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PyroGenesis $PYR Appoints European Investor & Corporate Relations Advisor $RTN $NOC $UTX $DDD.ca $HPQ.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:00 AM on Thursday, April 1st, 2021
  • Appointed DGWA, the German Institute for Asset and Equity Allocation and Valuation (“Deutsche Gesellschaft für Wertpapieranalyse GmbH”, “DGWA”), a German investment banking boutique, as its Investor and Corporate Relations advisor in Europe, effective as April 1 st , 2021 for a period of twelve (12) months.
  • DGWA’s management team has a 25-year track record in trading, investing, and analyzing SMEs around the world.
  • Based in Frankfurt and Berlin, Germany, the company has been involved in more than 250 IPOs, financings, bond issues, dual listings, and corporate finance transactions as well as road shows and awareness campaigns.

MONTREAL, April 01, 2021 – PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (TSX: PYR) (NASDAQ: PYR) (FRA: 8PY) (the “Company” or “PyroGenesis”), a high-tech Company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, environmentally friendly plasma waste-to-energy systems and clean plasma torch products, has appointed DGWA, the German Institute for Asset and Equity Allocation and Valuation (“Deutsche Gesellschaft für Wertpapieranalyse GmbH”, “DGWA”), a German investment banking boutique, as its Investor and Corporate Relations advisor in Europe, effective as April 1 st , 2021 for a period of twelve (12) months.

In consideration of the services to be provided, the Company has agreed to pay DGWA a monthly retainer fee payable on the 15 th business day (Germany) of each month. The Company may terminate the Agreement with DGWA, at any time, upon presentation of a forty-five (45) days’ notice. DGWA does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in the Company or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest.

DGWA’s management team has a 25-year track record in trading, investing, and analyzing SMEs around the world. Based in Frankfurt and Berlin, Germany, the company has been involved in more than 250 IPOs, financings, bond issues, dual listings, and corporate finance transactions as well as road shows and awareness campaigns.

PyroGenesis has appointed DGWA to help increase awareness of PyroGenesis’ proprietary advanced plasma technology both within the European financial community as well as with the industry.

“We are delighted to be working with DGWA to increase our visibility within the European financial markets, and also raise awareness of our product offerings amongst potential clients in Europe,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, CEO and Chair of PyroGenesis. “Our sales growth and momentum in backlog, which should drive near-term profitability, paired with our commitment to green manufacturing while helping mining and metallurgical companies meet their carbon-neutrality goals, matches the expectations of sustainability conscious European investors and stakeholders.”

“We are excited to introduce the PyroGenesis investment opportunity and product offerings to European shareholders and industry players alike.”, adds Mr. Stefan Müller, CEO of DGWA. “The commitment of the company to sustainable development, paired with the booming demand in high-quality, stock exchange listed 3D printing companies are in the favour of growth driven retail as well as institutional investors in Europe.”

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/PyroGenesisCanada/forums/discussion/topics/758367-pyrogenesis-appoints-european-investor-corporate-relations-advisor/messages/2310563#message

PyroGenesis $PYR Announces 2020 Results: Revenues $17.8MM; Net Earnings and Comprehensive Income $41.8MM Gross Margin 58%; Current Backlog $30MM; Basic EPS $0.28

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:45 PM on Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
  • Revenues of $17,775,029, an increase of 269% over $4,813,978 posted in the prior year,
  • Net earnings and comprehensive income of $41,768,404 an increase of $50,939,521 over 2019,
  • Net earnings and comprehensive income from operations (before share-based expenses) of $2.9MM during fiscal year 2020 vs ($7.9MM) posted over the same period in 2019,
  • Gross margin of 58%, an increase of 21% year over year,
  • Cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2020 of $18,104,899 (December 31, 2019: $34,431),
  • Backlog of signed contracts of $30MM,
  • Basic Earnings per Share (EPS) of $0.28 for 2020 as compared to ($0.07) in 2019,
  • Total Assets at December 31, 2020 of $74.5MM (December 31, 2019: $9.6MM),
  • Shareholders’ Equity at December 31, 2020 of $59.4MM (December 31, 2019: ($6.1MM)).

MONTREAL, March 31, 2021 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX: PYR) (NASDAQ: PYR) (FRA:8PY), a high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation” or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, environmentally friendly plasma waste-to-energy systems and clean plasma torch products, is pleased to announce today its financial and operational results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31 st , 2020.

“We are happy to announce Q4, and fiscal year end, results for the period ending December 31 st , 2020, which continue the historical trends began earlier in the year. Our full year revenues of $18MM reflects the successful processing of backlog from signed contracts previously disclosed. The Board’s choice of strategy has been validated with the reporting of the second profitable quarter in a row. Further validating this strategy, net income from operations (before share-based expenses) was $3.3MM for the year which is quite significant given the uncertain environment that 2020 was, and during which the Company not only retired virtually all of its debt, but also uplisted to the Toronto Stock Exchange and positioned itself for a NASDAQ listing in Q1 2021,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, CEO and Chair of PyroGenesis. “The successes of 2020, when combined with the results from our strategic investment, have contributed to a basic EPS of $0.16 for the quarter, and $0.28 for the year, both of which have exceeded previous guidance. With a strong balance sheet and approx. $27MM of cash-on-hand as at this writing, the Company is well positioned to execute on its strategy of growth and solidify its position as an emerging leader in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and as such, we expect these trends established in 2020 to continue.”

2020 results reflect the following highlights:

  • Revenues of $17,775,029, an increase of 269% over $4,813,978 posted in the prior year,
  • Net earnings and comprehensive income of $41,768,404 an increase of $50,939,521 over 2019,
  • Net earnings and comprehensive income from operations (before share-based expenses) of $2.9MM during fiscal year 2020 vs ($7.9MM) posted over the same period in 2019,
  • Gross margin of 58%, an increase of 21% year over year,
  • Cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2020 of $18,104,899 (December 31, 2019: $34,431),
  • Backlog of signed contracts of $30MM,
  • Basic Earnings per Share (EPS) of $0.28 for 2020 as compared to ($0.07) in 2019,
  • Total Assets at December 31, 2020 of $74.5MM (December 31, 2019: $9.6MM),
  • Shareholders’ Equity at December 31, 2020 of $59.4MM (December 31, 2019: ($6.1MM)).

