TORONTO, May 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blueberries Medical Corp. (CSE: BBM) (OTC: BBRRF) (FRA: 1OA), the Canadian parent of Blueberries S.A.S. (“BBSAS”), the premier Latin American licensed cultivator and producer of medicinal cannabis and medicinal-grade cannabis extracts, (together the “Company” or "Blueberries"), is pleased to report its financial results for the quarter ended on March 31, 2022. Today, Blueberries has filed its unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis, both of which are available on Blueberries’ profile at www.sedar.com. All amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted.
Blueberries Medical Corp. continues deploying the strategy of reducing administrative cost, capital and operational expenditures, as well as focusing on multiple revenue-generating activities. Additionally, individuals with proven track record in Cannabis / Pharma / Fine Ingredients industries have joined the management team to cover key roles in the organization, primarily in Sales, Quality, Finance, and I+D.
Financial Highlights
All financial information in this press release is reported in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated.
Since beginning 2021, when current CEO and Chairman, Facundo Garreton, took over direction of the Company, a new management team was put in place with a single objective, “Blueberries Medical Corp’s short-term strategy will be to minimize fixed structure costs and expenses, reducing capital and operational expenditures, while preserving working capital to optimize the resource and cost structure and focus 100% on revenue generating activities,” added Guillermo Rodriguez, CFO of the Company. “Accordingly, in aligning with this strategy, the Company has begun to expand its commercial revenues, adding more services and extending our model and we have started to provide extraction services to others Cannabis companies in Colombia and Latin America (Latam),” continued Guillermo Rodriguez.
Jose Maria Forero, President of Latin America Operations, also expressed, “Our three fundamental pillars, Operate with Excellence, Connect with Demand, and Differentiate, continue to be crucial in ensuring our long-term success. The company entered in a strategic plan to expand the capability of our facilities to ensure access to GACP CUMCS dry flower both for THC and CBD strains with a minimum CAPEX allocation.”
Jose Maria Forero also added, “To ensure immediate access to premium GACP CUMCS certified CBD and THC flower both for extraction and dry flower exportation purposes, the Company started the negotiation of with one of the largest and better equipped cultivators in Colombia during late 2021, the agreement was completed in March 2022, at the time CBD predominant genetic resources are already on company´s ally facilities.”
“Based on our new model of associated growers through which we can access to dried flower with the genetics we need, and according to the new Colombian regulation that allows the export of dried flower; BBM is able to offer THC dried flowers directly to potential markets such as Israel and Australia. In addition, we started to develop a new model with a European company to transform the dried flower from GACP to EU-GMP to offer our products and services in Europe. We are really thrilled with this new business opportunities,” said Facundo Garreton, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Blueberries Medical Corp.
Business Highlights
Starting this quarter and based on the commercial agreement with an American supplier of cannabis raw materials with US GMP pharmaceutical and cosmetic grade for its commercialization in Colombia and Latin America, BBM has the possibility to offer CBD, CBG and CBN isolates in the Argentinean market for use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical developments. The Argentine market is highly demanding cannabis-derived ingredients for different developments.
In Q1 2022, the extraction and remediation of 200 kg of dried CBD flower was completed, obtaining a broad spectrum with a high content of minor cannabinoids that will be offered to the Latin American and Australian market during Q2.
New Colombian Regulation
Blueberries, as a member of Board of Directors of Asociación Colombiana de Industrias de Cannabis (Colombian Association of Cannabis Industries), the largest association of cannabis licensed producers in Colombia, is closely monitoring of the progress of Colombian new regulatory framework (“Colombian regulatory”) surrounding medical cannabis. The Company is keeping abreast of the Colombian regulatory to be well equipped and timely prepared to seize the additional revenues that the new Decree allows; as it, specifically, related to the possibility to export dry flower of THC and CBD strains for the medical market, more efficient access of medical cannabis through pharmacies, the manufacture of FMCGs using non photoactive cannabis derivatives, and the extend of the magistral formulations for veterinary use.
The Company has identified opportunities such as the ability to connect cannabis formulas with patients more easily, the delivery of raw materials and solutions for the FMCGs industry, and for veterinary products as immediate. Therefore, the Company has focused its efforts, time and resources in preparing high value-added formulations and non-psychoactive specialty ingredients for specific Food & Beverages applications and for veterinary uses. Additionally, the Company has approached national pharmacy chains for potential partnership in distributing its medical formulas across Colombia.
At the date hereof, the Colombian Government is still pending to issue the final regulations to implement Decree 811 signed back in July 2021, and that include improvements to the monitoring and control of cannabis according to international agreements, more efficient licensing and quota requirements for psychoactive derivatives, the possibility to export both psychoactive and non-psychoactive dry flower, upgraded regulations on international trade such as enabling use of duty free zones for production of cannabis derivatives, and the use of CBD in food and beverages and other consumer product categories.
First Quarter 2022 Financial Review
The Company’s current strategic focus is centered in the optimization of the cash position, giving special attention to the continued reduction and control of expenses and to the generation of income through multiple commercial avenues and various product lines and B2B services. The management rigorously ensures that all activities are guided under the three fundamentals pillars of Operate with Excellence, Connect with Demand, and Differentiate.
Results for the first quarter of 2022 fall within the expectation of the management based on the strategic decision taken for the last quarter of 2021.
