The Corporation decided to renew the issuer bid program as an additional option for using excess funds. Thus, the Corporation will be able to repurchase, in the normal course of business, between November 25, 2022, and November 24, 2023, up to 7,000,000 of its Common Shares representing approximately 2.97% of its issued and outstanding shares on November 11, 2022. On November 11, 2022, there were 235 379 356 issued and outstanding shares of which 192,503,985 were part of the outstanding public float of the Corporation.

The average daily trading volume of the Corporation’s Common Shares over the last six (6) completed months was 392,624 shares.

Accordingly, under the Toronto Stock Exchange Requirements, the Corporation is entitled on any trading day to purchase up to 98,156 Common Shares subject to the Toronto Stock Exchange Requirements regarding block purchases. Repurchases will be made through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange at market price, by its policies and regulations, or through the facilities of alternative Canadian and American trading systems as well as by other means as may be permitted by a securities regulatory authority, including by private agreements. The Common Shares so repurchased will be cancelled. Purchases made by way of private agreements under an issuer bid exemption order issued by a securities regulatory authority will be at a discount to the prevailing market price as provided in the exemption order.

Under the existing normal course issuer bid program, which is for the period from November 25, 2021 to November 24, 2022, the Corporation repurchased 7,000,000 Common Shares, which represents the totality of the Common Shares the Corporation was authorized to repurchase, at a weighted average price of $68.81 per share for a total of $481.7 million. Repurchases were made through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange at market price, in accordance with its policies and regulations, and through the facilities of alternative trading systems.

With over two decades of experience in brand strategy, sales, marketing and general manager roles for food, beverage and other CPG companies, Clarke brings a deep understanding of the food business at every stage of growth, from larger, well-established household name brands to younger, fast-growing brands. He’s held leadership roles in traditional retail, on-the-go and food service channels, focusing intensely on the European market.

“Noel is the demand strategist and operator we need to create a foundation for sustainable growth abroad,” said Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness. “We’re going to grow deliberately, in a thoughtful and methodical way. That means optimizing and maximizing our priority markets as we put strategic plans in place to expand further over time. Noel knows how to build tailored demand strategies for specific markets while establishing and executing thoughtful growth plans.”

Most recently at Unilever, Clarke led the Unilever Nordics business across all categories. Before that, he led the sales and marketing functions for Unilever’s ice cream and beverages division in the UK and Ireland, where he drove a step change in growth in out-of-home sales channels and across well-known household brands, including Ben & Jerrys, Magnum and more. Prior to Unilever, he served as head of marketing for carbonated drinks at Britvic UK, leading the growth of the Pepsi, 7Up and Tango brands across foodservice and various retail channels.

“I have a steadfast belief that businesses can and should be a force for good,” said Noel Clarke, new SVP of International for Impossible Foods, “With Impossible, the product is of course incredibly compelling, but it was the mission and growth opportunity that really drove me to join the team. As a young, high-growth company that’s building a new category, Impossible has a thrilling opportunity to drive real change and impact – both for the commercial side of the business and the planet at large.”

Clarke’s arrival comes during a period of strategic growth across Impossible’s international business. In the past year, the company launched its first European market, the United Kingdom, and announced major collaborations with globally renowned brands like Domino’s Pizza in Australia and New Zealand, Tim Hortons in Canada, and Fat Brands in the United Arab Emirates, bringing dozens of Impossible™ menu items to new consumers in key markets.

Impossible has seen strong growth in Australia and New Zealand, doubling the number of restaurants carrying its products within a year and launching three retail products (Impossible Beef, Impossible Chicken Nuggets, and Impossible Pork Made From Plants) in a six month period. As a result, the company has doubled its brand awareness in the region.

The 17-year-old senior at La Jolla Country Day School is a social media sensation and one of the country’s most renowned female high school athletes. With a top 20 national ranking in her graduating class, almost 700K followers on Instagram, and over 10 million likes on her TikTok videos, Williams is heralded for both her play on the basketball court and her presence on social media.

“I love Lemon Perfect because it gives me a healthy way to stay hydrated with flavor, and I’m excited to join the team because I can put the brand on my platforms and show my fans how amazing Lemon Perfect is,” said Williams. “Lemon Perfect does not fake their goodness for the cameras and is a super-dope company, which makes it taste even better. When it comes to performance, it’s important to take care of your body, and Lemon Perfect always helps me perform at my best.””Our partnership with Jada is exciting for Lemon Perfect as we dive meaningfully into the NIL ecosystem,” said Lemon Perfect Founder and CEO Yanni Hufnagel. “That Jada is both a top-tier basketball prospect and social media star is unique. She is a one-of-a-kind basketball prospect and content creator whose talent in front of the camera and on the court will help drive brand awareness as Lemon Perfect continues its quest to become the number one brand in the enhanced water category by dollar share.”

In April, Lemon Perfect announced the closing of a $31 million Series A headlined by internationally celebrated award-winning artist and entrepreneur Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The financing brought Lemon Perfect’s total valuation to over $100 million in less than three years from the company’s selling its first bottle.

Read more: technology.https://www.linkedin.com/posts/williamgreuel_agriculture-technology-innovation-activity-6996137420379340800-zLxQ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

The Toronto-based global fintech company released the results of its 2022 Holiday Gift Card Survey in partnership with the Angus Reid Institute.  The survey sampled over 1,500 Canadians across all provinces to gain insights into their holiday gift-giving plans and gift-card spending habits.

The findings highlight the impact inflation will have on Canadians’ holiday spending this year, with over two-thirds (68%) of Canadians reporting that inflation will impact their plans to give gifts. Supporting this sentiment, 41% of respondents said they would most like to receive a gift card for necessities such as groceries and gas this holiday season.