OUTLOOK

Given the success over the last 18 months, PyroGenesis is well positioned, with a clean balance sheet, and approx. $27 million cash-on-hand (as of this writing), to execute on all its organic growth strategies as well as actively pursuing growth through synergistic merger and acquisitions.

PyroGenesis has recently focused, and repositioned its offerings, to highlight the GHG emissions reduction benefits associated with the majority of its products. Interestingly enough, PyroGenesis’ product lines do not generally need to incorporate GHG/environmental benefits to make sense economically. In other words, they do not require GHG/environmental incentives (tax credits GHG certificates, environmental subsidies) to make sense from a business perspective. We believe these incentives will be a tailwind that will add directly to shareholder value.

We consider this repositioning to be timely as many governments around the world are considering stimulating their respective economies by promoting environmental technologies. As such, Management expects that this repositioning will result in increased revenues.

Organic Growth:

Organic growth will be spurred on by (i) the natural growth of our existing offerings which can now be accelerated given our strong balance sheet and (ii) leveraging off our “Golden Ticket” advantage.

We have described in the past our Golden Ticket advantage as one which occurs when one sells directly, or is engaged directly, with the end user and, as a result, is “inside the fence”. A Golden Ticket affords the opportunity to either, (i) cross sell other products or, ideally, (ii) identify new areas of concern that can be addressed uniquely by PyroGenesis. We call the latter our Coffee and Donuts strategy (if you are selling coffee you could generate additional revenues, with little additional effort, by adding on donuts).

Over the past several years, PyroGenesis has successfully positioned each of its business lines for rapid growth by strategically partnering with multi-billion-dollar entities. These entities have identified PyroGenesis’ offerings to be unique, in demand, and of such a commercial nature as to warrant such unique relationships. We expect that these relationships are now positioned to transition into significant revenue streams.

DROSRITE™

Within the DROSRITE™ offering, the Company is aggressively exploring horizontal growth opportunities. The Company is currently bidding on an RFQ, valued at approx. $40MM (estimated award date: within 4 months; estimated time to completion: approx. 15 months). Management notes that it has been very successful in the selection process to date, but does not yet consider it to be a high-probability outcome at this stage, and provides such as an example of its commitment to this strategy.

Additive Manufacturing

With respect to our Additive manufacturing offering, we expect to see significant year over year improvements in our 3D metal powders offering as our production kicks into gear by incorporating all the previously disclosed benefits (increased production rates, lower capex, lower opex) locked into our production line. There are major top tier aerospace companies and OEMs in both Europe and North America eagerly awaiting powders from this new state of the art production line. Whereas in the past we have been primarily targeting the very demanding Aerospace industry, we have recently expanded the target market to also address the unique needs of the electric vehicles marketplace who have recently approached us with their powder needs.

Plasma Torches

With respect to the Company’s plasma torch offerings, we expect this offering to be significantly impacted by continued developments in the iron ore pelletization industry, where serious consideration is being given to replacing the fossil fuel burners, currently being used throughout the industry, with PyroGenesis’ proprietary plasma torches, in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint.

To date, everything is proceeding as expected. Initial discussions have evolved into confirmation stages which typically consist of a computer simulation followed by a small torch order. These confirmation stages are expected, if successful, to result with a roll-out program to replace fossil fuel burners with PyroGenesis’ plasma torches in the iron ore pelletization industry, in which PyroGenesis is patent protected.

PyroGenesis is proactively targeting other industries which are experiencing significant pressure to reduce GHGs, and which utilize fossil fuel burners as well.

Separately, the Company also offers plasma torches to niche markets where there is a high probability of on-going sales from successful implementation. One such example is the previously announced contract with a small company to produce a plasma torch ideal for tunnelling. PyroGenesis is currently re-evaluating its relationship with respect to this opportunity as there may be evidence that the real plasma-based tunnelling opportunity could lie outside of the scope of the current agreement.

As sales of PyroGenesis’ plasma torches increase, the Company will also benefit from providing proprietary spare parts from which the Company expects to generate significant recurring revenue, thus complementing the Company’s long-term strategy to build upon a recuring revenue model.

HPQ/PUREVAP™

With respect to HPQ, the goal is expanding our role as HPQ technology provider for the game changing PUREVAP™ family of silicon processes which we are developing exclusively for HPQ and its wholly owned subsidiary HPQ Nano Silicon Powders Inc, namely:

  • The PUREVAP™ “Quartz Reduction Reactors” (QRR), an innovative process (patent pending), which should permit the one step transformation of lower purity quartz (SiO2) than any traditional processes can handle into a silicon (Si) of a higher purity level (2N-4N) that can be produced by any traditional smelter, at reduced costs, energy input, and carbon footprint. The unique capabilities of this process could position HPQ as a leading provider of the specialized silicon material needed to propagate its considerable renewable energy potential; and
  • The PUREVAP™ Nano Silicon Reactor (NSiR), which, if successful, could position itself as a new proprietary low-cost process that can transform the silicon (Si) made by the PUREVAP™ QRR into the nano-silicon materials (spherical silicon powders and silicon nanowires) sought after by energy storage, batteries, electric vehicle manufactures and clean hydrogen sectors participants. The aim of the ongoing work is to position HPQ NANO as the first to market with a commercial scale low-cost nanoparticle production system.

We expect 2021 to be a year in which significant development occurs on both these fronts.

Growth through Synergistic Mergers and Acquisitions:

As previously disclosed, the Company would conservatively consider a synergistic M&A strategy to augment its growth, and the Company has been very actively involved in pursuing several opportunities in support of this strategy. In so doing, the focus has been on private companies exclusively which (i) primarily leverage the Company’s Golden Ticket advantage/Coffee & Donuts strategy or (ii) could uniquely benefit from the Company’s engineering advantage and/or international relationships.

The Company expects to be announcing specific details over the next few weeks as these opportunities become more binding on the parties involved.

DROSRITE™

We expect to be able to announce within the next several weeks, the conclusion of a joint venture relationship with an existing and proven technology provider. The technology is geared to uniquely handle the residues resulting from the processing of dross in the aluminum industry. We had previously announced our intention to secure this technology and, if concluded, would not only make our traditional DROSRITE™ offering more appealing but could also be offered as a stand-alone product. We believe that valorizing the residues and producing high end products will further define us as the go-to company for all dross related processing. This is a prime example of our Coffee & Donuts strategy in play. For further clarity, the joint venture will only relate to the new technology and, as such, PyroGenesis will not have to vet in any assets, or IP (specifically not the DROSRITE™ technology).

