Investor Ideas #Potcasts; #Cannabis News and #Stocks on the Move: (CSE: $AUSA.C) (OTC: $EPAZ) (OTCQB: $SING) (CSE: $CRFT.C) (TSX: $FAF.TO)
Delta, Kelowna, BC –October 29, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) www.Investorideas.com, a global news source covering leading sectors including marijuana and hemp stocks and its potcast site, www.potcasts.ca release today’s edition of Investorideas.com potcastsCM - cannabis news and stocks to watch plus insight from thought leaders and experts.
Listen to the podcast:
Good afternoon and welcome to another episode of Investorideas.com "Potcast" featuring cannabis news, stocks to watch as well as insights from thought leaders and experts
In today’s podcast we look at a few early announcements.
But first, Hempcorp recently secured a 10,000 acre site set to become the world's largest hemp plantation. This comes following the legalisation of hemp cultivation within the state of Uttarakhand, India.
The company will be managing operations in Uttarakhand and has plans for a variety-based product chain from hemp. The product chain will vary from health foods, cosmetics, textiles, FMCGs, pharmaceuticals, cannabis-infused ayurvedic medicines, eco-friendly construction materials, bioplastics, biofuel and more. Hemp-based paper, plastics and fuel will foster a more sustainable future.
The company has been engaging with government officials and liaisons regarding regulatory compliance. A recent industry development was made by the government in licensing cannabis cultivation, processing and refinement for the production of ayurvedic medicines containing CBD and THC content.
The company has made the recent decision to proactively participate in the formation of a cannabis society for the decriminalisation, legalisation and advocacy of cannabis in India. Further, is in partnership discussions with technologists regarding bleeding edge technologies in cannabinoid extraction.
Hempcorp expects the market to grow at an exponential rate over the next 3 years into a multi-billion-dollar industry and is seeing a growing interest in foreign investment into India's cannabis space. Given these factors, the company is also focusing on the creation of an Indian hemp market.
Australis Capital Inc. (CSE: AUSA) (OTC: AUSAF) announced the formation of Cocoon Technology LLC, a cloud-based, self-service fulfillment platform and wholly-owned subsidiary of AUSA. Designed to enhance the consumer experience and reduce labor costs, Cocoon delivers operational efficiency to dispensaries while improving order fulfillment, cash management, bankcard acceptance, data analytics, customer loyalty, marketing, privacy, and compliance. Cocoon's Platform-as-a-Service model delivers contracted recurring revenue, one-time revenue, exclusive multi-year agreements, enhanced product offerings and an extensive runway of future innovations.
With the launch of CocoonPod®, Cocoon unites state-of-the-art self-service kiosks with mobile applications, platform agnostic integrations into leading enterprise resource planning (ERP)/business management systems, and payment providers. CocoonPod® features consumer-facing kiosks as stand-alone units or multi-unit pods as the core consumer point-of-interaction (POI), coupled with a consumer mobile application and tablet for employee assisted self-service transactions, providing a full omni-commerce solution for brick-and-mortar locations.
"The benefits of deploying self-service technology have been demonstrated across all brick-and-mortar retail sectors in the United States and AUSA's management experience and leadership in self-service technology positions AUSA for immediate success across North America," states Michael Carlotti, Chief Financial Officer of AUSA. "The estimated market opportunity for kiosk sales to dispensaries in the United States over the next five years is 50,000 units with a recurring revenue model based on a percentage of sales initiated within CocoonPod®. Cocoon has met with leading Multi-State Operators (MSO) and focus groups with conservative assumptions suggesting 60-80% of returning customers will choose to initiate their purchase through a self-service POI."
CocoonPod® functionality delivers reduced transaction times, privacy, coin-less cash recycling, payment gateway, ATM processing, ID validation, QR codes, consumer loyalty, charitable donations, and numerous marketing opportunities through a dynamic user interface. By integrating Coil®, a loyalty and data application built by AUSA's wholly-owned subsidiary Rthm Technologies ("Rthm"), CocoonPod® also offers fully integrated loyalty functionality for consumers, now branded as CocoonRewards®.
