The Planting Hope Company Inc.: Planting Hope Increases Distribution Across Its Plant-Based Portfolio With Retailers and Distribution Warehouses

• New SKUs and additional distribution for RightRice® and Hope and Sesame® at regional US grocery retailers including The Fresh Market, Inc., Fresh Thyme Market, Thrive Market, and Hannaford builds Total Distribution Points ("TDP") to approximately 49,000
• 135 new slots gained across more than 15 United Natural Foods, Inc. ("UNFI") distribution centers for Hope and Sesame® and Mozaics
• KeHE Distributors® has added all seven Hope and Sesame® SKUs to exclusive, invite-only 'New@KeHE' program in four divisions, joining RightRice® and Mozaics

CHICAGO, IL and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 23, 2022 / The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV:MYLK)(OTCQB:MYLKF)(FRA:J94) ("Planting Hope" or the "Company"), a plant-based food and beverage company focused on producing the world's most nutritious and planet-friendly products, is pleased to report increases in distribution across its plant-based product line, including adding 135 new slots for Hope and Sesame® and Mozaics across more than 15 distribution centers at UNFI.

"Consumer demand for high-quality plant-based food and beverages is on a steady incline, especially for pantry-staple, nutrition-dense products like our Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk, RightRice® Veggie Rice, and Mozaics Really Veggie Chips," said Julia Stamberger, CEO and Co-founder of Planting Hope. "We're excited about the opportunity to significantly increase our distribution across the United States through UNFI with 135 new slots for Mozaics and Hope and Sesame®, allowing us to service new retail and foodservice customers in these regions. We're also thrilled for these brands to be included in KeHE Distributors' 'New@KeHE' program, increasing our exposure to new retailers whose customers are seeking new plant-based products."

New SKUs and Additional Distribution:

Hope and Sesame® Distribution

• Hannaford (Northeastern US): Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk, refrigerated 48 oz bottles, Unsweetened Original, 50 doors (+50 TDP)

RightRice® Distribution

The following retailers increased their commitment to RightRice® by swapping in new SKUs to refresh their RightRice® assortment with the new Risotto line and new Mediterranean RightRice®, maintaining net TDPs for RightRice® at these retailers:

• The Fresh Market (Southeastern, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern US): RightRice® Mediterranean and RightRice® Risotto Roasted Garlic in 160 stores (swap for RightRice Medley, Harvest Pilaf and Fried Rice)
• Fresh Thyme Market (Midwestern US): RightRice® Risotto, Creamy Parmesan and Wild Mushroom in 70 stores with 70 shippers to support the launch (swap for RightRice® Medley, Harvest Pilaf and Fried Rice)
• Thrive Market (online grocery): RightRice® Mediterranean (swap for RightRice® Medley Fried Rice)
• HEB (Texas): RightRice® Risotto, Creamy Parmesan and Wild Mushroom in 180 stores (swap for RightRice® Lemon Pepper and Thai Curry

Increased Distribution Opportunities Through UNFI to Bring a Differentiated Product Selection to Its Customers - a Total of 135 New Slots Added

UNFI is North America's premier grocery wholesaler delivering the widest variety of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to more than 30,000 locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce providers, and food service customers.

UNFI has recently created the following slots in its distribution centers for Mozaics Real Veggie Chips and Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk:

• 45 new slots for Mozaics 3.5 oz, three flavors (Sea Salt, BBQ, Salsa) across 15 distribution centers
• 15 new slots for Mozaics 0.75 oz, three flavors (Sea Salt, BBQ, Salsa) across 5 distribution centers
• 75 new slots for Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk shelf-stable 32 oz cartons, five flavors across 15 distribution centers

Planting Hope Invited by KeHE Distributors® to Exclusive 'New@KeHE' Program

KeHE Distributors® is the largest, pure-play distributor of natural & organic, specialty, and fresh products to more than 30,000 retail locations across North America. For new, promising products, KeHE Distributors® offers an exclusive, invite-only program called "New@KeHE" that helps to introduce new retailers to these products. In 2022, Planting Hope's Hope and Sesame®, Mozaics, and RightRice® brands were all invited to participate in New@KeHE:

• All Hope and Sesame® shelf-stable (7 SKUs), selected for New@KeHe program in four divisions this summer
• Mozaics and RightRice® brands were both featured in New@KeHE earlier in 2022

For more information about Planting Hope and where to find its award-winning plant-based brands please visit plantinghopecompany.com, sign up for Planting Hope news emails HERE, and follow on LinkedIn. To follow the brands on Instagram and Facebook, please visit: @hopeandsesameco, @veggicopia, @rightrice, @mozaicschips.

About The Planting Hope Company Inc.
Planting Hope develops, launches, and scales uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. Planting Hope's award-winning and cutting-edge products fill key unmet needs in the skyrocketing plant-based food and beverage space. The Planting Hope brand family includes Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk and Sesamilk creamers, RightRice® Veggie Rice, Mozaics Real Veggie Chips, and Veggicopia® Veggie Snacks. Founded by experienced food industry entrepreneurs, Planting Hope is a women-managed and woman-led company focused on nutrition, sustainability, and diversity. For more information, visit: www.plantinghopecompany.com.

Company Contact:
Julia Stamberger
CEO and Co-founder
[phone]
[e-mail]

Investor Relations Contacts:
Glen Akselrod, Bristol Capital
[phone] ext. 1
[e-mail]

Caroline Sawamoto, IR Labs
[phone]
[e-mail]

Media Contact:
Alex Jessup, Jessup PR
[phone]
[e-mail]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to hereafter as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will, or may, occur in the future, including statements about the Company's ability to execute on its goals, the timing pertaining to these goals the potential demand for the Company's products, the timing and success of anticipated product launches and distribution of the Company's products, and the Company's business prospects, future trends, plans and strategies. In some cases, forward looking statements are preceded by, followed by, or include words such as "may", "will," "would", "could", "should", "believes", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "continues", or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. In preparing the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, the assumption that demand for the Company's product will be sustained or increase in accordance with management's projections, that the Company's internal research and analysis is indicative of broader market trends and the Company's anticipated future demand for its products, that changes in consumer preferences in the plant-based food industry will continue in accordance with the Company's expectations, that the Company's current business objectives can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected, and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. Although the management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statement herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although management of the Company 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. Risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company, as well as trends identified by the Company affecting its industry can be found in the Company's annual information form dated January 6, 2022 and the Company's continuous disclosure record available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Such cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements made in this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: The Planting Hope Company Inc.

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