Plasma Torches

PyroGenesis often considers opportunities to leverage its plasma expertise and has been reviewing a torch technology which could complement PyroGenesis’ existing offerings, and leverage off of our unique relationships. The Company gives this a very low probability of success given the initial valuation, provided by the sole owner, in the context of publicly available data. However, PyroGenesis has identified similar opportunities and will evaluate them in due course.

Complimentary

The Company expects to announce in the next several weeks details regarding its intent to enter the Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) market via acquisition. PyroGenesis believes that it is in a unique position to take advantage of the lack of sufficient players (given anticipated demand) in the RNG marketplace by leveraging its engineering capabilities & existing relationships.

In conclusion, PyroGenesis is well positioned in 2021 to take advantage of its unique position in its four main business offerings to accelerate growth in each, with a particular emphasis on offerings geared to aggressively reducing GHG emissions. Furthermore, we do not expect at this point in time, given our strong balance sheet, a need to raise capital to execute on our growth strategy over the foreseeable future.

Financial Summary

Revenues

PyroGenesis recorded revenues of $17,775,029 for the year ended December 31, 2020, representing an increase of 269% compared to $4,813,978 recorded in 2019.

Revenues recorded in fiscal 2020 were generated primarily from:

 (i)PUREVAP™ related sales of $4,163,059 (2019 – $525,556)
 (ii)DROSRITE™ related sales of $9,976,696 (2019 – $560,916)
 (iii)support services related to systems supplied to the US Military $1,425,883 (2019 – $637,841)
 (iv)torch related sales of $1,452,455 (2019 – $2,323,351)
 (v)other sales and services $756,936 (2019 – $766,314)

PUREVAP™ related sales includes revenue from the sale of technologies in the amount of $3,610,000.

Cost of Sales and Services and Gross Margins

Cost of sales and services before amortization of intangible assets was $7,445,171 in 2020, representing an increase of 113% compared to $3,495,753 in 2019, primarily due to an increase in subcontracting, direct materials, an increase in foreign exchange charge on materials offset by a decrease in employee compensation, and investment tax credits.

In 2020, employee compensation, manufacturing overhead & other decreased to $1,886,854 (2019 – $2,230,361). Of note, the Company in 2020 applied for an amount of $775,967 in wage subsidy from Revenue Canada under the CEWS “Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy” program. From this amount, $118,416 was applied to employee compensation under cost of sales and services. Subcontracting and direct materials increased to $5,429,175 (2019 – $1,471,226), primarily due to the increased amount of contract values.

The gross margin for 2020 was $10,302,668 or 58% of revenue compared to a gross margin of $1,298,092 or 27% of revenue for 2019. As a result of the type of contracts being executed, the nature of the project activity had a significant impact on the gross margin and the overall level of cost of sales and services reported in a period, as well as the composition of the cost of sales and services, as the mix between labour, materials and subcontracts may be significantly different. The cost of sales and services for 2020 and 2019 are in line with Management’s expectations. The gross margin includes the full effect of the sale of intellectual property and royalties of $3,610,000 in 2020. Excluding the effect of this revenue, the gross margin for 2020 would have been 47.2%.

Investment tax credits recorded against cost of sales are related to projects that qualify for tax credits from the provincial government of Quebec. Qualifying tax credits decreased to $18,420 in 2020, compared to $179,670 in 2019. The decrease is primarily related to fewer contracts being eligible for qualifying tax credits.

The amortization of intangible assets of $27,190 in 2020 and $20,133 for 2019 relates to patents and deferred development costs. Of note, these expenses are non-cash items and will be amortized over the duration of the patent lives.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Included within Selling, General and Administrative expenses (“SG&A”) are costs associated with corporate administration, business development, project proposals, operations administration, investor relations and employee training.

SG&A expenses for 2020 excluding the costs associated with share-based compensation (a non-cash item in which options vest principally over a four-year period), were $8,089,945, representing an increase of 34% compared to $6,017,091 reported for 2019.

The increase in SG&A expenses in 2020 over the same period in 2019 is mainly attributable to the net effect of:

 (i)an increase of 79% in employee compensation primarily due to additional head count, an increase in commissions, bonuses, offset by an amount of $504,339 received from Revenue Canada under the CEWS program.
 (ii)an increase of 14% for professional fees, primarily due to an increase in legal fees, public listing fees and patent expenses,
 (iii)an increase of 12% in office and general expenses, is primarily due to computer, internet, and security expenses,
 (iv)travel costs decreased by 71%, due to a decrease in travel abroad,
 (v)depreciation on property and equipment decreased by 63% due to lower amounts of property and equipment being depreciated,
 (vi)depreciation on right of use assets increased by 13% due to higher amounts of right of use assets being depreciated,
 (vii)investment tax credits were almost the same year to year, and include the recognition of investment tax credits in the amount of $30,000,
 (viii)government grants decreased by 4%, due to lower levels of activities supported by such grants,
 (ix)other expenses decreased by 8%, primarily due to an increase in advertising, interest and bank expenses,
 (x)the tax assessment in 2019, represents the amount due from a taxation audit for the period of 2008 to 2011. The Company paid royalties for the use of intangible property prior to the purchase of the asset. The royalties were subject to a 25% withholding tax that was not deducted or withheld by the Company at that time.

Separately, share based payments increased by $4,072,801 in 2020 over the same period in 2019 as a result of the stock options granted on July 16, 2020. This was directly impacted by the vesting structure of the stock option plan with options vesting between 25% and 50% on the grant date requiring an immediate recognition of that cost.

Research and Development (“R&D”) Costs

The Company incurred $775,824 of R&D costs less $1,033,412 of investment tax credits which reduce income taxes payable in current year less $24,605 of investment tax credit refund from previous year, less $83,451 of 2020 eligible investment tax credits, less government grants of $365,433 totaling a net R&D cost of ($731,077), on internal projects in 2020, a decrease of 186% compared to $851,512 in 2019. The decrease in 2020 is primarily related to an increase of labor resources allocated to non research and development contracts.

In addition to internally funded R&D projects, the Company also incurred R&D expenditures during the execution of client funded projects. These expenses are eligible for Scientific Research and experimental Development (“SR&ED”) tax credits. SR&ED tax credits on client funded projects are applied against cost of sales and services (see “Cost of Sales” above).