"Since being acquired by AUSA the Rthm team has created the industry's most powerful data-driven mobile loyalty application which will integrate directly within the CocoonPod® platform providing operators and consumers a user experience and point-of-purchase options never before available," states Alex Mosa, President of Rthm. "We are excited to release this impactful product into the U.S. market."
CocoonPod® self-service kiosks and integrated form factors were developed in partnership with Passport Technology Inc. ("Passport"), the International award-winning technology provider to brick-and-mortar casinos and hospitality. With over a decade of experience developing robust, intuitive, aesthetically pleasing self-service kiosk technology, payment applications, loyalty rewards, compliance programs, and opt-out optionality to highly regulated and high traffic industries, Passport's reputation of developing and supporting these technologies is unparalleled.
"As the industry continues to expand, retailers seek opportunities to streamline operations and enhance consumer experiences. CocoonPod® is the future for highly regulated brick-and-mortar environments where privacy, Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and social responsibility are critical," states Kurt Sullivan, President of Passport. "Our partnership with Cocoon will immediately address known pain points while introducing new functionality for all stakeholders within the dispensary and retail eco-system."
Epazz, Inc. (OTC: EPAZ), a leading provider of drone technology, blockchain mobile apps and cloud-based business software solutions, has announced that its holdings ZenaPay, Inc. has signed five beta customer agreements in order to commercialize its drone smart farming solution. The ZenaPay team in August 2019 beta tested its drone mapping and plant tracking solutions in Ireland on two farms. The beta test was a success, signing up additional beta customers. The company has been updating the software and developing its own drone technology based on the feedback from the Ireland trip.
Epazz, Inc., which formed Farm Drone, Inc. earlier this year, will license exclusively its drone technology to ZenaPay, Inc. The drone will be called ZenaDrone 1000. It will be the first generation drone we develop for the Agriculture industry. ZenaDrone 1000 will be a workhorse for farms, which will have multiple functions and features to scan fields and remove the male hemp plant in order to double female hemp production. The feedback we received from our trip to Ireland has provided us an opportunity to extend our technology to include tracking livestock and testing soil samples.
Epazz will be maintaining its twitter page with updates about the drone development and the company on a daily basis. You can visit our twitter page at https://www.twitter.com/epazz
Dr. Shaun Passley, CEO of Epazz & ZenaPay, said, “We believe that Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) and our facial recognition technology are the next technologies to positively impact agriculture production. Our agreements with 5 beta customers will demonstrate the benefits of the ZenaPay Drone Farm Software; and the efficiency gained from tracking plant growth from seed to harvest.”
SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) has launched into the smokable hemp market. Their newly released brand 1606 Original Hemp is gaining traction after much attention at the 2019 National Association of Convenience Stores launch. The company received orders on site at the show and gathered over 100 interested clients that collectively own over 15,000 locations. SinglePoint expects to make its first large sale in the near future and has shipped orders to a collective 250 locations.
Pure American Hemp cigarettes are nicotine and tobacco free. Some research suggests that smoking hemp cigarettes could be a potential tool to replace tobacco and nicotine addictions. According to a Brightfield Group survey of more than 5,000 CBD users in the U.S.:
● 24% have used it to help quit smoking.
● Quitters are often replacing cigarettes
with either smokable hemp or vaping.
● 41% of quitters have entirely replaced
tobacco with hemp CBD.
Google trends reveals over the last year that hemp was researched more often than tobacco and nicotine.
The Alternative Market has continued to grow by 35%, from 2019 to 2018 while cigarettes stayed steady at 3.1%. With the addition of hemp cigarettes and the recent vape scare, many assume the alternative market will continue growing as people look for a “healthier for you” alternative to cigarettes.
Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. (TSX: FAF) and its wholly-owned subsidiary HifyreTM Inc., announced the successful launch of the Spark PerksTM cannabis members program across the Fire & Flower retail network.
Members of the Spark Perks program receive exclusive benefits including: Fastlane checkout, special deals, member-only events and exclusive content. Spark Perks is free to join and no cannabis purchase is required to join the program.
Since the program's official launch on September 19, 2019, Spark Perks has grown to more than 38,000 members. Of those members, 33% have conducted a second transaction since the creation of the member profile. Initial results indicate that on average, Spark Perks members spend 43% more than non-members, per transaction, in the Fire & Flower retail network.
