Risks Related to the Company’s Business and Industry
We have no operating history upon which you can evaluate our performance, and accordingly, our prospects must be considered in light of the risks that any new company encounters.
We were incorporated under the laws of California on March 8, 2023, as Earth’s Nectar Beverages, and converted to a Delaware corporation and changed our name to Eden’s Harvest, Inc. on June 20, 2023. Accordingly, we have no history upon which an evaluation of our prospects and future performance can be made. Our proposed operations are subject to all business risks associated with a new enterprise. The likelihood of our creation of a viable business must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications, and delays frequently encountered in connection with the inception of a business, operation in a competitive industry, and the continued development of advertising, promotions, and a corresponding client base. We anticipate that our operating expenses will increase for the near future. There can be no assurances that we will ever operate profitably. You should consider the Company’s business, operations and prospects in light of the risks, expenses and challenges faced as an early-stage company.
The development and commercialization of our products is highly competitive.
The Company intends to craft chaga mushroom infused alcohol, seltzer beverages and other medicinal mushroom and/or healthy products infused with Chaga for distribution and commercial sale and will compete in a competitive market with regional craft breweries as well as national brands. The craft beverage market is highly competitive. There are relatively low barriers to entry, and we expect that competition will intensify in the future. We believe that numerous factors, including price, client base, brand name, legal and regulatory requirements, and general economic trends (particularly unfavorable economic conditions adversely affecting consumer investment), will affect our ability to compete successfully. Our competitors include many large companies that have substantially greater market presence and financial, technical, distribution, marketing and other resources than we do. There can be no assurance that we will be able to have the financial resources, technical expertise or marketing and support capabilities to compete successfully. Increased competition could result in significant price competition, which in turn could result in lower revenues, which could materially adversely affect our potential profitability.
The Company's chaga mushroom and/or other healthy infused beverage products will also compete generally with other alcoholic beverages. The Company will compete with other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage companies not only for consumer acceptance and loyalty, but also for shelf and tap space in retail establishments and for marketing focus. The Company intends, at present, to self-distribute its products to retailers on a limited basis and subject to applicable permitting and licensing requirements. Many of the Company's competitors have substantially greater financial resources, marketing strength and distribution networks than the Company. Moreover, the introduction of new products by competitors that compete directly with the Company's products or that diminish the importance of the Company's products to potential commercial or retail purchasers may have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations, cash flows and financial position. Further, in recent years, the brewing industry has seen continued consolidation among breweries in order to take advantage of cost savings opportunities for supplies, distribution and operations.
The potential also exists for large competitors to increase their influence with their distributors, making it difficult for smaller breweries to maintain their market presence or enter new markets. These potential increases in the number and availability of competing brands, the costs to compete, and decreases in distribution support and opportunities may have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations, cash flows and financial position.
Need to maintain existing, and develop new products
The success of the Company is dependent upon the Company's ability to maintain a certain level of quality in, and enhance its products as well as to develop and introduce in a timely manner new products that keep pace with evolving industry standards, and respond to changing customer tastes. The Company's future growth may be limited by its ability to continue to increase its market share in local markets that may be dominated by one or more regional or local breweries. The development of new products by the Company may lead to reduced sales in the Company's existing products. The Company's future growth may also be limited by its ability to meet production goals, its ability to enter into vendor and supply agreements on commercially acceptable terms or the availability of suitable production capacity at third party-owned breweries and its ability to obtain sufficient quantities of certain ingredients and packaging materials.
We rely on a single vendor to provide the raw material and major compounds for our products. If we do not successfully commercialize our products by April 2025, our supply agreement will be terminated.
We depend on a single vendor to obtain chaga mushroom compounds used to manufacture our alcohol and seltzer beverages. We pay this vendor fees for the compounds it provides and will pay a 2% royalty on net sales (which will be reduced to 1% upon the occurrence of certain milestones). We have an exclusive right to the vendor’s products through October 2025 however, the supply agreement automatically terminates in April 2025 if we do not successfully commercialize our products by April 2025. We are also required to pay an additional $50,000 annually to retain exclusivity beyond October 2025. If this vendor is unable to or refuses to continue to provide the compounds used for our products, or if the supply agreement terminates, we may not be able to continue to produce our products and the operating results and financial condition of the Company could be significantly harmed.
Reliance on third parties for product inputs and distribution
The Company will purchase a substantial portion of the raw materials used in the brewing of its products and bottling and packaging materials from a limited number of domestic suppliers. These third parties may become unable to or refuse to continue to provide these goods and services on commercially reasonable terms consistent with the Company's business practices, or otherwise discontinue a service important for the Company to continue to operate under normal conditions. If the Company fails or is unable to replace these goods and services in a timely manner or on commercially reasonable terms, the operating results and financial condition of the Company could be harmed. In addition, the Company has no control over third-party vendors, which increases vulnerability to problems with goods and services those vendors provide. If the goods and services of the third parties were to fail to perform as expected, it could subject the Company to potential liability, adversely affect renewal rates, and have an adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.
Additionally, if in the future the Company finds it necessary to sell its beverages to third party wholesalers for sale and distribution to retailers, sustained growth will require it to maintain such relationships and possibly enter into agreements with additional distributors. Changes in control or ownership of a future distribution network could lead to less support of the Company's products. No assurance can be given that the Company will be able to maintain any such future distribution network or secure additional distributors on terms favorable to the Company. Further, in that event, Company will be required to comply with local beer franchise laws, and potentially others, which may subject the Company, its assets and its products to additional risks in light of the significant protections and rights afforded to wholesalers and distributors thereunder, at the expense of Company.
