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Vert Infrastructure forging path to prosperity in the US cannabis and hemp sector

Published: 07:15 03 Apr 2020 EDT

Snapshot

The cannabis company formerly known as CROP Infrastructure Corp announced plans to rebrand itself and divest underperforming assets

Crop Infrastructure Corp. -
  • Engaged in branding, investing, constructing, owning and leasing infrastructure for certain licenced or permitted specialty agricultural businesses
  • Portfolio of asset investments including; two in Washington State, medical and recreational in California, a Nevada Cannabis farm and a Hemp CBD farm
  • Plans to look at expanding into mushrooms in 2020

What Vert Infrastructure does:

Vert Infrastructure Ltd (CSE:VVV) (OTCMKTS:CRXPF) is heading into the new decade with a fresh name and a rebranded business.

The cannabis company was formerly known as CROP Infrastructure Corp.

Vert is structured in a similar way to a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) - a company that owns, operates or finances income-producing real estate. It leases real estate and provides equipment/expertise in exchange for a management fee.

Vert's assets include medical and recreational facilities in California, a 1,012 acre Nevada cannabis farm, a 500 acre hemp CBD farm and a growing portfolio of cannabis company shares.

The firm’s Nevada operations consist of Elite Ventures Group LLC, in which it has a 49% membership interest with an option to increase its interest to 83%. Elite owns a 1,012 acre THC Cannabis farm located in Esmerelda County, Nevada and a 315 acre Hemp CBD farm located in Nye County, Nevada as well as infrastructure, buildings, chattels and farming equipment. Isogenics LLC, Elite's Esmerelda Property operations partner, holds the THC cultivation, production and distribution licenses registered on the Esmerelda Property.

Similarly, the firm’s California operations include Humboldt Holdings LLC in which it holds a 49% interest. Humboldt owns an 8.46 acre THC cannabis farm in Humboldt County, California. The property currently houses a 10,000 square foot greenhouse as well as a barn, garage and residence.

The company also has a 30% interest in Ocean Green Management LLC, and a 49% interest in Wheeler Park Properties LLC, which owns 9 acres of land and an advanced 35,000 square foot cannabis greenhouse. It also has a 30% interest in DVG LLC, which holds a lease with an option to purchase four acres of land in Moses Lake, Washington, and zoned for commercial cannabis production. In Oklahoma, the company has a 49% interest in Oklahoma Ventures Group LLC.

How is it doing:

In January, Vert announced plans to divest itself of its underperforming assets, monetize its producing assets and consolidate its share capital to facilitate equity financing. 

It plans to keep the Elite Ventures Group LLC's Nevada hemp-related assets located in Nye County, Nevada.

To fund the restructuring blueprint, the company will consolidate its outstanding shares on a 15-for-1 basis, after which it will issue one post-consolidation share for 15 pre-consolidation shares. Following the consolidation, the 171,691,364 shares currently issued and outstanding will reduce to approximately 11,446,090 shares.

To fund the company's operations in the short term, it has accepted short-term loans totaling $349,900. After the consolidation, Vert intends to pursue options for equity financing on terms to be determined.

In line with its sweeping overhaul, seasoned finance executive Arif Merali will take the CEO role of Vert Infrastructure.

The company recently announced plans to look at mushroom opportunities and announced a C$1 million financing priced at C$0.10 per share.

The majority of US cannabis operations have little or no means to secure financing, and Vert fills a gap, in helping legal cannabis operations with capital requirements, in exchange for lease/management fees. 

Vert is an early participant in a global emerging marketplace, being well-positioned for full North American recreational legalization.

Inflection points:

  • Launch of new brand, Vert Infrastructure
  • Divesture of assets and monetization of existing assets
  • Federal legalization of cannabis in the US

Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas

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