CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cresco Labs (CSE:CL) (OTCQX:CRLBF) (“Cresco” or the “Company”), one of the largest vertically integrated multistate cannabis operators in the United States, today announced that it has completed its first harvest from its expanded cultivation facility in Lincoln, IL. With the recent growth of the state’s medical market and adult-use legalization going live on January 1st, Cresco has been scaling operations to be able to accommodate what is expected to be one of the largest cannabis markets in the country.(1) As the only operator in Illinois with three (3) cultivation facilities, Cresco has a unique competitive advantage and is positioned to build on its already market-leading position(2).
To date, Cresco has been able to capture an approximate 25% market share(2) through its original 35,000 square feet of aggregate cultivation space across its three facilities. Earlier this year, after the expansion of the medical program and the passing of adult-use legislation, the Company embarked on an ambitious expansion plan that will bring the total area under cultivation to approximately 243,000 square feet by year end. At the Lincoln location alone, Cresco has created the largest cultivation facility in Illinois(3) at roughly 224,000 sqft and added over 140,000 sqft of additional indoor and greenhouse cultivation space. First production from the initial phases of this expansion was harvested last week. Cresco is legally entitled to expand its three facilities to have an aggregate total of 630,000 sqft of flowering canopy – the largest capacity footprint in the state(3).
“Cresco Labs has worked tirelessly to bring additional capacity to the Illinois cannabis market. The beneficial changes in the medical law created a rapid increase in demand that has recently outpaced supply. With this first harvest out of the expanded Lincoln facility, we are thrilled to bring this additional capacity to the patients of Illinois and the consumers in the soon to launch adult-use program,” said Charlie Bachtell, Cresco Labs CEO and Co-founder. "With the scale of this expansion phase, additional incremental production from the expansion areas will gradually increase ramping up for market distribution starting now and accelerating late Q1 through Q2. The ability to restock shelves reliably to ensure customers always have access to product is key to both generating solid financial results and building long term customer loyalty with medical patients and adult-use consumers."
On October 6, 2019, Cresco Labs announced that it had received Early Approval Adult-Use Dispensing Organization Licenses for all five of its existing Illinois medical cannabis dispensaries, making it the first company in the state to be approved for both adult-use cultivation and dispensary operations. The company successfully won three Chicago adult-use dispensary locations including two in the heavily trafficked Central district for the five additional dispensaries permitted to open in that district. The Company sells its Remedi, Cresco, Reserve and Mindy’s Edible products wholesale throughout Illinois and the Company’s products are currently available at every dispensary in the state.
(1) Illinois is projected to be a $2-4 billion dollar market at maturity according to Marijuana Business Daily making it one of largest cannabis markets in US.
(2) According to monthly State of Illinois wholesale sales figures, Cresco has the leading market share in the state with approximately 25% market share.
(3) State of Illinois, Department of Agriculture cannabis cultivation licenses
About Cresco Labs
Cresco Labs is one of the largest vertically-integrated multi-state cannabis operators in the United States. Cresco is built to become the most important company in the cannabis industry by combining the most strategic geographic footprint with one of the leading distribution platforms in North America. Employing a consumer-packaged goods (“CPG”) approach to cannabis, Cresco’s house of brands is designed to meet the needs of all consumer segments and includes some of the most recognized and trusted national brands including Cresco, Remedi and Mindy’s, a line of edibles created by James Beard Award-winning chef Mindy Segal. Sunnyside*, Cresco’s national dispensary brand, is a wellness-focused retailer designed to build trust, education and convenience for both existing and new cannabis consumers. Recognizing that the cannabis industry is poised to become one of the leading job creators in the country, Cresco has launched the industry’s first national comprehensive Social Equity and Educational Development (SEED) initiative designed to ensure that all members of society have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to work in and own businesses in the cannabis industry. Learn more about Cresco Labs at www.crescolabs.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, ‘may,’ ‘will,’ ‘should,’ ‘could,’ ‘would,’ ‘expects,’ ‘plans,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘projects,’ ‘predicts,’ ‘potential’ or ‘continue’ or the negative of those forms or other comparable terms. The Company’s forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to those risks discussed under "Risk Factors" in the company’s CSE Listing Statement filed with SEDAR; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Because of these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. No assurances are given as to the future trading price or trading volumes of Cresco’s shares, nor as to the Company’s financial performance in future financial periods. The Company does not intend to update any of these factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the Company’s forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information, any future event or otherwise. Except as otherwise indicated, this press release speaks as of the date hereof. The distribution of this press release does not imply that there has been no change in the affairs of the Company after the date hereof or create any duty or commitment to update or supplement any information provided in this press release or otherwise.