Employees or related third parties may engage in misconduct or other improper activities
The Company is exposed to the risk that employee fraud or other misconduct could occur. Misconduct by employees could include misappropriation of trade secrets or other intellectual property or proprietary information of the Company or other persons or entities and failing to disclose unauthorized activities. It is not always possible to deter or detect employee misconduct, and the precautions taken to prevent and detect this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses. The misconduct of one or more of the Company's employees or key third-party partners may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations, prospects, and financial condition.
Regulatory environment and changes may adversely affect the Company
The Company's business is highly regulated by federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding such matters as licensing requirements, trade and pricing practices, labeling, advertising, promotion and marketing practices, relationships with distributors, environmental impact of operations and other matters. We have not yet obtained any of these licenses and make no guarantee that we will be able to do so. These laws and regulations are subject to frequent reevaluation, varying interpretations and political debate and inquiries from governmental regulators charged with their enforcement. The cost and time required to comply with various legal and regulatory requirements may adversely affect our profitability. Failure to comply with current or changes to existing laws and regulations relating to the Company's operations or in the payment of taxes or other fees could result in the inability to obtain, loss, revocation or suspension of the Company's licenses, permits or approvals, and could have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, regulatory obstacles may hamper our ability to fully implement our business plan or cause unforeseen delays.
Limited ability to protect intellectual property rights
The Company's business model is dependent on proprietary recipes and processes. As such, licensing, developing and protecting the proprietary nature of these assets is crucial to the success of the Company. The Company will rely on intellectual property laws, all of which offer only limited protection. Failure to adequately protect its intellectual property from current competitors or new entrants to the market could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results, and financial condition. Additionally, the Company may become subject to third-party claims asserting that it infringed upon their proprietary rights or trademarks. Such claims, whether or not meritorious, may result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources, injunctions against the Company or the payment of damages by the Company.
The Company is required to hold certain licenses and permits; none of which are currently in place.
The Company intends to operate in the highly regulated alcoholic beverage industry. In order to conduct its intended business operations, the Company must apply for, obtain and maintain various state and federal licenses, permits, licenses and approvals from various governmental agencies, including the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the Food and Drug Administration, state and local alcohol regulatory agencies and state and federal environmental agencies. Once the Company has acquired the equipment, capital, and local approvals required to support its intended operations, the Company will begin the process to apply for the required federal and state alcoholic beverage licenses, permits, certificates, exemptions, and regulatory and governmental approvals that are necessary to operate. While the Company believes it will be successful in obtaining those licenses, permits and approvals, there is no guarantee that the required licenses, permits, certificates, exemptions and approvals will ever be obtained or when they will be obtained – and, denials or delays resulting from either of these situations could result in a loss of your investment. Assuming the required licenses, permits, certificates, exemptions and approvals are obtained, any violation, even if inadvertent, of the rules and requirements associated with those licenses, permits, certificates, exemptions and approvals could result in fines, a cease-and-desist order against the subject operations or even revocation or suspension of the Company's license(s) to operate the subject business. Failure to obtain any required license or to meet ongoing compliance requirements (for example ensuring compliance with labeling requirements under TTB regulations or ensuring all ingredients (including the chaga mushroom) are generally recognized as safe under the FDA rules and regulations) would have a material adverse effect on our business
Investors could be subject to alcohol taxes and penalties for non-compliance by management.
There are strict rules for when and how alcohol is taxed, and when and how those taxes are paid to federal, state and local taxing authorities. If the Company does not follow all applicable rules for the timing, calculation and payment of taxes due, whether intentional or not, the Company, and potentially the individual owners of the Company, could be assessed certain civil or criminal penalties, fines, and interest (collectively “Tax Penalties and Interest”). Before making an investment in the Company, you are urged to consult with your own individual attorney or tax advisor concerning your own potential personal liability and risks that may stem from any such Tax Penalties and Interest.
Our stockholders, in their individual capacity, could potentially be held liable if the Company fails to pay its federal, state and local alcohol taxes on time and in full, especially where the Company does not have sufficient monetary funds on hand to cover those tax obligations and any associated Tax Penalties and Interest. While the Company is prepared to pay alcohol taxes in compliance with the law, if you are not comfortable with this potential liability, including the potential of having to provide additional cash should the situation arise, you should not invest.
We lack sales and market recognition.
The Company’s ability to finance its development and operations and to achieve profitability will depend, in large part, on the Company’s ability to introduce and successfully market its products. Market acceptance and recognition generally require substantial time and effort. Management makes no assurances that the market will be penetrated as planned or, if it is, that the level of penetration will be successful in helping the Company realize a competitive advantage over others who may enter the market. There can be no assurance that any of the Company’s new or proposed products will maintain the market acceptance.
The Company’s success depends on the experience and skill of the board of directors, its executive officers and key employees.
In particular, the Company is dependent on Grace Pena, Joe Wallace and Chris Anderson. Grace Pena is the Company’s Corporate Secretary; Chris Anderson is the Company’s Head Brewer ;and Joe Wallace is our acting CEO. The loss of these individuals could harm the Company’s business, financial condition, cash flow and results of operations.