Net Finance Costs

Finance costs for 2020 totaled $524,074 as compared with $1,237,504 for 2019, representing a decrease of 58% year-over-year. The decrease in finance costs, is primarily attributable to the extinguishment of all term loans, other loans, and convertible debentures in 2020.

Strategic Investments

The adjustment to the fair market value of strategic investments in 2020 resulted in a gain of $44,626,698 compared to a gain in the amount of $176,237 in 2019, representing an increase of $44,450,461. The increase is primarily attributable to the increased market share value of common shares and warrants owned by the Company of HPQ Silicon Resources Inc.

Net Earnings and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 (i)an increase in product and service-related revenue of $12,961,051 arising in 2020,
 (ii)an increase in cost of sales and services totaling $3,956,475, primarily due to higher subcontract costs, and direct materials as a result of an increase in contracts in 2020,
 (iii)an increase in SG&A expenses not including share-based expenses of $2,072,854 arising in 2020 primarily due an increase in employee commissions and bonuses,
 (iv)a decrease in R&D expenses of $1,582,589 primarily related the recognition of investment tax credits in 2020 and prior years in the amount of $1,141,468 which include amounts that reduce Canadian income taxes payable in 2020 and an amount of $365,433 in government grants,
 (v)a decrease of $1,981,410 in 2020 due to impairment of a Plasma Atomization 2019. The Company commenced construction on a new and improved Plasma Powder Production equipment,
 (vi)a decrease of $386,121 in 2020 due to the write off, of powders and raw materials inventory in 2019,
 (vii)an increase in share-based expense of $4,072,801,
 (viii)an increase in changes in fair market value of strategic investments and net finance costs of $45,163,891,
 (ix)an increase in income taxes of $1,033,412

EBITDA

The EBITDA in 2020 was $43,824,533 compared to an EBITDA loss of $7,384,862 for 2019, representing an increase of 693% year-over-year. The increase in the EBITDA in 2020 compared to 2019 is due to the increase in net earnings and comprehensive income of $50,939,520, offset by a decrease in depreciation on property and equipment of $105,717, an increase in depreciation on right-of-use assets of $48,552, an increase in amortization of intangible assets of $7,057, a decrease in finance charges of $713,431 and an increase in income taxes of $1,033,412.

Adjusted EBITDA in 2020 was $48,069,141 compared to an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $4,845,524 for 2019. The increase of $52,914,665 in the Adjusted EBITDA in 2020 is attributable to an increase in EBITDA of $51,209,395, an increase of $4,072,801 in share-based payments, a decrease in inventory write-off of $386,121, and a decrease in equipment write-off of $1,981,410.

The Modified EBITDA in 2020 was $3,442,443 compared to a Modified EBITDA loss of $5,021,761 for 2019, representing an increase of 169%. The increase in the Modified EBITDA in 2020 is attributable to the increase as mentioned above in the Adjusted EBITDA of $52,914,665 and an increase in chance of fair value of investments of $44,450,461.

Liquidity

As at December 31, 2020, the Company has cash and cash equivalents of $18,104,899. In addition, the accounts payable and accrued liabilities of $4,708,051 are payable within 12 months. The Company expects that its cash position will be able to finance its operations for the foreseeable future.

On November 3, 2020, the Company closed a bought-deal short form prospectus offering of 3,354,550 units at a price of $3.60 per unit for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $12,076,380, including the full exercise of the over-allotment option. In connection with the offering, the Company paid $1,934,154 in cash and issued 191,414 compensation options. Each compensation option entitles the holder thereof to purchase one unit at a price of $3.60 until November 10, 2022. Each unit is comprised of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant of the company. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at an exercise price of $4.50 for a period of 24 months.

At December 31, 2020, there have not been any material uses of the proceeds received from the offering.

About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a high-tech company, is a leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. The Company provides its engineering and manufacturing expertise and its turnkey process equipment packages to customers in the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), and environmental industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of its Montreal office and its 3,800 m 2 and 2,940 m 2 manufacturing facilities, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. The Company’s core competencies allow PyroGenesis to provide innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to the global marketplace. PyroGenesis’ operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com .

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at www.sec.gov. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) nor the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

VIDEO – Watch Our Latest Shareholder Q&A With PyroGenesis

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 6:25 PM on Tuesday, March 16th, 2021

PyroGenesis $PYR.ca Announces Acceleration of Warrant Expiry Date; Representing $5.2 million in Total Potential Cash Proceeds $RTN $NOC $UTX $DDD.ca $HPQ.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 6:05 PM on Monday, March 15th, 2021
  • Announced that it has elected to exercise its right under the common share purchase warrant indenture dated November 10, 2020, between the Company and AST Trust Company (Canada) (the “Warrant Agent”), to accelerate the expiry date of the common share purchase warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”) issued under the Warrant Indenture.
  • The Warrants were issued on November 10, 2020, in connection with the bought-deal short form prospectus offering of units of the Company, of which each unit was comprised of one common share of the Company and one-half of one Warrant.

MONTREAL, March 15, 2021 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. ( http://pyrogenesis.com ) (TSX: PYR) (NASDAQ: PYR) (FRA: 8PY), (the “Company” or “PyroGenesis”), a Company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, environmentally friendly plasma waste-to-energy systems and clean plasma torch products, today announced that it has elected to exercise its right under the common share purchase warrant indenture (the “Warrant Indenture”) dated November 10, 2020, between the Company and AST Trust Company (Canada) (the “Warrant Agent”), to accelerate the expiry date of the common share purchase warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”) issued under the Warrant Indenture. The Warrants were issued on November 10, 2020, in connection with the bought-deal short form prospectus offering of units of the Company, of which each unit was comprised of one common share of the Company and one-half of one Warrant.

Under the Warrant Indenture, the Company has the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days after delivery of a notice (the “Acceleration Notice”) to the holders of Warrants and the Warrant Agent confirming that the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange is greater than $6.75 for 20 consecutive trading days (the “VWAP Requirement”). The VWAP Requirement was met as of close of business March 10, 2021. The Warrants will now expire at 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on April 14, 2021 (the “New Expiry Date”). Warrants that have not been exercised prior to the New Expiry Date will expire unexercised and will automatically be void and of no effect whatsoever. The Company has delivered the Acceleration Notice as required by the Warrant Indenture.

Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $4.50 prior to the New Expiry Date. If all the Warrants were exercised as of the date hereof, the gross proceeds to the Company would be approximately $5.2 million. As of the date hereof, assuming all the Warrants were exercised, the Company’s cash on hand would be approximately $33.5 million.

For further clarification, 1,677,275 Warrants were issued on December 10, 2020. Since that time, 520,472 Warrants were exercised, leaving a balance of 1,156,803 Warrants outstanding as of today.

Questions concerning acceleration of the Warrant expiry date and the exercise of the Warrants can be directed to AST Trust Company (Canada), 1 Toronto Street, Suite 1200, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2V6, Canada.

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/PyroGenesisCanada/forums/discussion/topics/757391-pyrogenesis-announces-acceleration-of-warrant-expiry-date-representing-5-2-million-in-total-potential-cash-proceeds/messages/2308281#message

PyroGenesis $PYR Announces Listing of its Common Shares on #NASDAQ $RTN $NOC $UTX $DDD.ca $HPQ.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:44 PM on Wednesday, March 10th, 2021
  • Company’s application to list its common shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market has been approved.
  • Trading will commence tomorrow, Thursday, March 11 th , 2021, at the opening, under the ticker symbol “PYR”.
  • The last day of trading on the OTCQB will be today, Wednesday, March 10 th , 2021, and the Shares will cease trading on the OTCQB at the close today.
  • NASDAQ is the second largest exchange by market capitalization worldwide, and is home to many of the world’s best technology companies.

MONTREAL, March 10, 2021 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX: PYR) (NASDAQ: PYR) (FRA: 8PY), (the “Company”, the “Corporation” or “PyroGenesis”) a Company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, is pleased to announce today that, further to its Press Releases dated February 18 th , 2021, and that of earlier today, the Company’s application to list its common shares (“Shares”) on the NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”) has been approved. Trading will commence tomorrow, Thursday, March 11 th , 2021, at the opening, under the ticker symbol “PYR”. The last day of trading on the OTCQB will be today, Wednesday, March 10 th , 2021, and the Shares will cease trading on the OTCQB at the close today. NASDAQ is the second largest exchange by market capitalization worldwide, and is home to many of the world’s best technology companies.

“This is an exciting milestone for the Company, and one that we have been considering and working towards for quite some time,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, CEO and Chair of PyroGenesis. “We are proud to have qualified as a NASDAQ member and we look forward to trading on this prestigious platform. The Company’s Shares will now be listed on two major exchanges, and we expect that this will not only further increase PyroGenesis’ visibility within the financial community but will also increase awareness of our product offerings amongst potential clients.”

In connection with this listing, the Company announces that, in order to maintain the overall independence of the Board of Directors (the “Board”), Mr. Michael Blank tendered his resignation as a Director and member of the Audit Committee effective today in favor of continuing as acting-CFO of the Company. His resignation was accepted by the Chair, on behalf of the Board.

Furthermore, the Company is also pleased to announce that the Board has formed two new committees: (i) a Compensation Committee, that is responsible for overseeing executive compensation, and (ii) a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee that is responsible for overseeing the director & officer nomination process, as well as developing and monitoring PyroGenesis’ corporate governance.

Both committees are comprised of independent directors. The Compensation Committee is chaired by Mr. Robert Radin, and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is chaired by Dr. Virendra Jha.

In addition, Mr. Ben Naccarato has been appointed by the Board to serve as a member on both the Audit Committee, and the Compensation Committee, effective immediately.

As previously disclosed, no concurrent financings nor a reverse stock split are taking place with this listing.

PyroGenesis maintains the listing of its Shares on the TSX and will now trade on both exchanges under the ticker symbol “PYR.”

Read more: https://agoracom.com/ir/PyroGenesisCanada/forums/discussion/topics/757014-pyrogenesis-announces-listing-of-its-common-shares-on-nasdaq/messages/2307465#message

PlantX $PLTXF $VEGA.ca Announces Record-Breaking Monthly Gross Revenue of $1,089,502 for January 2021 $VERY.ca $MEAT.ca $EATS.ca $VEGN.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:42 AM on Wednesday, February 10th, 2021
  • Achieved record monthly gross revenue of $1,089,502 for the month of January 2021

VANCOUVER, BC , Feb. 10, 2021 – PlantX Life Inc. (CSE: VEGA ) (Frankfurt: WNT1) (OTCQB: PLTXF) (” PlantX ” or the ” Company “) is pleased to announce that it achieved record monthly gross revenue of $1,089,502 for the month of January 2021 . Cost of Goods Sold were $751,356 for the same month.

For the month of December 2020 and during the highly dynamic holiday season, the Company achieved gross revenue of $1,029,883 . This was surpassed by January 2021’s revenue, which exceeded management’s expectations given that e-commerce sales were expected to be slower following the holiday season. This success during one of the slowest e-commerce periods of the year highlights the tremendous impact the Company continues to have in the plant-based marketplace. The Company’s growth continues to be driven by its marketing and branding efforts, as well as the Company’s innovative partnerships. The strong sales figures reflect PlantX’s values-driven approach to successfully meeting consumer demand.

“It is truly encouraging to achieve yet another incredible revenue milestone and to start the new year with such vigor and success,” said PlantX CEO Julia Frank . “There are many other colourful growth opportunities on the horizon, and we’re confident that our financial trajectory will reflect the remarkable and increasing value our Company brings to the plant-based industry.”

The financial results disclosed in this press release are management prepared and have not been audited or reviewed by the Company’s auditors. Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars.

About PlantX Life Inc.

As the digital face of the plant-based community, PlantX’s platform is the one-stop shop for everything plant-based. With its fast-growing category verticals, the Company offers customers across North America more than 10,000 plant-based products. In addition to offering meal and indoor plant deliveries, the Company currently has plans underway to expand its product lines to include cosmetics, clothing and its own water brand — but the business is not limited to an e-commerce platform. The Company uses its digital platform to build a community of likeminded consumers and, most importantly, provide education. Its successful enterprise is being built and fortified on partnerships with top nutritionists, chefs and brands. The Company eliminates the barriers to entry for anyone interested in living a plant-based lifestyle and thriving in a longer, healthier and happier life.

The Company website is http://investor.PlantX.com/ .

