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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024

or

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For the Transition Period from                      to                     .

Commission file number 000-56225

VIREO GROWTH INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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(612) 999-1606

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

Subordinate Voting Shares

Multiple Voting Shares

(Title of class)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.   Yes  ◻    No  ⌧

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act.   Yes  ◻    No  ⌧

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   Yes  ⌧     No  ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).   Yes  ⌧    No  ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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If an emerging growth company, indicate by checkmark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that require a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to Section 240.10 D-1(b). ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).   Yes  ¨    No  ⌧ 

The aggregate market value of the shares of Subordinate Voting Shares and Multiple Voting Shares (based on as converted basis, based on the closing price of these shares on the OTCQX) on June 30, 2024, held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $52,741,108.

As of February 28, 2025, the registrant had the following number of shares of each of its classes of registered securities outstanding: Subordinate Voting Shares –339,336,633; and Multiple Voting Shares – 278,170.

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VIREO GROWTH INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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EXPLANATORY NOTE

Unless the context provides otherwise, references herein to “we,” “us,” “our,” “Company,” “Vireo” or “Vireo Growth” refer to Vireo Growth Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “$” or “US$” in this report refer to United States dollars, and all references to “C$” refer to Canadian dollars.

Emerging Growth Company Status

As a company with less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our most recently completed fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other exemptions from requirements that are otherwise applicable to public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These provisions include:

We may take advantage of these exemptions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.235 billion in annual revenues as of the end of a fiscal year, if we are deemed to be a large-accelerated filer under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or if we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Form 10-K contains statements that we believe are, or may be considered to be, “forward-looking statements” under U.S. or Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based on current beliefs, expectations, or assumptions regarding the future of the business, future plans and strategies, operational results, and other future conditions of the Company. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this report regarding the prospects of our industry or our prospects, plans, financial position, or business strategy may constitute forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “expect,” “plan,” “expected,” “scheduled,” “estimates,” “estimated,” “forecasts,” “continue,” “continued,” “anticipate,” “will,” “expectations,” “cannot,” “could,” “believe,” “focused,” “intention,” “strategic,” “future,” “approach,” “strategy,” “efforts,” “potential,” “potentially,” “possible,” “may,” “intend,” “intended,” “intent,” “should,” “might,” “would,” “achieve,” “allowed to,” “over time,” “likely,” “remain,” “opportunities,” “seeking,” or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions or variations. Furthermore, forward-looking statements may be included in various filings that we make with the SEC or press releases or oral statements made by or with the approval of one of our authorized executive officers. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that these expectations will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that predictions, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements as many important factors could cause the actual results to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company, as applicable, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and statements include, but are not limited to, the risks described in “Risk Factors” in this report.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained in this report, which reflect management’s opinions only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to any forward-looking statements. You are advised, however, to consult any additional disclosures we make in our reports to the SEC. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained in this report.

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PART I

Item 1.Business

Background

Vireo Growth Inc. is a reporting issuer in Canada, with its securities listed for trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”) under the symbol “VREO” and on the OTCQX under the symbol “VREOF”. Vireo Growth is a cannabis company whose mission is to provide safe access, quality products and value to its customers while supporting its local communities through active participation and restorative justice programs. The Company is evolving with the industry and is in the midst of a transformation to being significantly more customer-centric across its operations, which include cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale and retail business lines. With our core operations strategically located in four limited-license medical and adult-use markets, Vireo Growth cultivates and manufactures cannabis products in environmentally friendly greenhouses and other facilities and distributes these products through our growing network of Green Goods™ and other Vireo Growth branded retail dispensaries, as well as third-party dispensaries in the markets in which our subsidiaries hold operating licenses.

As of March 4, 2025, Vireo Growth, through its subsidiaries, has licenses and operates in three states, consisting of Maryland, Minnesota, and New York. Additionally, the Company has non-operating assets and liabilities in Nevada and Massachusetts. As of March 4, 2025, we retail cannabis products in 14 dispensaries located across Maryland (2), Minnesota (8), and New York (4) and wholesales cannabis products, through third-party companies, in Maryland, Minnesota, and New York.

Our registered office is located at 1000 Cathedral Place, 925 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3L2. Our head office is located at 207 South Ninth Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402.

History of the Company

Our business was established in 2014 as Minnesota Medical Solutions, LLC (“Minnesota Medical Solutions”),  and we received our first license in December 2014. The Company was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) on November 23, 2004 under the name “Initial Capital Inc.” On May 8, 2007, the Company changed its name to “Digifonica International Inc.” following the completion of a qualifying transaction. On December 9, 2013, the Company continued into British Columbia under the name of “Dominion Energy Inc.”, subsequently changed its name to "Dynamic Oil & Gas Exploration Inc." on June 30, 2014, and to "Darien Business Development Corp." on March 13, 2017. On March 18, 2019, the Company changed its name to "Vireo Health International, Inc." following the completion of a reverse takeover transaction (the "RTO") with Vireo Health, Inc. ("Vireo U.S.").

Vireo U.S. had previously acquired all the equity of Minnesota Medical Solutions, and Empire State Health Solutions, LLC in an equity interest swap transaction on January 1, 2018.

Pursuant to the RTO, on March 18, 2019, the Company acquired all the issued and outstanding shares of Vireo U.S. and, as a result, the former shareholders of Vireo U.S. acquired control of the Company, as they owned a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company, and continued on with our business.

On June 9, 2021, we changed our name to “Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc.” On June 25, 2024 we changed our name to “Vireo Growth Inc.”

Arrangement Agreement

We and Verano Holdings Inc. ("Verano") entered into an Arrangement Agreement dated January 31, 2022, later amended on June 22, 2022 (combined, the "Arrangement Agreement"). Pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement, Verano agreed, among other things, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Vireo.

We received notice from Verano on October 13, 2022, of Verano's purported termination of the Arrangement Agreement. We believe that Verano has no factual or legal basis to justify or support its purported grounds for termination of the Arrangement Agreement, and on October 13, 2022, we commenced an action in the Supreme Court of British Columbia against Verano. See “Item 3. Legal Proceedings – Verano” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors — We are involved in litigation with Verano, the outcome of which is uncertain.”

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Merger Agreements with Deep Roots, Proper and Wholesome and MOU with Bill’s Nursery

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On December 18, 2024, we entered into Merger Agreements (as defined herein) with respect to a business combination with each of (i) Deep Roots Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Deep Roots”) (the “Deep Roots Merger”); (ii) Proper Holdings Management, Inc. and NGH Investments, Inc., both Missouri corporations (together, “Proper”) (the “Proper Mergers”); and (iii) WholesomeCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Wholesome”) (the “Wholesome Merger” and, collectively with the Deep Roots Merger and the Proper Mergers, the “Mergers”). Each Merger is an all-share transaction whereby, at the closing of each applicable transaction, (i) a new wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company would merge with and into Deep Roots, (ii) a new wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company would merge with and into Wholesome, and (ii) the Proper entities would each merge with and into new wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company. None of the Deep Roots Merger, the Proper Mergers or the Wholesome Merger is contingent on the completion of any of the other Mergers.

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The consideration to be paid to acquire each of Deep Roots, Proper and Wholesome is based, in each case, in part on an estimated multiple of a 2024 “Reference EBITDA”, which is pro-forma for pending acquisitions as well as planned new retail openings and expansion projects, and a US$0.52 share reference price for the Company’s subordinate voting shares.

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Pursuant to the Merger Agreements, former stockholders of each of Deep Roots, Proper and Wholesome may qualify for earnout payments made with the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares following December 31, 2026, based on each target’s Adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the applicable Merger Agreement) growth compared to such target’s Reference EBITDA (at a 4x multiple), adjusted for incremental debt and certain other matters, respectively, and paid out using a share price for the Company’s subordinate voting shares of the higher of US$1.05 or the 20-day volume weighted average price of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange, converted to United States Dollars based on the average exchange rate posted by the Bank of Canada as of the end of each trading day during such 20-day period, as reported by Bloomberg Finance L.P. (“VWAP”) as of December 31, 2026. Reference EBITDA for Deep Roots, Proper and Wholesome are US$31.0 million, US$31.0 million, and US$16.0 million, respectively. EBITDA growth is defined as the increase between Reference EBITDA and the higher of 2026 Adjusted EBITDA or trailing nine-month annualized Adjusted EBITDA as of December 31, 2026. In no event shall the number of earnout shares issued under each Merger Agreement exceed the number of shares issued as closing merger consideration in each Merger Agreement.

Each of the Merger Agreements provides for the clawback of up to 50% of the upfront merger consideration (excluding, in the case of Proper and Wholesome, the amounts attributable to Arches, as defined below) on December 31, 2026, if, in each case, (a) 2026 Adjusted EBITDA underperforms 96.5% of the Reference EBITDA, and (b) retail revenue market share or EBITDA margin for 2026 is less (or lower) than 2024 and (c) the 20-day VWAP as of December 31, 2026 is greater than US$1.05 per share. The amount of shares subject to a clawback would be equal to the Acquisition Multiple (as defined in each Merger Agreement) for each of Deep Roots, Proper and Wholesome, respectively, multiplied by the EBITDA shortfall, and subject to certain other adjustments set forth in the applicable Merger Agreement, divided by US$0.52 per share, not to exceed 50% of the upfront consideration.

In connection with the Wholesome Merger Agreement (as defined herein) and Proper Merger Agreement (as defined herein), the Company will include in the stock merger consideration calculation an amount equal to (i) US$11,860,800 for the stockholders of Wholesome and (ii) US$2,139,200 for the stockholders of Proper for all of the outstanding equity interests in Arches IP, Inc. (“Arches”) owned by Wholesome and Proper, respectively. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Wholesome Merger Agreement and the Proper Merger Agreement, each of Wholesome, Proper and Arches option holders are collectively entitled to earnout payments based on performance of Arches, based on the greater of US$37.5 million or 5x certain revenue percentages of Arches, with such revenue percentage amounts measured at the higher of trailing-twelve-month or nine-month annualized amounts as of December 31, 2026, paid out using a share price for the Company’s subordinate voting shares at the higher of US$1.05 or 20-day VWAP as of December 31, 2026.

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In connection with each of the Merger Agreements, the Company will enter into an Investor Rights Agreement with the persons receiving the Company’s subordinate voting shares in the Mergers. Each Investor Rights Agreement will require the Company in certain circumstances to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement covering the resale of the Company’s subordinate voting shares issued pursuant to the Merger Agreements, in each case following the expiration of the initial 12 month lock-up period following the closing of the transactions under each Merger Agreement. Each Investor Rights Agreement will also provide such persons with certain piggyback registration rights in certain circumstances. 

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The closing of each of the Mergers is subject to the closing conditions described below and contained in the Merger Agreements. The Company cannot predict the actual date on which the Mergers will be completed, or if the Mergers will be completed at all. Pursuant to rules adopted by the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), a Schedule 14C information statement will be prepared by the Company and filed with the SEC and mailed to the shareholders of the Company relating to shareholder approval of the issuance of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares in the Mergers and any other approvals required under the rules of the Canadian Stock Exchange, which is expected to be obtained by written consent of the shareholders.

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Deep Roots Merger Agreement

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On December 18, 2024, the Company, Vireo DR Merger Sub Inc., a Nevada corporation (“DR Merger Sub”), Deep Roots and Shareholder Representative Services LLC, a Colorado limited liability company (“Shareholder Representative”) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Deep Roots Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, following the closing of the Deep Roots Merger, the Company will issue a number of Subordinate Voting Shares in consideration for all of the issued and outstanding shares of Deep Roots equal to the amount of the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration (as defined in the Deep Roots Merger Agreement) divided by US$0.52, subject to a post-closing purchase price adjustment with respect to certain of the estimated items included in the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration. In general, the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration is based upon a multiple of the $31 million Reference EBITDA described above, adjusted for certain items as described in the definition of Closing Merger Consideration in the Deep Roots Merger Agreement, including cash, indebtedness, transaction expenses, working capital, and tax items. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Deep Roots Merger Agreement, at the closing, DR Merger Sub will merge with and into Deep Roots, with Deep Roots surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.

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The Subordinate Voting Shares of the Company to be issued by the Company to the stockholders of Deep Roots pursuant to the Deep Roots Merger Agreement will be issued in reliance upon the exemptions from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction not involving a public offering and Rule 506 promulgated under the Securities Act.

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The Deep Roots Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants, including covenants relating to the conduct of Deep Roots’ businesses during the period between the execution of the Deep Roots Merger Agreement and the completion of the Deep Roots Merger, subject to certain exceptions.

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The obligation of the parties to consummate the Deep Roots Merger is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to receipt of the approval of the Deep Roots Merger by holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Deep Roots entitled to vote thereon, receipt of the approval of the Company’s shareholders as required by the Canadian Stock Exchange by (i) in the case of a shareholder meeting, a majority of the votes cast at such meeting or (ii) in the case of action by written consent of shareholders, by a majority of the outstanding voting power of shares of the Company, the closing of an equity investment in the Company in an aggregate amount at least equal to US$75 million, the appointment by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) of John Mazarakis as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Co-Executive Chairman, delivery of certain documents and agreements, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the parties (subject to the materiality standards contained in the Deep Roots Merger Agreement), the receipt of certain regulatory consents and approvals (including under the Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”) and approval of the Canadian Stock Exchange), delivery of investor rights agreements and lock-up agreements, Deep Roots having a minimum amount of cash as of the closing, the absence of Deep Roots stockholders exercising appraisal rights, and the absence of a Material Adverse Effect or Parent Material Adverse Effect (as each such term is defined in the Deep Roots Merger Agreement).

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Pursuant to the Deep Roots Merger Agreement, the stockholders of Deep Roots will at or prior to the closing enter into lock-up agreements with the Company providing that each such person, for a period of up to 33 months, may not, subject to customary exceptions, offer, issue, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares issued as closing merger consideration without the prior written consent of the Company. The lock-up agreements provide that the Subordinate Voting Shares acquired by the stockholders of Deep Roots pursuant to the Deep Roots Merger Agreement as closing merger consideration are subject to a lock-up release schedule of 7.5% of shares 12-months post-closing of the Deep Roots Merger, 10% of shares 18-months and 21-months post-closing, 17.5% of shares 24-months post-closing, 15% of shares 27-months post-closing and 20% of shares 30-months and 33-months post-closing. In addition, all such Subordinate Voting Shares of the Company then held by such persons are subject to lock-up during the 6-month period ending December 31, 2026. In addition, any of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares issued in connection with the earnout payments described above would be subject to lock-up periods following issuance of such earnout shares, with a 20% release per quarter ending at 15 months post-issuance.

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The Deep Roots Merger Agreement also contains customary indemnification obligations of the Company and Deep Roots, other obligations of the parties and termination provisions, under which, subject to certain conditions and in certain instances of termination, would require the Company or Deep Roots to pay a termination fee equal to US$6,376,240. The Deep Roots Merger Agreement also provides the parties with certain remedies, including the right to specific performance, in the event of a breach of obligations under the Deep Roots Merger Agreement.

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The foregoing description of the Deep Roots Merger Agreement is only a summary, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Deep Roots Merger Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 2.2 to this Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the Deep Roots Merger Agreement has been included to provide shareholders with information regarding its terms and conditions and is not intended to provide any factual information about the Company or Deep Roots. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Deep Roots Merger Agreement have been made solely for the benefit of the parties to the Deep Roots Merger Agreement, and are not intended as statements of fact to be relied upon by the Company’s shareholders, but rather as a way of allocating the risk between the parties to the Deep Roots Merger Agreement in the event the statements therein prove to be inaccurate. Statements made in the Deep Roots Merger Agreement have been modified or qualified by certain confidential disclosures that were made between the parties in connection with the negotiation of the Deep Roots Merger Agreement, which disclosures are not reflected in the Deep Roots Merger Agreement attached hereto. Moreover, such statements may no longer be true as of a given date and may apply standards of materiality in a way that is different from what may be viewed as material by shareholders. Accordingly, shareholders should not rely on the representations, warranties and covenants or any descriptions thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or condition of the Company or Deep Roots. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of the representations and warranties may change after the date of the Deep Roots Merger Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in the Company’s public disclosures. The Company acknowledges that, notwithstanding the inclusion of the foregoing cautionary statements, it is responsible for considering whether additional specific disclosures of material information regarding material contractual provisions are required to make the statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K not misleading.  Important information regarding certain risks associated with the Merger Agreements and Mergers are discussed under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors — Risks Related to the Mergers” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Proper Merger Agreement

On December 18, 2024, the Company, Vireo PR Merger Sub Inc., a Missouri corporation (“PR Merger Sub”), Vireo PR Merger Sub II Inc., a Missouri corporation (“PR Merger Sub II”), Proper Holdings, LLC (“Proper Parent”), Proper and Shareholder Representative entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Proper Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, following the closing of the Proper Mergers, the Company will issue a number of Subordinate Voting Shares in consideration for all of the issued and outstanding shares of each of the Proper entities equal to the amount of the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration (as defined in the Proper Merger Agreement) divided by US$0.52, subject to a post-closing purchase price adjustment with respect to certain of the estimated items included in the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration. In general, the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration is based upon a multiple of the $31 million Reference EBITDA described above, adjusted for certain items as described in the definition of Closing Merger Consideration in the Proper Merger Agreement, including the amounts attributable to Arches as described above, cash,

indebtedness, transaction expenses, working capital, and tax items. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Proper Merger Agreement, at the closing, NGH Investments, Inc. will merge with and into PR Merger Sub and Proper Holdings Management, Inc. will merge with and into PR Merger Sub II, with each of PR Merger Sub and PR Merger Sub II surviving as wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company.

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The Subordinate Voting Shares of the Company to be issued by the Company to Proper Parent as the stockholder of Proper pursuant to the Proper Merger Agreement will be issued in reliance upon the exemptions from registration under the Securities Act provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction not involving a public offering and Rule 506 promulgated under the Securities Act.

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The Proper Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants, including covenants relating to the conduct of Proper’s businesses during the period between the execution of the Proper Merger Agreement and the completion of the Proper Mergers, subject to certain exceptions.

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The obligation of the parties to consummate the Proper Mergers is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to receipt of the approval of the Company’s shareholders a required by the Canadian Stock Exchange by (i) in the case of a shareholder meeting, a majority of the votes cast at such meeting or (ii) in the case of action by written consent of shareholders, by a majority of the outstanding voting power of shares of the Company, the closing of an equity investment in the Company in an aggregate amount at least equal to US$75 million, the appointment by the Board of John Mazarakis as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Co-Executive Chairman, the appointment by the Board of John Pennington as a director of the Company, the transfer of the CA Credit Agreement (as defined in the Proper Merger Agreement) to NGH Investments, Inc. and Proper Holdings Management, Inc., the completion of the Holdings Restructuring (as defined in the Proper Merger Agreement), delivery of certain documents and agreements, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the parties (subject to the materiality standards contained in the Proper Merger Agreement), the receipt of certain regulatory consents and approvals (including under the HSR Act and approval of the Canadian Stock Exchange), delivery of an investor rights agreement and lock-up agreement, Proper having a minimum amount of cash as of the closing, and the absence of a Material Adverse Effect or Parent Material Adverse Effect (as each such term is defined in the Proper Merger Agreement).

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Pursuant to the Proper Merger Agreement, Proper Parent will at or prior to the closing enter into a lock-up agreement with the Company (and each of the members or other transferees of Proper Parent who would ultimately receive any of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares from Proper Parent, prior to receipt of any such shares, would enter into a lock-up agreement with the Company) providing that each such person, for a period of up to 33 months, may not, subject to customary exceptions, offer, issue, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares issued as closing merger consideration without the prior written consent of the Company. The lock-up agreements provide that the Subordinate Voting Shares acquired by Proper Parent and/or the members of Proper Parent pursuant to the Proper Merger Agreement as closing merger consideration are subject to a lock-up release schedule of 7.5% of shares 12-months post-closing of the Proper Mergers, 10% of shares 18-months and 21-months post-closing, 17.5% of shares 24-months post-closing, 15% of shares 27-months post-closing and 20% of shares 30-months and 33-months post-closing. In addition, all such Subordinate Voting Shares of the Company then held by such persons are subject to lock-up during the 6-month period ending December 31, 2026. In addition, any of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares issued in connection with the earnout payments described above would be subject to lock-up periods following issuance of such earnout shares, with a 20% release per quarter ending at 15 months post-issuance.

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The Proper Merger Agreement also contains customary indemnification obligations of the Company or Proper, other obligations of the parties and termination provisions, under which, subject to certain conditions and in certain instances of termination, would require the Company or Proper to pay a termination fee equal to US$4,631,012. The Proper Merger Agreement also provides the parties with certain remedies, including the right to specific performance, in the event of a breach of obligations under the Proper Merger Agreement.

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The foregoing description of the Proper Merger Agreement is only a summary, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Proper Merger Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 2.3 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the Proper Merger Agreement has been included to provide shareholders with information regarding its terms and conditions, and is not intended to provide

any factual information about the Company or Proper. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Proper Merger Agreement have been made solely for the benefit of the parties to the Proper Merger Agreement, and are not intended as statements of fact to be relied upon by the Company’s shareholders, but rather as a way of allocating the risk between the parties to the Proper Merger Agreement in the event the statements therein prove to be inaccurate. Statements made in the Proper Merger Agreement have been modified or qualified by certain confidential disclosures that were made between the parties in connection with the negotiation of the Proper Merger Agreement, which disclosures are not reflected in the Proper Merger Agreement attached hereto. Moreover, such statements may no longer be true as of a given date and may apply standards of materiality in a way that is different from what may be viewed as material by shareholders. Accordingly, shareholders should not rely on the representations, warranties and covenants or any descriptions thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or condition of the Company or Proper. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of the representations and warranties may change after the date of the Proper Merger Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in the Company’s public disclosures. The Company acknowledges that, notwithstanding the inclusion of the foregoing cautionary statements, it is responsible for considering whether additional specific disclosures of material information regarding material contractual provisions are required to make the statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K not misleading.