Although dependent on certain key personnel, the Company does not have any key man life insurance policies on any such people.
The Company has not purchased any insurance policies on any member of its management team in the event of their death or disability. Therefore, if any of our core management team die or become disabled, the Company will not receive any compensation to assist with such person’s absence. The loss of such person could negatively affect the Company and its operations.
We are subject to income taxes as well as non-income-based taxes, such as payroll, sales, use, value-added, net worth, property and goods and services taxes.
Significant judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes and other tax liabilities. In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Although we believe that our tax estimates are reasonable: (i) there is no assurance that the final determination of tax audits or tax disputes will not be different from what is reflected in our income tax provisions, expense amounts for non-income-based taxes and accruals and (ii) any material differences could have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations in the period or periods for which determination is made.
We are not subject to Sarbanes-Oxley regulations and lack the financial controls and safeguards required of public companies.
We do not have the internal infrastructure necessary, and are not required, to complete an attestation about our financial controls that would be required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. There can be no assurance that there are no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the quality of our financial controls. We expect to incur additional expenses and diversion of management’s time if and when it becomes necessary to perform the system and process evaluation, testing and remediation required in order to comply with the management certification and auditor attestation requirements.
Changes in employment laws or regulation could harm our performance.
Various federal and state labor laws govern our relationship with our future employees and would affect operating costs. These laws include minimum wage requirements, overtime pay, healthcare reform and the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, unemployment tax rates, workers’ compensation rates, citizenship requirements, union membership and sales taxes. A number of factors could adversely affect our operating results, including additional government-imposed increases in minimum wages, overtime pay, paid leaves of absence and mandated health benefits, mandated training for employees, increased tax reporting and tax payment, changing regulations from the National Labor Relations Board and increased employee litigation including claims relating to the Fair Labor Standards Act.
We face risks related to health epidemics and other outbreaks, which could significantly disrupt the Company’s operations and could have a material adverse impact on us.
The outbreak of pandemics and epidemics could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations. If a pandemic occurs in areas in which we have material operations or sales, the Company’s business activities originating from affected areas, including sales, materials, and supply chain related activities, could be adversely affected. Disruptive activities could include the temporary closure of facilities used in the Company’s supply chain processes, restrictions on the export or shipment of products necessary to run the Company’s business, business closures in impacted areas, and restrictions on the Company’s employees’ or consultants’ ability to travel and to meet with customers, vendors or other business relationships. The extent to which a pandemic or other health outbreak impacts the Company’s results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of a virus and the actions to contain it or treat its impact, among others. Pandemics can also result in social, economic, and labor instability which may adversely impact the Company’s business.
If the Company’s employees or employees of any of the Company’s vendors, suppliers or customers become ill or are quarantined and in either or both events are therefore unable to work, the Company’s operations could be subject to disruption. The extent to which a pandemic affects the Company’s results will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.
The process of brewing beer utilizes a large amount of water.
Parts of the country have been experiencing a severe drought for the last several years. While there are currently no restrictions on our use of water based on the drought, we cannot predict whether such restrictions may be put in place in the future. In addition, we source a substantial portion of raw materials from San Diego, California. This region has faced drought conditions in the past, and any future droughts could materially and adversely affect our ability to source hops in the future.
Growth rates higher than planned or the introduction of new products requiring special ingredients could create higher demand for ingredients greater than we can source.
There can be no assurance that we will be able to acquire the chaga mushroom raw materials from substitute sources on a timely or cost-effective basis in the event that current suppliers could not adequately fulfill orders, which would adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We source certain packaging materials, such as bottles, cans, six-pack carriers, labels, caps and other shipping materials from a number of third-party suppliers.
Although we believe that alternative suppliers are available, the loss of any of our packaging material suppliers could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. Our inability to preserve the current economics of these agreements could expose us to significant cost increases in future years.
Most of our distribution relationships may be governed by state laws that in certain respects may supersede the terms of any contractual relationships.
Under most of these state laws, distribution agreements for beer can only be terminated by the supplier after the supplier shows some type of “cause” (usually an uncured deficiency in the distributor’s operation) or upon payment of some sort of compensation to the distributor for the value of the distribution rights. State laws also may limit a beer supplier’s right to object to proposed assignments of distribution rights and/or changes in distributor ownership. A minority of states have enacted similar laws governing distillery-distributor relationships. Therefore, state law in various jurisdictions may limit our exercising any contractual termination and enforcement rights we negotiate. Additionally, our distribution relationships will be susceptible to changes in state legislation that could significantly alter the competitive environment for the beer distribution industry, which could adversely affect the financial stability of distributors on which we rely.
We may experience a shortage of kegs necessary to distribute draft beer.
We may experience a shortage of available kegs to fill sales orders. If we cannot meet our keg requirements through either lease or purchase, we may be required to delay some draft shipments. Such delays could have an adverse impact on sales and relationships with wholesalers.
The craft beer/spirits business is seasonal in nature, and we are likely to experience fluctuations in results of operations and financial condition.
Sales of craft beer/spirits products are somewhat seasonal, with the first and fourth quarters historically having lower sales than the rest of the year.
The loss of our third-party distributors could impair our operations and substantially reduce our financial results.