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “likely,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “potential,” “proposed,” “estimate,” “believe” or the negative of these terms, or other similar words, expressions and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” happen, or by discussions of strategy. The forward-looking information contained herein includes, without limitation, the business and strategic plans of the Company.

By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate; that assumptions may not be correct; and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. A variety of factors, including known and unknown risks, many of which are beyond our control, could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this press release including, without limitation: the Company’s ability to comply with all applicable governmental regulations, including all applicable food safety laws and regulations; impacts to the business and operations of the Company due to the COVID-19 epidemic; a limited operating history; the ability of the Company to access capital to meet future financing needs; the Company’s reliance on management and key personnel; competition; changes in consumer trends; foreign currency fluctuations; and general economic, market or business conditions.

Additional risk factors can also be found in the Company’s continuous disclosure documents, which have been filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com . Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this press release and is based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations and opinions of management on the date such forward-looking information is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/PlantX/forums/discussion/topics/755080-plantx-announces-record-breaking-monthly-gross-revenue-of-1-089-502-for-january-2021/messages/2303027#message

PlantX Life $PLTXF $VEGA.ca Announces #Bloombox Club UK expansion into Germany $VERY.ca $MEAT.ca $EATS.ca $VEGN.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:45 AM on Thursday, February 4th, 2021
  • Announced the expansion of the Company’s popular plant subscription platform Bloomboxclub Limited to Germany .
  • “We are really excited to be rolling Bloombox Club out into Germany ,” said Dr. Katie Cooper , Bloombox Club founder. “The German plant market is ripe for a player like Bloombox Club. More than that, for us as a business it makes sense as we will get the chance to attract new customers while using our current supply chain that is already set up to deliver into other European countries.”

VANCOUVER, BC , Feb. 4, 2021 – PlantX Life Inc. (the ” Company ” or ” PlantX “) (CSE: VEGA ) (Frankfurt: WNT1) (OTCQB: PLTXF) is pleased to announce the expansion of the Company’s popular plant subscription platform Bloomboxclub Limited ( “Bloombox Club” ) to Germany .

Bloombox Club, which was acquired by the Company in November 2020 , is expanding its popular indoor plant subscription platform to Germany . Bloombox Club will launch under the new domain, https://bloomboxclub.de/ in Germany and will offer the same features that made Bloombox Club successful in the United Kingdom . These features will include its plant subscription service, extensive indoor plant selection, plant care and self-care packages, and a wide variety of pots and accessories.

“We are really excited to be rolling Bloombox Club out into Germany ,” said Dr. Katie Cooper , Bloombox Club founder. “The German plant market is ripe for a player like Bloombox Club. More than that, for us as a business it makes sense as we will get the chance to attract new customers while using our current supply chain that is already set up to deliver into other European countries.”

Dr. Katie Cooper founded Bloombox Club in the United Kingdom in 2015 after she saw positive results with clients after introducing plants to her therapeutic practice as a psychologist. Over the past few years, Bloombox Club has grown into a thriving business, has delivered over 55,000 plants to over 24,000 customers across the UK, and achieved a high 4.4 star rating on Trustpilot. Bloombox Club products are packaged in environmentally conscious material and delivered across the United Kingdom using courier firms.

Cooper and her team will continue to operate Bloombox Club as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, while leveraging the e-commerce and technical expertise of PlantX to drive higher conversions and accelerate expansion into Germany .  PlantX continues to expand with its partnerships, brick-and mortar locations, and domains throughout Canada , the United States and the Israel .

“We truly believe in Bloombox Club and the importance of indoor plants as a vertical for our company,” said Julia Frank , PlantX CEO. “It is remarkable to watch them grow their platform and expand into new and exciting territories.”

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/PlantX/forums/discussion/topics/754646-bloombox-club-uk-expansion-into-germany/messages/2301984#message

PlantX $PLTXF $VEGA.ca Appoints José Abbo as Chairman of Advisory Team $VERY.ca $MEAT.ca $EATS.ca $VEGN.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:40 AM on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021
  • Appointed Mr. José Abbo, former chairman of Panama’s $1.5 billion Sovereign Wealth Fund, as chairman of the PlantX Advisory Team
  • The Advisory Team is composed of respected executives in the business, marketing and finance industries and will play a key role in guiding the Company’s growth-oriented business strategy.

VANCOUVER, BC , Feb. 3, 2021 – PlantX Life Inc. (the ” Company ” or ” PlantX “) (CSE: VEGA ) (Frankfurt: WNT1) (OTCQB: PLTXF) is pleased to announce that it has appointed Mr. José Abbo, former chairman of Panama’s $1.5 billion Sovereign Wealth Fund, as chairman of the PlantX Advisory Team (the ” Advisory Team “). The Advisory Team is composed of respected executives in the business, marketing and finance industries and will play a key role in guiding the Company’s growth-oriented business strategy.

With more than 30 years of financial experience, Mr. Abbo is a prominent leader, writer and visionary in the capital markets sector. Mr. Abbo’s commitment to excellence has consistently been proven throughout his many roles, including as a financial strategist, financial advisor and investment consultant. 

Mr. Abbo’s expertise will bring business development and leadership skills to assist with fostering innovation and collaboration across the Company.

“We are thrilled and honoured to have Mr. Abbo join PlantX,” said Sean Dollinger , PlantX founder. “His appointment as the Chairman of our Advisory Team is a testament to PlantX’s commitment to attracting exceptional professionals who are dedicated to our mission to improve lives and grow are leaders in the plant-based industry.”

PlantX Advisory Team

In addition to Mr. Abbo, the Advisory Team consists of the following members:

Ralph Moxness – President of Greenfields Investment Corporation, a firm he founded in 1987 that specializes in advisory services related to mergers & acquisitions and corporate finance. He has extensive experience in banking and finance.

Michael Galloro – an accomplished financial executive with over 25 years of experience. He works closely with emerging private and publicly listed companies.

Bernie Tevel – brings a background in sales and marketing to the PlantX team. He has worked in fashion and manufacturing throughout most of his professional life.

Joel Milgram – Former CFO and Proprietor of Milgram & Company until the company was acquired by C.H. Robinson in 2017. C.H Robinson was ranked as one of Canada’s 50 best managed companies by the National Post, Deloitte and CIBC. He has served on finance committees for various schools and charities, is currently a canvasser for Federation CJA, and focuses on mentoring in the fashion industry.

