Company Releases Recap Report of Successes in 2020, Including No. 1 Retail Store in Michigan and No. 1 Edible

ANN ARBOR, MI, Dec. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire – Exclusive Brands (“Exclusive Brands” or “Exclusive”), Michigan's premier, vertically integrated cannabis company composed of state-of-the-art retail locations, a processing and manufacturing facility, and licensed grow operations, as well as Michigan’s home to a breadth of iconic cannabis brands, announced today its Company growth highlights in 2020 and recognition of Michigan’s one-year anniversary of legal recreational cannabis retail sales. Despite obstacles considering the global pandemic, Exclusive saw a 1,200 percent sales increase year-over-year with $177 million in sales in 2020, solidifying their standing as Michigan’s top-selling cannabis company. In addition, Exclusive grew their team by nearly 900 percent and projects another 33 percent growth in 2021, and also owns the No. 1 retail store in the state in Exclusive Ann Arbor and the No. 1 edible in Kushy Punch.

“The amount of growth and support we’ve seen for Exclusive in our first year in the recreational market has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Omar Hishmeh, CEO of Exclusive Brands. “We proudly assumed the role as an essential business during this unprecedented time to provide our customers, patients and partners with the best services and product in the state and the community has been very kind to us in return.” 

This recap highlights various exciting business initiatives and developments executed by Exclusive Brands throughout the year that position the Company for exponential success in their endeavors for 2021. The Company earned the historic title of Michigan’s first licensed recreational dispensary in late 2019, and is now celebrating the state’s one-year anniversary since wrapping up its first year in the adult use market. 

Operating highlights for 2020 included: 

• The Company inaugurated a new outdoor cultivation facility in Arlington, Michigan, creating the first official Exclusive Brands facility on the west side of the state.
• The Company features the No. 1 pod system sold in the state of Michigan in MAXX.
• Exclusive Brands welcomed California-based cannabis product manufacturer Platinum and award-winning vape company Church Cannabis Co. to the Exclusive family, deeming the Company as the exclusive distributor of Platinum Vapes and Church products in the state of Michigan.
• Exclusive Brands features the No. 1 gummy in the state of Michigan in Kushy Punch, the No. 1 medical vape in Platinum Vapes, the No. 1 adult-use vape in Terpene Tanks, and the No. 1 innovative technology vape in Church Cannabis.
• The Company launched its second retail location in Kalamazoo and offers a variety of iconic brands including Kushy Punch, Strain Kings, Platinum Vapes, Terpene Tanks, Church Cannabis Co., and more. 
• Exclusive Brands launched its own home delivery service through both its Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo retail locations, an initiative created in order to uphold the Company’s mission of providing access to clean, safe cannabis to all who need it in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. 
• Exclusive Brands worked in partnership with the state of Michigan and Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) to conduct a remote Business Resource Workshop for the state’s social equity program that provided social equity applicants valuable information surrounding what is required to gain licensure in Michigan and how to keep facilities compliant. The workshop, led by Exclusive’s Narmin Jarrous, was the most highly attended event since the MRA began providing education and outreach sessions in August 2019.
• In Q4, the Company promoted Narmin Jarrous, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Director of Social Equity, to Chief Development Officer. Jarrous is instrumental in her role as a liaison between Exclusive Brands and the state of Michigan, serves as an influential thought leader in both the Michigan and international cannabis landscape with multiple press placements, and is leading the development of new products to serve both the medical and adult-use markets. 

Key press highlights in 2020 included:

• Forbes, “Narmin Jarrous, Director Of Social Equity & Executive VP Business Development Of Exclusive Brands”
• Marijuana Business Daily, “Fast-growing Michigan recreational market faces tight supply, few municipal opt-ins”
• Authority Magazine, “Narmin Jarrous of Exclusive Brands: “You have to take care of yourself first before you take care of your company”
• WRKR, “The Straight Dope on Rec Cannabis from Exclusive in Kalamazoo”
• CBS, “Cannabis dispensary numbers climb to 19 in Kalamazoo”
• Cannabis Business Times, “Cannabis Equity in Michigan: Update on the Fight for a Fair Industry”
• Reuters, “Canada dry? Cannabis-infused drinks fizzle due to production, distribution challenges”
• Forbes, “Election Post-Mortem And Cannabis: Experts Weigh In On What May Come Next”
• Hour Detroit, “Will Detroiters Get Their Share of the Recreational Cannabis Market?”
• Marijuana Business Daily, “US House passes historic bill to legalize marijuana at federal level, but Senate looms”
• High Times, “House Of Representatives Votes To Legalize Marijuana”

Looking ahead into 2021, Exclusive Brands has received approval for a new 40,000 square foot cannabis cultivation facility in Lansing set to open in the first quarter of 2021. Additionally, the Company will be expanding its retail offerings with four new locations planned to open throughout the new year.

“We’ve always stressed the importance of a carefully planned expansion and this past year has proven to be pivotal for us as a brand as well as for the state of Michigan in making strides to be on the frontlines of a thriving industry,” said Narmin Jarrous, Chief Development Officer of Exclusive Brands. “We have some exciting plans in the pipeline for 2021 and we’re looking forward to continuing to grow our footprint in Michigan in the new year.” 

For more information about Exclusive Brands, company developments, and the ever-growing portfolio of brands Exclusive works with visit https://exclusivebrandsmi.com/. 

About Exclusive Brands 

Exclusive Brands is Michigan's premier, vertically integrated cannabis company with a flagship retail location in Ann Arbor, the first recreational marijuana retailer in the state. Exclusive places the utmost importance on premium genetics and effectual grow techniques to provide Michigan with the highest quality cannabis products. Exclusive’s cultivators maintain and manicure cannabis to the highest standards in the market. A portion of the fresh flower is processed by extraction artists in Exclusive Brands’ state of the art lab for premium Terp Sugars, Sauce, Shatter, Budder, Batter, RSO and Distillate. Exclusive Brands is committed to providing high-quality cannabis accessible and is driven by excellence.

Media Contact:
Cassandra Dowell
CMW Media
Phone: 858-264-6601
cassandra@cmwmedia.com