We will need to enter into distribution arrangements with regional bottlers or other direct store delivery distributors having established sales, marketing and distribution organizations. Many distributors are affiliated with and manufacture and/or distribute other beverage products. In many cases, such products compete directly with our products. The marketing efforts of our distributors are important for our success. If our brands prove to be less attractive to our existing distributors and/or if we fail to attract additional distributors and/or our distributors do not market and promote our products above the products of our competitors, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Inability to secure brewer and co-packers for our products could impair our operations and substantially reduce our financial results.
We rely on third parties, called co-packers in our industry, to produce our products. We currently have one co-packing agreement for our products. The co-packing agreement with our principal co-packer, Barrel Brothers Brewing Co. was signed on April 6, 2023 and has an initial term of 10 years with an agreement that shall automatically renew for successive three (3) year term, unless either party provides notice of cancellation at least ninety (90) calendar days prior to the end of the initial term or subsequent extension period. Our dependence on co-packer puts us at substantial risk in our operations. If we lose this relationship and/or require new co-packing relationships for other products, we may be unable to establish such relationships on favorable terms, if at all. In addition, the failure or inability of this co-packer to comply with the specifications and requirements of our products could result in product recall and could adversely affect our reputation. Our third-party co-packer will be required to maintain the quality of our products and to comply with our product specifications and requirements for certain certifications and to comply with all federal, state and local laws with respect to food safety. However, any third-party co-packer we engage may not continue to produce products that are consistent with our standards or that are in compliance with applicable laws, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to identify instances in which our third-party co-packer fails to comply with our standards or applicable laws.
Our business is substantially dependent upon awareness and market acceptance of our products and brands.
Our business depends on acceptance by both our end consumers as well as our independent distributors of our brands as beverage brands that have the potential to provide incremental sales growth rather than reduce distributors’ existing beverage sales. We believe that the success of our product name brands will also be substantially dependent upon acceptance of our product name brands. Accordingly, any failure of our brands to maintain or increase acceptance or market penetration would likely have a material adverse effect on our revenues and financial results.
As a food production company, all of our products must be compliant with regulations by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
We must comply with various FDA rules and regulations, including those regarding product manufacturing, food safety, required testing and appropriate labeling of our products. It is possible that regulations by the FDA and its interpretation thereof may change over time. As such, there is a risk that our products could become non-compliant with the FDA’s regulations and any such non-compliance could harm our business.
Ingredient and packaging costs are volatile and may rise significantly, which may negatively impact the profitability of our business.
We purchase large quantities of raw materials, including ingredients such as Chaga Mushroom. In addition, we purchase and use significant quantities of aluminum cans and glass bottles to package our products. Costs of ingredients and packaging are volatile and can fluctuate due to conditions that are difficult to predict, including global competition for resources, weather conditions, natural or man-made disasters, consumer demand and changes in governmental trade and agricultural programs. As such, any material upward movement in raw materials pricing could negatively impact our margins, if we are not able to pass these costs on to our customers, or sales if we are forced to increase our prices, which would adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our future business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected by reduced availability of our core ingredients.
Our ability to ensure a continuing supply of our core ingredients at competitive prices depends on many factors beyond our control, such as the number and size of farms that grow crops, poor harvests, changes in national and world economic conditions and our ability to forecast our ingredient requirements. The Chaga Mushroom and other ingredients used in our products are vulnerable to adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, frosts, earthquakes, hurricanes and pestilences. Adverse weather conditions and natural disasters can lower crop yields and reduce crop size and quality, which in turn could reduce the available supply of our core ingredients. If supplies of our core ingredients are reduced or there is greater demand for such ingredients, from us and others, we may not be able to obtain sufficient supply on favorable terms, or at all, which could impact our ability to supply products to distributors and retailers.
Failure by our transportation providers to deliver our products on time or at all could result in lost sales.
We plan to rely upon third-party transportation providers for a significant portion of our product shipments. Our utilization of delivery services for shipments will be subject to risks, including increases in fuel prices, which would increase our shipping costs, and employee strikes and inclement weather, which may impact the ability of providers to provide delivery services that adequately meet our shipping needs. We may, from time to time, change third-party transportation providers, and we could therefore face logistical difficulties that could adversely affect deliveries. We may not be able to obtain favorable terms or may incur additional costs, which in turn would increase our costs and thereby adversely affect our operating results.
Our insurance may not provide adequate levels of coverage against claims.
We believe that we maintain insurance customary for businesses of our size and type. However, there are types of losses we may incur that cannot be insured against or that we believe are not economically reasonable to insure. Such losses could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our business is subject to seasonal fluctuations.
Our business is subject to seasonal fluctuations in that our sales are typically nominally higher during the summer months affecting the third and fourth quarters of the fiscal year. As a result of these factors, our financial results for any single quarter or for periods of less than a year are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved for a full fiscal year.
If we do not continue to source new products, our ability to compete will be undermined, and we may be unable to implement our business plan.
Our ability to compete in the direct marketing industry and to expand into the traditional retail environment depends to a great extent on our ability to develop or acquire new innovative products under particular brands and to complement these products with related families of products under those brands. If we do not source new products as our existing products mature through their product life cycles, or if we do not develop related families of products under our brands, we will not be able to implement our business plan, and the value of your investment may decrease.
Our advertising and marketing efforts may be costly and may not achieve desired results.
We expect to incur substantial expense in connection with our advertising and marketing efforts. Although we target our advertising and marketing efforts on current and potential customers who we believe are likely to be in the market for the products we sell, we cannot assure you that our advertising and marketing efforts will achieve our desired results.