Johnny Karls – brings many years of experience in worldwide distribution.

John Di Girolamo – an experienced investor and entrepreneur with 20 years of global business experience in both the public and private sectors.

Fred Leigh – has played a key founding and executive role in the junior resources sector for nearly four decades and has founded and invested in many public companies. He plays a critical role at Forbes & Manhattan , a private merchant bank, in assisting CEOs and CFOs in funding, market support, and business advice.

About PlantX Life Inc.

As the digital face of the plant-based community, PlantX’s platform is the one-stop-shop for everything plant-based. With its fast-growing category verticals, the Company offers customers across North America more than 10,000 plant-based products. In addition to offering meal and indoor plant deliveries, the Company currently has plans underway to expand its product lines to include cosmetics, clothing, and its own water brand — but the business is not limited to an e-commerce platform. The Company uses its digital platform to build a community of like-minded consumers, and most importantly, provide education. Its successful enterprise is being built and fortified on partnerships with top nutritionists, chefs and brands. The Company eliminates the barriers to entry for anyone interested in living a plant-based lifestyle and thriving in a longer, healthier and happier life.

About José Abbo

José Abbo has more than 30 years of experience in the financial sector as a senior executive, having developed numerous benchmark studies, financial performance analyses, competitive intelligence analyses and economic analyses and research. In 2012, he was appointed member of the Board of Directors of the Panama Savings Fund (State Sovereign Fund), for a period of seven years, a position which has just been ratified for a second term. Mr. Abbo is a prominent speaker who is consistently invited to international events and is a published author in The Economist and the Wall Street Journal . In 2000, Mr. Abbo achieved international prestige upon publishing a book titled ‘Divisando Wall Street’ on analyzing securities markets and companies. In 2008, he published another book called ‘The Big Gamble: Are You Investing or Speculating,” co-written with José D. Ronca.

Read More: https://agoracom.com/ir/PlantX/forums/discussion/topics/754522-plantx-appoints-jos-abbo-as-chairman-of-advisory-team/messages/2301775#message

11 plant delivery services and garden subscriptions compared: #PlantX $PLTXF $VEGA.ca #Bloomscape, The Sill, My Garden Box and more $VERY.ca $MEAT.ca $EATS.ca $VEGN.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:29 PM on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021
  • Online marketplace considered the vegan version of Amazon
  • PlantX caries a sprawling inventory of plant-based products, including a variety of indoor house plants and succulents.
  • It’s all reasonably priced too, with most clocking in under $50 and some small plants for as little as $6.
  • What’s nice about PlantX is you can tack other items, including ready-to-eat, plant-based meals, to your order.

By: David Watsky

If you think it’s too late in the year to get planting, think again. Gardening experts suggest planting certain trees, flowers, grass, produce and flower bulbs in the fall for maximum output, come spring. This all does heavily depend on the specific plant, however, as well as your location and climate so do some research to be sure. Now, as much as we miss the smell of Home Depot’s garden center, making fewer non-essential trips to crowded stores is key to keeping cases of you-know-what down. Instead, take advantage of these great online plant delivery and garden box services that will send seeds, seedlings, flower bulbs, chutes and even full-grown plants along with instructions for care, gardening accessories and safe growing chemicals to your door. 

Indoor plants are always in season, of course, and these online plant marketplaces stock potted plants, ferns, flowers and succulents a-plenty that will brighten any corner, shelf or window sill. You can buy common and exotic plants, both as well tropical plants and most of them in a variety of sizes — from mini cacti to large plants that will anchor an entire room. Better yet, these popular online plant vendors like Bloomscape and The Sill tell you which plants are hard to kill in case plant-care is not your forte. 

For the green-thumbed, buying quality seeds, bulbs and chutes online from these plant and garden box subscription services will help maximize your garden’s yield. Many of them function as sprawling online bulb, plant and seed marketplaces, but if you’re indecisive like me, you can simply input your growing goals and sign up for a monthly subscription and receive shipments of flowering plants, seeds, bulbs and gardening gear sent to your home. Every garden is different, of course, and so most of these plant delivery and garden subscription services take steps to find out both what you’d like to grow and where you plan to grow it. Whether it’s pretty flowers and houseplants or outdoor plants and produce you want, they will tailor your plant delivery to help you nail the garden of your dreams.

Don’t have an outdoor growing space or garden at all? Don’t worry: There is a slew of urban gardens and mini-farm stands designed to function without any earth or even access to regular sun. These nifty indoor grow systems like AeroGrow and LettuceGrow use self-contained seed pods and chutes to avoid messy soil situations. Some even come with their own synthetic lighting to sprout plants, produce, herbs and fresh flowers in the most unlikely of growing environments. 

No matter your setup or situation, there is a home garden service that will help you hone your green thumb or make an ideal gift for an aspiring gardener on your holiday list. Check out the best online plant delivery services, garden box subscriptions available in 2020.

PlantX

PlantX

This online marketplace likes to think of itself as a vegan version of Amazon. PlantX caries a sprawling inventory of plant-based products, including a variety of indoor house plants and succulents. It’s all reasonably priced too, with most clocking in under $50 and some small plants for as little as $6. What’s nice about PlantX is you can tack other items, including ready-to-eat, plant-based meals, to your order.

Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/plant-delivery-services-and-garden-subscriptions-compared/

MEDIA: PlantX @goplantx $VEGA.ca $PLTXF #PlantBased Platform Featured On @Forbes $VERY.ca $MEAT.ca $EATS.ca $VEGN.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:27 PM on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021
  • PlantX, a driving force for healthy online shopping is the growing impact of the plant-based community.
  • PlantX was born from a combination of the need for education in plant-based living and eating, and co-founder Sean Dollinger’s 20 plus years background in e-commerce
  • The concept, a one-stop-shop with more than 10,000 plant-based products that ship all over Canada and the USA, was created by merging the two to make a plant-based lifestyle more accessible to all

Besides COVID-19, climate change is one of the biggest challenges we’re facing this decade, but the good news is there is ample opportunity for innovation. Some companies have caught on, proving that some segments of the economy are actually thriving under the circumstances. Such is the case for sustainable and plant-based online grocery stores.

Sustainability focused products are growing 5.6 times faster than other products and generating the highest growth in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. One such enterprise is Trashless, a growing concept that delivers responsibly sourced products from local and national purveyors – from staples like grains and flours to pizza kits, dog food and personal care products – through a zero-waste process. 