"Since the launch of the Spark Perks program, Fire & Flower has seen an increase in customer engagement and basket size of members across our retail network," shared Trevor Fencott, Chief Executive Officer of Fire & Flower. "The launch of the Spark Perks member program demonstrates Fire & Flower's continued commitment to be a leading data-driven, 'retail 2.0' company."
"Hifyre has been developing Spark Perks for more than six months and we are delighted to see positive initial results in the member program," shared Matthew Hollingshead, President of Hifyre. "Hifyre continues to be at the forefront of digital cannabis retail. We focus on developing secure, data driven retail tools that connect customers with the brands and products they love."
Between 2014 and 2018 global sales of legal cannabis more than tripled from $3.4 billion to $10.9 billion, according to the State of the Legal Cannabis Markets report from Arcview Market Research. BDS Analytics calls for a near-quadrupling from 2018 levels to $40.6 billion by 2024 at an annual growth rate of 21.9%. This has led many people to wonder, why the recent market downturn in the cannabis sector?
"Legal cannabis, particularly in Canada, has been struggling under the weight of burdensome regulations, poor supply-chain management, and quality issues," said Jamie Shaw, Chief Communications and Culture Officer for Pasha. "Coupled with that, companies in the sector were slow to deliver the results expected and were generally seen as overvalued. Share prices were determined at a time when there were relatively few licences that seemed to have a stranglehold on the regulated marketplace."
While these challenges are most pronounced in today's market, for Pasha it has been an affirmation of its business plan. "We never bought into the big-box mentality that's causing many of these problems," Shaw said. "Pasha has focused on small batch, craft producers, and has been meeting its goals at a quick pace, with the first micro-cultivation harvest expected in December."
Pasha has been on-boarding brands and people that made legalization possible, including Baked Edibles, Earth Dragon Organics, and Beard Brothers Collective, and has acquired a Health Canada licensed facility on Vancouver Island. Pasha expects to be the first licensed, nation-wide, all-craft company to be operational by end of Q4 2019/early Q1 2020.
Of the first 5 micro-licences issued by Health Canada, Pasha has signed supply agreements with all of them. Pasha also has signed supply agreements with 60 more applicants currently in the CTLS queue with Health Canada, and another 40 navigating the licensing process with Pasha subsidiary, BC Craft Supply Co. Ltd. With 100 micro-cultivators each permitted to produce up to 500kg per year, Pasha could have the ability to bring up to 50,000kg per year of high-quality craft cannabis to Canadian consumers.
"The legal market has yet to see products with the same care and attention to detail that went into the highest quality, illicit products," said Patrick Brauckmann, Executive Chair of Pasha Brands. "Pasha is committed to bringing products to the marketplace that put the consumer first."
Partnered with powerful distributors like Great North and developing innovative industry solutions like Craft Labs, Pasha looks to disrupt how people think of legal cannabis.
Investor ideas reminds all listeners to read our disclaimers and disclosures on the
Investorideas.com website and this podcast is not an endorsement to buy products or services or securities. Investors are reminded all investment involves risk and possible loss of investment
Subscribe to the new cannabis podcast series:
Investorideas.com podcasts are also available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, Stitcher, Spreaker, YouTube via Spreaker, iHeartradio and Tunein.
Potcasts is now a certified word mark Trademark on the blockchain through Cognate, Inc. CM Certification-Registration Number: 10468217708
About Investorideas.com - News that Inspires Big Investing Ideas Investorideas.com is a recognized news source publishing third party news, research and original financial content. Learn about investing in stocks and sector trends with our news alerts, articles, podcasts and videos, looking at cannabis, crypto, AI and IoT, mining, sports biotech, water, renewable energy and more. Investor Idea’s original branded content includes the following podcasts and columns : Crypto Corner , Play by Play sports and stock news column, Investor Ideas Potcasts Cannabis News and Stocks on the Move podcast and column, Cleantech and Climate Change , Exploring Mining the AI Eye .
Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. Disclosure : (OTCQB: SING) is a paid annual news and social media company on Investorideas.com More disclaimer info:
Investor Ideas does not condone the use of cannabis except where permissible by law. Our site does not possess, distribute, or sell cannabis products.
Follow us on Social Media
Contact Investorideas.com
800-665-0411