Damage to our reputation could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our reputation and the quality of our brand are critical to our business and success in existing markets, and will be critical to our success as we launch our product and attempt enter new markets. Any incident that erodes consumer loyalty for our brand could significantly reduce its value and damage our business. Also, there has been a marked increase in the use of social media platforms and similar devices, including blogs, social media websites and other forms of internet-based communications that provide individuals with access to a broad audience of consumers and other interested persons. The availability of information on social media platforms is virtually immediate as is its impact. Information posted may be adverse to our interests or may be inaccurate, each of which may harm our performance, prospects or business. The harm may be immediate without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction.
Our profitability is vulnerable to cost increases, inflation and energy prices.
Future increases in our costs, such as the cost of merchandise, shipping rates, freight and fuel costs, and store occupancy costs, may reduce our profitability. The minimum wage has increased or is scheduled to increase in multiple states and local jurisdictions, and there is a possibility Congress will increase the federal minimum wage. These cost changes may be the result of inflationary pressures, which could further reduce our sales or profitability. Increases in other operating costs, including changes in energy prices, wage rates and lease and utility costs, may increase our costs of sales or operating expenses and reduce our profitability.
Security breaches of confidential customer information, in connection with our electronic processing of credit and debit card transactions, or confidential employee information may adversely affect our business.
Our business requires the collection, transmission and retention of large volumes of customer and employee data, including credit and debit card numbers and other personally identifiable information, in various information technology systems that we maintain and in those maintained by third parties with whom we contract to provide services. The integrity and protection of that customer and employee data is critical to us. The information, security and privacy requirements imposed by governmental regulation are increasingly demanding. Our systems may not be able to satisfy these changing requirements and customer and employee expectations, or may require significant additional investments or time in order to do so. A breach in the security of our information technology systems or those of our service providers could lead to an interruption in the operation of our systems, resulting in operational inefficiencies and a loss of profits. Additionally, a significant theft, loss or misappropriation of, or access to, customers’ or other proprietary data or other breach of our information technology systems could result in fines, legal claims or proceedings.
Risks Related to the Securities
The Shares of Non-Voting Common Stock will not be freely tradable until one year from the initial purchase date. Although the Shares of Non-Voting Common Stock may be tradable under federal securities law, state securities regulations may apply and each Purchaser should consult with his or her attorney.
You should be aware of the long-term nature of this investment. There is not now and likely will not be a public market for the Shares of Non-Voting Common Stock. Because the Shares of Non-Voting Common Stock have not been registered under the Securities Act or under the securities laws of any state or non-United States jurisdiction, the Shares of Non-Voting Common Stock have transfer restrictions and cannot be resold in the United States except pursuant to Rule 501 of Regulation CF. It is not currently contemplated that registration under the Securities Act or other securities laws will be effected. Limitations on the transfer of the Shares of Non-Voting Common Stock may also adversely affect the price that you might be able to obtain for the Shares of Non-Voting Common Stock in a private sale. Purchasers should be aware of the long-term nature of their investment in the Company. Each Purchaser in this Offering will be required to represent that it is purchasing the Securities for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view to resale or distribution thereof.
Neither the Offering nor the Securities have been registered under federal or state securities laws, leading to an absence of certain regulation applicable to the Company.
No governmental agency has reviewed or passed upon this Offering, the Company or any Securities of the Company. The Company also has relied on exemptions from securities registration requirements under applicable state securities laws. Investors in the Company, therefore, will not receive any of the benefits that such registration would otherwise provide. Prospective investors must therefore assess the adequacy of disclosure and the fairness of the terms of this Offering on their own or in conjunction with their personal advisors.
No Guarantee of Return on Investment
There is no assurance that a Purchaser will realize a return on its investment or that it will not lose its entire investment. For this reason, each Purchaser should read the Form C and all Exhibits carefully and should consult with its own attorney and business advisor prior to making any investment decision.
The Company Has Engaged in Certain Transactions with Related Persons or Entities.
Joe Wallace, our Founder, President, CEO and Sole Director, has provided the Company with a $75,000 line of credit to assist with startup expenses and initial operating costs. We refer to this line of credit as the “Line of Credit”. See “Related party transactions” for more information. In addition, 100% of the voting equity securities of the Company and approximately 93% of the outstanding capital stock of the Company is owned by Joe Wallace. The Company has and will continue to engage in transactions with related parties and/or entities. While the Company believes the terms of such transactions are fair and equitable, these transactions have not been, and will not in the future be, at arm's length. If you have concerns about these transactions in the past or in the future, you may ask questions of the Company's management. However, if you choose to invest in the Company, you will do so knowing and understanding that these transactions have occurred and will continue to occur in the future.
Our Founder Recently Declared Personal Bankruptcy
Joe Wallace filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in 2018. Mr. Wallace settled the matter in 2021 and the proceeding was eventually dismissed.
Our Founder Had Tax Liens
Joe Wallace had tax liens imposed by the California Franchise Tax Board (the “FTB”). Mr. Wallace negotiated a payment plan with the FTB in 2023.
The Company Will Likely Incur Debt.
The Company has incurred debt in the amounts set forth in the “Outstanding Debt” section of this Form C. The Company will likely incur debt (including secured debt) in the future and in the continuing operations of its business. Complying with obligations under such indebtedness may have a material adverse effect on the Company and on your investment.
