Wayland Enters the Asia-Pacific Market with Australian Acquisition


TORONTO, Dec. 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wayland Group (CSE:WAYL) (FRANKFURT: 75M) (OTCQB:MRRCF) (“Wayland” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its expansion into Australia, through entering into an agreement to acquire 50.1% of Tropicann Pty Ltd. (“Tropicann”), a newly formed, privately owned Australian company located in Darwin, Northern Territory, to partner with industry leaders in Australia’s expanding cannabis industry. With this acquisition Wayland has positioned itself in the important and burgeoning Asia-Pacific market.

“Globalization of cannabis continues, and we are present in relevant markets, with Asia-Pacific now added to our international footprint. The Northern Territory is the ideal location for our new Asia Pacific hub. The location provides Wayland with ideal climate conditions in a globally respected and sovereign country with a large and fast emerging market of over 250MM people just 4 hours north. This acquisition accelerates Wayland’s growth strategy in becoming a truly global cannabis company,” stated Wayland Chief Executive Officer Ben Ward.

Michael Gunner, the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, declared, “We have a plan to diversify our economy and create jobs. Medicinal cannabis is a growth industry for the Northern Territory, particularly after its legalization by the Australian Government. The Northern Territory Government, Tropicann, and Wayland are in discussions about Major Project Status. Major Project Status ensures priority Ministerial oversight to assist with ongoing project coordination and facilitation across different government agencies to secure timely project delivery.”

“This is a very real and exciting opportunity for the people of the Northern Territory to enter and participate in a new growth sector in the global economy. It also offers the possibility of creating value-added products through processing here in the Northern Territory,” stated Ken Vowles, Minister for Primary Industry and Resources.

Pursuant to the terms of the agreement the Company has agreed to make an initial payment of $4,800,000 Canadian dollars (“CAD”) followed by a second payment of $24,000,000 CAD following certain milestones being achieved, including issuance to Tropicann of a license to cultivate cannabis in Australia.

Both payments will be satisfied by the issuance of common shares of the Company based on then-current market prices, but subject to a floor issue price of $1.65 per common share.

The payments are conditional on receipt of applicable stock exchange approval, approval of holders of at least two-thirds of the Company's outstanding debentures and any other applicable approvals. 

Maricann Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, is operating under the Wayland Group name. For further details see the press release dated September 24, 2018.

About Wayland Group

Wayland is a vertically integrated cultivator and processor of cannabis. The Company was founded in 2013 and is based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and Munich, Germany, with production facilities in Langton, Ontario where it operates a cannabis cultivation, extraction, formulation, and distribution business under federal licenses from the Government of Canada. The Company also has production operations in Dresden, Saxony, Germany, Regensdorf, Switzerland and Ibague, Colombia. Wayland has also announced transactions that will expand its global footprint to include operations in Italy, the UK and Australia. Wayland will continue to pursue new opportunities globally in its effort to enhance lives through cannabis.

Forward Looking Information

This news release includes forward-looking information and statements, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Company.  Such statements include statements regarding the Company's plans for the Asia Pacific market and the Company's continued global expansion, including with respect to the terms of the proposed transaction, its effect on the Company’s global platform and the number and price at which common shares are expected to be issued.  Forward-looking information and statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information and statements herein.  Such assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, that the proposed transaction will be completed on the terms and timelines anticipated by the Company or at all, that Tropicann will obtain the applicable licenses in Australia on the terms and timelines anticipated or at all, the effect that the proposed acquisition, when completed, will have on the Company’s global platform, that all necessary stock exchange, securityholder, regulatory and other approvals will be received in connection with the proposed or potential issuances of Common Shares under the proposed transaction on the timelines anticipated or at all and that all other conditions to closing will be satisfied in the manner and on the timelines anticipated. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking information and statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such information and statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking information and statements. Any forward-looking information and statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking information and statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward looking information and statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release

For more information about Wayland, please visit our website at www.waylandgroup.com

Contact Information:
Investor Relations
Graham Farrell
VP, Communications
Graham.Farrell@waylandgroup.com
647-643-7665

Media Inquiries: media@waylandgroup.com

Corporate Headquarters (Canada)
Wayland Group Corp. (Toronto)
845 Harrington Court, Unit 3
Burlington Ontario L7N 3P3
Canada
289-288-6274
European Headquarters (Germany)
Maricann GmbH
Thierschstrasse 3, 80538 Munchen, Deutschland