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Wholesome Merger Agreement

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On December 18, 2024, the Company, Vireo WH Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation (“WH Merger Sub”), Wholesome and Shareholder Representative entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Wholesome Merger Agreement” and, together with the Deep Roots Merger Agreement and the Proper Merger Agreement, the “Merger Agreements”), pursuant to which, following the closing of the Wholesome Merger, the Company will issue a number of Subordinate Voting Shares in consideration for all of the issued and outstanding shares of Wholesome equal to the amount of the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration (as defined in the Wholesome Merger Agreement) divided by US$0.52, subject to a post-closing purchase price adjustment with respect to certain of the estimated items included in the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration. In general, the Estimated Closing Merger Consideration is based upon a multiple of the $16 million Reference EBITDA described above, adjusted for certain items as described in the definition of Closing Merger Consideration in the Wholesome Merger Agreement, including the amounts attributable to Arches as described above, cash, indebtedness, transaction expenses, working capital, and tax items. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Wholesome Merger Agreement, at the closing, WH Merger Sub will merge with and into Wholesome, with Wholesome surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.

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The Subordinate Voting Shares of the Company to be issued by the Company to the stockholders of Wholesome pursuant to the Wholesome Merger Agreement will be issued in reliance upon the exemptions from registration under the Securities Act provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction not involving a public offering and Rule 506 promulgated under the Securities Act.

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The Wholesome Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants, including covenants relating to the conduct of Wholesome’s businesses during the period between the execution of the Wholesome Merger Agreement and the completion of the Wholesome Merger, subject to certain exceptions.

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The obligation of the parties to consummate the Wholesome Merger is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to receipt of the approval of the Wholesome Merger by holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Wholesome entitled to vote thereon, receipt of that approval of the Company’s shareholders as required by the Canadian Stock Exchange by (i) in the case of a shareholder meeting, a majority of the votes cast at such meeting or (ii) in the case of action by written consent of shareholders, by a majority of the outstanding voting power of shares of the Company, the closing of an equity investment in the Company in an aggregate amount at least equal to US$75 million, the appointment by the Board of John Mazarakis as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Co-Executive Chairman, delivery of certain documents and agreements, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the parties (subject to the materiality standards contained in the Wholesome Merger Agreement), the receipt of certain regulatory consents and approvals (including under the HSR Act and approval of the Canadian Stock Exchange), delivery of investor rights agreements and lock-up agreements, Wholesome having a minimum amount of cash as of the closing, the absence of Wholesome stockholders exercising appraisal rights, and the absence of a Material Adverse Effect or Parent Material Adverse Effect (as each such term is defined in the Wholesome Merger Agreement).

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Pursuant to the Wholesome Merger Agreement, the stockholders of Wholesome will at or prior to the closing enter into lock-up agreements with the Company providing that each such person, for a period of up to 33 months, may not, subject to customary exceptions, offer, issue, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares issued as closing merger consideration without the prior written consent of the Company. The lock-up agreements provide that the Subordinate Voting Shares acquired by the stockholders of Wholesome pursuant to the Wholesome Merger Agreement as closing merger consideration are subject to a lock-up release schedule of 7.5% of shares 12-months post-closing of the Wholesome Merger, 10% of shares 18-months and 21-months post-closing, 17.5% of shares 24-months post-closing, 15% of shares 27-months post-closing and 20% of shares 30-months and 33-months post-closing. In addition, all such Subordinate Voting Shares of the Company then held by such persons are subject to lock-up during the 6-month period ending December 31, 2026. In addition, any of the Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares issued in connection with the earnout payments described above would be subject to lock-up periods following issuance of such earnout shares, with a 20% release per quarter ending at 15 months post-issuance.

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The Wholesome Merger Agreement also contains customary indemnification obligations of the Company or Wholesome, other obligations of the parties and termination provisions, under which, subject to certain conditions and in certain instances of termination, would require the Company or Wholesome to pay a termination fee equal to US$3,394,217. The Wholesome Merger Agreement also provides the parties with certain remedies, including the right to specific performance, in the event of a breach of obligations under the Wholesome Merger Agreement.

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The foregoing description of the Wholesome Merger Agreement is only a summary, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Wholesome Merger Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 2.4 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the Wholesome Merger Agreement has been included to provide shareholders with information regarding its terms and conditions, and is not intended to provide any factual information about the Company or Wholesome. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Wholesome Merger Agreement have been made solely for the benefit of the parties to the Wholesome Merger Agreement, and are not intended as statements of fact to be relied upon by the Company’s shareholders, but rather as a way of allocating the risk between the parties to the Wholesome Merger Agreement in the event the statements therein prove to be inaccurate. Statements made in the Wholesome Merger Agreement have been modified or qualified by certain confidential disclosures that were made between the parties in connection with the negotiation of the Wholesome Merger Agreement, which disclosures are not reflected in the Wholesome Merger Agreement attached hereto. Moreover, such statements may no longer be true as of a given date and may apply standards of materiality in a way that is different from what may be viewed as material by shareholders. Accordingly, shareholders should not rely on the representations, warranties and covenants or any descriptions thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or condition of the Company or Wholesome. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of the representations and warranties may change after the date of the Wholesome Merger Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in the Company’s public disclosures. The Company acknowledges that, notwithstanding the inclusion of the foregoing cautionary statements, it is responsible for considering whether additional specific disclosures of material information regarding material contractual provisions are required to make the statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K not misleading.

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Memorandum of Understanding with Bill’s Nursery, Inc.

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Effective as of December 18, 2024, the Company and Bill’s Nursery, Inc. (“Bill’s”) entered into a binding Memorandum of Understanding (the “MOU”). Subject to the terms and conditions of the MOU, the Company intends to negotiate and enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with Bill’s (the “Bill’s Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which a newly incorporated subsidiary of the Company would merge with and into Bill’s, with Bill’s surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Proposed Transaction”). The principal terms of the MOU are as follows:

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The foregoing description of the MOU is only a summary, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the MOU, which is included as Exhibit 10.80 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Letter Agreement dated January 23, 2025 between the Company and Bill’s, which is included as Exhibit 10.86 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

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Description of the Business

Overview of the Company

Vireo is the holding company for Vireo U.S., a United States-based multi-state cannabis company that operates through its license-holding subsidiaries, with significant operations in three core markets: Maryland, Minnesota, and New York. In June 2023, we sold our operations in the New Mexico market, where we previously conducted business. We are committed to a science-focused approach to providing patients and adult-use customers with high-quality cannabis products. Our operations include cultivating cannabis in environmentally friendly environments, manufacturing

pharmaceutical-grade cannabis extracts, and distributing our products through both Company-owned and third-party dispensaries. We currently serve thousands of customers each month.

All of the states in which we operate have adopted legislation to permit the use of cannabis products for medicinal purposes to treat specific conditions and diseases, which is referred to as medical cannabis or medical marijuana. In addition, all of the states in which we operate have adopted legislation to permit the use of cannabis products by adults ages 21 and older, which is referred to as recreational- or adult-use cannabis or recreational- or adult-use marijuana.

Our principal locations and type of operation are listed below:

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Our mission is to provide patients and consumers with best-in-class cannabis products and expert advice, informed by medicine and science. We also are seeking to develop intellectual property that is complementary to our mission, including novel product formulations, novel delivery systems and harm-mitigation processes.

We have developed proprietary cannabis strains, cultivation methods, carbon dioxide extraction, ethanol extraction, and other processes related to the production, refinement, and packaging of cannabis products. We have documented the relevant processes in the form of standard operating procedures and work instructions, which are only shared with third parties when absolutely required and then only upon receipt of written non-disclosure agreements.

We have sought and continue to seek to protect our trademark and service mark rights. Because the cultivation, processing, possession, transport and sale of cannabis and cannabis-related products remain illegal under the Controlled Substances Act (as defined below) we are not able to fully protect our intellectual property at the federal level. As a result, we have

sought and continue to seek federal registrations in limited classes of goods and services and have obtained several state registrations.

The Cannabis Industry and Business Lines of the Company

According to market research projections by cannabis researcher Brightfield Group, U.S. sales of legal cannabis are expected to reach over $50 billion by 2026.

As described further below, United States federal law now bifurcates the legality of “hemp” (defined as any part of the Cannabis sativa L plant —including any seeds, derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts and salts of isomers thereof, whether growing or not —with a tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) concentration of less than 0.3% on a dry weight basis) from “marihuana” (also commonly known as “marijuana”). For purposes of this filing, the term “cannabis” means “marihuana” as set forth in the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 811) (the “Controlled Substances Act”) and is used interchangeably with the term “marijuana.”

To date, in the United States, medical cannabis has been legalized in 40 states and the District of Columbia, while 24 states and the District of Columbia have approved cannabis for recreational use by adults (also known as “adult-use”).

We strive to meet best-in-class health, safety and quality standards relating to the growth, production and sale of cannabis medicines, and consumer products. Our offerings include cannabis flower, cannabis oil, cannabis topicals, orally ingestible tablets and capsules, and vaporizer pens and cartridges.

We are a vertically integrated cannabis company that operates from “seed-to-sale.” We have three business lines:

Cultivation Facilities

We have rights to operate cultivation facilities in three states. Although pricing pressure for dried flower in several mature cannabis markets has led some operators to eschew cultivation, in certain markets the transition from medical-only to adult-use cannabis has increased wholesale market prices significantly. We believe that our cultivation operations provide certain other benefits, including:

Our focus on quality, potency, strain diversity and scalable production is vital because we believe that the wholesale market for cannabis plant material will become increasingly price-competitive over time as more companies enter this industry segment. We believe that manufacturers and retailers that source high-quality, low-cost plant material will have a significant advantage in the medium and long term.

Cultivation

We have rights to operate cultivation facilities in three states. Although pricing pressure for dried flower in several mature cannabis markets has led some operators to eschew cultivation, in certain markets the transition from medical-only to adult-use cannabis has increased wholesale market prices significantly. We believe that our cultivation operations provide certain other benefits, including:

Our focus on quality, potency, strain diversity and scalable production is vital because we believe that the wholesale market for cannabis plant material will become increasingly price-competitive over time as more companies enter this industry segment. We believe that manufacturers and retailers that source high-quality, low-cost plant material will have a significant advantage in the medium and long term.

Cultivation and Production Facilities

Except for our bifurcated cultivation-only and production-only facilities in Maryland, we operate combined cultivation and production facilities. Each cultivation and production facility focuses primarily on the development of cannabis products and dried cannabis plant material for medical and other consumer use, as well as the research and development of new strains of cannabis. At all our facilities, we focus on consumer safety and maintaining strict quality control. The methods we employ result in consistent production of high-quality products and minimize product recalls and complaints from patients and adult-use customers.

Our cultivation business line operates year-round, although operations and sales trends in select markets exhibit seasonal fluctuations. In some regions, outdoor cultivation opportunities arise seasonally, and sales may be impacted during summer and winter months. Additionally, promotional activity often increases around specific industry events and holidays, including April 20, July 10 and Green Wednesday (the Wednesday before Thanksgiving).

We operate the following cultivation and production facilities as of the close of business on March 4, 2025:

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Manufacturing

We manufacture, assemble, and package cannabis finished goods across a variety of product segments:

We have wholesale operations in Maryland, Minnesota, and New York. Manufactured products are sold to third parties, where allowed, and are also distributed to Company-owned and operated retail dispensaries.

Supply Chain

We are vertically integrated in the markets in which we operate. In the normal course of our business, we purchase input materials and components used in the cultivation, processing, manufacture, and distribution of our products. No individual supplier represents a significant portion of our purchases or poses a material risk to our operations.

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Principal Products or Services

Our brands include:

The following table shows which principal manufactured products we currently sell at our dispensaries in our various markets:

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Retail Strategy

We have invested substantial resources in developing customer-friendly store designs and floorplans. In 2020, we began constructing new dispensaries using a modern layout and refreshed color scheme tied to the Green Goods™ trademark, and we have also been converting existing dispensaries to this new theme.

Members of our management team have experience in real estate development, which has enabled us to secure premium locations for some of our dispensaries. We typically target locations with high foot traffic, good visibility, and proximity to densely populated residential areas. We also elevate factors such as location characteristics, vehicular traffic, local demographics, and competitor proximity when selecting retail locations.

Principal Business Objectives

Our principal business objectives over the next 12-month period include achieving positive operating cash flow through cost discipline, operational excellence, and product quality; improving the quality and efficiency of flower production in Maryland and Minnesota; pursuing non-core asset divestitures; managing the balance sheet with capital partners to grow into being a strong credit.

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Employees and Human Capital Resources

As of February 15, 2025 we had 520 employees, 419 of whom were full time employees. Certain of our employees in Maryland, Minnesota and New York are represented by local offices of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (“UFCW”). The collective bargaining agreements with the employees in these states expire as follows:

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Our collective bargaining agreements in New York and Maryland have expired and negotiations are in progress. We anticipate a resolution and consider our overall relationships with our employees, UFCW, and Local 811 to be positive.

Our human capital objectives focus on attracting, developing, retaining, and engaging a talented workforce. Our compensation program is designed to be competitive and aligned with both individual and company performance. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and results-driven culture that supports the execution of our strategic goals.

Research and Development

Our former research and development activities primarily focused on developing new, innovative, and patent-protectable products for the cannabis market. These efforts have focused on novel cannabinoid formulations as well as accessory products designed to improve the cannabis consumption experience. We also experimented with plant spacing and nutrient blends, cannabis variety trialing and improved pest management techniques. We also engaged in research and development activities focused on developing new extracted or infused products.

Patents and Trademarks

We hold two patents for “Tobacco Products with Cannabinoid Additives and Methods for Reducing the Harm Associated with Tobacco Use” (US Patents 10,369,178 and 10,702,565) and have a number of other patents pending with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”).

We have successfully registered the trademarks Vireo Health®, Green Goods®, and 1937® with the USPTO.

Competitive Conditions and Position

Historically, Vireo U.S. won licenses in competitive, merit-based selection processes through wholly-owned subsidiary applicants. We pursued opportunities in limited license markets with higher barriers to entry presenting an opportunity for higher returns or the development of strategic opportunities.

The industry is highly competitive with many operators, including large multi-state operators and smaller regional and local enterprises. We face competition from other companies that have greater resources, enhanced access to public equity and debt markets, superior cultivation and manufacturing capabilities, lower operating costs, better-located retail facilities, more experienced management, or that may be more mature as businesses. There are several multi-state operators that we compete directly with in some of our operating markets. Aside from current direct competition, other operators that are sufficiently capitalized to enter the Company’s markets through new licensure or acquisitive growth are also considered potential competitors. Similarly, if and to the extent we continue to enter new markets, we will encounter new direct competitors.

See “Item 1A. Risk Factors — Risks Related to our Business Operations — We face intense competition in a new and rapidly growing industry by other licensed companies with more experience and financial resources than we have and by unlicensed and unregulated participants.”

Regulation of Cannabis in the United States

Below is a discussion of the federal and state-level U.S. regulatory regimes in those jurisdictions where we operate through our subsidiaries.

Federal Regulation

We currently directly derives a substantial portion of our revenues from the cannabis industry in certain U.S. states, which industry is illegal under U.S. Federal Law. As of December 31, 2024, the Company is directly involved (through licensed subsidiaries) in both the medical and adult-use cannabis industry in the states of New York, Minnesota, and Maryland as permitted within such states under applicable state law.

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U.S. federal law, however, continues to prohibit cannabis activities. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Congress has the constitutional authority to enact the existing federal prohibition on cannabis. The federal government regulates drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, which places controlled substances—including marijuana—in specific schedules. Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it is defined as a substance with a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S., and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. With limited exceptions, such as Epidiolex (a pharmaceutical derived from the cannabis extract cannabidiol (“CBD”)), and certain drugs incorporating synthetically derived cannabinoids (i.e., Marinol, Syndros, and Cesamet), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has not approved marijuana as a safe and effective drug for any indication. Moreover, under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (commonly referred to as the 2018 Farm Bill), marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, with the exception of hemp and extracts derived from hemp.

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State laws regulating cannabis are in direct conflict with the Controlled Substances Act. Although certain states and territories of the U.S. authorize medical or adult-use cannabis production and distribution by licensed or registered entities, under U.S. federal law, the possession, use, cultivation, and transfer of cannabis and any related drug paraphernalia is illegal; any such acts are criminal acts under federal law under the Controlled Substances Act. While our activities comply with applicable state and local laws, strict adherence to those laws does not absolve the Company of liability under federal law nor provide a defense against federal enforcement actions.

There is no guarantee that state laws legalizing and regulating the sale and use of cannabis will not be repealed or overturned, or that local governmental authorities will not restrict the applicability of such laws within their jurisdictions. Unless and until the Congress amends the Controlled Substances Act with respect to cannabis—of which the timing and scope are uncertain—there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law. We continue to monitor

compliance on an ongoing basis in accordance with our compliance program and standard operating procedures. Although our operations are in material compliance with all applicable state laws, regulations and licensing requirements, they remain subject to federal law. If the Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) were to aggressively pursue debt or equity owners of cannabis-related business and if U.S. Attorneys acted accodingly, the Company could face: (i) seizure of its cash and other assets used to support, or derived from, its cannabis subsidiaries; and (ii) the arrest of its employees, directors, officers, managers and investors, who could face charges of ancillary criminal violations of the Controlled Substances Act for aiding, abetting, and conspiring to violate the Controlled Substances Act by virtue of providing financial support to state-licensed or permitted cultivators, processors, distributors and/or retailers of cannabis. Additionally, as affirmed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, non-citizen employees, directors, officers, managers, and investors in cannabis-related businesses face the risk of being barred from entry into the U.S. for life.

U.S. Department of Justice and Attorney General Memorandums

In August 2013, then-Deputy Attorney General James Cole authored a memorandum (the “Cole Memorandum”) addressed to all United States district attorneys acknowledging that, notwithstanding the designation of cannabis as a controlled substance, several states had enacted laws relating to cannabis for medical purposes.

The Cole Memorandum outlined DOJ enforcement priorities, noting that in jurisdictions with robust regulatory and enforcement systems, conduct in compliance with state laws was less likely to trigger federal prosecution. However, the memorandum did not provide specific guidelines for what constituted sufficient regulatory oversight. Rather, DOJ provided eight enforcement priorities which, if implicated, justified federal intervention in state-legal cannabis activities. In light of limited investigative and prosecutorial resources, the Cole Memorandum concluded that the DOJ should be focused on addressing only the most significant priorities related to cannabis (for example, preventing the distribution of cannabis to minors, and preventing revenue from the sale of cannabis from going to criminal enterprises, gangs, and cartels).

In March 2017, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions again noted limited federal resources and acknowledged that much of the Cole Memorandum had merit. However, on January 4, 2018, Mr. Sessions issued a memorandum rescinding and superseding the Cole Memorandum effective immediately (the “Sessions Memorandum”). The Sessions Memorandum stated, in part, that current law reflects Congress’ determination that cannabis is a dangerous drug and cannabis activity is a serious crime, and Mr. Sessions directed all U.S. Attorneys to enforce the laws enacted by Congress and to follow well-established principles when pursuing prosecutions related to marijuana activities. Consequently, federal prosecutors now have broad discretion in pursuing cannabis-related prosecutions, even where state laws permit such activities. The ongoing conflict between federal and state laws represents a significant risk factor for the Company.

As an industry best practice, despite the rescission of the Cole Memorandum, we continue to:

The risk of federal enforcement and other risks associated with the Company’s business are described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors — Risks Related to the Regulatory System and Business Environment for Cannabis.”

Regulation of the Cannabis Market at State and Local Levels

Below is a summary overview of the licensing and regulatory framework in the states where Vireo or our subsidiaries are currently operating.

Maryland

Maryland Regulatory Landscape

Maryland first enacted legal protections for medical cannabis patients in 2003, creating an affirmative defense for patients charged with possession of less than one ounce of cannabis. In 2013, lawmakers expanded the affirmative defense to protect cannabis caregivers, authorized the use of marijuana for investigational medical purposes, and established the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Marijuana Commission (“MMCC”) to develop, approve and monitor cannabis academic study programs.

In 2014, legislation was enacted to establish a state-regulated medical cannabis program and expand the MMCC’s regulatory authority; the law was signed in April 2014, and the program became operational on December 1, 2017. The market is divided into three primary classes of licenses: dispensary, cultivation, and processing. Pre-approvals for medical cannabis dispensary license were issued to 102 dispensaries from a pool of over 800 applicants, while 15 processing licenses were awarded from 124 applicants and 15 cultivation licenses from 145 applicants.

The medical cannabis program was designed to allow access to medical cannabis for patients with qualifying medical conditions, including chronic pain, nausea, seizures, glaucoma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

MaryMed LLC, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Vireo, was awarded a vertically integrated medical marijuana license in 2016.

In April 2018, Maryland lawmakers agreed to expand the state’s medical cannabis industry by adding another 20 licenses —7 for cultivation and 13 for processing. Permitted products for sale and consumption include oil-based formulations, dry flower, edibles, and other concentrates.

Maryland voters approved a referendum to legalize adult-use cannabis on November 8, 2022. In May 2023, the Maryland General Assembly repealed the MMCC's authorization under the Cannabis Reform Act of 2023, and the MMCC’s functions were transferred to the newly established Maryland Cannabis Administration (the “MCA”). Adult-use legalization went into effect on July 1, 2023.

Licenses in Maryland

As of March 4, 2025, we operate two (2) medical and adult-use dispensaries, a cultivation license, and a processor license in the State of Maryland. The Company also manages two (2) medical and adult-use dispensaries pursuant to management agreements with licensees.

Maryland Licenses and Regulations

Maryland licenses are valid for five years after required fees are paid and provided that the business remains in good standing. Renewal requests are typically communicated through email from the MCA and include a renewal form.

Maryland Reporting Requirements

The State of Maryland uses Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Regulation and Compliance system (METRC) as the state’s computerized track and trace (“T&T”) system for seed-to-sale. Individual licensees, whether directly or through third-party integration systems, are required to transmit data to the state to meet all reporting requirements. We use a third-party application for our computerized seed to sale software, which integrates with the state’s METRC program and captures the required data points for cultivation, manufacturing and retail as required under Maryland law. 

