Youngevity International, Inc.announced that its wholly owned subsidiaries have entered into an agreement to acquire Chaguitillo Farms in Nicaragua.
The subsidiaries, CLR Roasters LLC and Khrysos Industries, Inc., entered into an agreement with H&H Coffee Group Export Corp and The Nica Hemp Cooperative, Inc to acquire the 2,200-acre farm located in Sebaco-Matagalpa.
Plans provide for all electricity and a 15,000-AMP electrical service to be delivered to the property and 45,000 square feet of buildings to be erected for extraction drying and storage, and for greenhouse space to be added to the property. The total estimated cost for the land and improvements is approximately $30 million, with H&H contributing the 2,200-acre farm with an estimated value of approximately $10 million, and all the capital toward the construction of the project to be provided by The Nica Hemp Cooperative, estimated at $20 million.
CLR Roasters and Khrysos Industries will initially contribute $3 million of extraction equipment to the project along with its expertise in the hemp business. Additionally, subject to Nasdaq approval, the companies intend to issue 1.5 million shares of YGYI common stock to the Nica Hemp Cooperative in exchange for a 50 percent stake in the land and the improvements (having a $30 million estimated value at completion) and will also issue 5 million warrants with a strike price $1.50 per share to the Nica Hemp Cooperative and CLR Roasters and Khrysos Industries will receive a 75 percent controlling stake in the hemp grow and oil extraction business. The warrants will be issued when the project is completed and commences its operations.
The project provides for complete preparation of the 2,200 acres; however, the initial pilot program planting will be for approximately 200 acres with an expected production of 400,000 pounds of hemp bio mass on the initial acreage, which is estimated to convert to 13,000 liters of winterized crude oil which, at current market prices has the potential to generate $6.4 million in gross revenue. The group anticipates growing 400 acres in year 2, 800 acres in year 3 and 2,200 acres in 2023. Fully planted the projection for hemp yield in pounds is approximately 4.4 million pounds per year, which is estimated to convert to 129,000 liters of winterized crude oil, which at current market prices has the potential to generate approximately $64 million in gross revenue. All estimates are assuming only 1 annual crop yield, however, the weather in Nicaragua may be conducive to multiple harvests annually.
“This is a very impressive partnership and collaboration between our hemp enterprise, our coffee enterprise and our very strong and growing strategic business relationship in Nicaragua. We feel that the value of YGYI’s 50 percent interest in the land and infrastructure at completion of the project along with the assumption that the warrants will be exercised represents a significant premium to our current trading price,” said Dave Briskie, president and CFO of Youngevity.
“We are proud to be part of such a significant project in Nicaragua in this burgeoning industry. We are pleased to be executing on the exclusive rights to grow hemp in Nicaragua that was granted to our group in November of last year. This project is only made possible through a strong collaboration of experts and a vision to be a leader in this space,” said Alain Piedra Hernandez, president of H&H Export Y CIA. LTDA.
