• New distribution at The GIANT Company adds two Stock Keeping Units (each, a "SKU") of Hope and Sesame^® Sesamemilk into 148 stores and six SKUs of RightRice^® Veggie Rice into 142 stores, for a total of 1,148 new Total Distribution Points ("TDP")
• This new distribution enhances the presence for both Planting Hope brands in the densely populated Mid-Atlantic region of the United States

CHICAGO, IL and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 15, 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 announce that The GIANT Company is adding Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk and RightRice® Veggie Rice to select store sets across the Mid-Atlantic states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The grocer is adding Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk in shelf-stable 32oz cartons in both Barista Blend and Chocolate flavors in up to 148 stores, adding 296 TDP, and is adding RightRice^® Veggie Rice in six flavors (Garlic Herb, Spanish, Original, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Creamy Parmesan Risotto, Garlic Herb Risotto) in up to 142 stores for a total of 852 new TDP. In total, this new distribution will add 1,148 TDP for Planting Hope's products.

"We're proud that The GIANT Company has selected both Hope and Sesame^® Sesamemilk and RightRice^® Veggie Rice to integrate into their curated selection of better-for-you products for their customers," said Julia Stamberger, CEO and Co-founder of Planting Hope. "Customers across the Mid-Atlantic states can now obtain our sesame milk and veggie rice at The GIANT Company store nearest to where they live and shop."

Hope and Sesame^® Sesamemilk and RightRice^® Veggie Rice have both achieved distribution gains in the United States and Canada throughout 2022. The Mid-Atlantic region is one of the densest and most populous areas of consumers in the United States; positioning both brands in this geography helps to access a core consumer that is looking for more plant-based and natural products as part of the growing flexitarian diet movement. ‘Flexitarian' consumers are not abandoning animal proteins altogether, but simply making conscious choices to consume more plant-based proteins in their diets, for reasons ranging from taste to nutrition to dietary and sustainability concerns.

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, Barista Blend Sesamemilk, and Sesamilk™ creamers, RightRice^® Veggie Rice, Mozaics™ Real Veggie Chips, and Veggicopia^® Veggie Snacks. Products from Planting Hope brands are available in more than 10,000 doors and more than 60,000 total distribution points at grocery retailers throughout North America, and are carried by key distributors to grocery, foodservice, and cafés. 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 about Planting Hope and where to find its award-winning plant-based brands please visit plantinghopecompany.com, sign up for Planting Hope news emails at this link and follow on LinkedIn. An informational webinar on The Planting Hope Company from CEO and Co-founder Julia Stamberger is available HERE. To follow the brands on Instagram and Facebook, please visit: @hopeandsesameco, @veggicopia, @rightrice, @mozaicschips.

Contacts

Company Contact:

Julia Stamberger
CEO and Co-founder
(773) 492-2243
julia@plantinghopecompany.com

Investor Relations Contacts:

Glen Akselrod, Bristol Capital
(905) 326-1888 ext. 1
glen@bristolir.com

Caroline Sawamoto, IR Labs
(773) 492-2243
ir@plantinghopecompany.com

Media Contact:

Alex Jessup, Jessup PR
(323) 529-3541
alex.jessup@jessuppr.com

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.