Minnesota

Minnesota Regulatory Landscape

Minnesota legalized medical marijuana on May 29, 2014, when Governor Mark Dayton signed the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Act into law. The state’s medical program officially launched on July 1, 2015, allowing registered patients to access cannabis products from state-approved dispensaries to treat a set of nine qualifying medical conditions, which has since been expanded to 15. The program was regulated and administered by the Minnesota Department of Health, which oversaw all cultivation, production, and distribution facilities. The state authorized only two vertically integrated medical cannabis manufacturer licenses—LeafLine Labs and Minnesota Medical Solutions. Initially, each manufacturer was permitted up to four distribution facilities across the state; Minnesota now allows a manufacturer to operate eight distribution facilities, which may include the manufacturer’s single location for cultivation, manufacturing, packaging, and processing, although including that location is not required.

Medical cannabis was initially provided to patients in several forms, including dried cannabis, liquid formulations, pills, and topical (lotions, balms, and patches); it was also delivered via vaporized delivery methods that did not require the use of dried leaves, as well as in water-soluble cannabinoid multi-particulates (e.g., granules, powders, and sprinkles) and orally dissolvable products (e.g., lozenges, gums, mints, buccal tablets, and sublingual tablets).

Minnesota has implemented a process for monitoring and evaluating the health impacts of medical cannabis on patients which will be used to help patients and health professionals grow their understanding of the benefits, risks, and side effects of medical cannabis.

On May 30, 2023, the Governor of Minnesota signed into law House File No. 100 ("H.F. 100") of the 2022 Session, Chapter 63, a bill of an act relating to adult-use cannabis. As a result, many marijuana reform laws went into effect August 1, 2023, including adult use legalization, rescheduling under Minnesota's Controlled Substance Act, allowing 21 years of age or older to possess or transport two ounces or less of adult-use cannabis, or eight grams or less of adult-use cannabis concentrate, edible cannabis products or lower-potency hemp edibles infused with a combined total of 800 milligrams or less of tetrahydrocannabinol, and legalizing home grow of up to four mature plants per residence. On July 1, 2024, pursuant to H.F. 100, the powers and duties of the Minnesota Department of Health with respect to the medical cannabis program were transferred to the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management.

The adult-use cannabis program is expected to commence in 2025.

Licenses and Permits in Minnesota

Today, Vireo Health of Minnesota, LLC  (“Vireo Minnesota”) (f/k/a Minnesota Medical Solutions and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Vireo) is one of two licensed medical cannabis manufacturers and is responsible for cultivating, processing, and dispensing medical cannabis to registered patients through its eight medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.

Our manufacturer license was awarded in 2015 through merit-based license application processes. Merit-based license awards require limited investment and thus present high-return opportunities. We believe that our medical and scientific expertise helped us develop a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Vireo Minnesota holds one vertically-integrated medical cannabis license to operate one cultivation and production facility in Otsego, MN and eight retail medical cannabis dispensaries in the state of Minnesota, located in Blaine, Bloomington, Burnsville, Hermantown, Rochester, Minneapolis, Moorhead, and Woodbury.

Minnesota Licenses and Regulations

We currently operate eight retail dispensaries and one cultivation and production facility of approximately 90,000 square feet. Recent changes to the state’s qualifying conditions for medical cannabis patients have contributed to increases in patient enrollment.

Minnesota state licenses are renewed every two years. Provided that the requisite renewal fees are paid, the renewal application is submitted in a timely manner, and no material violations are noted, the Company expects to receive the applicable renewed license in the ordinary course of business. While the Company’s compliance controls are designed to mitigate the risk of any material violations, there is no assurance that our license will be renewed in a timely manner. Any unexpected delays or costs in the renewal process could materially and adversely affect our operations and financial results.

Minnesota Reporting Requirements

The State of Minnesota uses Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Regulation and Compliance system (METRC) as the state’s computerized T&T system for seed-to-sale. Individual licensees whether directly or through third-party integration systems are required to push data to the state to meet all reporting requirements. We use a third-party application for our computerized seed to sale software, which integrates with the state’s Metrc program and captures the required data points for cultivation, manufacturing and retail as required. 

New York

New York Regulatory Landscape

In 2014, the New York State Senate passed legislation to fully legalize medical marijuana, leading to the establishment of the Medical Cannabis Program. The Compassionate Care Act was signed into law on July 5, 2014. In July 2015, Vireo Health of New York LLC (f/k/a Empire State Health Solutions LLC) (“Vireo New York”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Vireo, secured one of the five available medical cannabis licenses (known as a registered organization) in the state, enabling the company to cultivate, process, and dispense medical cannabis products to registered patients.

In January 2022, the law was expanded to remove a previous list of qualifying conditions, allowing patients to use medical cannabis for any condition that could be treated with it as recommended by their doctor. The Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act was signed into law on March 31, 2021, legalizing adult-use cannabis in New York State. MRTA established the OCM, governed by a Cannabis Control Board to comprehensively regulate adult-use, medical, and hemp cannabis. The OCM released its final rules and regulations governing the adult-use industry in September 2023, and has begun to issue licenses.

Physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants must complete a New York State Department of Health (“NYSDOH”)–approved course (either a two-hour or four-hour program, as applicable) and register with the NYSDOH Medical Marijuana Program to certify patients for medical cannabis.

Before issuing a certification, practitioners are required to consult the New York State Prescription Monitoring Program Registry to review the patient’s controlled substance history. Once a patient is certified, they are automatically registered and provided with a registry identification number—which, along with a government-issued photo ID, enables them to purchase medical cannabis at licensed dispensaries.

Furthermore, certified patients may designate up to five caregivers to assist with the acquisition, transportation, and administration of medical cannabis products. These designated caregivers must also register with the NYSDOH to obtain their own registry identification.

There are ten registered organizations, each holding a vertically integrated license permitting the cultivation, manufacture, transport, distribution, and dispensation of medical cannabis. Registered organizations may only manufacture medical cannabis products in forms approved by the Office of Cannabis Management (the “OCM”). Approved forms currently include whole flower, metered liquid or oil preparations, solid and semisolid preparations (e.g., capsules, chewable and effervescent tablets, lozenges), oral sprays, oral powders, metered ground plant preparations, and transdermal patches.

Each registered organization may have up to four dispensing facilities, owned and operated by the registered organization, where approved medical cannabis products will be dispensed to certified patients or their designated caregivers, who have registered with the Department. Dispensing facilities must report dispensing data to the New York State Prescription Monitoring Program Registry and consult the registry prior to dispensing approved medical cannabis products to certified patients or their designated caregivers.

Licenses and Permits in New York

In New York, we were one of the original five registered organizations, placing second in the initial selection process, and are currently one of ten registered organizations (vertically integrated medical cannabis licensees) in the state.

On July 11, 2024, Vireo New York was issued a registered organization non-dispensing license, authorizing the company to operate a medical and adult-use cultivation/manufacturing facility and up to four medical marijuana dispensaries. All licenses are, as of the date hereof, active with the State of New York. The licenses are independently issued for each approved activity for use at our facilities in New York.

Today, through our subsidiary Vireo Health New York, we hold one of ten vertically integrated cannabis licenses. We currently have a cultivation and processing facility in Johnstown, NY and four dispensaries throughout the State in New York City (Queens County), Binghamton, White Plains and Albany. We also operate a home-delivery service based out of our Queens dispensary.

Our New York cultivation and processing facility is approximately 21 acres and compromised of 13,650 square foot of indoor cultivation space, 38,304 square feet of greenhouse cultivation space, and 7,350 square feet of laboratory and processing space. The facility has been in continuous production and sale of cannabis since January 2016. In addition, on an adjacent parcel to the existing facility, we have approximately 30,000 square feet of operational cultivation and processing space, and approximately 45,000 square feet of incremental cultivation and processing facility under construction, all of which is housed inside a building exceeding 300,000 square feet.

While we believe the long-term opportunity in New York is substantial, recent performance has been impacted by neighboring states transitioning to adult-use jurisdictions, as well as by increasing competition from other developing operators. New product introductions and the beginning of wholesale revenue streams may contribute to improving profit margins in the future. We anticipate additional growth of our home delivery service.

New York registered organization licenses expire two years after the date of issuance. An application to renew must be filed with the Department not more than six months nor less than four months prior to the expiration thereof. Registration fees are $200,000 and are refundable if the applicant is not granted a renewal registration.

New York Reporting Requirements

The state of New York uses BIOTRACKTHC^© as the state’s cultivation and production computerized T&T system. Leaf Logix by Dutchie is used as state’s point of sale T&T system. Individual licensees are required to push data to the state to meet all reporting requirements.

Compliance with Environmental Laws

Expenditures for compliance with federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations have remained consistent year-over-year and are not material to our financial results. We comply with all applicable environmental regulations and properly dispose of all toxic and hazardous substances used in our operations.

Compliance with Cannabis Regulations

The Company is classified as having “direct” involvement in the U.S. marijuana industry and is in material compliance with applicable licensing requirements and the regulatory frameworks enacted by each state in which we operate. We are not subject to any material citations or notices of violation that could adversely impact our licenses, business activities, or operations.

Compliance Program and Oversight

Under the oversight of our Outside General Counsel, our legal and compliance team develops, maintains, and implements our comprehensive compliance program. In addition to our Outside General Counsel, we engage state-specific regulatory compliance counsel and other legal specialists as needed. Our team is responsible for training cultivation, production, and dispensary managers, employees, department leaders, and other designated persons on state and local laws and regulations. The team also monitors all compliance notifications from regulators and inspectors and leads efforts to promptly resolve any identified issues. We maintain detailed records of all notifications received and document the resolution of each issue.

Inventory Management and Auditing

We have established comprehensive standard operating procedures that detail instructions for receiving inventory shipments, tracking inventory, maintaining records, and retaining records related to inventory. These procedures also outline the steps for performing inventory reconciliation and ensuring the accuracy of our inventory tracking systems.
We maintain accurate inventory records at all licensed facilities and conduct audits of our cannabis and cannabis product inventories as required by law and/or regulations to detect any potential diversion. In addition to scheduled audits, our security and staff perform unscheduled, unannounced audits to prevent complacency. Adherence to our standard operating procedures is mandatory, ensuring compliance with all applicable state and local laws, regulations, ordinances, licenses, and other requirements. We conduct internal inspections to verify adherence and resolve any issues quickly and thoroughly.

See “Item 1. Business — Regulation of Cannabis in the United States — U.S. Department of Justice and Attorney General Memorandums” for discussion on guidance for enforcement agencies and the DOJ with respect to cannabis.

As an industry best practice and in accordance with prior guidance, we continue to:

We will continue to monitor compliance on an ongoing basis in accordance with our compliance program and standard operating procedures. While our operations are materially compliant with all applicable state laws, regulations and licensing requirements, such activities remain illegal under United States federal law. For the reasons described above and the risks further described in Risk Factors below, there are significant risks associated with our business. Readers are strongly encouraged to carefully read all the risk factors contained in “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” below.

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Item 1A. Risk Factors

Summary of Risk Factors

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Investing in our securities involves risks. In addition to the other information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the information addressed under “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements,” investors in the Company’s securities should carefully consider the risks described in this section before deciding to invest in our securities. The following discussion highlights the risks that we believe are material to the Company, but the following discussion does not necessarily include all risks that we may face, and an investor in the Company’s securities should not interpret the disclosure of a risk in the following discussion to state or imply that the risk has not already materialized.  If any of these risks occur, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of our securities would likely decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

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Set forth below is a summary of the principal risks we face:

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The following are certain risk factors relating to our business. These risks and uncertainties are not the only onesthe Company faces. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or currently deemed immaterial by us, may also impair our operations. If any such risks occur, our shareholders could lose all or part of their investment and our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, and prospects could be materially, adversely affected and our ability to implement our growth plans could be adversely affected. Our shareholders should carefully evaluate the following risk factors associated with the Subordinate Voting Shares.

Risks Related to the Regulatory System and Business Environment for Cannabis

Marijuana remains illegal under U.S. federal law.

Our activities are, and will continue to be, subject to evolving regulation by governmental authorities. The legality of the production, cultivation, extraction, distribution, transportation and use of cannabis differs among states in the United States. Marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute, use or possess cannabis in the United States. In those states in which the cultivation, production, extraction, distribution, transportation, possession or use of marijuana has been legalized, these actions continue to be a violation of federal law pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act. Due to the current regulatory environment in the United States, new risks may emerge; management may not be able to predict all such risks.

Since federal law criminalizing the cultivation, production, extraction, distribution, transportation, possession or use of marijuana pre-empts state laws that legalize such actions, enforcement of federal law regarding marijuana is a significant risk and would greatly harm our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition. Any proceedings brought against Vireo under federal law may materially, adversely affect our operations and financial performance.

Due to the conflicting views between state legislatures and the federal government regarding cannabis, cannabis businesses are subject to inconsistent laws and regulations. There can be no assurance that the federal government will not enforce federal laws relating to marijuana and seek to prosecute cases involving marijuana businesses that are otherwise compliant with state laws in the future.

For discussion on the differences between federal- and state-level law, treatment, enforcement and other matters, See “Item 1. Business — Regulation of Cannabis in the United States”, generally and “— U.S. Department of Justice and Attorney General Memorandums” thereunder for discussion on guidance for enforcement agencies and the DOJ with respect to cannabis.

We may be subject to action by the U.S. federal government through various government agencies for participation in the cannabis industry.

Cultivation, processing, production, distribution, possession and sale of cannabis for any purpose, medical, adult use or otherwise, remains illegal under U.S. federal law. The U.S. federal government, through, among others, the DOJ, its sub-agency the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), has the right to actively investigate, audit and shut down cannabis growing facilities, processors, and retailers. The U.S. federal government may also attempt to seize our property. Any action taken by the DOJ, the DEA and/or the IRS to interfere with, seize or shut down our operations will have an adverse effect on our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.

We could face:

If aggressive prosecutorial measures and laid against the Company, our operations would cease, shareholders may lose their entire investments and directors, officers and/or shareholders may be left to defend any criminal charges against them at their own expense and, if convicted, be sent to federal prison.

Additionally, there can be no assurance as to the position the current or any new federal administration may take on marijuana. Any enforcement of current federal marijuana laws could cause significant financial damage to the Company and our shareholders. Further, future presidential administrations may choose to treat marijuana differently and potentially enforce the federal laws more aggressively.

Violations of any federal laws and regulations could result in significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, convictions, or settlements arising from civil proceedings conducted by either the federal government or private citizens, or criminal charges, including, but not limited to, disgorgement of profits, cessation of business activities or divestiture. These results could have a material, adverse effect on the Company, including our reputation and ability to conduct business, our holding (directly or indirectly) of cannabis licenses in the United States, the listing of our securities on various stock exchanges, our financial position, operating results, profitability or liquidity or the market price of our Subordinate Voting Shares. In addition, it is difficult to estimate the time or resources that would be needed for the investigation or final resolution of any such matters because: (i) the time and resources that may be needed depend on the nature and extent of any information requested by the authorities involved; and (ii) such time or resources could be substantial.

See “Item 1. Business — Regulation of Cannabis in the United States — U.S. Department of Justice and Attorney General Memorandums” for discussion on guidance for enforcement agencies and the DOJ with respect to cannabis.

U.S. state and local regulation of cannabis is uncertain and changing. New state or local laws may be enacted which affect our product offerings or manufacturing processes.

There is no assurance that state laws legalizing and regulating the sale and use of cannabis will not be repealed or overturned, or that local governmental authorities will not limit the applicability of state laws within their respective jurisdictions where permitted. If the U.S. federal government begins to enforce U.S. federal laws relating to cannabis in states where the sale and use of cannabis is currently legal, or if existing state laws are repealed or curtailed, our business or operations in those states or under those laws would be materially and adversely affected. Federal actions against any individual or entity engaged in the cannabis industry, or a substantial repeal of cannabis related legislation, could materially, adversely affect the Company, our business and our assets or investments.

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State and local laws permitting the cultivation, production, extraction, distribution, transportation, possession and/or use of cannabis may also be modified in a manner that is contrary to our interests. For example, states could authorize the issuance of licenses to cultivate, produce, transport or distribute cannabis to additional parties, or the maximum number of such licenses could be unlimited. Certain ownership structures, such as the ability to be vertically integrated, could be restricted, thereby affecting our ability to own and control multiple stages of the supply chain. States currently permitting only medical-use cannabis could implement adult-use cannabis laws that give preferences to applicants and/or participants that compete with us, or even prohibit us to participate in portions or the entirety of the adult-use marketplace. Any such changes would have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial position and/or results of operations.

The rulemaking process at the state level that applies to cannabis operators in any state will be ongoing and result in frequent changes. As a result, a compliance program is essential to manage regulatory risk. All operating policies and procedures implemented by the Company are compliance-based and are derived from the state regulatory structure governing cannabis businesses. Notwithstanding our efforts and diligence, regulatory compliance and the process of obtaining regulatory approvals can be costly and time-consuming. No assurance can be given that we will receive and maintain the necessary licenses, permits or cards to continue operating our business. A state implementing an adult-use cannabis program may prohibit participation by the Company in one or more aspects of that program, or require the Company to pay fees to participate, which fees may be material or prohibitive.

Local laws and ordinances could also restrict our business activity. Although our operations are legal under the laws of the states in which it operates, local governments often have the ability to limit, restrict and ban cannabis businesses from operating within their jurisdiction. Land use, zoning, local ordinances, and similar laws could be adopted or changed and have a material, adverse effect on our business.

Multiple states where medical and/or adult use cannabis is legal have imposed or are considering special taxes or fees on businesses in the marijuana industry. It is uncertain at this time whether other states are in the process of reviewing such additional taxes and fees. The implementation of special taxes or fees could have a material, adverse effect upon our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.

We currently operate cannabis businesses in Maryland, Minnesota, and New York.

State regulatory agencies may require us to post bonds or significant fees.

There is a risk that a greater number of state regulatory agencies will begin requiring entities engaged in certain aspects of the business or industry of legal marijuana to post a bond or significant fees when applying, for example, for a dispensary license or renewal, as a guarantee of payment of sales and franchise taxes. We are not able to quantify at this time the potential scope of such bonds or fees in the states in which we currently operate or may in the future operate, but they may be materially adverse to our results of operations, financial condition and ultimate business success, individually or in the aggregate.

We may be subject to heightened scrutiny by United States and Canadian authorities, which could ultimately lead to the market for Subordinate Voting Shares becoming highly illiquid and our shareholders having no ability to effect trades in Subordinate Voting Shares in Canada.

Currently, our Subordinate Voting Shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange and on the OTCQX tier of the OTC Markets in the United States. Our business, operations, and investments in the United States, and any such future business, operations, or investments, may become the subject of heightened scrutiny by regulators, stock exchanges and other authorities in Canada and the United States. As a result, we may be subject to significant direct and indirect interaction with public officials. There can be no assurance that this heightened scrutiny will not in turn lead to the imposition of certain restrictions on our ability to operate or invest in the United States or any other jurisdiction, in addition to those described herein.

In 2017, there were concerns that the Canadian Depository for Securities Limited, through its subsidiary CDS Clearing and Depository Services Inc. (“CDS”), Canada’s central securities depository (clearing and settling trades in the Canadian equity, fixed income, and money markets), would refuse to settle trades for cannabis issuers that have investments in the United States. However, CDS has not implemented this policy.

On February 8, 2018, the Canadian Securities Administrators published Staff Notice 51-352 describing the Canadian Securities Administrators’ disclosure expectations for specific risks facing issuers with cannabis-related activities in the U.S. Staff Notice 51-352 confirms that a disclosure-based approach remains appropriate for issuers with U.S. cannabis-related activities. Staff Notice 51-352 includes additional disclosure expectations that apply to all issuers with U.S. cannabis-related activities, including those with direct and indirect involvement in the cultivation and distribution of cannabis, as well as issuers that provide goods and services to third parties involved in the U.S. cannabis industry.

On February 8, 2018, following discussions with the Canadian Securities Administrators and recognized Canadian securities exchanges, the TMX Group, which is the owner and operator of CDS, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Aequitas NEO Exchange Inc., the Canadian Securities Exchange, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange. The MOU outlines the parties’ understanding of Canada’s regulatory framework applicable to the rules, procedures, and regulatory oversight of the exchanges and CDS as it relates to issuers with cannabis-related activities in the United States. The MOU confirms, with respect to the clearing of listed securities, that CDS relies on the Canadian securities exchanges to review the conduct of listed issuers. The MOU notes that securities regulation requires that the rules of each of the exchanges must not be contrary to the public interest and that the rules of each of the exchanges have been approved by the securities regulators. Pursuant to the MOU, CDS will not ban accepting deposits of or transactions for clearing and settlement of securities of issuers with cannabis-related activities in the United States. Even though the MOU indicated that there are no plans to ban the settlement of securities through CDS, there can be no guarantee that this approach to regulation will continue in the future. If such a ban were implemented at a time when the Subordinate Voting Shares are listed on a Canadian stock exchange, it would have a material, adverse effect on the ability of holders of Subordinate Voting Shares to make and settle trades. In particular, the market for Subordinate Voting

Shares would become highly illiquid until an alternative (if available) was implemented, and investors would have no ability to effect a trade of Subordinate Voting Shares through the facilities of the applicable Canadian stock exchange.

We are involved in litigation with Verano, the outcome of which is uncertain.

On October 13, 2022, the Company received a notice of purported termination of the Arrangement Agreement, which asserted certain breaches of the Arrangement Agreement, including claims the Company’s public filings and communications with respect to its business and ongoing operations were misleading and that the Company breached its representations to Verano under the Arrangement Agreement. Verano also claimed, as a result of such breaches, it is entitled to payment of the $14,875,000 termination fee and its transaction expenses. The Company denies all of Verano’s allegations and affirmatively asserts that it has complied with its obligations under the Arrangement Agreement, and with its disclosure obligations under US and Canadian law, in all material respects at all times. The Company believes that Verano had no factual or legal basis to justify or support its purported grounds for termination of the Arrangement Agreement.

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On October 21, 2022, the Company commenced an action in the Supreme Court of British Columbia against Verano arising out of Verano’s repudiation of the Arrangement Agreement, which Vireo believes was wrongful. The Company is seeking damages, costs and interest, based on Verano's breach of contract and of its duty of good faith and honest performance. On November 14, 2022, Verano filed counterclaims against the Company for the termination fee and transaction expenses described above. On May 2, 2024, the Company filed an application with the Supreme Court of British Columbia for summary determination, seeking substantial damages in the amount of $860.9 million, as well as costs and legal fees. See “Item 3. Legal Proceedings — Verano” for additional information.