“This year, Canadians have felt the impact of inflation with rising costs at grocery stores, housing costs, and at the pump,” said Mo Chaar, Chief Commercial Officer of Givex, “The data from our survey reflects the impacts of the rising cost of goods and offers key insights into the incentives of shoppers ahead of the industry’s busiest time of year. As shoppers turn to gift cards to lessen their stress this holiday season, Givex provides retailers with the critical infrastructure to ensure a smooth experience to serve their customers better.”

Key findings from the survey include:

• When asked if inflation has impacted gift-giving plans this holiday season, 68% of Canadians agreed.

• Canadians want to take advantage of deals. When asked about what kind of promotions would increase the likelihood of purchasing a gift card, more than half (53%) of respondents said they would be more likely to purchase a gift card this holiday season with an offer for a discounted card (such as 20% off $100).

• Despite financial challenges, over one quarter (27%) of Canadians plan on spending $200 or more on gift cards this holiday season, with 61% expecting to spend at least $100.

• When asked what type of gift card Canadians would most like to receive as a gift this holiday season, the top choices were credit card gift cards (50%), restaurant gift cards (41%) and necessities (41%). Other picks include:
  • Retail gift card (preferred by 38% of respondents)
  • Travel gift card (preferred by 14% of respondents)

• Approximately four in ten Canadians would most like to receive a gift card for necessities such as a supermarket or gas card this year.
  • Atlantic Canadians were most likely to report this, with 57% saying they would most like to receive a gift card for necessities. On the flip side, only 35% of Quebecers said the same.
  • Slightly over one-third (35%) of men say they would most like a gift card for necessities, compared to almost half (47%) of women.
  • Nearly half (48%) of younger people (aged 18-34) say they would most like to receive a gift card for necessities as a gift, compared to just over one-third (34%) of those who are aged 55 and up.

• When asked about primary incentives for purchasing gift cards this holiday season, more than three-quarters (79%) of respondents said purchasing a gift card is less stressful than buying a physical gift. Of note, other incentives include:
  • 54% of consumers reported purchasing gift cards when they wanted to let the recipient choose their own gift.
  • Half (50%) of Canadians say their primary incentive for purchasing a gift card is not knowing what to gift the recipient.

High inflation is expected to impact many Canadians this holiday season. Gift cards and promotions can alleviate stress and provide some financial relief for consumers, and they will play a pivotal role in the future of Canadian holiday spending. These findings highlight spending patterns among the general population and enable businesses to make strategic decisions that can impact their bottom line during one of the busiest times of the year.

N!CK’S Appoints Three New Board Members, All Independent Industry Experts

Rebecca Messina was Uber’s first-ever Global Chief Marketing Officer, where she built a world-class marketing team and elevated marketing as it prepared for its IPO. Previously, she was the Global Chief Marketing Officer at Beam Suntory, a global leader in spirits. Before that, she spent an impressive 22 years in marketing at The Coca-Cola Company, holding several roles in North America, Europe, Australia, and South America, including CMO of the internal incubator, Venturing & Emerging Brands. Today, Messina is an advisor for McKinsey & Co. and serves on the Vive Organics, Outdoor Voices & Zico Coconut Water boards. With her extensive experience in global brand building and development, Messina will be a welcomed addition as she paves the path toward building a unique, world-leading brand with N!CK’S.

Rob Bellezza is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Curio Wellness. Prior to joining Curio, Rob spent 24 years at Unilever across several key roles within the Supply Chain. Bellezza held roles as the Head of Operations and Manufacturing at Ben & Jerry’s and the Head of M&A Integration at Unilever in North America. Bellezza brings both strong functional leadership and a strong belief in bringing purpose and value to each business decision and leveraging his experience in manufacturing within the ice cream industry. Bellezza’s in-depth and varied background will help N!CK’S improved operations worldwide and became a world-leading snacking company. Bellezza will utilize his relevant exposure to the ice cream industry in advising manufacturing and operational decisions.
Each new board member has already started to involve themselves in the N!CK’S brand and business, leaning in on their specific expertise.

“We are very excited to welcome Henry Karamanoukian, Rebecca Messina and Rob Bellezza to the board, who have already proven their impressive leadership skills that will help profitably grow our company, said Stefan Lagerqvist, CEO of N!CK’S. “As independent industry experts, each unique in their way, the entire team at N!CK’S is proud to have attracted this exceptional talent to the board, and we will only grow from here.”

The Company will release its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2022 financial results after the market close on Thursday, November 17, 2022. Following the release via the wire services, the Company will host a conference call with financial analysts and investors at 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time). To participate in the conference call, dial 1-888-347-6606 (U.S.); 1-855-669-9657 (Canada); or 1-412-902-4289 (International). The conference ID is “Natural Grocers Q4 FY 2022 Earnings Call.” Please dial in at least five minutes before the start of the conference call.

Investors and other parties may listen to the webcast of the conference call by logging on via the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at http://investors.naturalgrocers.com/ or directly at https://app.webinar.net/db9Dz2PloEW.

An audio recording of the conference call will be archived for a minimum of 20 days on the Company’s website at http://investors.naturalgrocers.com/.

About Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC) is an expanding specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body care products, and dietary supplements. The products sold by Natural Grocers must meet strict quality guidelines and may not contain artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners, or partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils. The Company sells only USDA-certified organic produce and exclusively pasture-raised, non-confinement dairy products, and free-range eggs. Natural Grocers’ flexible smaller-store format allows it to offer affordable prices in a shopper-friendly, clean, and convenient retail environment. The Company also provides extensive free science-based nutrition education programs to help customers make informed health and nutrition choices. The Company, founded in 1955, has 164 stores in 21 states.