The Company's Founder Beneficially Owns a Substantial Portion of Its Outstanding Securities.
The Company's employees, executive officers, directors and/or affiliates beneficially own or control all of the Company's outstanding shares of stock before the Offering and will continue to own all of the voting shares after the Offering. This concentration of ownership will limit your ability and the ability of the Company's other stockholders, whether acting alone or together, to propose or direct the management or overall direction of the Company. Additionally, this concentration of ownership could discourage or prevent a potential merger or acquisition of the Company that might otherwise result in an investor receiving a premium over the market price for his or her Securities. Joe Wallace is expected continue to have the power to control the election of the Company's directors and the approval of actions for which the approval of the Company's stockholders is required. The Shares we are offering to you are non-voting. If you acquire the Securities, you will have no effective voice in the management of the Company. Such concentrated control of the Company may adversely affect the value of the Company's securities and could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for the Company.
Subject to any fiduciary duties owed to our other owners or investors under Delaware law, these owners may be able to exercise significant influence over matters requiring owner approval, including the election of directors or managers and approval of significant Company transactions, and will have significant control over the Company’s management and policies. Some of these persons may have interests that are different from yours. For example, these owners may support proposals and actions with which you may disagree. The concentration of ownership could delay or prevent a change in control of the Company or otherwise discourage a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of the Company, which in turn could reduce the price potential investors are willing to pay for the Company. In addition, these owners could use their voting influence to maintain the Company’s existing management, delay or prevent changes in control of the Company, or support or reject other management and board proposals that are subject to owner approval.
Reliance on Founder and CEO to Provide Short Term Funding.
Continued operations and progress towards commercialization of the Company’s products is dependent, until additional funds are raised via this Offering or other arrangements, on the continued financial support in the form of the Line of Credit provided by Joe Wallace, the Company’s Founder and CEO.
Use of Proceeds to Repay Debt
As detailed in the “Use of Proceeds” section of this document, the Company intends to use proceeds from this Offering to repay the Line of Credit. These payments would be made to Joe Wallace and consequently would be considered to be “irregular Use of Proceeds.” The Company does not intend to begin repaying any of this debt until it has raised $2.5 Million in the Offering.
Use of Proceeds to Pay Salaries
As detailed in the “Use of Proceeds” section of this document, the Company anticipates using proceeds from this Offering to pay certain salaries to our management team. These payments would be considered to be “irregular Use of Proceeds.” Salaries may also be paid or increased above these amounts from successful sales, our Rule 506(c) Offering and other non-offering revenue.
The Company Has Significant Discretion Over the Net Proceeds of This Offering.
The Company has significant discretion over the net proceeds of this Offering. As is the case with any business, particularly one without a proven business model, it should be expected that certain expenses unforeseeable to management at this juncture will arise in the future. There can be no assurance that management’s use of proceeds generated through this Offering will prove optimal or translate into revenue or profitability for the Company. You are urged to review the Use of Proceeds in this Offering Statement but to understand that the actual use of the net proceeds of this Offering may vary significantly. Our uses of proceeds from this Offering could also be impacted by the amount of money we raise in our concurrent Rule 506(c) Offering. In all cases, Investors should consult with their attorneys, accountants and personal investment advisors prior to making any decision to invest in the Company.
The Target Offering Amount the Company Is Attempting to Raise in This Offering Is Not Enough to Sustain the Company’s Current Business Plan.
In order to achieve the Company's near and long-term goals, the Company will need to procure funds in addition to the Target Offering Amount. There is no guarantee the Company will be able to raise such funds on acceptable terms or at all. If the Company is not able to raise sufficient capital in the future, the Company will not be able to execute the Company's business plan, the Company's continued operations will be in jeopardy and the Company may be forced to cease operations and sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of the Company's remaining assets, which could cause you to lose all or a portion of your investment.
Investors Will Not Be Entitled To Any Inspection Or Information Rights Other Than Those Required By Law.
Investors will not have the right to inspect the books and records of the Company or to receive financial or other information from the Company, other than as required by law. Other security holders of the Company may have such rights. Regulation CF requires only the provision of an annual report on Form C and no additional information. Additionally, there are numerous methods by which the Company can terminate annual report obligations, resulting in limited to no information rights, contractual, statutory or otherwise, owed to Investors. This lack of information could put Investors at a disadvantage in general and with respect to other security holders, including certain security holders who have rights to periodic financial statements and updates from the Company such as quarterly unaudited financials, annual projections and budgets, and monthly progress reports, among other things. In addition, the Company is not currently subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. Therefore, Investors may not have access to information to which they would have access if the investment were made in a publicly held company whose offering was issued under the Exchange Act, and who is subject to the reporting regulations provided by the Exchange Act.
The Securities in This Offering are Non-Voting and Have No Protective Provisions.
The Securities in this Offering are non-voting and have no protective provisions. As such, you will not be afforded protection, by any provision of the Securities or as a stockholder, in the event of a transaction that may adversely affect you, including a reorganization, restructuring, merger or other similar transaction involving the Company. If there is a “liquidation event,” or “change of control” for the Company, the Securities being offered do not provide you with any protection and those transactions may trigger the drag-along provisions applicable to the Securities. In addition, there are no provisions attached to the Securities in the Offering that would permit you to require the Company to repurchase the Securities in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction involving the Company.
The Securities in This Offering are Subject to Repurchase by the Company.