Due to uncertainties inherent in litigation, it is not possible for Vireo to predict the timing or final outcome of the legal proceedings against Verano or to determine the amount of damages, if any, that may be awarded to either party. In addition, the costs of prosecuting the Company’s claims and defending against the claims made by Verano could be material.

We may face state limitations on ownership of cannabis licenses and may be required to divest certain licenses or entities that hold such license in order to comply with applicable regulations.

Certain jurisdictions in which we operate limit the number of cannabis licenses and certain economic or commercial interests in the entity that holds the license that can be held by one entity within that state. As a result of the completion of certain acquisition transactions that we have entered into or may enter into in the future, we may potentially hold more than the prescribed number of licenses or economic or commercial interests in a licensed entity in certain states, and accordingly may be required to divest certain licenses or entities that hold such license in order to comply with applicable regulations. The divestiture of certain licenses or entities that hold such licenses may result in a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

We may become subject to FDA and/or ATF regulation.

Marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance under U.S. federal law. If the federal government reclassifies marijuana to a Schedule II, Schedule III, Schedule IV, or Schedule V controlled substance or declassifies it as a controlled substance, it is possible that the FDA would seek to regulate cannabis under the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act of 1938, as amended (the “FDCA”). The FDA is responsible for ensuring public health and safety through regulation of food, drugs, supplements, and cosmetics, among other products, through its enforcement authority pursuant to the FDCA. The FDA’s responsibilities include regulating the ingredients as well as the marketing and labeling of drugs sold in interstate commerce. Because marijuana is federally illegal to produce and sell, and because it has few federally recognized medical uses, the FDA has historically deferred enforcement related to cannabis to the DEA; however, the FDA has enforced the FDCA with regard to industrial hemp-derived products, especially CBD derived from industrial hemp sold outside of state-regulated cannabis businesses. The FDA had asserted its authority to regulate CBD derived from both marijuana and industrial hemp, and its intention to develop a framework for regulating the production and sale of CBD derived from industrial hemp. On January 26, 2023, the FDA announced that it would not seek to regulate CBD as a dietary supplement.

Additionally, the FDA may issue rules and regulations, including good manufacturing practices related to the growth, cultivation, harvesting, processing, and production of cannabis. Clinical trials may be needed to verify the efficacy and safety of cannabis and cannabis products. It is also possible that the FDA would require facilities where medical-use cannabis is grown to register with the FDA and comply with certain federally prescribed regulations. If some or all these regulations are imposed, the impact they would have on the cannabis industry is unknown, including the costs, requirements and possible prohibitions that may be enforced. If we are unable to comply with the potential regulations or registration requirements prescribed by the FDA, it may have a material, adverse effect on our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.

It is also possible that the federal government could seek to regulate cannabis under the ATF. The ATF may issue rules and regulations related to the use, transport, sale and advertising of cannabis or cannabis products.

Cannabis businesses are subject to applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations and have restricted access to banking and other financial services. Recent events in the banking industry may further restrict our ability to access financial services including obtaining traditional bank financing.

Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable U.S. federal money-laundering laws. Banks and other depository institutions are currently hindered by federal law from providing financial services to marijuana businesses, even in states where those businesses are regulated.

The Company and our subsidiaries are subject to a variety of laws and regulations domestically and internationally that involve money laundering, financial record-keeping and proceeds of crime, including the U.S. Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (commonly known as the “Bank Secrecy Act”), as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (Canada), as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities in the U.S. and Canada. Further, under U.S. federal law, banks or other financial institutions that provide a cannabis business with a checking account, debit or credit card, small business loan, or any other service could be found guilty of money laundering, aiding and abetting, or conspiracy.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued the FinCEN Memorandum on February 14, 2014, outlining the pathways for financial institutions to bank cannabis businesses in compliance with federal enforcement priorities. The FinCEN Memorandum states that, in some circumstances, it is permissible for banks to provide services to cannabis-related businesses without risking prosecution for violation of federal money laundering laws. The FinCEN Memorandum refers to the Cole Memorandum’s enforcement priorities.

The revocation of the Cole Memorandum has not yet affected the status of the FinCEN Memorandum, nor has FinCEN given any indication that it intends to rescind the FinCEN Memorandum itself. Shortly after the Sessions Memorandum was issued, FinCEN did state that it would review the FinCEN Memorandum, but FinCEN has not yet issued further guidance.

Although the FinCEN Memorandum remains in effect, it is unclear whether the Biden administration will continue to follow its guidelines. The DOJ continues to have the right and power to prosecute crimes committed by banks and financial institutions, such as money laundering and violations of the Bank Secrecy Act that occur in any state, including states that have in some form legalized the sale of cannabis. Further, the conduct of the DOJ’s enforcement priorities could change for any number of reasons. A change in the DOJ’s priorities could result in the prosecution of banks and financial institutions for crimes that were not previously prosecuted.

If our operations, or proceeds thereof, dividend distributions or profits or revenues derived from our operations were found to be in violation of money laundering legislation or otherwise, such transactions may be viewed as proceeds from a crime (the sale of a Schedule I drug) under the Bank Secrecy Act’s money laundering provisions. This may restrict our ability to declare or pay dividends or effect other distributions.

The FinCEN Memorandum does not provide any safe harbors or legal defenses from examination or regulatory or criminal enforcement actions by the DOJ, FinCEN or other federal regulators. Thus, most banks and other financial institutions in the United States do not appear willing to provide banking services to cannabis-related businesses or to rely on this guidance. In addition to the foregoing, banks may refuse to process debit card payments and credit card companies generally refuse to process credit card payments for cannabis-related businesses in the United States. As a result, we may have limited or no access to banking or other financial services in the United States. In addition, federal money laundering statutes and Bank Secrecy Act regulations discourage financial institutions from working with any organization that sells a controlled substance, regardless of whether the state it operates in permits cannabis sales. The inability or limitation of our ability to open or maintain bank accounts, obtain other banking services and/or accept credit card and debit card payments may make it difficult for us to operate and conduct our business as planned or to operate efficiently and could subject our businesses to robbery, embezzlement or other crimes related to our possession or transport of cash, sometimes in substantial quantities.

In March 2023, Federal banking regulators closed Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank to prevent the banks from failing. The closures have prompted broader inquiries into the financial health of banks and other financial institutions in the United States and other countries. While none of the banks with which the Company maintains financial relationships have been identified as a target of such an inquiry or as at risk of closure by regulators, there remains the possibility that one or more of the banks could fail, which would further limit the Company’s access to financial services, which could lead to the need to maintain more cash at some or all of the Company’s locations, increasing the risk of theft or other loss. Such events could lead to the smaller number of banks that continue to provide financial services to the Company imposing further restrictions, higher fees, or both on the Company’s accounts.

We operate in a highly regulated sector and may not always succeed in complying fully with applicable regulatory requirements in all jurisdictions where we carry on business.

Our business and activities are heavily regulated in all jurisdictions where we carry on business. Our operations are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines by state and local governmental authorities relating to the manufacture, marketing, management, transportation, storage, sale, pricing and disposal of cannabis, cannabis oil and consumable cannabis products, and also including laws and regulations relating to health and safety, insurance coverage, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment. Laws and regulations, applied generally, grant government agencies and self-regulatory bodies broad administrative discretion over our activities, including the power to limit or restrict business activities as well as impose additional disclosure requirements on our products and services. Achievement of our business objectives is contingent, in part, upon compliance with regulatory requirements enacted by these governmental authorities and obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals for the manufacture, production, storage, transportation, sale, import and export, as applicable, of our products. The commercial cannabis industry is still a new industry at the state and local level. The effect of relevant governmental authorities’ administration, application and enforcement of their respective regulatory regimes and delays in obtaining, or failure to obtain, applicable regulatory approvals that may be required may significantly delay or impact the development of markets, products and sales initiatives and could have a material, adverse effect on our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.

While we endeavor to comply with all applicable laws, regulations and guidelines and, to our knowledge, we are in compliance with, or are in the process of being assessed for compliance with all such laws, regulations and guidelines, any failure to comply with the regulatory requirements applicable to our operations may lead to possible sanctions including the revocation or imposition of additional conditions on licenses to operate our business; the suspension or expulsion from a particular market or jurisdiction of our key personnel; the imposition of additional or more stringent inspection, testing and reporting requirements; and the imposition of fines and censures. In addition, changes in regulations, more vigorous enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events could require extensive changes to our operations, increase compliance costs or give rise to material liabilities and/or revocation of our licenses and other permits, which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, governmental authorities may change their administration, application, or enforcement procedures at any time, which may adversely affect our ongoing costs relating to regulatory compliance.

Because marijuana is illegal under U.S. federal law, we may be unable to access to U.S. bankruptcy protections in the event of our bankruptcy or a bankruptcy of an entity in which we invest.

Many courts have denied cannabis businesses federal bankruptcy protections because the use of cannabis is illegal under federal law. In the event one or more of our businesses were to become unable to pay its liabilities, federal bankruptcy laws sometimes enable businesses to reorganize, reduce debt and continue to operate, or to wind down in an orderly manner so that creditors and sometimes equity holder realize some return of the funds they have provided to the bankrupt business.  If federal bankruptcy laws do not apply to cannabis businesses, it would be very difficult for lenders or other creditors and the owners of Subordinate Voting Shares or other equity to recoup their investments in us. If we were to experience a bankruptcy, there is no guarantee that U.S. federal bankruptcy protections would be available to us, which would have a material, adverse effect on the Company, including the potential to disable our ability to conduct our businesses at all.

Additionally, there is no guarantee that we will be able to effectively enforce any interests we may have in our other subsidiaries and investments. A bankruptcy or other similar event related to an entity in which we hold an interest that precludes such entity from performing its obligations under an agreement may have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. Further, should an entity in which we hold an interest have insufficient assets to pay its liabilities, it is possible that other liabilities will be satisfied prior to the liabilities or equity owed to us. In addition, bankruptcy or other similar proceedings are often a complex and lengthy process, the outcome of which may be uncertain and could result in a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Because our contracts involve marijuana and related activities, which are not legal under U.S. federal law, we may face difficulties in enforcing our contracts, including the Merger Agreements.

Because our contracts involve cannabis and other activities that are not legal under federal law and in some state jurisdictions, we may face difficulties in enforcing our contracts in federal courts and certain state courts. Therefore, there is uncertainty as to whether we will be able to legally enforce our agreements, which could have a material, adverse effect on the Company.

We may not be able to secure our payment and other contractual rights with liens on the inventory or licenses of our clients and contracting parties under applicable state laws.

In general, the laws of the various states that have legalized cannabis sale and cultivation do not expressly or impliedly allow for the pledge of inventory containing cannabis as collateral for the benefit of third parties, such as the Company and our subsidiaries, that do not possess the requisite licenses and entitlements to cultivate, process, sell, or possess cannabis pursuant to the applicable state law. Likewise, the laws of those states generally do not allow for transfer of the licenses and entitlements to sell or cultivate cannabis to third parties that have not been granted such licenses and entitlements by the applicable state agency. Our inability to secure our payment and other contractual rights with liens on the inventory and licenses of our clients and contracting parties increases the risk of loss resulting from breaches of the applicable agreements by the contracting parties, which, in turn, could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Because marijuana is illegal under U.S. federal law, marijuana businesses may be subject to civil asset forfeiture.

Because the marijuana industry remains illegal under U.S. federal law, any properties owned by participants in the marijuana industry which are either used in the course of conducting such business or are the proceeds of such business, could be subject to seizure by law enforcement and subsequent civil asset forfeiture. Even if the owner of the property were never charged with a crime, the property in question could still be seized and subject to an administrative proceeding by which, with minimal due process, it could be subject to forfeiture.

We may be subject to constraints on and differences in marketing our products under varying state laws.

There are and may continue to be restrictions on sales and marketing activities imposed by government regulatory bodies that could hinder the development of our business and operating results. Restrictions may include regulations that specify

what, where and to whom product information and descriptions may appear and/or be advertised. Marketing, advertising, packaging, and labeling regulations also vary from state to state, potentially limiting the consistency and scale of consumer branding communication and product education efforts. The regulatory environment in the U.S. limits our ability to compete for market share in a manner similar to other industries. If we are unable to effectively market our products and compete for market share, or if the costs of compliance with government legislation and regulation cannot be absorbed through increased selling prices for our products, our sales and operating results could be materially, adversely affected.

The results of future clinical research may be unfavorable to cannabis, which may have a material, adverse effect on the demand for our products.

The cannabis industry is highly dependent upon consumer perception regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of the cannabis produced. Consumer perception can be significantly influenced by scientific research or findings regarding the consumption of cannabis products. There can be no assurance that future scientific research or findings will be favorable to the cannabis market or any particular product, or consistent with earlier research or findings. Research in Canada, the U.S. and internationally regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy and dosing of cannabis or isolated cannabinoids (such as CBD and THC) remains in early stages. There have been relatively few clinical trials on the benefits of cannabis or isolated cannabinoids. Although we believe that various articles, reports, and studies support our beliefs regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy and dosing of cannabis, future research and clinical trials may prove such statements to be incorrect or could raise concerns regarding cannabis. Future research studies and clinical trials may draw opposing conclusions to those stated in this document or reach negative conclusions regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing, or other facts related to cannabis, which could have a material, adverse effect on the demand for our products, and therefore on our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.

Inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical and adult-use marijuana industry hinders market growth and state adoption.

Public opinion and support for medical and adult-use cannabis has traditionally been inconsistent and varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. While public opinion and support appears to be rising generally for legalizing medical and adult-use cannabis, it remains a controversial issue subject to differing opinions surrounding the level of legalization (for example, medical cannabis as opposed to adult-use legalization). Inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical and adult-use cannabis industry may hinder growth and state adoption, which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

Our ability to generate revenue and be successful in the implementation of our business plan is dependent on consumer acceptance of and demand for our product lines. Our management believes the medical and adult-use cannabis industry is highly dependent upon consumer perception regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of the cannabis produced. Acceptance of our products depends on several factors, including availability, cost, familiarity of use, perceptions of acceptance by other people, convenience, effectiveness, safety, and reliability. If customers do not accept our products, or if we fail to meet customers’ needs and expectations adequately, our ability to continue generating revenues could be reduced. Consumer perception of our products may be significantly influenced by scientific research or findings, regulatory investigations, litigation, media attention and other publicity regarding the consumption of medical and adult-use cannabis products. There can be no assurance that future scientific research, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other research findings or publicity will be favorable to the medical and adult-use cannabis market or any particular product, or consistent with earlier publicity. Future research reports, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other publicity that are perceived as less favorable than, or that question, earlier research reports, findings or publicity could have a material, adverse effect on the demand for our products and our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows. Our dependence upon consumer perceptions means that adverse scientific research reports, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other publicity, whether or not accurate or with merit, could have a material, adverse effect on the Company, the demand for our products, and our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Further, adverse publicity reports or other media attention regarding the safety, efficacy, and quality of cannabis in general, or our products specifically, or associating the consumption of cannabis with illness or other negative effects or events, could have such a material, adverse effect or our business, financial position

and results of operations. Such adverse publicity reports or other media attention could arise even if the adverse effects associated with such products resulted from consumers’ failure to consume such products appropriately or as directed.

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Investors in the Company who are not U.S. citizens may be denied entry into the United States.

Because cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law, those individuals who are not U.S. citizens employed at or investing in legal and licensed U.S. cannabis companies could face detention, denial of entry or lifetime bans from the United States for their business associations with U.S. cannabis businesses. Entry happens at the sole discretion of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officers on duty, and these officers have wide latitude to ask questions to determine the admissibility of a foreign national. The government of Canada has started warning travelers on its website that previous use of cannabis, or any substance prohibited by U.S. federal laws, could mean denial of entry to the United States. Business or financial involvement in the legal cannabis industry in Canada or in the United States could also be reason enough for U.S. border guards to deny entry. On September 21, 2018, CBP released a statement outlining its current position with respect to enforcement of the laws of the United States. It stated that Canada’s legalization of cannabis will not change CBP enforcement of U.S. laws regarding controlled substances and, because cannabis continues to be a controlled substance under U.S. law, working in or facilitating the proliferation of the legal cannabis industry in U.S. states where it is deemed legal or Canada may affect admissibility to the United States. As a result, CBP has affirmed that, employees, directors, officers, managers, and investors of companies involved in business activities related to cannabis in the United States or Canada (such as the Company), who are not U.S. citizens face the risk of being barred from entry into the United States for life. On October 9, 2018, CBP released an additional statement regarding the admissibility of Canadian citizens working in the legal cannabis industry. CBP stated that a Canadian citizen working in or facilitating the proliferation of the legal cannabis industry in Canada coming into the United States for reasons unrelated to the cannabis industry will generally be admissible to the United States; however, if such person is found to be coming into the United States for reasons related to the cannabis industry, such person may be deemed inadmissible.

We may incur significant tax liabilities and a reduction to our tax attributes due to limitations on tax deductions and credits under Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code.

Under Section 280E of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (together with the Treasury regulations promulgated and the rulings issued thereunder, the “Code”), no deduction or credit is allowed for any amount paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business if the trade or business (or the activities which comprise the trade or business) consists of trafficking in controlled substances (within the meaning of Schedules I and II of the Controlled Substances Act), which is prohibited by federal law or the law of any state in which that trade or business is conducted. The IRS has applied this provision to cannabis operations, prohibiting them from deducting many expenses associated with cannabis businesses other than certain costs and expenses related to cannabis cultivation and manufacturing operations. Accordingly, Section 280E has a significantly adverse impact on the operations of cannabis companies, including the Company, and an otherwise profitable business may operate at a loss, after taking into account its U.S. income tax expenses.

The Company filed amended tax returns for periods ending December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2022 to reflect the position that cannabis activities are not subject to Code Section 280E. Additionally, the Company’s reporting of its United States federal net operating loss carryforward amount and state net operating loss carryforward amount on its Consolidated Financial Statements as of December 31, 2023 and 2024 assumes that such position will be respected by the IRS. Please see “Note 21, Income Taxes” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of such position and the Company’s net operating losses. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not challenge such position or that a U.S. court would not sustain such a challenge. If the IRS successfully challenged such position, certain of the Company’s tax deductions and credits may be disallowed, thereby reducing the Company’s reporting United States federal net operating loss carryforward amount and state net operating loss carryforward amount.

Any audit by the IRS with respect to our receipt of an employee retention credit (“ERC”) under The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act could result in additional taxes or costs to the Company.

The Company applied for and received an ERC under the CARES Act. Please see “Note 21, Income Taxes” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a description of the Company’s receipt of the ERC. In July 2023, the IRS stated its intention to shift its focus to review ERC claims for compliance concerns, including intensifying audit work. The Company’s eligibility to receive the ERC remains subject to audit by the IRS. If the IRS audits the Company during the applicable statute of limitations period and finds that the Company was not eligible to receive some or all of the ERC, the Company would be required to return some or all of the ERC to the IRS, with any applicable interest and penalties.

If our operations are found to be in violation of applicable money laundering legislation and our revenues are viewed as proceeds of crime, we may be unable to effect distributions or repatriate funds to Canada.

We are subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the U.S. and Canada that involve money laundering, financial record-keeping and proceeds of crime, including the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (Canada), as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities in the U.S. and Canada.

If the operations of the Company or our subsidiaries, or any proceeds thereof, any dividend distributions or any profits or revenues derived from these operations in the United States were found to be in violation of money laundering legislation or otherwise, such transactions may be viewed as proceeds of crime under one or more of the statutes noted above, or any other applicable legislation. This could have a material, adverse effect on the Company and, among other things, could restrict or otherwise jeopardize our ability to declare or pay dividends, effect other distributions, or subsequently repatriate such funds back to Canada.

Risks Related to the Mergers

There can be no assurance that all of the conditions precedent to closing of each, or any of, the Mergers will be satisfied.

The completion of each Merger is subject to a number of conditions precedent, some of which are outside of our control, including receipt of the Final Order, receipt of the requisite target shareholder approvals and receipt of the required regulatory approvals. In addition, the completion of each Merger is conditional on, among other things, no material adverse effect having occurred or having been disclosed to the public (if previously undisclosed to the public) in respect of the other party. There can be no certainty, nor can we provide any assurance, that all conditions precedent to each, or any of, the Mergers will be satisfied or waived, or, if satisfied or waived, when they will be satisfied or waived and, accordingly, the Merger may not be completed. If the Mergers are not completed, the market price of our Shares may be adversely affected.

The required regulatory approvals may not be obtained or, if obtained, may not be obtained on a favorable basis.

To complete each of the Mergers, each of the Company and the applicable target must make certain filings with and obtain certain consents and approvals from various governmental and regulatory authorities. The required regulatory approvals have not been obtained yet. The regulatory approval processes may take a lengthy period of time to complete, which could delay completion of any or all of the Mergers. If obtained, the required regulatory approvals may be conditioned, with the conditions imposed by the applicable governmental entity not being acceptable to either the Company or the applicable target, or, if acceptable, not being on terms that are favorable to the resulting company. There can be no assurance as to the outcome of the regulatory approval processes, including the undertakings and conditions that may be required for approval or whether the required regulatory approvals will be obtained. If not obtained, or if obtained on terms that are not satisfactory to either the Company or the applicable target, any or all of the Mergers may not be completed.

There can be no assurance that each or any of the Merger Agreements will not be terminated by the Company or the applicable target in certain circumstances.

Each of the Company and each applicable target has the right, in certain circumstances, to terminate the applicable Merger Agreement. Accordingly, there can be no certainty, nor can we provide any assurance that each or any of the Merger Agreements will not be terminated by either of the Company or the applicable target prior to the completion of the applicable Merger. Any termination will result in the failure to realize the expected benefits of the Arrangement in respect of the operations and business of the Company. In certain instances, termination of the applicable Merger Agreement by an applicable target may require the Company to pay a termination fee (of $6,376,240 for Deep Roots, $3,394,217 for Wholesome, and $4,631,012 for Proper) to the applicable target.

The uncertainty surrounding the Mergers could negatively impact Vireo's current and future operations, financial condition and prospects.

