• Sprouts Farmers Market is one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the United States, with approximately 380 stores
• New Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk SKUs being added to Sprouts stores include Barista Blend, Unsweetened Vanilla, and Unsweetened Original

CHICAGO, IL and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 18, 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 Hope and Sesame® Non-GMO Sesamemilk in shelf-stable 32 oz cartons will be launched in Sprouts Farmers Market grocery shelves in August 2022.

Sprouts, one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the United States, will be carrying Hope and Sesame® Unsweetened Original and Unsweetened Vanilla Sesamemilk, as well as the latest product introduction from Hope and Sesame®, Barista Blend Sesamemilk, specially optimized to froth, foam, and steam like a dream for hot and iced beverages.

"We're thrilled to take our partnership with Sprouts Farmers Market to the next level," said Julia Stamberger, CEO and Co-founder of Planting Hope. "Sprouts boasts a thoughtful, health- and planet-conscious core customer that appreciates products that are both more nutritious and planet-friendly, like Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk. As a company, Sprouts is extremely selective in the brands and products they offer their customers and we're honored they've selected Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk to have a presence in their stores."

• The addition of the Hope and Sesame® Non-GMO Sesamemilk line to 331 stores increases total Total Distribution Points ("TDP") for the brand in Sprouts stores from 200 to 993
• The Hope and Sesame® Organic line has been phased out from Planting Hope's line up in favor of new Non-GMO Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk cartons sporting new branding, lower consumer price point, and expanded SKUs including new Unsweetened Vanilla Sesamemilk and Barista Blend Sesamemilk
• Sprouts also carries 5 SKUs of RightRice® in all 382 stores, with a TDP of 1,910
• The aggregate TDP of Planting Hope products in Sprouts stores therefore is now 2,903

Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk

• Nutritionally comparable to dairy milk with 8g complete plant-based protein per serving (provides all nine essential amino acids)
• Excellent source of Calcium and a good source of Vitamin D and Phosphorus
• Vegan / Soy-Free / Dairy-Free / Gluten-Free Certified / Kosher Certified
• Barista Blend Sesamemilk froths, foams, and steams like a dream, great for latte art!
• Delicious in any hot or iced drink

Sesame - One of the Most Sustainable Crops on the Planet

• Requires little water to cultivate, thrives in drought conditions
• Bee-friendly, self-pollinating
• An excellent cover crop, contributing positively to sustainable agriculture
• Sesamemilk upcycles the protein-rich pulp remaining after sesame seeds are pressed for oil (traditionally considered a by-product used primarily for animal feed)
• Uses 95% less water to produce than almond milk, 75% less water than oat milk

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.

Planting Hope Cancels Agreement With North Equities

Planting Hope has cancelled the agreement with North Equities Corp. for investor relations and marketing services, initially announced on August 11, 2022. The agreement is cancelled, effective August 17, 2022, without penalty or payment (cash or stock options).

About Hope and Sesame®

Hope and Sesame® has cracked the code on unlocking the dense nutrition in tiny sesame seeds, creating an important new trend in plant milk: sesamemilk, both ultra-nutritious and highly planet-friendly. Sesame is sustainable, requiring very little water to cultivate, is naturally drought- and pest-resistant, and can self-pollinate. Sesamemilk is nutritionally comparable to dairy milk, delivering 8g of complete protein per 3 serving (including all nine essential amino acids) - that's 8x the protein in most nut milks and 3x the protein in most oat milks! Specifically developed for and tested by top baristas, Hope and Sesame® Barista Blend Sesamemilk froths, steams, and foams like a dream, great for latte art, and delivers 4g of complete protein per 8oz serving. Sesamemilk is an excellent source of Vitamin D and Calcium and is upcycled from the byproduct of sesame oil extraction. Hope and Sesame® Sesamilk™ creamers are free from saturated fat and contain only 40 calories per serving. All Hope and Sesame® products are vegan, Certified Gluten-Free and Certified Kosher, free from soy and dairy, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Certified by the Plant Based Foods Association. Hope and Sesame® Barista Blend Sesamemilk was awarded Best Product at Coffee Fest Chicago 2022 and was a finalist for Best Product of the Year at the 2022 Specialty Coffee Awards; Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk was awarded Best Milk Alternative and Best Plant-Based Sustainability in FoodBev's 2021 World Plant-Based Food Awards; signature Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk flavor received the 2020 Sofi Award for Best New Product, Plant-Based Milk from the Specialty Food Association; Hope and Sesame® Barista Blend Sesamemilk was awarded ‘Best Product' at Coffee Fest Chicago 2022.

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.

About Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.

Sprouts is the place where goodness grows. True to its farm-stand heritage, Sprouts offers a unique grocery experience featuring an open layout with fresh produce at the heart of the store. Sprouts inspires wellness naturally with a carefully curated assortment of better-for-you products paired with purpose-driven people. The healthy grocer continues to bring the latest in wholesome, innovative products made with lifestyle-friendly ingredients such as organic, plant-based and gluten-free. Headquartered in Phoenix, and one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the United States, Sprouts employs approximately 31,000 team members and operates approximately 380 stores in 23 states nationwide. This year Sprouts celebrates its 20^th anniversary. To learn more about Sprouts, and the good it brings communities, visit about.sprouts.com.

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.