Acreage Holdings Deepens World-Class Marketing Team with Addition of Consumer Insight and Brand Marketing Leaders

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Acreage Holdings ("Acreage") (CSE: ACRG.U) (OTCQX: ACRGF), the United States' largest vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator, announced the additions of Stacey Kawahata, as the Vice President of Consumer Insights and Brand Strategy, and Joen Choe, as Vice President of Marketing.

As VP of Consumer Insights and Brand Strategy, Kawahata will be responsible for bringing deep consumer understanding to the center of Acreage's product, brand and marketing executions. As VP of Marketing, Joen will lead marketing strategy and brand management efforts across a growing portfolio of brands and retail concepts, including The Botanist, Acreage's flagship retail brand. Both executives will report directly to Chief Marketing Officer Harris Damashek and join a growing marketing organization with Acreage.  

"Our long-term success depends on our ability to create differentiated national brands and products that connect with consumers. The addition of Stacey and Joen is a testament to our commitment to driving the growth of our brands and the industry overall," said Harris Damashek, Chief Marketing Officer of Acreage Holdings. "They both bring an amazing track record and experience in creating, developing and growing breakthrough brands by connecting with consumers in culturally relevant ways."

Prior to joining Acreage, Kawahata worked at VICE Media for more than four years leading global brand, content and partnership strategy for VICE's commercial and editorial arm. She was also a leader in VICE's internal agency, VIRTUE, working with a number of brands including lululemon, Under Armour, and Apple. In this role, Kawahata also led strategy across several VICE partnerships with companies such as Samsung, Diageo, and ABI. In her role at Acreage, Kawahata will be responsible for crafting experiences and brands that resonate with the many different consumer segments across the cannabis industry, and creating marketing strategies, programs, and executions rooted in consumer needs.

Prior to his position of VP of Marketing at Acreage, Choe drove brand and commercial marketing across a variety of industries, geographies, and sizes—from global icons like Nike, Luxottica, and Absolut Vodka to high-growth brands like vitaminwater (Coca-Cola), St-Germain (Bacardi), and Aviation Gin. In addition to his deep experience in brand and marketing leadership, Choe managed product and business operations and led media and communications in roles across multiple verticals. Choe also held a leadership role at a startup in mobile health and wellness, Tangram, with products sold at Apple, Best Buy, and Target before being acquired by Kakao Ventures.

On joining Acreage, Choe said, "As the leader in the industry with the largest national footprint, Acreage Holdings is uniquely positioned to create the first national brands in the industry and shape the development of the most significant new industry in the world. It's a special challenge and privilege to build brands and experiences that will help craft one of the most significant moments in consumer behavior and culture."

On her role, Kawahata added, "In a few years, Acreage has established the largest company in the cannabis industry—what I see as the bedrock for creating a house of brands that will revolutionize how people think of cannabis and reach the many millions in the U.S. who need or want this plant to better their lives."

ABOUT ACREAGE HOLDINGS

Headquartered in New York City, Acreage Holdings is the largest vertically integrated, multi-state owner of cannabis licenses and assets in U.S. states with respect to number of states with operating licenses, according to public filings. Acreage has operating licenses in 19 states, serving a population of more than 172 million Americans, and an estimated 2022 total addressable market of approximately $14 billion in legal cannabis sales, according to Arcview Market Research. Acreage is dedicated to building and scaling operations to create a seamless, consumer-focused branded cannabis experience.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information, including, for greater certainty, statements regarding expanding our industry-leading footprint, rolling out a national brand, pending legislation, opening of new cannabis markets and the commencement of Oklahoma operations in 2019. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects Acreage's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Acreage and on assumptions Acreage believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: market acceptance and approvals. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Acreage to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations; competition; changes in legislation affecting Acreage; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. A description of additional assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Acreage's disclosure documents, such as Acreage's listing statement filed on November 14, 2018, on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although Acreage has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Acreage as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, Acreage expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.  The Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. 

SOURCE Acreage Holdings

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https://www.acreageholdings.com/

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