Your Subscription Agreement provides us the right to repurchase the shares of Series B Non-Voting Common Stock you purchase in this Offering (at a price equal to fair market value of the shares as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company) in the event we determine it is likely that we may be required to register a class of equity securities due to Section 12(g) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act.
The Securities in This Offering Are Subject to Drag Along Rights.
The Securities in this Offering are subject to drag along rights whereby you may, under certain circumstances, be forced to participate in the sale or merger of the Company even if you do not want to sell your Securities. For full details on the drag along rights, see the Company's Bylaws.
Securities Are Presently Subject to A Right of First Refusal.
The Securities are presently subject to a right of first refusal. You are not allowed to sell, transfer, pledge or hypothecate the Securities in any manner whatsoever. If you attempt to do, the Securities would be subjected to a Right of First Refusal in favor of the holders of the Company and its assigns. For full details on the drag along rights, see the Company's Bylaws.
The Securities May Automatically Convert into Other Securities.
The Series B Non-Voting Common Stock will automatically convert into shares of Series A Voting Common Stock upon (1) the approval by the Board and a vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of Series A Voting Common Stock, or (2) development of a Trading Market (as such term is defined in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company) for the Series A Voting Common Stock. The Subscription Agreement also gives us the right to convert the Securities into interests of a crowdfunding special purpose vehicle.
You Will Need To Keep Records Of Your Investment For Tax Purposes.
As with all investments in securities, if you sell the Securities, you will probably need to pay tax on the long-term or short-term capital gains that you realize if sold at a profit or set any loss against other income. If you do not have a regular brokerage account, or your regular broker will not hold the Securities for you, there will be nobody keeping records for you for tax purposes, and you will have to keep your own records and calculate the gain on any sales of any securities you sell.
You Should Be Aware of The Long-Term Nature of This Investment.
There is not now, and may never be, a public market for the Securities. Because the Securities are being sold under exemptions to registration, and therefore have not been registered under the Securities Act or under the securities laws of any state or non-United States jurisdiction, the Securities may have certain transfer restrictions. Our bylaws also place additional transfer restrictions on the Shares. It is not currently contemplated that registration under the Securities Act or other securities laws will occur for the Securities. Limitations on the transfer of the Securities may also adversely affect the price that you might be able to obtain for the Securities in a sale in the future. Investors in the Company, therefore, will not receive any of the benefits that such registration would otherwise provide. You must assess the adequacy of disclosure and the fairness of the terms of this Offering on your own or in conjunction with your personal advisors. You should be aware of the long-term nature of your investment in the Company.
Consider Various Tax Issues with your Advisors Before Investing.
The federal and state tax implications of an investment in the Securities are complicated and the Company is not providing any advice to investors regarding such implications. You are urged to seek tax advice from your attorney or other advisors prior to investing in the Securities.
The Company Has The Right To Limit Individual Investor Commitment Amounts Based On The Company’s Determination Of An Investor’s Sophistication.
The Company may prevent any Investor from committing more than a certain amount in this Offering based on the Company’s determination of the Investor’s sophistication and ability to assume the risk of the investment. This means that your desired investment amount may be limited or lowered based solely on the Company’s determination and not in line with relevant investment limits set forth by the Regulation Crowdfunding rules. This also means that other Investors may receive larger allocations of the Offering based solely on the Company’s determination.
The Company Has The Right To Extend The Offering Deadline. The Company Has The Right To End The Offering Early.
The Company may extend the Offering Deadline beyond what is currently stated herein, if permitted to do so under Regulation Crowdfunding. This means that your investment may continue to be held in escrow while the Company attempts to raise the Target Offering Amount even after the Offering Deadline stated herein is reached. While you have the right to cancel your investment in the event the Company extends the Offering Deadline, if you choose to reconfirm your investment it will not be accruing interest during this time and will simply be held until such time as the new Offering Deadline is reached without the Company receiving the Target Offering Amount, at which time it will be returned to you without interest or deduction, or the Company receives the Target Offering Amount, at which time it will be released to the Company to be used as set forth herein. Upon or shortly after the release of such funds to the Company, the Securities will be issued and distributed to you.
The Company may also end the Offering early. If the Offering reaches its Target Offering Amount after 21 calendar days, but before the Offering Deadline, the Company can end the Offering by providing notice to the Investors 5 business days prior to the end of the Offering. This means your failure to participate in the Offering in a timely manner may prevent you from being able to participate – it also means the Company may limit the amount of capital it can raise during the Offering by ending the Offering early.
The Company Has The Right To Conduct Multiple “Rolling” Closings During The Offering.
If the Company meets certain terms and conditions an intermediate close of the Offering can occur, which will allow the Company to draw down on the proceeds of the Offering committed and captured during the relevant period. The Company intends to engage in rolling closings after the Target Offering Amount and other conditions are met. Investors should be mindful that this means they can make multiple investment commitments in the Offering, which may be subject to different cancellation rights. For example, if an intermediate close occurs and later a material change occurs as the Offering continues, Investors previously closed upon will not have the right to re-confirm or withdraw their investment as it will be deemed completed. In addition, our initial closings will cover the tranches of shares with lower purchase prices, so as we conduct rolling closings, your ability to purchase shares at purchase price will be reduced and you may be required to pay a higher price for the Securities you elect to purchase.
Material Changes to the Offering will Cancel Pending Investments Unless You Reconfirm Your Commitment.