As the Mergers are dependent upon receipt, among other things, of the required regulatory approvals and satisfaction of certain other conditions, each Merger's completion is uncertain. If each or any of the Mergers are not completed for any reason, there are risks that the announcement of the Mergers and the dedication of Vireo's resources to the completion thereof could have a negative impact on its relationships with its stakeholders and could negatively impact current and future operations, financial condition and prospects of Vireo. In addition, Vireo has, and will continue to, incur significant transaction expenses in connection with the Mergers, regardless of whether each or any of the Mergers are completed.

The Company and the Merger targets may not integrate successfully.

The Company and each of the Merger targets intend to integrate their respective operations together. However, operational and strategic decisions and staffing decisions have not yet been made. As a result, the Mergers will present challenges to management, including the integration of management structures, operations, information technology and accounting systems and personnel of the multiple companies (some, all or none of which may ultimately complete), and special risks, including possible unanticipated liabilities, unanticipated costs, diversion of management’s attention and the loss of key employees or customers. These decisions and the integration of Vireo's and the Merger targets’ operations may present challenges to management, including the integration of systems and personnel, and special risks, including possible unanticipated liabilities, unanticipated costs, and the loss of key employees.

The ability to realize the benefits of each, or any of, the Mergers may depend in part on successfully consolidating functions and integrating operations, procedures and personnel in a timely and efficient manner, as well as on the resulting Company’s ability to realize the anticipated growth opportunities and synergies, efficiencies and cost savings from integrating Vireo's and the Merger targets’ businesses following completion of each, or any of, the Mergers. The performance of the Company after completion of the Mergers could be adversely affected if the Company cannot retain key employees to assist in the ongoing operations. As a result of these factors, it is possible that the cost reductions and synergies expected will not be realized.

The difficulties that management of the Company encounters in the transition and integration processes could have an adverse effect on the revenues, level of expenses and operating results of the Company. The amount and timing of the synergies the parties hope to realize may not occur as planned. As a result of these factors, it is possible that any anticipated benefits from the Mergers will not be realized.

It may be challenging for the resulting Company after completion of the Mergers to service the additional indebtedness incurred.

Upon consummation of the applicable Merger, the Company will assume or become liable for certain indebtedness of the applicable Merger targets. In order to service such indebtedness, the Company after completion of the Mergers may be required to draw down or incur additional indebtedness under its credit facilities or other sources of debt financing. The additional indebtedness will increase the interest payable by the Company from time to time until such amounts are repaid, which will represent an increase in the Company’s cost and a potential reduction in its income. In addition, the Company

may need to find additional sources of financing to repay this amount when it becomes due, which could have an adverse effect on the Company.

The Company’s shareholders will have a reduced ownership and voting interest in, and will exercise less influence over the management of, a combined company following the completion of the Mergers as compared to their current ownership and voting interests.

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After the completion of the Mergers, the current shareholders of Vireo will own a smaller percentage of the combined company than their ownership prior to the transactions. Thus, our existing stockholders bear the risk of the Mergers and the resulting share issuance diluting their stock holdings, and reducing their respective interests in the Company.

We intend to issue subordinate voting shares as consideration in the Merger Transactions, which may dilute your interest in our shares and affect the trading price of our subordinate voting shares.

We intend to issue subordinate voting shares as consideration in the Merger Transactions, which may dilute your interest in our share capital or result in a decrease in the market price of our subordinate voting shares. Each of the Merger Agreements also provides that additional subordinate voting shares may be issuable in connection with each of the Mergers through various earn-out mechanisms set forth in each of the Merger Agreements, and the subordinate voting shares issuable pursuant to such earn-out mechanisms may further dilute your interest in our share capital or result in a decrease in the market price of our subordinate voting shares.

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Our shareholders may not realize a benefit from the Mergers commensurate with the ownership dilution they will experience in connection with the Mergers.

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If the Company is unable to realize the full strategic and financial benefits currently anticipated from the Mergers, our shareholders will have experienced substantial dilution of their ownership interests without receiving any commensurate benefit, or only receiving part of the commensurate benefit to the extent the combined company is able to realize only part of the strategic and financial benefits currently anticipated from the Mergers.

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The Mergers will cause dilution to the combined company, which may negatively affect the market price of subordinate voting shares of the combined company.

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In connection with the completion of the Mergers, we expect to issue approximately 764 million subordinate voting shares exclusive of any warrants or options that are expected to be issued. The issuance of these new subordinate voting shares could have the effect of depressing the market price of the subordinate voting shares of the combined company.

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The Deep Roots stockholders, the Wholesome stockholders, and Proper and the Proper equityholders and other subsequent recipients of Subordinate Voting Shares from Proper pursuant to the Proper Merger Agreement, have agreed or will agree to indemnify the Company for certain damages arising from certain of the representations, warranties, covenants, and agreements of Deep Roots, Wholesome, and Proper, respectively, in each case as set forth in the Merger Agreements. However, there can be no assurance that these indemnities will be sufficient to make the Company whole for the full amount of such damages, or that such indemnifying parties’ ability to satisfy their respective indemnification obligation will not be impaired in the future.

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Pursuant to each of the Merger Agreements and the documents, agreements, and instruments to be prepared, executed, and delivered in connection with the Merger Agreements, the Deep Roots stockholders, the Wholesome stockholders, and Proper and the Proper equityholders and other subsequent recipients of Subordinate Voting Shares from Proper pursuant to the Proper Merger Agreement (collectively with Proper, the “Proper Share Recipients”), agreed or will agree to indemnify the Company against damages incurred or suffered by the Company in connection with certain matters, including any inaccuracy in or breach of the representations and warranties made by, or any breach, violation, or non-fulfillment of any covenant, agreement, or obligation to be performed by, each of Deep Roots, Wholesome, and Proper and certain of its subsidiaries, respectively, subject to certain per-claim and overall deductibles. However, the liabilities of such indemnifying parties in respect of any such indemnification obligations are subject to a deductible of $637,624 and

a maximum liability cap of $12,752,480 with respect to the Deep Roots stockholders as set forth in the Deep Roots Merger Agreement, $339,422 and a maximum liability cap of $6,788,433 with respect to the Wholesome stockholders as set forth in the Wholesome Merger Agreement, and $463,101 and a maximum liability cap of $9,262,024 with respect to the Proper Share Recipients as set forth in the Proper Merger Agreement, in each case for any inaccuracy in or breach of the representations and warranties made by each of Deep Roots, Wholesome, and Proper, respectively, other than certain fundamental representations. The maximum liability of each stockholder of Deep Roots, each stockholder of Wholesome, and each Proper Share Recipient, is further limited to the pro rata share of the merger consideration that such stockholder or Proper Share Recipient receives under the appliable Merger Agreement, with certain limited exceptions including fraud, intentional misrepresentation, or intentional misconduct. Therefore, there can be no assurance that the indemnities set forth in the Merger Agreements will be sufficient to protect the Company against the full amount of such damages incurred by the Company. Moreover, even if the Company ultimately succeeds in recovering any such indemnifiable amounts under the Merger Agreements, the Company may be temporarily required to bear these losses.  Each of these risks could negatively affect the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

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The fairness opinion obtained by the Board from Moelis & Company LLC will not reflect changes, circumstances, developments or events that have occurred or may occur after the date of the opinion, including the fact that certain of the Mergers may not be consummated.

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Moelis & Company LLC, the Board’s financial advisor, in connection with the Mergers, has delivered to the Board a written opinion, dated December 17, 2024, that as of such date and based upon and subject to the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered and other limitations set forth in the opinion, the consideration to be paid by the Company to Deep Roots, Wholesome, the Proper Companies and Bill’s, pursuant to the Merger Agreements with respect to Deep Roots, Wholesome, the Proper Companies and with respect to a Memorandum of Understanding with respect to Bill’s was fair, from a financial point of view, to Vireo.

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The Board has not obtained an updated fairness opinion as of the date of this Information Statement from Moelis & Company LLC, and the Board does not expect to request or receive an updated fairness opinion prior to the completion of the Mergers.

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Moelis & Company LLC’s opinion does not reflect changes, circumstances, developments or events that have occurred, or that may occur, after the date of the opinion, including the fact that certain of the Mergers may not be consummated, regulatory or legal changes, changes in the operations and prospects of the Company or Deep Roots, Wholesome or the Proper Companies, general market and economic conditions and other factors, each of which may be beyond the control of the Company, Deep Roots, Wholesome, or the Proper Companies. As of February 23, 2025, the Company had not entered into a definitive merger agreement with Bill’s Nursery and the exclusivity period under the Memorandum of Understanding with Bill’s Nursey had expired. The conclusions reached by Moelis & Company LLC in its fairness opinion may have been materially different without the inclusion of Bill’s Nursery. Moelis & Company LLC’s opinion does not speak as of the time any of the Mergers will be completed or as of any date other than the date of the opinion. The Board does not anticipate asking Moelis & Company LLC to update its opinion, and Moelis & Company LLC has no obligation or responsibility to update, revise or reaffirm its opinion.

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If the Mergers do not close, the Company will not benefit from the expenses incurred in their pursuit.

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There is no assurance that any of the Mergers will be completed. If one or more of the Mergers are not completed, the Company will have incurred substantial expenses for which no ultimate benefit will have been received. The Company has incurred out-of-pocket expenses in connection with the Mergers, much of which will be incurred even if one or more of the Mergers are not completed.

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The Company’s ability to use net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes may be limited as a result of the Mergers, if approved and effected.

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The Company has incurred taxable losses during its history. To the extent that the Company continues to generate taxable losses, unused losses will carry forward to offset future taxable income, if any, until such unused losses expire. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had U.S. federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards and state NOL

carryforwards of $28,100,000 and $39,000,000, respectively. Under current law, U.S. federal NOL carryforwards generated in taxable periods beginning after December 31, 2017, may be carried forward indefinitely, but the deductibility of such NOL carryforwards is limited to 80% of taxable income. It is uncertain if and to what extent various states will conform to federal law. In addition, under Sections 382 and 383 of the Code, federal NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes may become subject to an annual limitation in the event of certain cumulative changes in ownership. An “ownership change” pursuant to Section 382 of the Code generally occurs if one or more stockholders or groups of stockholders who own at least 5% of a company’s stock increase their ownership by more than 50 percentage points over their lowest ownership percentage within a rolling three-year period. The Company’s ability to utilize its NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes to offset future taxable income or tax liabilities may be limited as a result of ownership changes in connection with the Mergers, if approved and effected, or other transactions. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. If the Company earns taxable income, such limitations could result in increased future income tax liability to the Company, and the Company’s future cash flows could be adversely affected.

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Risks Related to our Business and Operations

We incurred net losses in fiscal years 2024 and 2023 and cannot provide assurance as to when or if we will become profitable and generate cash in our operating activities.

We incurred net losses, under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, of $28,007,509 and $25,547,089 for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of December 31, 2024, we had an aggregate accumulated deficit of $231,435,561. Such losses have historically required us to seek additional funding through the issuance of debt or equity securities. In addition, we have historically experienced and may prospectively experience fluctuations in our quarterly earnings due to the nature of our business. Our long-term success is dependent upon among other things, achieving positive cash flows from operations and augmenting such cash flows using external resources to satisfy our cash needs, and there is no assurance that we will be able to achieve such cash flows.

We anticipate requiring additional financing to operate our business and we may face difficulties acquiring additional financing on terms acceptable to us or at all.

We will need additional capital to sustain our operations and will likely seek further financing. If we fail to raise additional capital, as needed, our ability to implement our business model and strategy could be compromised. To date, our operations and expansion of our business have been funded primarily from cash-flow from operations as substantially supplemented by the proceeds of debt and equity financings and the sale of our former subsidiaries. We expect to require substantial additional capital in the future primarily to fund working capital requirements of our business, including operational expenses, planned capital expenditures including the focused development and growth of cultivation and dispensary facilities, debt service and acquisitions.

Our capital needs will depend on numerous factors including, without limitation: (i) our profitability; (ii) the release of competitive products by our competition; (iii) the level of our investment in research and development; (iv) the amount of our capital expenditures, including acquisitions; (v) debt service; and (vi) the taxes to which our businesses and operations are subject.

If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership held by our existing shareholders will be reduced and our shareholders may experience significant dilution. In addition, new securities may contain rights, preferences, or privileges that are senior to those of existing securities. If we raise additional capital by incurring debt, this will result in increased interest expense. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity securities, market fluctuations in the price of our securities could limit our ability to obtain additional equity financing.

No assurance can be given that any additional financing will be available to us, or if available, will be on terms favorable to us. If we are unable to raise capital when needed, our business, financial condition, and results of operations would be materially, adversely affected, and we could be forced to reduce or discontinue our operations.

We are a holding company, and our earnings are dependent on the earnings and distributions of our subsidiaries.

We are a holding company and essentially all our assets are the capital stock or membership interests of our subsidiaries or management services agreements with entities in each of the markets in which we operate, including in our core markets of Maryland, Minnesota and New York. As a result, our shareholders are subject to the risks attributable to our subsidiaries. As a holding company, we conduct substantially all our business through our subsidiaries, which generate substantially all our revenues. Consequently, our cash flows and ability to complete current or desirable future enhancement opportunities are dependent on the earnings of our subsidiaries and the distribution of those earnings to us. The ability of these entities to pay dividends and other distributions will depend on their operating results and will be subject to applicable laws and regulations which require that solvency and capital standards be maintained by such companies and contractual restrictions contained in the instruments governing their debt. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation, or reorganization of any of our material subsidiaries, holders of indebtedness and trade creditors may be entitled to payment of their claims from the assets of those subsidiaries before us.

Our subsidiaries may not be able to obtain necessary permits and authorizations.

Our subsidiaries may not be able to obtain or maintain the necessary licenses, permits, certificates, authorizations, or accreditations to operate their respective businesses, or may only be able to do so at great cost. In addition, our subsidiaries may not be able to comply fully with the wide variety of laws and regulations applicable to the cannabis industry. Failure to comply with or to obtain the necessary licenses, permits, certificates, authorizations, or accreditations could result in restrictions on a subsidiary’s ability to operate in the cannabis industry, which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Disparate state-by-state regulatory landscapes and the constraints related to holding cannabis licenses in various states results in operational and legal structures for realizing the benefit from cannabis licenses that could result in materially detrimental consequences to us.

We realize, and will continue to realize, the benefits from cannabis licenses pursuant to a number of different structures, depending on the regulatory requirements from state-to-state, including realizing the economic benefit of cannabis licenses through management agreements. Such agreements are often required to comply with applicable laws and regulations or are in response to perceived risks that we determine warrant such arrangements.

The foregoing structures present various risks to the Company and our subsidiaries, including but not limited to the following risks, each of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations:

In any or all of the above situations, it may be difficult and expensive for us to protect our rights through litigation, arbitration, or similar proceedings.

Our senior secured credit facility contains covenant restrictions that may limit our ability to operate our business.

On March 25, 2021, we entered into the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility contains, and any of our other future debt agreements may contain, covenant restrictions that limit our ability to operate our business, including restrictions on our ability to, among other things, incur additional debt or issue guarantees, create additional liens, pay cash dividends, repurchase stock or make other restricted payments, make certain voluntary prepayments of specified debt, engage in sale-leasebacks involving certain assets, and enter into mergers or acquisitions or dispose of certain assets. The Credit Facility also contains, and any of our other future debt agreements may contain, financial covenants regarding our liquidity, minimum consolidated adjusted EBITDA, and consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio. As a result of these covenants, our ability to respond to changes in business and economic conditions and engage in beneficial transactions, including to obtain additional financing as needed, may be restricted. Furthermore, our failure to comply with our debt covenants could result in a default under our debt agreements, which could permit the holders to accelerate our obligation to repay the debt. If any of our debt is accelerated, we may not have sufficient funds available to repay it.

Servicing our debt will require a significant amount of cash, and we may not have sufficient cash flow from our business to pay our substantial debt.

As of December 31, 2024, we had $72,200,424 in aggregate principal indebtedness (refer to “Note 14, Long-Term Debt” and “Note 15, Convertible Debt” to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K).

Our substantial consolidated indebtedness may increase our vulnerability to any generally adverse economic and industry conditions. We and our subsidiaries may, subject to the limitations in the terms of our existing and future indebtedness, incur additional debt, secure existing or future debt, or recapitalize our debt. Our ability to make scheduled payments of the principal of, to pay interest on, or to refinance our current and future indebtedness, depends on our future performance, which is subject to economic, financial, competitive, and other factors beyond our control. Our business has not generated positive cash flow from operations. If this continues in the future, we may not have sufficient cash flows to service our debt and make necessary capital expenditures. If we are unable to generate such cash flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as selling assets, restructuring debt, or obtaining additional equity capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive. Our ability to refinance our current and future indebtedness will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. We may not be able to engage in any of these activities or engage in these activities on desirable terms, which could result in a default on our debt obligations.

The nature of the medical and adult-use cannabis industry may result in unconventional due diligence processes and acquisition terms that could have unknown and materially detrimental consequences to us.

The uncertainty inherent in various aspects of the medical and adult-use cannabis industry may result in what otherwise would be considered to be inadequate investment due diligence information and uncertain legal consequences relative to arrangements affecting a target investment. The reluctance of banks and other financial institutions to facilitate financial transactions in the medical and adult-use cannabis industry can result in inadequate and unverifiable financial information about target investments, as well as cash management practices that are vulnerable to theft and fraud. The lack of established, traditional sources of financing for industry participants can result in unusual and uncertain arrangements

affecting the ownership and obligations of a target investment. The reluctance of lawyers to represent industry participants in furtherance of financing and other business transactions can result in the lack of appropriate documentation setting forth the terms of the transactions, inadequately documented transactions, and transactions that in whole or in part are illegal under applicable state law, among other detrimental consequences. We may have invested in, and may in the future invest in, businesses and companies that are or may become party to legal proceedings, may have inadequate financial and other due diligence information, may employ vulnerable cash management practices, lack written or adequate legal documents governing significant transactions, and otherwise have known or unknown conditions that could be detrimental to our business and assets.

Our assets may be purchased with limited representations and warranties from the sellers of those assets.

We will generally acquire assets and businesses, after conducting our due diligence, with only limited representations and warranties from the seller regarding the quality of the assets and the likelihood of payment. As a result, if defects in the assets or business are subsequently discovered, we may not be able to pursue a claim for all or any of our damages against the owners of such seller, and may be limited to asserting our claims against the seller. The extent of damages that we may incur as a result of such matters cannot be predicted, but potentially could have a material, adverse effect on the value of our assets and revenue stream and, as a result, on our ability to pay dividends.

Lending by us to third parties may be unsecured, subordinate in interest or backed by unrealizable license assets.

In connection with certain transactions, we may also act as lender to one or more counterparties. Certain of these loans are unsecured, which places us at a greater risk of not receiving repayment or the equivalent value thereof. Even for loans that are secured, there is a risk that other lenders may have priority interest to us or that the assets of the borrower may be insufficient to satisfy the loan. In addition, we may have difficulty putting liens on the assets of a borrower, as the major asset is generally the cannabis license which is not transferrable pursuant to state law. Any inability of a borrower to repay a loan or of the Company to realize the value of secured assets could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

Competition for the acquisition and leasing of properties suitable for the cultivation, production, and sale of medical and adult-use cannabis may impede our ability to make acquisitions or increase the cost of these acquisitions, which could materially, adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

We compete for the acquisition of properties suitable for the cultivation, production, and sale of medical and adult-use cannabis with entities engaged in agriculture and real estate investment activities, including corporate agriculture companies, cultivators, producers, and sellers of cannabis. These competitors may prevent us from acquiring and leasing desirable properties, may cause an increase in the price we must pay for properties or may result in us having to lease our properties on less favorable terms than we expect. Our competitors may have greater financial and operational resources than we do and may be willing to pay more for certain assets or may be willing to accept more risk than we believe can be prudently managed. In particular, larger companies may enjoy significant competitive advantages that result from, among other things, a lower cost of capital and enhanced operating efficiencies. Our competitors may also adopt transaction structures similar to ours, which would decrease our competitive advantage in offering flexible transaction terms. In addition, due to a number of factors, including but not limited to potential greater clarity of the laws and regulations governing medical use cannabis by state and federal governments, the number of entities and the amount of funds competing for suitable investment properties may increase, resulting in increased demand and increased prices paid for these properties. If we pay higher prices for properties or enter into leases for such properties on less favorable terms than we expect, our profitability and ability to generate cash flow and make distributions to our shareholders may decrease. Increased competition for properties may also preclude us from acquiring those properties that would generate attractive returns.

We face security risks related to our physical facilities and cash transfers due to the mostly cash nature of the cannabis industry.

The business premises of our operating locations are targets for theft. While we have implemented security measures at each location and continue to monitor and improve such security measures, our cultivation, production, processing, and

dispensary facilities could be subject to break-ins, robberies, and other breaches in security. If there were a breach in security and we fell victim to a robbery or theft, the loss of cannabis plants, cannabis oils, cannabis flowers, cannabis products and cultivation, production, processing, and packaging equipment could have a material, adverse effect on our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.

Our business involves the movement and transfer of cash, which is collected from dispensaries or patients/customers and deposited into our bank. There is a risk of theft or robbery during the transport of cash. We have engaged security firms to provide security in the transport and movement of large amounts of cash. Employees sometimes transport cash and/or products. While we have taken robust steps to prevent theft or robbery of cash and products during transport, there can be no assurance that there will not be a security breach during the transport and the movement of cash or products, involving the theft of product or cash.

We face exposure to fraudulent or illegal activity by employees, contractors, consultants, and agents, which may subject us to investigations and actions.

We are exposed to the risk that any of our employees, independent contractors and consultants may engage in fraudulent or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or disclosure of unauthorized activities to us that violates one or more of the following: (i) government regulations; (ii) manufacturing standards; (iii) federal or state privacy laws and regulations; (iv) laws that require the true, complete, and accurate reporting of financial information or data; or (v) other laws or regulations. It may not always be possible for us to identify and prevent misconduct by our employees and other third parties, and the precautions taken by us to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. We cannot provide assurance that our internal controls and compliance systems will protect us from acts committed by our employees, agents, or business partners in violation of U.S. federal or state or local laws. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending the Company or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and curtailment of our operations, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We face risks related to the novelty of the cannabis industry, and the resulting lack of information regarding comparable companies, unanticipated expenses, difficulties and delays, and the offering of new products and services in an untested market.