The Company has started to expand its commercial revenues, extending our business model and to provide extraction services to other cannabis companies in Colombia. Together, with the anticipated increased revenue, the Company will focus its spending on CAPEX and EUGMP (European Union Good Manufacturing Practices) certifications.
SUMMARY BALANCE SHEET
As at March 31, 2022
As at December 31, 2021
Total current assets $1,100,064$1,563,617Total assets $3,103,908$3,593,880Total liabilities $2,197,699$2,159,134Total equity $906,209$1,434,746
Blueberries’ commercial operations have successfully moved from introductory sales of cuttings of its cultivars to associate growers to effective sales of cannabis derivatives and extracts to customer both in Colombia and Peru. The company launched a tolling service processing flower and biomass from small and mid-size licensed producers that is also positively impacting revenue results this year.
BLUEBERRIES MEDICAL CORP.
Condensed Interim Consolidated Statements of Loss and Comprehensive Loss
(Unaudited) (Expressed in Canadian Dollars) For the three months ended March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 Revenues Product revenues$ 33,715 $23,120 Cost of sales - product revenues (19,797) (1,195)Gross profit$ 13,918 $ 21,925 Expenses Operating expenses - cultivation$ (63,982)$(100,635)Operating expenses - extraction services (53,295) (13,536)General and administrative expenses (321,073) (159,953)Depreciation and amortization (84,690) (217,026)Finance expense (74,884) (62,489)Foreign exchange loss (26,183) (35,266)Total expenses (624,107) (588,905) Other income (expense) Other expense (46,118) (23,345)Total other expenses (46,118) (23,345) Net loss $ (656,307)$(590,325) Other Comprehensive Loss Foreign currency translation adjustment 83,292 (193,806)Comprehensive loss$ (573,015)$(784,131) Net loss per share - basic and diluted$ (0.00)$(0.01) Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic and diluted 163,810,263 139,201,916
Operating Expenses: -Starting 2021, the company is fully operational, with capacity for large production of cannabis derivates. During 2020, the Company was in early stages of commercial operations, material operational costs are included under pre-operating expenses, which are non-capital expenditures relating to Blueberries’ cannabis cultivation and extraction operations.
Operating Expenses
Operating Expenses
Cultivation Extraction services Cultivation Extraction servicesFor the three months ended, March 31, 2022
March 31, 2021
Salary, wages, and benefits$25,401$9,348 $33,736$3,929Supplies, spare parts and equipment 995 3,194 4,067 474License costs 123 - 120 14Facilities 7,177 5,025 11,847 1,380Laboratory 183 9,068 8,982 1,046Fuel and oil 44 477 506 59Transportation 141 1,680 1,767 206Utilities 445 1,560 1,946 227Other 27,593 22,942 35,839 5,988Leases 1,880 - 1,825 213Total$ 63,982 $ 53,294 $ 100,635 $ 13,536
Regarding SG&A for the quarter:
For the three months ended March 31, 2022March 31, 2021Audit and accounting$62,923$(8,817)Consulting 31,001 17,746Director and management fees - 57,000Filing and transfer agent fees 11,561 24,902General office 9,278 14,808Insurance 22,864 17,615Legal 892 333Other 270 3,705Salary, wages, and benefits 137,798 63,779Share based compensation expense (recovery) 44,478 (31,160)Travel 8 42Total general and administrative expenses$ 321,073 $ 159,953
Director and management fees - Director and management fees are incurred specifically for certain directors and officers of the Company for services provided to Blueberries either from themselves personally or through a related entity. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company incurred $Nil (2021 - $57,000) in director and management fees expenses. The overall decrease reflects savings measures implemented, with certain directors and officers leaving the company in 2021.
Salary, wages, and benefits - Salary, wages, and benefits include payroll, training, benefits, and severance costs of employees in Colombia. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company incurred a total of $137,798, an increase of $75,638 from comparative period. The Company continues to manage its costs, including head count and focuses its resources on commercial and revenue-generating activities.
Audit and accounting fees - Audit and accounting fees include cost of audit, accounting and taxation services provided by the Company’s external auditor and other third parties. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company incurred $62,923 in consulting expense, and increase of $71,740 compared to the comparative period. The increase is due to a one-time credit of $23,192 that was recovered from previously unclaimed HST/GST amounts. Additionally, the increase is due to higher than anticipated audit fees related to fiscal 2021 of $20,000, increased accounting fees provided by a third party of $12,000 as well as additional increased estimated quarterly audit fees in 2022 compared to 2021.
Finance Expense - On July 16, 2020, Blueberries closed $1,000,000 unsecured convertible debentures (the “Debentures”), maturing 24 months from the date of closing, and bearing interest at a rate of 13% per annum, with an effective interest rate of 32.36%. The finance expense consists of accrued interest of $32,500 (2021 – $32,500) on the convertible debenture and the accretion of convertible debt liability of $42,384 (2021 - $29,989).
About Blueberries Medical Corp.
Blueberries is a Latin American licensed producer of naturally grown premium quality cannabis with its primary operations ideally located in the Bogotá Savannah of central Colombia. The Company is led by a specialized team with proprietary expertise in agriculture, genetics, extraction, medicine, pharmacology and marketing, Blueberries is fully licensed for the cultivation, production, domestic distribution, and international export of CBD and THC-based medical cannabis in Colombia. Blueberries’ combination of leading scientific expertise, agricultural advantages and distribution arrangements has positioned the Company to become a leading international supplier of naturally grown, processed, and standardized medicinal-grade cannabis oil extracts and related products.