is transitioning towards sustainable, natural, biological, and environmentally friendly farming practices. With an evolving regulatory backdrop seemingly tailor-made to develop natural and organic bio-pesticides and bio-herbicides, MustGrow is poised to capitalize.
The mainstream rise of organic food consumption, plant-based protein, pesticide-free produce and non-GMO products are not merely ‘trends’ – these are transformational shifts in how food is grown and consumed… an agricultural metamorphosis. The interest in bio-pesticides is increasing as farmers, consumers and investors seek ‘natural biological’ alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides. The surge of environmental, sustainability and governance funds (“ESG”) exemplifies this transformation. As with consumers buying more organic products, investment capital is flowing into ESG funds and companies with ESG features. In 2019, net capital flows into ESG funds smashed previous records, totalling US$21 billion in the US (four times 2018 net inflows). European inflows into sustainable funds topped €120 billion (double 2018).
As consumers, regulators and investors demand a natural, healthier and safer food supply, leading agriculture companies are heavily investing in alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides. Natural bio-pesticides will need to fill the void. Adverse global climate and weather events are expected to negatively impact food supply for a growing human population. Warmer temperatures are expected to increase pest infestations and with more pests there will be more damage to crops. In addition, as the world population and its affluence increase, protein-rich diets place higher stress on crop production and the planet – a planet with finite productive land. Safe and effective bio-pesticides will be critical for future food security and environmentally sustainable agriculture. Research firm Markets and Markets sees the global bio-pesticide market size doubling to US$8.5 billion by 2025.
Warrant Issuance
In connection with this appointment and coupled with the engagement of a strategic patent and M&A lawyer and an IR consultant, MustGrow has issued 650,000 common share purchase warrants (each a “Warrant”) of the Company. Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.35 exercisable for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. All Warrants and underlying shares are subject to four month hold period from the date of issuance. The issuance of the Warrants is subject to the final approval of the CSE.
About MustGrow
MustGrow is a publicly traded (CSE: MGRO) (OTC: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0) agriculture biotech company focused on providing natural science-based biological solutions for high value crops, including fruits & vegetables. MustGrow has designed and owns a United States EPA-approved natural solution that uses the mustard seed’s natural defence mechanism to protect plants from pests and diseases. Over 110 independent tests have been completed, validating MustGrow’s safe and effective signature products. The product, in granule format, is EPA-approved across all key U.S. states and by Health Canada’s PMRA (Pest Management Regulatory Agency) as a bio-pesticide for high value crops such as in fruit & vegetables. MustGrow has now concentrated a liquid format which it’s calling TerraMG, and with regulatory approval, could be applied through standard drip or spray equipment, improving functionality and performance features.
The Company has approximately 37 million basic common shares issued and outstanding. For further details please visit www.mustgrow.ca.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
“Corey Giasson”
Director & CEO
Phone: +1-306-668-2652
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect the results, performance or achievements of MustGrow.
Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “occur” or “be achieved”.
Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of MustGrow to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, MustGrow.
These risks are described in more detail in MustGrow’s Prospectus and other continuous disclosure documents filed by MustGrow with the applicable securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Readers are referred to such documents for more detailed information about MustGrow, which is subject to the qualifications, assumptions and notes set forth therein.
This release does not constitute an offer for sale of, nor a solicitation for offers to buy, any securities in the United States.
Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
© 2020 MustGrow Biologics Corp. All rights reserved.