As a relatively new industry, there are not many established players in the cannabis industry whose business model we can follow or emulate. Similarly, there is little information about comparable companies available for potential investors to review in deciding whether to invest in the Company.

Shareholders and investors should consider, among other factors, our prospects for success in light of the risks and uncertainties encountered by companies, like us, that are in their early stages. For example, unanticipated expenses and problems or technical difficulties may occur, which may result in material delays in the operation of our business. We may fail to successfully address these risks and uncertainties or successfully implement our operating strategies. If we fail to do so, it could materially harm our business to the point of having to cease operations and could impair the value of the Subordinate Voting Shares to the point where investors may lose their entire investments.

We have committed and expect to continue committing significant resources and capital to develop and market existing products and services and new products and services. These products and services are relatively untested in the marketplace, and we cannot provide assurance that we will achieve market acceptance for these products and services, or other new products and services that we may offer in the future. Moreover, these and other new products and services may be subject to significant competition from offerings by new and existing competitors in the business. In addition, new products and services may pose a variety of challenges and require us to attract additional qualified employees. The failure to successfully develop and market these new products and services could materially harm our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.

We are dependent on the popularity and acceptance of our brand portfolio.

Our ability to generate revenue and be successful in the implementation of our business plan is dependent on consumer acceptance of and demand for our products. Acceptance of and demand for our products depends on several factors, including availability, cost, ease of use, familiarity of use, convenience, effectiveness, safety, and reliability. If these customers do not accept our products, or if such products fail to adequately meet customers’ needs and expectations, our ability to continue generating revenues could be reduced.

We believe that establishing and maintaining the brand identities of products is a critical aspect of attracting and expanding a large customer base. Promotion and enhancement of brands will depend largely on success in providing high-quality products. If customers and end users do not perceive our products to be of high quality, or if we introduce new products or enter into new business ventures that are not favorably received by customers and consumers, we will risk diluting brand identities and decreasing their attractiveness to existing and potential customers. Moreover, in order to attract and retain customers and to promote and maintain brand equity in response to competitive pressures, we may have to increase substantially financial commitment to creating and maintaining a distinct brand loyalty among customers. If we incur significant expenses in an attempt to promote and maintain brands, this could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our business is subject to the risks inherent in agricultural operations.

Medical and adult-use cannabis is an agricultural product. There are risks inherent in the cultivation business, such as insects, plant diseases, and similar agricultural risks. Although our cultivation is substantially completed indoors under climate-controlled conditions, some cultivation is completed outdoors and there can be no assurance that extreme weather and other natural events and conditions will not have a material, adverse effect on the production of our products and, consequentially, on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

We may encounter increasingly strict environmental regulation in connection with our operations and the associated permitting, which may increase the expenses for cannabis production or subject us to enforcement actions by regulatory authorities.

Our operations will be subject to environmental regulation in the various jurisdictions in which they operate. These regulations mandate, among other things, the maintenance of air and water quality standards and land reclamation. They also set forth limitations on the generation, transportation, storage, and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner which will require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors, and employees. There is no assurance that future changes in environmental regulation, if any, will not have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations of the Company.

Government approvals and permits are currently, and may in the future be, required in connection with our operations. To the extent such approvals are required and not obtained, we may be curtailed or prohibited from our proposed production of cannabis or from proceeding with the development of our operations as currently proposed.

We may face potential enforcement actions if we fail to comply with applicable laws.

Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements may result in enforcement actions thereunder, including orders issued by regulatory or judicial authorities causing operations to cease or be curtailed, and may include corrective measures requiring capital expenditures, installation of additional equipment, or remedial actions. The subsidiaries may be required to compensate those suffering loss or damage by reason of their operations and may have civil or criminal fines or penalties imposed for violations of applicable laws or regulations.

Amendments to current laws, regulations and permits governing the production of cannabis, or more stringent implementation thereof, could cause increases in expenses, capital expenditures or production costs or reduction in levels

of production or require abandonment or delays in development, and could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

We face risks related to our information technology systems, including potential cyber-attacks and security and privacy breaches.

Our use of technology is critical in our continued operations. We are susceptible to operational, financial and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. Successful cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions affecting us or our service providers can result in, among other things, financial losses, the inability to process transactions, the unauthorized release of customer information or other confidential information and reputational risk. We have not experienced any material losses to date relating to cyber-attacks, other information breaches or technological malfunctions. However, there can be no assurance that we will not incur such losses in the future. As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, we may be required to use additional resources to continue to modify or enhance protective measures or to investigate and redress security vulnerabilities.

We are subject to laws, rules and regulations in the United States and other jurisdictions relating to the collection, production, storage, transfer and use of personal data. We may store and collect personal information about customers and employees. It is our responsibility to protect that information from privacy breaches that may occur through procedural or process failure, information technology malfunction or deliberate, unauthorized intrusions. Any such theft or privacy breach could have a material, adverse effect on our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition. Additionally, our ability to execute transactions and to possess and use personal information and data in conducting our business subjects us to legislative and regulatory burdens that may require us to notify regulators and customers, employees, and other individuals of a data security breach. Evolving compliance and operational requirements under the privacy laws, rules, and regulations of jurisdictions in which we operate impose significant costs that are likely to increase over time. In addition, non-compliance could result in proceedings against us by governmental entities and/or the imposition of significant fines, could negatively impact our reputation and may otherwise materially, adversely impact our business, financial condition, and operating results.

We may be required to disclose personal information to government or regulatory entities.

We own, manage, or provide services to various U.S. state-licensed cannabis operations. Acquiring even a minimal and/or indirect interest in a U.S. state-licensed cannabis business can trigger requirements to disclose investors’ personal information. While these requirements vary by jurisdiction, some require interest holders to apply for regulatory approval and to provide tax returns, compensation agreements, fingerprints for background checks, criminal history records and other documents and information. Some states require disclosures of directors, officers, and holders of more than a certain percentage of equity of the applicant. While certain states include exceptions for investments in publicly traded entities, not all states do so, and some such exceptions are confined to companies traded on a U.S. securities exchange. If these regulations were to extend to the Company, investors would be required to comply with such regulations, or face the possibility that the relevant cannabis license could be revoked or cancelled by the state licensing authority.

We face risks related to our insurance coverage and uninsurable risks.

Our business is subject to a number of risks and hazards generally, including adverse environmental conditions, accidents, fires, riots, civil unrest, labor disputes, litigation and changes in the regulatory environment. Such occurrences could result in damage to assets, personal injury or death, environmental damage, delays in operations, monetary losses and possible legal liability.

Although we intend to continue to maintain insurance to protect against certain risks in such amounts as we consider to be reasonable, our insurance will not cover all the potential risks associated with our operations. We may also be unable to maintain insurance to cover these risks at economically feasible premiums. Insurance coverage may not continue to be available or may not be adequate to cover any resulting liability. Moreover, insurance against risks such as environmental pollution or other hazards encountered in our operations is not generally available on acceptable terms. We might also become subject to liability for pollution or other hazards which we may not be insured against or which we may elect not

to insure against because of premium costs or other reasons. Losses from these events may cause the Company to incur significant costs that could have a material, adverse effect upon our financial performance and results of operations.

Our reputation and ability to do business may be negatively impacted by our suppliers’ inability to produce and ship products.

We depend on third-party suppliers to produce and timely ship orders to us. Some products purchased from our suppliers are resold to our customers, while others are used in the production or packaging of our products. These suppliers could fail to produce products to our specifications or quality standards and may not deliver units on a timely basis. Any changes in our suppliers’ ability to timely resolve production issues could impact our ability to fulfill orders and could also disrupt our business due to delays in finding new suppliers.

We are dependent on key inputs, suppliers and skilled labor for the cultivation, extraction, and production of cannabis products.

The cultivation, extraction and production of cannabis and derivative products is dependent on a number of key inputs and their related costs, including raw materials and supplies related to growing operations, as well as electricity, water and other local utilities. Any significant interruption or negative change in the availability or economics of the supply chain for key inputs, such as the raw material cost of cannabis, could materially impact our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. Some of these inputs may only be available from a single supplier or a limited group of suppliers. If a sole source supplier were to go out of business, we might be unable to find a replacement for such source in a timely manner, on substantially similar terms, or at all. If a sole-source supplier were to be acquired by a competitor of ours, that competitor may elect not to sell to the Company in the future. Any inability to secure required supplies and services, or to do so on appropriate terms, could have a material, adverse effect on our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition. We purchase key inputs on a purchase order basis from suppliers at market prices based on its production requirements and anticipated demand. We believe that we will have access to a sufficient supply of the key inputs for the foreseeable future.

Our cannabis growing operations consume considerable energy, which makes us vulnerable to rising energy costs. Accordingly, rising or volatile energy costs may adversely affect our business and our ability to operate profitably.

The ability to compete and grow our business will be dependent on our continued access, at a reasonable cost and in a timely manner, to skilled labor, equipment, parts, and components. No assurances can be given that we will be successful in maintaining our required supply of skilled labor, equipment, parts, and components. This could have a material, adverse effect on our financial results.

Loss of our key management and other personnel, or an inability to attract new management and other personnel, could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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We depend on our senior executive officers and other key personnel to operate our businesses, develop new products and technologies and service our customers. The loss of any of these key personnel could adversely affect our operations. On December 17, 2024, John Mazarakis was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Co-Executive Chairman of the Company and Tyson Macdonald was appointed Chief Financial Officer.  Any significant leadership change or senior management transition involves inherent risks, and any failure to successfully transition key roles could impact our ability to execute on our strategic plans, make it difficult to meet our performance objectives and be disruptive to our business.

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Competition is intense for qualified personnel and the loss of them or an inability to attract, retain and motivate additional highly skilled personnel required for the operation and expansion of our business could hinder our ability to successfully conduct our business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Our Chief Executive Officer presently has control over key decision making as a result of his control of a majority of our voting stock and exercises significant voting power.

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Our CEO, John Mazarakis, has approximately a 29% ownership interest in Chicago Atlantic Group, LP.  Chicago Atlantic Group, LP and its affiliates control approximately 35% of the Company’s subordinate voting shares.  While Mr. Mazarakis does not have the ability to solely direct the investment and voting decisions of Chicago Atlantic Group, LP, he does have substantial influence over these decisions by the entity. As a result, through his influence, Mr. Mazarakis has the ability to substantially control the outcome of matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including the election of directors and any merger, consolidation, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. This concentrated control could delay, defer, or prevent a change of control, merger, consolidation, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets that our other shareholders support, or conversely this concentrated control could result in the consummation of such a transaction that our other shareholders do not support. This concentrated control could also discourage a potential investor from acquiring our subordinate voting shares due to the limited voting power of such shares. In addition, Mr. Mazarakis has the ability to control the management and major strategic decisions of our Company as a result of his position as our CEO and his ability to influence the election or replacement of our directors.

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The concentration of ownership of our subordinate voting shares among our existing executive officers, directors, and principal shareholders may prevent new investors from influencing significant corporate decisions and matters submitted to shareholders for approval.

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As of the filing date of this Form 10-K, our executive officers, directors, and current beneficial owners of 5% or more of our capital stock and their respective affiliates will, in the aggregate, beneficially own 46% of our outstanding subordinate voting shares on an as converted basis, based on 339,336,633 subordinate voting shares and 278,170 multiple voting shares outstanding. As a result, these persons, acting together, would be able to significantly influence all matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election and removal of directors, any merger, consolidation, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other significant corporate transactions. In addition, these persons, acting together, may have the ability to control the management and affairs of our Company. Accordingly, this concentration of ownership may harm the market price of our subordinate voting shares by:

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In addition, some of these persons or entities may have interests different than yours.

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Our inability to attract and retain key personnel could materially, adversely affect our business.

Our success is dependent upon the ability, expertise, judgment, discretion and good faith of our senior management and key personnel. We compete with other companies both within and outside the cannabis industry to recruit and retain competent employees. If we cannot maintain qualified employees to meet the needs of our anticipated growth, our business and financial condition could be materially, adversely affected.

Our sales are difficult to forecast due to limited and unreliable market data.

As a result of recent and ongoing regulatory and policy changes in the medical and adult use cannabis industries, the market data that is available is limited and unreliable. We must rely largely on our own market research to forecast sales, as detailed forecasts are not generally obtainable from other sources in the states in which our business operates. Additionally, any market research and projections by the Company of estimated total retail sales, demographics, demand, and similar consumer research, are based on assumptions from limited and unreliable market data. A failure in the demand for our products to materialize as a result of inaccurate research and projections may have a material, adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We may be subject to growth-related risks.

We may be subject to growth-related risks, including capacity constraints and pressure on our internal personnel, processes, systems, and controls. Our ability to manage growth effectively will require us, among other things, to continue to implement and improve our operational and financial systems and processes, and to expand, train and manage our employee base. Our inability to manage this growth effectively and efficiently may have a material, adverse effect on our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.

We are currently involved in litigation, and there may be additional litigation in which we will be involved in the future.

We are currently involved in litigation and may become party to litigation from time to time in the future with various counterparties, including, but not limited to, joint venture partners and other affiliates. An adverse decision in any litigation could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations and could result in negative publicity and reputational harm. Furthermore, even if we are successful in the litigation, we may incur substantial legal fees, which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

We face an inherent risk of product liability claims as a manufacturer, processor and producer of products that are intended to be ingested by people.

As a cultivator, manufacturer, processor, and distributor of products designed to be ingested by humans, we face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims, regulatory action, and litigation if our products are alleged to have caused significant loss or injury. In addition, the manufacture and sale of our products involves the risk of injury to consumers due to tampering by unauthorized third parties or product contamination. Previously unknown adverse reactions resulting from human consumption of our products alone or in combination with other medications or substances could occur. Although we will continue to have quality control procedures in place, we may be subject to various product liability claims, including, among others, that the products produced by us, or the products that are purchased by us from third-party licensed producers, caused injury, illness, or death, include inadequate instructions for use or include inadequate warnings concerning possible side effects or interactions with other substances. A product liability claim or regulatory action against us could result in increased costs, could adversely affect our reputation with our customers and consumers generally and could have a material, adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. There can be no assurances that we will be able to obtain or maintain product liability insurance on acceptable terms or with adequate coverage against potential liabilities. Such insurance is expensive and may not be available in the future on acceptable terms, or at all. The inability to obtain sufficient insurance coverage on reasonable terms or to otherwise protect against potential product liability claims could prevent or inhibit the commercialization of our potential products and have a material, adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our intellectual property may be difficult to protect.

We rely upon certain proprietary intellectual property, including but not limited to brands, trademarks, trade names, patents and proprietary processes. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to maintain and enhance protection over our intellectual property, know-how and other proprietary information. We enter into confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements with our corporate partners, employees, consultants, outside scientific collaborators, developers, and other advisors. These agreements generally require that the receiving party keep confidential and not disclose to third-parties confidential information developed by the receiving party or made known to the receiving party by us during the course of the receiving party’s relationship with the Company. These agreements also generally provide that inventions conceived by the receiving party in the course of rendering services to us will be our exclusive property, and we enter into assignment agreements to perfect our rights. These confidentiality, inventions, and assignment confidentiality agreements may be breached and may not effectively assign rights to proprietary information to us. In addition, our proprietary information could be independently discovered by competitors, in which case we may not be able to prevent the use of such proprietary information by our competitors. The enforcement of a claim alleging that a party illegally obtained and was using our proprietary information could be difficult, expensive, and time consuming and the outcome would be unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the United States may be less willing to protect such proprietary information. The failure to obtain or maintain meaningful intellectual property protection could adversely affect our competitive position.

In addition, effective future patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret protection may be unavailable or limited in certain countries and may be unenforceable under the laws of certain jurisdictions. As long as cannabis remains a Schedule I controlled substance pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act, the benefit of certain federal laws and protections which may be available to most businesses, such as federal trademark and patent protection regarding the intellectual property of a business, may not be available to us. While many states do offer the ability to protect trademarks independent of the federal government, patent protection is wholly unavailable on a state level, and state-registered trademarks provide a lower degree of protection than would federally registered marks. As a result, our intellectual property may never be adequately or sufficiently protected against the use or misappropriation by third parties.

Our failure to adequately maintain and enhance protection over our proprietary information, as well as over unregistered intellectual property of companies that we acquire, could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

We may be exposed to infringement or misappropriation claims by third parties, which, if determined adversely to us, could subject us to significant liabilities and other costs.

Our success may depend on our ability to use and develop new extraction technologies, recipes, know-how and new strains of cannabis without infringing the intellectual property rights of third parties. We cannot assure that third parties will not assert intellectual property claims against us. We are subject to additional risks if entities licensing intellectual property to us do not have adequate rights to the licensed materials. If third parties assert copyright or patent infringement or violation of other intellectual property rights against Vireo, we will be required to defend ourselves in litigation or administrative proceedings, which can be both costly and time consuming and may significantly divert the efforts and resources of management personnel. An adverse determination in any such litigation or proceedings to which we may become a party could subject us to significant liability to third parties, require us to seek licenses from third parties, require us to pay ongoing royalties or subject us to injunctions that may prohibit the development and operation of our applications, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our products may be subject to product recalls, which may result in expense, legal proceedings, regulatory action, loss of sales and reputation, and diversion of management attention.

Despite our quality control procedures, cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors of products are sometimes subject to the recall or return of their products for a variety of reasons, including product defects, such as contamination, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety and inadequate or inaccurate labeling disclosure. If any of our products, or any of the products that are purchased by us from a third-party licensed producer, are recalled due to an alleged product defect or for any other reason, we could be required to incur the unexpected expense of the recall and any legal proceedings that might arise in connection with the recall. We may lose a significant amount of sales and may not be able to replace those sales at an acceptable margin, if at all. In addition, a product recall may require significant management attention. Although we have detailed procedures in place for testing our products, there can be no assurance that any quality, potency, or contamination problems will be detected in time to avoid unforeseen product recalls, regulatory action, or lawsuits. Additionally, if one of our significant brands were subject to recall for any reason, the image of that brand and the Company could be harmed. A recall could lead to decreased demand for our products and could have a material, adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, product recalls may lead to increased scrutiny of our operations by the FDA or other regulatory agencies, requiring further management attention and potential legal fees and other expenses.

We may face unfavorable publicity or consumer perception of the safety, efficacy, and quality of our cannabis products as a result of research, investigations, litigation and publicity.

Management believes the cannabis industry is highly dependent upon consumer perception regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of the cannabis produced. Consumer perception of our products may be significantly influenced by scientific research or findings, regulatory investigations, litigation, media attention and other publicity regarding the consumption of cannabis products. There can be no assurance that future scientific research, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other research findings or publicity will be favorable to the cannabis market or any particular product, or consistent with earlier publicity. Future research reports, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or

other publicity that is perceived as less favorable than, or questions earlier research reports, findings or publicity could have a material, adverse effect on the demand for our products and our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows. Our dependence upon consumer perceptions means that adverse scientific research reports, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other publicity, whether or not accurate or with merit, could have a material, adverse effect on the Company, the demand for our products and our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Further, adverse publicity reports or other media attention regarding the safety, efficacy, and quality of cannabis in general, or our products specifically, or associating the consumption of adult use cannabis with illness or other negative effects or events, could have such a material, adverse effect. Adverse publicity reports or other media attention could arise even if the adverse effects associated with such products resulted from consumers’ failure to consume such products appropriately or as directed.

In addition, the use of vape products and vaping may pose health risks. According to the Centers for Disease Control, vape products may contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans and may contain other ingredients that may not be safe. Because clinical studies about the safety and efficacy of vape products have not been submitted to the FDA, consumers currently have no way of knowing whether they are safe for their intended uses or what types or concentrations of potentially harmful substances are found in these products.

We face intense competition in a new and rapidly growing industry by other licensed companies with more experience and financial resources than we have and by unlicensed, unregulated participants.

We face intense competition from other companies, some of which have longer operating histories and more financial resources and manufacturing and marketing experience than we have. Increased competition by larger and better-financed competitors could materially, adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Because of the early stage of the industry in which we operate, we face additional competition from new entrants. If the number of consumers of cannabis in the states in which we operate increases, the demand for products will increase and we expect that competition will become more intense as current and future competitors begin to offer an increasing number of diversified products. To remain competitive, we will require a continued high level of investment in research and development, facilities, marketing, and sales support. We may not have sufficient resources to maintain research and development, facilities, marketing, and sales support efforts on a competitive basis, which could materially, adversely affect the business, financial condition, and results of our operations.

We also face competition from illegal dispensaries and black market sources of cannabis and cannabis products, which are unlicensed and unregulated, and which may sell products that are deemed more desirable than ours by certain consumers, including products with higher concentrations of active ingredients, and using delivery methods, including edibles and extract vaporizers, that we are prohibited from offering to individuals in certain of the states in which we operate as they are not currently permitted by the laws of such states. Such unlicensed and unregulated products can often be sold at a significantly lower price than our competing products due to substantially lower manufacturing costs. Any inability or unwillingness of law enforcement authorities to enforce existing laws prohibiting the unlicensed cultivation and sale of cannabis and cannabis-based products could result in the perpetuation of the black market for cannabis and/or have a material, adverse effect on the perception of cannabis use. Any or all these events could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

There are risks associated with consolidation of the industry by well-capitalized entrants developing large-scale operations.

Currently, the cannabis industry generally is comprised of individuals and small to medium-sized entities, like the Company; however, the risk remains that large conglomerates and companies who also recognize the potential for financial success through investment in this industry could strategically purchase or assume control of larger dispensaries and cultivation facilities. In doing so, these larger competitors could establish price setting and cost controls which would effectively “price out” many of the individuals and small to medium sized entities who currently make up the bulk of the participants in the varied businesses operating within and in support of the medical and adult-use cannabis industry. While the trend in most state laws and regulations seemingly deters this type of takeover, this industry remains quite nascent, so what the landscape will be in the future remains largely unknown.

Synthetic products from the pharmaceutical industry may compete with cannabis products.

The pharmaceutical industry may attempt to dominate the cannabis industry, and in particular, legal cannabis, through the development and distribution of synthetic products that emulate the effects and treatment of organic cannabis. If they are successful, the widespread popularity of such synthetic products could change the demand, volume, and profitability of the cannabis industry. This could adversely affect our ability to secure long-term profitability and success through the sustainable and profitable operation of the anticipated businesses and investment targets and could have a material, adverse effect on our anticipated business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Our internal controls over financial reporting may not be effective, and our independent auditors may not be able to certify as to their effectiveness, which could have a significant and adverse effect on our business.

