Planting Hope's RightRice Veggie Rice Launches in 180 Walmart Stores Across Canada in Dual-Language Packaging

• RightRice® Veggie Rice is rolling out in four flavors to 180 Walmart stores across Canada in dual-language Canadian-compliant packaging, adding 720 Total Distribution Points ("TDP")
• This is the Company's second major product launch into the Canadian market in Q4 2022, following on the recent launch of Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk into 382 Loblaw stores

CHICAGO, IL and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 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 its RightRice® Veggie Rice is launching in Canada at Walmart stores across the country beginning November 2022. Four flavors of RightRice® (Original, Spanish, Garlic Herb, Cilantro Lime) will be added to the packaged rice sets in the Grocery section of these Walmart stores.

"We are honored to take our first step into Walmart, the largest global retailer, with an important presence in the Canadian market," said Julia Stamberger, CEO and Co-founder of Planting Hope. "The initial reception from Canadian consumers to RightRice® has been extremely favorable, and we're excited to inaugurate the launch of our new dual-language RightRice® packaging in Walmart Canada stores, providing the first major distribution for RightRice® bilingual packages in Canada."

In Q2 2022, Planting Hope made a commitment to launch the top items in its Hope and Sesame®, Mozaics™, and RightRice® brands in Canadian-compliant dual-language packaging. In Q3 2022, the Company produced the first production runs of these products in Canadian-compliant packaging. Now in Q4 2022, after rolling out three flavors of Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk into 382 Loblaw Companies Limited stores, the Company is launching four RightRice® SKUs in Canadian packaging across 180 Walmart stores representing 720 new TDP.

RightRice® Veggie Rice offers Canadian shoppers a delicious rice alternative made with 90% veggies (lentils, chickpeas, and peas). RightRice® combines the nutrition of beans and rice together in a single quick-cooking grain with more than 9g of complete protein and 5g of dietary fiber. Extremely versatile, RightRice® can be served hot or cold in place of grains like white rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa, and contains 3-4x the protein and 30% fewer carbs than white rice. Simply add boiling water to RightRice® and let stand for 10 minutes to produce a powerhouse plant-based side dish or meal base packed with nutrition.

"Walmart is an exciting place to launch RightRice® in dual-language packaging to Canadian customers," said Matt LeBeau, Founder and CEO of LeBeau Excel Ltd., the Company's retail broker of record in Canada. "Walmart is increasing its focus on delivering plant-based and sustainable products to its shoppers, given increasing demand from Canadians for more nutritious and delicious food and beverages, and RightRice® is a strong fit for that mission."

About RightRice®
RightRice® is a vegetable-based, protein-rich, lower carbohydrate alternative to white rice that's packed with fiber and complete plant-based protein. RightRice® is the first of its kind: a shelf-stable grain that's 90% vegetables (lentils, chickpeas, green peas), and delivers on taste, functionality, and nutrition. With more than 9g of complete protein and 5g of fiber per 50g serving, RightRice® provides almost four times the protein and 40% fewer net carbohydrates than traditional white rice, plus it can be prepared in 12 minutes. RightRice® is available in Original (unflavored) and pre-seasoned flavor varieties, including Garlic & Herb, Spanish, and Cilantro Lime. RightRice® Risotto provides a protein-rich, easy-to-cook alternative to traditional risotto. All RightRice® products are made using real herbs and spices, and are plant-based, non-GMO verified, gluten-free certified, and kosher certified. RightRice® products are currently sold in more than 8,500 doors in leading retailers across North America, including Whole Foods Market, Wegman's, Kroger, Sprouts, and Publix, and in Canada can be found at Walmart stores. RightRice® is ideal for foodservice applications, and is featured on restaurant menus, including CAVA locations nationwide. RightRice® Risotto was awarded Best Sauce/Store Cupboard Product in FoodBev's 2021 World Plant-Based Taste Awards and received the 2021 Eco Excellence Award for Best Gluten Free Product, in addition to being chosen as a 2021 Editors' Pick for Best New Product by Progressive Grocer. For more information visit: www.rightrice.com.

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 9,000 doors and more than 50,000 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 HERE 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.

SOURCE: The Planting Hope Company Inc.