Material changes to an offering include but are not limited to: A change in minimum offering amount, change in the security price (except as otherwise described in this Form C with respect to participation in tranches with at discounted prices), change in management, material change to financial information, etc. If an issuer makes a material change to the offering terms or other information disclosed investors will be given five (5) business days to reconfirm their investment commitment. If investors do not reconfirm, their investment will be cancelled and the funds will be returned.
The Company has the right to extend the Offering deadline.
The Company may extend the Offering deadline beyond what is currently stated herein. This means that your investment may continue to be held in escrow while the Company attempts to raise the Minimum Amount even after the Offering deadline stated herein is reached. Your investment will not be accruing interest during this time and will simply be held until such time as the new Offering deadline is reached without the Company receiving the Minimum Amount, at which time it will be returned to you without interest or deduction, or the Company receives the Minimum Amount, at which time it will be released to the Company to be used as set forth herein. Upon or shortly after release of such funds to the Company, the Securities will be issued and distributed to you.
There is no present market for the Securities and we have arbitrarily set the price.
We have arbitrarily set the price of the Securities with reference to the general status of the securities market and other relevant factors. The Offering price for the Securities should not be considered an indication of the actual value of the Securities and is not based on our net worth or prior earnings. We cannot assure you that the Securities could be resold by you at the Offering price or at any other price.
Your ownership of the Securities will be subject to dilution.
Owners of common stock do not have preemptive rights. If the Company conducts subsequent Offerings of common stock or Securities convertible into common stock, issues shares pursuant to a compensation or distribution reinvestment plan or otherwise issues additional shares, investors who purchase shares in this Offering who do not participate in those other stock issuances will experience dilution in their percentage ownership of the Company’s outstanding shares. Furthermore, shareholders may experience a dilution in the value of their shares depending on the terms and pricing of any future share issuances (including the shares being sold in this Offering) and the value of the Company’s assets at the time of issuance. If we issue additional shares of Series B Non-Voting Common Stock to investors in our Rule 506(c) Offering, the Securities issued in this Offering would be further diluted.
The Securities will be equity interests in the Company and will not constitute indebtedness.
The Securities will rank junior to all existing and future indebtedness and other non-equity claims on the Company with respect to assets available to satisfy claims on the Company, including in a liquidation of the Company. Additionally, unlike indebtedness, for which principal and interest would customarily be payable on specified due dates, there will be no specified payments of dividends with respect to the Securities and dividends are payable only if, when and as authorized and declared by the Company and depend on, among other matters, the Company’s historical and projected results of operations, liquidity, cash flows, capital levels, financial condition, debt service requirements and other cash needs, financing covenants, applicable state law, federal and state regulatory prohibitions and other restrictions and any other factors the Company’s board of directors deems relevant at the time. In addition, the terms of the Securities will not limit the amount of debt or other obligations the Company may incur in the future. Accordingly, the Company may incur substantial amounts of additional debt and other obligations that will rank senior to the Securities.
There can be no assurance that we will ever provide liquidity to Purchasers through either a sale of the Company or a registration of the Securities.
There can be no assurance that any form of merger, combination, or sale of the Company will take place, or that any merger, combination, or sale would provide liquidity for Purchasers. Furthermore, we may be unable to register the Securities for resale by Purchasers for legal, commercial, regulatory, market-related or other reasons. In the event that we are unable to effect a registration, Purchasers could be unable to sell their Securities unless an exemption from registration is available.
The Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future.
The Company currently intends to retain future earnings, if any, for the foreseeable future, to repay indebtedness and to support its business. The Company does not intend in the foreseeable future to pay any dividends to holders of its shares of common stock.
Affiliates of the Company, including officers, directors, and existing members of the Company, may invest in this Offering and their funds will be counted toward the Company achieving the Minimum Amount.
There is no restriction on affiliates of the Company, including its officers, directors and existing members, investing in the Offering. As a result, it is possible that if the Company has raised some funds, but not reached the Minimum Amount, affiliates can contribute the balance so that there will be a closing. The Minimum Amount is typically intended to be a protection for investors and gives investors confidence that other investors, along with them, are sufficiently interested in the Offering and the Company and its prospects to make an investment of at least the Minimum Amount. By permitting affiliates to invest in the offering and make up any shortfall between what non-affiliate investors have invested and the Minimum Amount, this protection is largely eliminated. Investors should be aware that no funds other than their own and those of affiliates investing along with them may be invested in this Offering.
In addition to the risks listed above, businesses are often subject to risks not foreseen or fully appreciated by the management. It is not possible to foresee all risks that may affect us. Moreover, the Company cannot predict whether the Company will successfully effectuate the Company’s current business plan. Each prospective Purchaser is encouraged to carefully analyze the risks and merits of an investment in the Securities and should take into consideration when making such analysis, among other, the Risk Factors discussed above.
THE SECURITIES OFFERED INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK AND MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF YOUR ENTIRE INVESTMENT. ANY PERSON CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF THESE SECURITIES SHOULD BE AWARE OF THESE AND OTHER FACTORS SET FORTH IN THIS FORM C AND SHOULD CONSULT WITH HIS OR HER LEGAL, TAX AND FINANCIAL ADVISORS PRIOR TO MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE SECURITIES. THE SECURITIES SHOULD ONLY BE PURCHASED BY PERSONS WHO CAN AFFORD TO LOSE ALL OF THEIR INVESTMENT.