We are subject to various Canadian and U.S. reporting and other regulatory requirements. We incur expenses and, to a lesser extent, diversion of our management’s time in our efforts to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and applicable Canadian securities laws regarding internal controls over financial reporting. Effective internal controls over financial reporting are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and, together with adequate disclosure controls and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud. Any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. In addition, any testing by us conducted in connection with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and applicable Canadian securities laws, or the subsequent testing by our independent registered public accounting firm if required, may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses or that may require prospective or retrospective changes to our consolidated financial statements or identify other areas for further attention or improvement. Inadequate internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our Subordinate Voting Shares. The existence of any material weakness or significant deficiency would require management to devote significant time and incur significant expense to remediate any such material weakness or significant deficiency and management may not be able to remediate any such material weakness or significant deficiency in a timely manner. The existence of any material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting could also result in errors in our financial statements that could require us to restate our financial statements, cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations, and cause shareholders to lose confidence in our reported financial information, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business and share price.

We identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, which was remediated as of December 31, 2022. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness was primarily attributable to the misapplication of GAAP accounting guidance surrounding the treatment of warrants issued with a Canadian dollar denominated exercise price.  Management updated its control procedures over the accounting for infrequent and unusual transactions during the year ended December 31, 2022. More specifically, management added a process step to consult with external GAAP accounting experts when a new significant, infrequent, or unusual transaction occurs. We cannot assure you that the measures we have taken to date, and are continuing to implement, will be sufficient to avoid potential future material weaknesses. Moreover, we cannot be certain that we will not in the future have additional material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or that we will successfully remediate any that we find. In addition, the processes and systems we have developed to date may not be adequate.

There could continue to be a reasonable possibility that significant deficiencies, other material weaknesses or deficiencies could result in a misstatement of our accounts or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement of our financial statements that would not be prevented or detected on a timely basis, or cause us to fail to meet our obligations to file periodic financial reports on a timely basis. Any of these failures could result in adverse consequences that could materially and adversely affect our business, including an adverse impact on the market price of our Subordinate Voting Shares, potential action by the SEC against us, possible defaults under our debt agreements, shareholder lawsuits, delisting of our Shares, general damage to our reputation and the diversion of significant management and financial resources.

The elimination of monetary liability against our directors, officers, and employees under British Columbia law and the existence of indemnification rights for our obligations to our directors, officers, and employees may result in substantial expenditures by us and may discourage lawsuits against our directors, officers, and employees.

Our Articles contain a provision permitting us to eliminate the personal liability of our directors to us and our shareholders for damages incurred as a director or officer to the extent provided by British Columbia law. We may also have contractual indemnification obligations under any employment agreements with our officers or agreements entered into with our directors. The foregoing indemnification obligations could result in the Company incurring substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against directors and officers, which we may be unable to recoup. These provisions and the resulting costs may also discourage the Company from bringing a lawsuit against directors and officers for breaches of their fiduciary duties and may similarly discourage the filing of derivative litigation by our shareholders against our directors and officers even though such actions, if successful, might otherwise benefit the Company and our shareholders.

There is doubt as to the ability to enforce judgments in Canada or under Canadian law against U.S. subsidiaries, assets, and experts.

Our subsidiaries are organized under the laws of various U.S. states. All of the assets of these entities are located outside of Canada and certain of the experts that will be retained by us or our affiliates are residents of countries other than Canada. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for our shareholders to effect service within Canada upon such persons, or to realize against them in Canada upon judgments of courts of Canada predicated upon the civil liability provisions of applicable Canadian provincial securities laws or otherwise. There is some doubt as to the enforceability in the U.S. by a court in original actions, or in actions to enforce judgments of Canadian courts, of civil liabilities predicated upon such applicable Canadian provincial securities laws or otherwise. A court in the U.S. may refuse to hear a claim based on a violation of Canadian provincial securities laws or otherwise on the grounds that such jurisdiction is not the most appropriate forum to bring such a claim. Even if a court in the U.S. agrees to hear a claim, it may determine that the local law in the U.S., and not Canadian law, is applicable to the claim. If Canadian law is found to be applicable, the content of applicable Canadian law must be proven as a fact, which can be a time-consuming and costly process. Certain matters of procedure will also be governed by U.S. law in such circumstances.

Our directors and officers reside outside of Canada. Most or all of the assets of such persons are located outside of Canada. Therefore, it may not be possible for Company shareholders to collect or to enforce judgments obtained in Canadian courts predicated upon the civil liability provisions of applicable Canadian securities laws against such persons. Moreover, it may not be possible for Company shareholders to effect service of process within Canada upon such persons. Courts in the United States may refuse to hear a claim based on a violation of Canadian securities laws on the grounds that such jurisdiction is not the most appropriate forum to bring such a claim. Even if a United States court agrees to hear a claim, it may determine that the local law, and not Canadian law, is applicable to the claim. If Canadian law is found to be applicable, the content of applicable Canadian law must be proven as a fact, which can be a time-consuming and costly process.

Our past performance may not be indicative of our future results.

Our prior investment and operational performance may not be indicative of our future operating results. There can be no assurance that the historical operating results achieved by us or our affiliates will be achieved by us, and our performance may be materially different.

Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flow may be negatively impacted by challenging global economic conditions and events.

Disruptions and volatility in global financial markets and declining consumer and business confidence could lead to decreased levels of consumer spending. Our operations could be affected by the economic context should the unemployment level, interest rates or inflation reach levels that influence consumer spending and, consequently, impact our sales and profitability.  Moreover, in the event of war (such as the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East), acts of terrorism or the threat of terrorist attacks, public health crises (such as the COVID-19

pandemic), climate risks and weather catastrophes or other events outside of our control, consumer spending could significantly decrease for a sustained period. These macroeconomic developments could negatively impact our business, which depends on the general economic environment and levels of consumer spending. As a result, we may not be able to maintain our existing customers or attract new customers, or we may be forced to reduce the price of our products. We are unable to predict the likelihood of the occurrence, duration, or severity of such disruptions in the credit and financial markets and adverse global economic conditions. Any general or market-specific economic downturn could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cashflow.

Diseases and epidemics may adversely impact our business.

Emerging infectious diseases or the threat of outbreaks of viruses or other contagions or epidemic diseases (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) could have a material adverse effect on the Company by causing operational and supply chain delays and disruptions (including as a result of government regulation and prevention measures), labor shortages and shutdowns, social unrest, breach of material contracts and customer agreements, government or regulatory actions or inactions, increased insurance premiums, decreased demand or the inability to sell and deliver the Company’s products, delays in permitting or approvals, governmental disruptions, capital markets volatility, or other unknown but potentially significant impacts. In addition, governments may impose strict emergencies measures in response to the threat or existence of an infectious disease. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could result in a material adverse effect on input prices, demand for our products, investor confidence, and general financial market liquidity, all of which may materially, adversely affect the Company's business and the market price of the Subordinate Voting Shares. Accordingly, any outbreak or threat of an outbreak of an epidemic disease or similar public health emergency could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Our Securities

A return on our securities is not guaranteed.

There is no guarantee that our securities will earn any positive return in the short term or long term. A holding of our securities is speculative and involves a high degree of risk and should be undertaken only by holders whose financial resources are sufficient to enable them to assume such risks and who have no need for immediate liquidity in their investment. A holding of our securities is appropriate only for holders who have the capacity to absorb a loss of some or all of their investment.

Additional issuances of Subordinate Voting Shares, or securities convertible into Subordinate Voting Shares, may result in dilution.

We may issue additional equity or convertible debt securities in the future, which may dilute an existing shareholder’s holdings in the Company. Our Articles permit the issuance of an unlimited number of Multiple Voting Shares and Subordinate Voting Shares, and existing shareholders will have no pre-emptive rights in connection with such further issuances. Our Board of Directors has discretion to determine the price and the terms of further issuances, and such terms could include rights, preferences, and privileges superior to those existing holders of our securities. Moreover, additional Subordinate Voting Shares will be issued by the Company on the conversion of the Multiple Voting Shares in accordance with their terms. To the extent holders of our options or other convertible securities convert or exercise their securities and sell Subordinate Voting Shares they receive, the trading price of the Subordinate Voting Shares may decrease due to the additional amount of Subordinate Voting Shares available in the market. Further, the Company may issue additional securities in connection with strategic acquisitions. The Company cannot predict the size or nature of future issuances or the effect that future issuances and sales of Subordinate Voting Shares (or securities convertible into Subordinate Voting Shares) will have on the market price of the Subordinate Voting Shares. Issuances of a substantial number of additional Subordinate Voting Shares, or the perception that such issuances could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices for the Subordinate Voting Shares. With any additional issuance of Subordinate Voting Shares, investors will suffer dilution to their voting power and economic interest in the Company.

Sales of substantial numbers of Subordinate Voting Shares may have an adverse effect on their market price.

Sales of a substantial number of Subordinate Voting Shares in the public market could occur at any time either by existing holders of Subordinate Voting Shares or by holders of the Multiple Voting Shares, which are convertible into Subordinate Voting Shares on the satisfaction of certain conditions. These sales, or the market perception that the holders of a large number of Subordinate Voting Shares or Multiple Voting Shares intend to sell Subordinate Voting Shares, could reduce the market price of the Shares. If this occurs and continues, it could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of securities.

The market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares may continue to be volatile.

The market prices for securities of cannabis companies generally have been volatile. In addition, the market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares has been and may be subject to wide fluctuations in response to numerous factors within and beyond our control including, but not limited to:

Financial markets have at times historically experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that: (i) have especially affected the market prices of equity securities of companies and (ii) have often been unrelated to the operating performance, underlying asset values or prospects of such companies. Accordingly, the market price of the Subordinate

Voting Shares from time to time may decline even if our operating results, underlying asset values and prospects have not changed. Additionally, these factors, as well as other related factors, may cause decreases in asset values that may result in impairment losses to us. There can be no assurance that further fluctuations in price and volume of Subordinate Voting Shares traded will not occur. If increased levels of volatility and market turmoil continue, our operations could be adversely impacted, and the trading price of the Subordinate Voting Shares may be materially, adversely affected.

A further decline in the price or trading volume of the Subordinate Voting Shares could affect our ability to raise further capital and adversely impact our ability to continue operations.

The market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares has historically been volatile, with relatively few shares traded on most trading days. Because a significant portion of our operations have been and may continue to be financed through the sale of equity securities, a decline in the price or trading volume of our Subordinate Voting Shares could be especially detrimental to our liquidity and our operations. Such reductions may force us to reallocate funds from other planned uses and may have a material, adverse effect on our business plan and operations, including our ability to operationalize existing licenses and complete planned capital expenditures. If the price or trading volume of our Subordinate Voting Shares materially declines, there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise additional capital or generate funds from operations sufficient to meet our obligations. If we are unable to raise sufficient capital in the future, we may not have the resources to continue to operate all of our current businesses, or at all.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports or publish misleading, inaccurate, or unfavorable research about us, our business or our market, our share price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our Subordinate Voting Shares may be influenced by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us, our business, our market, or our competitors. If no or few securities or industry analysts cover our Company, as is currently the case, the trading price and volume of our Subordinate Voting Shares is likely negatively impacted and will likely continue to be negatively impacted for so long as analyst coverage is minimal or no analysts cover us. If one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our Subordinate Voting Shares or publishes unfavorable research about our business, or provides more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, the price of our Subordinate Voting Shares would likely decline. If any analyst ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our Subordinate Voting Shares could decrease, which could cause our share price or trading volume, or both, to decline further.

An investor may face liquidity risks with an investment in our Subordinate Voting Shares.

There is a significant liquidity risk associated with an investment in our Subordinate Voting Shares. The Subordinate Voting Shares currently trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange and are quoted on the OTCQX tier of the OTC Markets in the United States. We cannot predict at what prices the Subordinate Voting Shares will continue to trade, and there is no assurance that an active trading market will be sustained. The Subordinate Voting Shares do not currently trade on any U.S. national securities exchange. In the event the Subordinate Voting Shares begin trading on any U.S. national securities exchange, we cannot predict at what prices the Subordinate Voting Shares will trade and there is no assurance that an active trading market will develop or be sustained.

Trading in securities quoted on the OTC Markets is often thin and characterized by wide fluctuations in trading prices, due to many factors, some of which may have little to do with our operations or business prospects. This volatility could depress the market price of Subordinate Voting Shares for reasons unrelated to operating performance. Moreover, the OTC Markets is not a U.S. national securities exchange, and trading of securities on the OTC Markets is often more sporadic than the trading of securities listed on a U.S. national securities exchange like the Nasdaq or the NYSE. These factors may result in investors having difficulty reselling Subordinate Voting Shares on the OTC Markets.

We are subject to increased costs as a result of being a public company in Canada and the United States.

As a public company both in Canada and the United States, we are subject to the reporting requirements, rules and regulations under the applicable Canadian and United States securities laws and rules of stock exchange(s) on which our

securities may be listed. We incur increased costs associated with legal, accounting, and other expenses related to such regulatory compliance. Securities legislation and the rules and policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange require listed companies to, among other things, adopt corporate governance and related practices, and to continuously prepare and disclose material information, all of which add to our legal and financial compliance costs. We may also elect to devote greater resources than we otherwise would have on communication and other activities typically considered important by publicly traded companies.

We do not intend to pay dividends on our Subordinate Voting Shares and, consequently, the ability of investors to achieve a return on their investment will depend entirely on appreciation in the price of our Subordinate Voting Shares.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividend on our Subordinate Voting Shares and do not currently intend to do so in the foreseeable future. We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings, if any, for the development, operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the success of an investment in our Subordinate Voting Shares will depend upon any future appreciation in their value. There is no guarantee that our Subordinate Voting Shares will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which they were purchased.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act and our election to delay adoption of new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies may result in our financial statements not being comparable to those of some other public companies. As a result of this and other reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies, the Subordinate Voting Shares may be less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosures and may, as hawse have, elect to delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies, which may result in our financial statements not being comparable to those of some other public companies.

For as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including (1) not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (2) reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and (3) exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause the Company to lose that status earlier, including if we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC of any fiscal year, if we have total annual gross revenue of $1.235 billion as of the end of a fiscal year, or if we issue more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during any three-year period. We cannot predict if investors will find the Subordinate Voting Shares less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find the Subordinate Voting Shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for the Subordinate Voting Shares, and the share price may be more volatile.

Our shareholders are subject to extensive governmental regulation and, if a shareholder is found unsuitable by one of our licensing authorities, that shareholder would not be able to beneficially own our securities. Our shareholders may also be required to provide information that is requested by licensing authorities and we have the right, under certain circumstances, to redeem a shareholder’s securities; we may be forced to use our cash or incur debt to fund such redemption of our securities.

The Company is, subject to certain conditions, entitled to redeem its securities held by certain shareholders in order to permit the Company to comply with applicable licensing regulations. The purpose of the redemption right is to provide the Company with a means of protecting itself from having a shareholder (an “Unsuitable Person”) with an ownership interest of five percent (5%) or more of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares (calculated on as-converted to Subordinate Voting Shares basis):

In the event a shareholder’s background or status jeopardizes our current or proposed licensure, we may be required to redeem such shareholder’s securities in order to continue our operations or obtain licenses in the future. This redemption may divert our cash resources from other productive uses and require us to obtain additional financing which, if in the form of equity financing, would be dilutive to our shareholders. Further, any debt financing may involve additional restrictive covenants and further leveraging of our fixed assets. The inability to obtain additional financing to redeem an Unsuitable Person’s securities may result in the loss of a current or potential license.

Certain Tax Risks

We are subject to Canadian and United States tax on our worldwide income.

We are deemed to be a resident of Canada for Canadian federal income tax purposes by virtue of being organized under the laws of a Province of Canada. Accordingly, we are subject to Canadian taxation on our worldwide income, in accordance with the rules in the Tax Act generally applicable to corporations resident in Canada.

Notwithstanding that we are deemed to be a resident of Canada for Canadian federal income tax purposes, we are treated as a United States corporation for United States federal income tax purposes, pursuant to Section 7874(b) of the Code, and will be subject to United States federal income tax on our worldwide income. As a result, we are subject to taxation both in Canada and the United States, which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

Dispositions of the Subordinate Voting Shares are subject to Canadian and/or United States tax.

Dispositions of the Subordinate Voting Shares are subject to Canadian tax. In addition, dispositions of the Subordinate Voting Shares by U.S. Holders are subject to U.S. tax, and certain dispositions of the Subordinate Voting Shares by Non-U.S. Holders (including, if we are treated as a USRPHC, as defined below) are subject to U.S. tax. For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a holder who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a beneficial owner of the Subordinate Voting Shares and is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state therein or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust if (1) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) the trust has a valid election in effect to be treated as a U.S. person under applicable Treasury regulations. For purposes of this discussion, a “Non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of the Subordinate Voting Shares other than a U.S. Holder or partnership.

Although we do not intend to pay dividends on our Subordinate Voting Shares, any such dividends would be subject to Canadian and/or United States withholding tax.

It is currently not anticipated that we will pay any dividends on any of our Subordinate Voting Shares in the foreseeable future.

To the extent dividends are paid on our Subordinate Voting Shares, dividends received by shareholders who are residents of Canada for purposes of the Tax Act (and Non-U.S. Holders for purposes of the Code) will be subject to U.S. withholding tax. Any such dividends may not qualify for a reduced rate of withholding tax under the Canada-United States tax treaty. In addition, a Canadian foreign tax credit or a deduction in respect of such U.S. withholding taxes paid may not be available.

Dividends received by U.S. Holders will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax but will be subject to Canadian withholding tax. Dividends paid by us will be characterized as U.S. source income for purposes of the foreign tax credit rules under the Code. Accordingly, U.S. Holders may not be able to claim a credit for any Canadian tax withheld unless, depending on the circumstances, they have other foreign source income that is subject to a low or zero rate of foreign tax.

Dividends received by shareholders that are neither Canadian nor U.S. Holders will be subject to U.S. withholding tax and will also be subject to Canadian withholding tax. These dividends may not qualify for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax under any income tax treaty otherwise applicable to a shareholder of the Company, subject to examination of the relevant tax treaty. These dividends may, however, qualify for a reduced rate of Canadian withholding tax under any income tax treaty otherwise applicable to a shareholder of the Company, subject to examination of the relevant tax treaty.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders upon a disposition of the Subordinate Voting Shares depends on whether we are classified as a United States real property holding corporation.

We are treated as a U.S. domestic corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Section 7874 of the Code. As a U.S. domestic corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the taxation of our Non-U.S. Holders upon a disposition of the Subordinate Voting Shares generally depends on whether we are classified as a “United States real property holding corporation” for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “USRPHC”). We have not performed any analysis to determine whether we are currently, or have ever been, a USRPHC. In addition, we have not sought and do not intend to seek formal confirmation of our status as a Non-USRPHC from the IRS. If we ultimately are determined by the IRS to constitute a USRPHC, our non-U.S. Holders may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain associated with the disposition of the Subordinate Voting Shares.

Changes in tax laws may affect the Company and holders of Subordinate Voting Shares.

There can be no assurance that the Canadian and U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Company or an investment in the Company will not be modified, prospectively or retroactively, by legislative, judicial, or administrative action, in a manner adverse to us or holders of our Shares.

ERISA imposes additional obligations on certain investors.

In considering an investment in the Shares, trustees, custodians, investment managers, and fiduciaries of retirement and other plans subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and/or Section 4975 of the Code, should consider, among other things: (i) whether an investment in the Company shares is in accordance with plan documents and satisfies the diversification requirements of Sections 404(a)(1)(C) and 404(a)(1)(D) of ERISA, if applicable; (ii) whether an investment in our Shares will result in unrelated business taxable income to the plan; (iii) whether an investment in the Shares is prudent under Section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA, if applicable, given the nature of an investment in, and the compensation structure of, the Company and the potential lack of liquidity of Shares during the lock-up period following the RTO; (iv) whether the Company or any of our affiliates is a fiduciary or party in interest to the plan; and (v) whether an investment in the Shares complies with the “indicia of ownership” requirement set forth in ERISA Section 404(b). Fiduciaries and other persons responsible for the investment of certain governmental and church plans that are subject to any provision of federal, state, or local law that is substantially similar to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code that are considering the investment in the Shares should consider the applicability of the provisions of such similar law and whether the Shares would be an appropriate investment under such similar law. The responsible fiduciary must take into account all of the facts and circumstances of the plan and of the investment when determining if a particular investment is prudent.

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Item 1B.Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

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Item 1C.Cybersecurity

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Item 2.Properties

The following tables set forth our principal physical properties.

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Through our subsidiaries, we have entered into material lease agreements related to our Maryland, Minnesota, and New York operations. Those agreements are discussed below.