Trashless promotes sustainability by packaging items in multi-use glass and metal containers that are picked up, sanitized and reused. Everything is delivered right to your door observing safe social distance practices.

Trashless is now offering pizza kits made with locally-milled flour, organic vegetables and … [+] Trashless

Based in Austin, Texas, Trashless works with popular local producers such as Third Coast Coffee, Easy Tiger, Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Connie Jo Kirk and many others, making their goods either waste-free or more sustainable by upcycling packaging that can’t be reused or recycled. 

“At the beginning of the pandemic, our customer base doubled, then tripled, as many were forced to change the way they shop for food,” says Yogesh Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of Trashless. “Our service provides a safe solution for consumers, and much needed support for local makers who may not be able to meet their customers face to face right now. We provide the technology and infrastructure to procure, sell and deliver goods throughout Austin and have a passion for supporting local makers looking for avenues to reach customers and to make their processes more sustainable.”

Trashless has recently added a line of high-end pet products, as well as Magic Pizza Kits and a CO2 for You program as a convenient, affordable and environmentally friendly way to make your drinks fizzy, cutting out the long-distance transport and packaging and keeping cans and bottles out of the waste bin. Pizza is the food most often ordered for delivery, and pizza boxes aren’t recyclable because of the grease they soak up. Two billion pizza boxes are used in the U.S. alone each year.

As part of the CO2 for You line, Trashless offers artisanal syrup options from Austin’s a.k.a … [+]

Last year, Trashless began a StartEngine campaign to raise capital for expansion within Texas in early 2021, with goals for national growth in the second half of 2021. “We continue to grow rapidly, and are focused on building out our products and services to cover all household needs in a zero-waste way, providing exceptional customer service, scaling to other geographies and building the technology to support it all,” says Sharma. 

“Local food used to be considered expensive, but we’ve been able to bring in efficiencies through technology and operations to help bring those costs down and with the added convenience and sustainability of those items not having to travel far. More people than ever are relying on subscription meal kits and takeout, which unfortunately increases the amount of single-use plastic that often doesn’t get recycled. “The time for sustainable grocers is now.” 

Ben Simon, a former international campaigns consultant, wanted to combine his love of food and travel with his eco-conscious lifestyle. He focused on finding solutions to help people eat outside of the dominant industrial system and become more invested in producers who are making delicious products that are also beneficial for humanity and the planet. Last November he launched Ben to Table, a monthly subscription service that offers sustainable pantry ingredients from all over the world paired with inspirational ideas for both meat and plant-based eating.

Ben Simon founded Ben to Table as a means to share his love for world cuisines and sustainability.

“It started as a shift from the career I had built in issue advocacy; I’d done a bunch of work on food systems with Greenpeace, and one of the things we always talked about was how to help the folks producing food the ‘right’ – in an ecologically and socially beneficial – way to find more demand and customers. I wanted to see if I could be a part of making that happen,” says Simon.

Ben to Table is all about bringing home cooks the best pantry ingredients available through three different subscriptions with options for vegetarians, meat and plant-based eaters. The Pantry Essentials offers basics like heirloom beans, grits, grains and more from producers like Rancho Gordo, Geechie Boy, and Maine Grains, while Taste the World is an exploration of a different culture’s cuisine each month. Past months have focused on Ethiopia, Persia, Peru, Thailand, Sichuan, Greece and more, with Oaxaca and Andalucia coming this year. The Ben to Table Box puts both elements together.

Taste of Greece is Ben to Table’s flagship box from the Taste the World subscription. Rachel Steiner

“We’ve seen growth due to Covid,” says Simon. “Lots of folks looking for ways to keep the home-cooked meals interesting.”

Another driving force for healthy online shopping is the growing impact of the plant-based community. PlantX was born from a combination of the need for education in plant-based living and eating, and co-founder Sean Dollinger’s 20 plus years background in e-commerce. The concept, a one-stop-shop with more than 10,000 plant-based products that ship all over Canada and the USA, was created by merging the two to make a plant-based lifestyle more accessible to all.  

“I’ve developed many successful e-commerce companies, but PlantX is different. This time, it is about giving back and helping people live healthier and happier lives through plant-based living,” says Dollinger. “Before the pandemic, online grocery shopping was already on the rise, so it only makes sense that this vertical took off during lockdown. Of course, we must compete against Amazon, Instacart and many other big players, but offering consumers the peace of mind of knowing that everything on the PlantX platform is 100% plant-based gives us a competitive advantage.”

PlantX co-founder Sean Dollinger wants to share his successful plant-based lifestyle with everyone. MARC ROCHETTE

Since PlantX has so many different verticals, it has seen tremendous growth from every angle. In addition to offering meal and indoor plant deliveries, plans are underway to expand the product lines to include cosmetics, clothing and its own water brand. At the beginning of the pandemic, people were having fun cooking at home with their families or in their bubbles. However, the novelty of cooking and cleaning started waning as the lockdown grew longer.

“Being able to order unique, healthy, pre-portioned meals directly to their home each week is something people are gravitating toward,” says Dollinger. “We have also noticed that by switching up our menu every 2 weeks, our customer base has continued to grow rapidly.”

In addition, their indoor plant sales have also taken off. Since the pandemic began, consumers have become even more health-conscious, so bringing plants indoors to clean the air, provide oxygen and help ease anxiety has changed the indoor plant industry. “We never thought that selling plants online would be this profitable.”

From fresh pressed juices to staples and even live indoor plants, PlantX is a one-stop shop for … [+] PlantX

“We always say that there is absolutely no judgment when it comes to PlantX. Of course, we are 100% plant-based, but we love how inviting the platform is. You can eat a steak for dinner, and then have some of our PlantX meals for lunch the very next day. We’re just here to help you add more plant-based options into your daily routine and to educate anyone and everyone that wants to learn.

We wanted to create a community around PlantX, and we believe that helping people during these unprecedented times through sharing recipes and plant-based knowledge is one of the most rewarding aspect. Through the combination of our web-based recipes and YouTube content, education about plant-based living is even more accessible to anyone and everyone that wants to learn.”

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/claudiaalarcon/2021/02/02/sustainably-focused-plant-based-online-groceries-are-thriving-heres-why/?sh=2898639a1109