Goodness Growth Holdings Announces Filing of Application for Summary Determination in Litigation with Verano

– Filing reflects Company’s belief that Verano’s defense against claims of unlawful conduct is without merit –

– Legal filing represents a documentary record and corresponding damages analysis –

MINNEAPOLIS, May 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. (“Goodness Growth” or the “Company”) (CSE: GDNS; OTCQX: GDNSF), today announced that it has filed an application with the Supreme Court of British Columbia for summary determination in its ongoing litigation with Verano Holdings, Inc. (“Verano”) related to Verano’s wrongful termination of the share exchange agreement (the “Arrangement Agreement”) between the parties pursuant to which Verano agreed to acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of Goodness Growth in a transaction announced on February 1, 2022. The application filing for summary determination is a public document available through the registry of the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

As previously disclosed, on October 14, 2022, Verano delivered a Notice of Termination of the Arrangement Agreement to Goodness Growth. Goodness Growth subsequently filed a notice of civil claim against Verano with the Supreme Court of British Columbia on October 21, 2022. Goodness Growth 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. While the Company’s filing of its application for summary determination reflects its belief that Verano’s defense against its claims of unlawful conduct is without merit, Goodness Growth can make no assurances regarding the expected timeframe to resolve this litigation, or its ability to recover damages from Verano.

Chief Executive Officer Josh Rosen commented, “I stepped into my role at a vulnerable time for Goodness Growth, in the aftermath of Verano’s termination of our merger agreement. As I have said before, we view this litigation as a valuable asset of Goodness Growth. Our filing today reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting and realizing it. The transaction with Verano was anticipated to be transformative: it was going to provide Goodness Growth with a means of unlocking its potential, including in the key markets of New York and Minnesota. We are committed to pursuing Verano for what we believe was a calculated and wrongful termination that deprived Goodness Growth of both access to capital and operational improvements. Our filing today represents the careful culmination of months of work: to compile what we consider to be a clear documentary record of what occurred, and corresponding damages analysis. On the latter front, the math speaks for itself. We’re hopeful for an early determination, and an outcome reflective of the record and the math.”