Maryland Lease

100 Enterprise Drive, LLC (“Maryland Lessor”) entered into a lease agreement with MaryMed, LLC on April 21, 2017 and continuing for a period of ten years (“MaryMed Lease Agreement”). Pursuant to the MaryMed Lease Agreement, MaryMed LLC agreed to lease from Maryland Lessor the premises located at 10 Enterprise Drive, in the Town of Hurlock County, of Dorchester, Maryland. The monthly base rent for the first 12 months of the term of the lease was $20,000 per month and $300,000 as security deposit. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the MaryMed Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.17 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Maryland Lessor entered into a lease amendment with MaryMed, LLC on May 8, 2020 (“MaryMed Lease Amendment”) with respect to the MaryMed Lease Agreement. Pursuant to the MaryMed Lease Amendment, the base rent was reduced to an amount of $10,506 per month from June 1, 2020 through August 1, 2020. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the MaryMed Lease Amendment, which is included as Exhibit 10.13 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Minnesota Lease

IIP-MN 1 LLC (“Minnesota Landlord”) and Minnesota Medical Solutions (predecessor to Vireo Health of Minnesota, LLC) entered into a lease agreement on November 8, 2017 that was set to expire on November 8, 2032 (“MN Lease Agreement”). Concurrent with the execution of the lease, Minnesota Landlord closed on a purchase of real property and improvements on the property located at 8740 77th Street Northeast, Ostego, Minnesota on October 6, 2017. The monthly base rent for the first 12 months of the term of the MN Lease Agreement was $50,000, with $300,000 to be paid in security deposit. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the MN Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.19 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Pursuant to the First Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement (“1^st Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement”), dated December 7, 2018, the term of the MN Lease Agreement was extended to December 7, 2033 and Minnesota Medical Solutions was permitted to make improvements at a cost to Minnesota Landlord not to exceed $2,988,000 rather than $988,000 as initially detailed in the MN Lease Agreement. In addition, the monthly base rent was increased to $77,625 and the security deposit was increased to $450,000. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 1^st Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.15 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Pursuant to the Second Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement (“2^nd Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement”), dated September 25, 2019, the term of the MN Lease Agreement was extended to December 7, 2038 and Minnesota Medical Solutions was permitted to make improvements at a cost to Minnesota Landlord not to exceed $5,588,000 rather than $2,988,000 as detailed in the 1^st Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement, and the monthly base rent was increased to $111,262. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2^nd Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.16 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Pursuant to the Third Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement (“3^rd Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement”), dated February 18, 2020, Minnesota Medical Solutions was permitted to make improvements at a cost to Minnesota Landlord not to exceed $5,638,183 rather than $2,988,000 as detailed in the 2^nd Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 3^rd Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.17 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Pursuant to the Fourth Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement (“4^th Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement”), dated April 10, 2020, Minnesota Medical Solutions was permitted to make improvements at a cost to Minnesota Landlord not to exceed $6,698,183 rather than $5,638,183 as detailed in the 3^rd Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement, and the term of the MN Lease Agreement was extended to April 9, 2040. In addition, the monthly base rent was increased to $129,350. The security deposit will be reduced to $225,000 on November 8, 2023 and the security deposit will be further reduced to $112,500 on November 8, 2026. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 4^th Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.18 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Pursuant to the Fifth Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement (“5^th Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement”), dated February 24, 2023, a default by any affiliate of Vireo Health of Minnesota, LLC (f/k/a Minnesota Medical Solutions), under another lease with the Minnesota Landlord or any affiliate of the Minnesota Landlord, beyond any applicable notice and cure periods, constitutes a default under the MN Lease Agreement, as amended. The forgoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 5^th Amendment to the MN Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.43 hereto and incorporated by reference.

On February 22, 2024, the Vireo Minnesota executed a lease for cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facilities in Elk River, Minnesota. Per the terms of the lease the landlord agreed to provide the Company with $2,000,000 of tenant improvement allowances. Rent will not commence until January 1, 2025, at which time monthly base rent will be $82,500. Starting January 1, 2025, the Company has the option to purchase the property. The initial purchase price is $13,000,000 increasing by 3% at the start of each calendar year until the option expires on December 31, 2028. The lease expires on December 31, 2034.

New York Lease

IIP-NY2 LLC (“New York Landlord”) and Vireo Health of New York, LLC entered into a lease agreement on October 23, 2017 that was set to expire on October 23, 2032 (“NY Lease Agreement”). Concurrent with the execution of the lease, IIP-NY 2 LLC closed on a purchase of real property and improvements on the property located at 256 County Route 117, Perth, New York on September 21, 2017. The monthly base rent for the first 12 months of the term of the NY Lease Agreement was $55,000, with $330,000 to be paid in security deposit. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the NY Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.19 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Pursuant to the First Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement (“1^st Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement”), dated December 7, 2018, the term of the NY Lease Agreement was extended to December 7, 2033 and Vireo Health of New York, LLC was permitted to make improvements at a cost to New York Landlord not to exceed $3,000,000, instead of $1,000,000 as initially outlined in the NY Lease Agreement. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 1^st Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.10 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Pursuant to the Second Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement (“2^nd Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement”), dated April 10, 2020, the term of the NY Lease Agreement was extended to April 9, 2035 and Vireo Health of New York, LLC was permitted to make improvements at a cost to New York Landlord not to exceed $3,360,000 rather than $3,000,000 as detailed in the 1^st Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement. In addition, the monthly base rent was increased to $90,518.51 and the Company provided a new guaranty on behalf of New York Landlord. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2^nd Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.11 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

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Pursuant to the Third Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement (“3^rd Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement”), dated September 24, 2022, the term of the NY Lease Agreement was extended to September 23, 2041. Concurrent with the execution of the 3^rd Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement, Vireo Health of New York and the New York Landlord closed on a purchase of 92.3 acres of real property adjacent to 256 County Route 117, Perth, New York. Vireo Health of New York, LLC was permitted to make improvements at a cost to New York Landlord not to exceed $49,435,000, instead of $3,360,000 as initially outlined in the 2^nd Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement. In addition, the monthly base rent was increased to $615,629 and the Company provided a new guaranty on behalf of the New York Landlord. The forgoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 3^rd Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.12 hereto and incorporated by reference.

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Pursuant to the Fourth Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement (“4^th Amendment to NY Lease Agreement”), dated February 24, 2023, (1) the tenant improvement allowance was increased to a cost not to exceed $53,435,000, instead of $49,435,000 as initially outlined in the 3^rd Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement. In addition, the monthly base rent was increased by an additional $50,000, (2) the security deposit was increased by an additional $150,000, and (3) a default by any affiliate of Vireo Health of New York, LLC, under another lease with the New York Landlord or any affiliate of the New York Landlord, beyond any applicable notice and cure periods, constitutes a default under the NY Lease Agreement, as amended. The forgoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 4^th Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.44 hereto and incorporated by reference.  

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Pursuant to the Fifth Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement (“5^th Amendment to NY Lease Agreement”), dated October 27, 2023, (1) the tenant improvement allowance was increased to a cost not to exceed $67,435,000, instead of $53,435,000 as initially outlined in the Third Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement. In addition, the monthly base rent was increased by an additional $210,000, (2) the existing security deposit was used to pay liens against the property. (3) Vireo Health of New York, LLC agreed to restore the used security deposit over a twelve month period beginning February 1, 2024, and (4) a default by any affiliate of Vireo Health of New York, LLC, under another lease with the New York Landlord or any affiliate of the New York Landlord, beyond any applicable notice and cure periods, constitutes a default under the NY Lease Agreement, as amended. The forgoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 4^th Amendment to the NY Lease Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.44 hereto and incorporated by reference.  

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Item 3.Legal Proceedings

We are involved in various regulatory issues, claims and lawsuits arising in the ordinary course of business, none of which, in the opinion of management, other than as described below, is expected to have a material, adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Verano

On January 31, 2022, the Company entered into the Arrangement Agreement with Verano, pursuant to which Verano was to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Vireo pursuant to a Plan of Arrangement. Subject to the terms and

conditions set forth in the Arrangement Agreement and the Plan of Arrangement, holders of Vireo Shares would receive 0.22652 of a Verano Subordinate Voting Share, subject to adjustment as described below, for each Subordinate Voting Share held, and 22.652 Verano Subordinate Voting Shares for each Multiple Voting Share and Super Voting Share held, immediately prior to the effective time of the Arrangement.

On October 13, 2022, Vireo received a notice of purported termination of the Arrangement Agreement (the “Notice”) from Verano. The Notice asserted certain breaches of the Arrangement Agreement, including claims the Company’s public filings and communications with respect to its business and ongoing operations were misleading and that the Company breached its representations to Verano under the Arrangement Agreement. Verano also claimed, as a result of such breaches, it is entitled to payment of a $14,875,000 termination fee and its transaction expenses. Vireo denies all of Verano’s allegations and affirmatively asserts that it has complied with its obligations under the Arrangement Agreement, and with its disclosure obligations under US and Canadian law, in all material respects at all times. The Company believes that Verano has no factual or legal basis to justify or support its purported termination of the Arrangement Agreement, which the Company determined to treat as a repudiation of the Arrangement Agreement.

On October 21, 2022, Vireo commenced an action in the Supreme Court of British Columbia against Verano after Verano wrongfully repudiated the Arrangement Agreement. The Company is seeking damages, costs and interest, based on Verano's breach of contract and of its duty of good faith and honest performance.

On November 14, 2022, Verano filed counterclaims against the Company for the termination fee and transaction expenses described above. Due to uncertainties inherent in litigation, it is not possible for Vireo to predict the timing or final outcome of the legal proceedings against Verano or to determine the amount of damages, if any, that may be awarded.

On July 31, 2023, the Company filed a requisition for adjournment of its application filed July 14, 2023, and set for hearing on July 31, 2023 to compel Verano’s compliance with document production based upon the Company’s belief that Verano was engaging in tactics to delay the litigation.

Throughout 2023, the Company served 4 lists of documents, reviewed document production from Verano, and prepared for examinations for discovery. The Company also prepared materials in anticipation of seeking summary determination of its claim, which it anticipates filing within 30 days.

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On May 2, 2024, the Company filed a Notice of Application (the “Summary Trial Application”) with the Supreme Court of British Columbia seeking summary determination. The Company is seeking substantial damages, specifically US $860.9 million, as well as other costs and legal fees, based on Verano’s breach of contract and of its duty of good faith and honest performance. The Notice of Application is not currently set for hearing.

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On June 19, 2024, Verano filed a Notice of Application (the “Preliminary Suitability Application”) seeking orders dismissing the Summary Trial Application on the basis that certain issues in the action are not suitable for summary determination. The Preliminary Suitability Application is currently set for hearing on June 15 and 16, 2025.

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Due to uncertainties inherent in litigation, it is not possible for Vireo to predict the timing or final outcome of the legal proceedings against Verano or to determine the amount of damages, if any, that may be awarded.  The damages sought will be significant and material given that Verano’s breach left the Company in a vulnerable position resulting in the Company being constrained in its ability to fund growth initiatives that were desirable and that its competitors were able to undertake, most notably in Minnesota and New York markets. 

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Item 4.Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

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PART II

Item 5.Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Trading Price and Volume

Our Subordinate Voting Shares are traded on the CSE under the symbol “VREO.” The following table sets forth trading information for the Subordinate Voting Shares for the periods indicated, as quoted on the CSE.

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Our Subordinate Voting Shares also are traded on the OTCQX under the symbol “VREOF.” The following table sets forth trading information for the Subordinate Voting Shares for the periods indicated, as quoted on the OTCQX.

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Shareholders

As of February 15, 2025, there were approximately 5,000 holders of record of our Subordinate Voting Shares, 153 holders of record of our Multiple Voting Shares, and 0 holders of record of our Super Voting Shares.

Dividends

We have not paid, and do not in the foreseeable future intend to pay, any dividends on the Subordinate Voting Shares or any other equity. The declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of our Shares will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend upon many factors, including our financial condition, earnings, legal requirements, restrictions in our debt agreements and other factors deemed relevant by the Board of Directors. In addition, as a holding company, our ability to pay dividends depends on our receipt of cash dividends from our operating subsidiaries, which may further restrict our ability to pay dividends as a result of the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, agreements of our subsidiaries or covenants under future indebtedness that the Company or our subsidiaries may incur. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Securities — We do not intend to pay dividends on our Subordinate Voting Shares and, consequently, the ability of investors to achieve a return on their investment will depend entirely on appreciation in the price of our Subordinate Voting Shares.”

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Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

There was no share repurchase activity by the issuer or affiliates during the quarter ended December 31, 2024.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

Except as previously disclosed, we did not issue any unregistered securities during the year ended December 31, 2024.

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Item 6.Reserved

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Item 7.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with the financial information and the notes thereto included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and related financing, includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. These statements are often identified by the use of words such as “expect,” “plan,” “expected,” “scheduled,” “estimates,” “estimated,” “forecasts,” “continue,” “continued,” “anticipate,” “will,” “expectations,” “cannot,” “could,” “believe,” “focused,” “intention,” “strategic,” “future,” “approach,” “strategy,” “efforts,” “potential,” “potentially,” “possible,” “may,” “intend,” “intended,” “intent,” “should,” “might,” “would,” “achieve,” “allowed to,” “over time,” “likely,” “remain,” “opportunities,” “seeking,” or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions or variations. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results and the timing of certain events to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and those discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” set forth in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other SEC and Canadian public filings. In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and while we believe that information provides a reasonable basis for these statements, that information may be limited or incomplete. Our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements or forward-looking information as predictions of future events. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information speak only as of the date of this report. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

This management's discussion and analysis is dated March 4, 2025.

Amounts are presented in United States dollars, except as otherwise indicated.

Overview of the Company

Vireo Growth is a cannabis company whose mission is to provide safe access, quality products and value to its customers while supporting its local communities through active participation and restorative justice programs. The Company is evolving with the industry and is in the midst of a transformation to being significantly more customer-centric across its operations, which include cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale and retail business lines. With our core operations strategically located in three limited-license markets through our state-licensed subsidiaries, we cultivate and manufacture cannabis products and distribute these products through our growing network of Green Goods^® and other retail dispensaries we own or operate as well as to third-party dispensaries in the markets in which our subsidiaries hold operating licenses.

Operating Segment

We report our operating results in one business segment: the cultivation, production, and sale of cannabis. We cultivate, manufacture, and distribute cannabis products to third parties in wholesale markets and cultivate, manufacture, and sell cannabis products directly to approved patients and adult-use-customers in our owned or operated retail stores.

During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company had operating revenue in three states: Maryland, Minnesota, and New York. Retail revenues during the year ended December 31, 2024 were derived from sales in 14 dispensaries throughout these three states. We had eight operational dispensaries in Minnesota, four in New York, and two in Maryland. Wholesale revenues were derived from sales of products to third parties in Maryland, Minnesota, and New York.

Merger Agreements with Deep Roots, Proper and Wholesome

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On December 18, 2024, we entered into the Merger Agreements with respect the Mergers. Each Merger is an all-share transaction whereby, at the closing of each applicable transaction, (i) a new wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company would merge with and into Deep Roots, (ii) a new wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company would merge with and into Wholesome, and (ii) the Proper entities would each merge with and into new wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company. None of the Deep Roots Merger, the Proper Mergers or the Wholesome Merger is contingent on the completion of any of the other Mergers.  For a description of the Merger Agreements and details of the Merger, refer to Part I – “Item 1. Business — Merger Agreements with Deep Roots, Proper and Wholesome.”

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Year ended December 31, 2024 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2023

Revenue

We derived our revenue from cultivating, processing, and distributing cannabis products through our 18 dispensaries in three states and our wholesale sales to third parties in three states. For the year ended December 31, 2024, 80% of the revenue was generated from retail dispensaries and 20% from wholesale business.  For the year ended December 31, 2023, 84% of the revenue was generated from retail dispensaries and 16% from wholesale business. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we ceased all operations in New Mexico.  

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For the year ended December 31, 2024, Minnesota operations contributed approximately 47% of revenues, New York contributed 11%, and Maryland contributed 42%. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Minnesota operations contributed approximately 51% of revenues, New York contributed 16%, New Mexico contributed 2%, and Maryland contributed 31%.

Total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $99,384,221, an increase of $11,251,058 or 13% compared to revenue of $88,133,163 for year ended December 31, 2023. The increase is primarily attributable to increased revenue contributions from the Maryland business driven by the commencement of adult-use sales on July 1, 2023, partially offset by decreased New Mexico revenues, which was divested in June of 2023, and declining New York revenues.

Retail revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $79,534,555, an increase of $5,913,689 or 8% compared to retail revenue of $73,620,866 for the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to increased revenue contributions from the Maryland business driven by the commencement of adult-use sales on July 1, 2023, partially offset by decreased New Mexico revenues, which was divested in June of 2023, and declining New York revenues.

Wholesale revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $19,849,666, an increase of $5,337,369 or 37% compared to wholesale revenue of $14,512,297 for year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to increased revenue contributions from the Maryland business driven by the commencement of adult-use sales on July 1, 2023.

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Cost of Goods Sold and Gross Profit

Cost of goods sold are determined from costs related to the cultivation and processing of cannabis and cannabis-derived products as well as the cost of finished goods inventory purchased from third parties.

Cost of goods sold for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $48,613,204, an increase of $4,584,206 compared to the year ended December 31, 2023 of $44,208,998, driven most significantly by the product costs associated with the increase in revenues year over year.

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $50,771,107, representing a gross margin of 51%. This is compared to gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2023, of $44,104,165 or a 50% gross margin. The slight increase in margin was driven primarily by the disposition of operations in New Mexico in June 2023, which carried a lower margin profile while operational, and the commencement of adult-use sales in Maryland on July 1, 2023.

Total Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024, were $37,207,653, an increase of $3,683,266 compared to total expenses of $33,524,387 for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in total expenses was primarily attributable to transaction costs incurred in connection with the Mergers of $4,504,001 partially offset by a decrease in share based compensation expenses of $529,824.

Operating Income (Loss) before Income Taxes and Other Income (Expense)

Operating income (loss) before other income (expense) and provision for income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $13,536,364, an increase of $2,983,586 compared to an operating income before other income (expense) and provision for income taxes of $10,579,778 for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Total Other Income (Expense)

Total other expense for the year ended December 31, 2024, was ($30,457,873), an increase of $2,054,006 compared to other expense of ($28,403,867) for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in other expense is primarily attributable to a decrease in other income associated with the ERC under the CAREs Act, and a decrease in other income associated with the Grown Rogue held warrants, partially offset by decreased losses on asset disposals.

Provision for Income Taxes

Income tax expense is recognized based on the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at year-end. For the year ended December 31, 2024, Federal and State income tax expense totaled $7,815,000 compared to tax expense of $7,723,000 for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in tax expense is primarily attributable to the increase in gross profit relative to the prior year.

Year ended December 31, 2023 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2022

Revenue

We derived our revenue from cultivating, processing, and distributing cannabis products through our eighteen dispensaries in four states and our wholesale sales to third parties in four states. For the year ended December 31, 2023, 84% of the revenue was generated from retail dispensaries and 16% from wholesale business.  For the year ended December 31, 2022, 83% of the revenue was generated from retail dispensaries and 17% from wholesale business.  During the year ended December 31, 2023, we ceased all operations in New Mexico.  During the year ended December 31, 2022, we ceased all operations in Arizona.

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For the year ended December 31, 2023, Minnesota operations contributed approximately 51% of revenues, New York contributed 16%, Maryland contributed 31%, and New Mexico contributed 2%. For the year ended December 31, 2022, Minnesota operations contributed approximately 51% of revenues, New York contributed 20%, Arizona contributed 3%, New Mexico contributed 8%, and Maryland contributed 18%.

Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $88,133,163, an increase of $13,507,296 or 18% compared to revenue of $74,625,867 for year ended December 31, 2022. The increase is primarily attributable to increased revenue contributions from the Maryland business driven by the commencement of adult-use sales on July 1, 2023, and increased in revenue contributions from Minnesota driven by increased patient count, partially offset by decreased New Mexico revenues, which was divested in June of 2023.

Retail revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $73,620,867, an increase of $11,497,510 or 19% compared to retail revenue of $62,123,357 for the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily due to increased revenue contributions from the Maryland business driven by the commencement of adult-use sales on July 1, 2023, and increased in revenue contributions from Minnesota driven by increased patient count, partially offset by decreased New Mexico revenues, which was divested in June of 2023

Wholesale revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $14,512,297, an increase of $2,009,787 or 16% compared to wholesale revenue of $12,502,510 for year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to increased revenue contributions from the Maryland business driven by the commencement of adult-use sales on July 1, 2023.

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Cost of Goods Sold and Gross Profit

Cost of goods sold are determined from costs related to the cultivation and processing of cannabis and cannabis-derived products as well as the cost of finished goods inventory purchased from third parties.

Cost of goods sold for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $44,028,998, an increase of $311,292 compared to the year ended December 31, 2022 of $43,717,706, driven most significantly by the product costs associated with the increase in revenues year over year.

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $44,104,165, representing a gross margin of 50%. This is compared to gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2022, of $30,908,161 or a 41% gross margin. The increase in margin was driven by increased retail revenue contributions from Minnesota, which carries a high margin profile, both overall and as a percentage of total revenue, the disposition of all Arizona wholesale operations, which carried a low margin in 2022, and the commencement of adult-use sales in Maryland on July 1, 2023.

Total Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023, were $33,524,387, a decrease of $4,323,139 compared to total expenses of $37,847,526 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in total expenses was attributable to a decrease in selling, general, and administrative expenses of $5,605,706 partially offset by an increase in share based compensation expenses of $1,463,401. Decreased salaries and wages driven by lower headcount and decreased professional fees account for the majority of the decrease in selling, general, and administrative expenses.

Operating Income (Loss) before Income Taxes and Other Income (Expense)

Operating income (loss) before other income (expense) and provision for income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $10,579,778, an increase of $17,519,143 compared to an operating loss before other income (expense) and provision for income taxes of $(6,939,365) for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Total Other Income (Expense)

Total other expense for the year ended December 31, 2023, was ($28,403,867), a decrease of $1,221,212 compared to other expense of ($29,625,079) or the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in other expense is primarily attributable to increased other income attributable to the receipt of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Employee Retention Tax Credit in 2023 and decreased impairment losses in 2023, partially offset by increased interest expense driven by the Credit Facility and increased losses on disposal of assets related to the Red Barn Growers disposition in connection with the divestiture of our business in New Mexico during 2023.

Provision for Income Taxes

Income tax expense is recognized based on the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at year-end. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Federal and State income tax expense totaled $7,723,000 compared to tax expense of $5,893,000 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in tax expense is primarily attributable to the increase in gross profit relative to the prior year.

Non-GAAP Measures

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures that do not have a standardized definition under GAAP. Total Revenues excluding revenues from states where we have divested operations in 2022, 2023, and 2024 is also a non-GAAP measure that does not have a standardized definition under GAAP. The following information provides reconciliations of the supplemental non-GAAP financial measures EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA presented herein to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.  Reconciliations of the supplemental non-GAAP financial measure Total Revenues that excludes revenues from states where we have divested operations in 2022, 2023 and 2024 presented herein to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP can be found in the tables above where the measures appear. We have provided these non-GAAP financial measures, which are not calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP, as supplemental information and in addition to the financial measures that are calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. These supplemental non-GAAP financial measures are presented because management has evaluated the financial results both including and excluding the adjusted items and believes that the supplemental non-GAAP financial measures presented provide additional perspective and insights when analyzing the core operating performance of the business. This supplemental non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered superior to, as a substitute for, or as an alternative to, and should be considered in conjunction with, the GAAP financial measures presented.

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