• Planting Hope's team showcased menu solutions featuring RightRice® Veggie Rice, Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk, and Mozaics™ Real Veggie Chips to hundreds of Foodservice channel decision makers during the 2023 DOT Foods Innovations Show
• DOT Foods is the linchpin to opening up the Foodservice channel, a major focus for Planting Hope for expanded growth and profitability
• DOT Foods provides direct access to more than 4,500 distributors and 200,000 Foodservice end user locations
• Menu concepts showcased to DOT customers include RightRice® in bowl formats (as featured on CAVA restaurant menus nationwide, Chicken + RightRice Bowl), as well as in burritos and wraps
• Now appearing on nearly 25% of menus nationwide, bowls are one of the fastest growing menu trends in Foodservice, offering customers both easy customization and portability
• RightRice® is the only bowl base that also provides complete protein

CHICAGO, IL and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 16, 2023 / 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 proud to announce that Planting Hope was invited to showcase its product lines at the DOT Food Innovations show, June 13-15 in St. Louis, Missouri. All three brands, RightRice® Veggie Rice, Hope and Sesame® Sesamemilk, and Mozaics™ Real Veggie Chips are newly listed in DOT Foods, making them available to more than 4,500 distributors and 200,000 Foodservice end user locations nationwide. The DOT Foods Innovations Show brings together DOT customers, suppliers, and national account operators, to make meaningful connections, discover industry insights, and explore trending products-all available through DOT.

"Achieving distribution through DOT Foods across our brands has been a major milestone achievement for the Company, and we're proud to be invited to showcase our products to DOT Foods Partners at the annual DOT Foods Innovations Show," says Julia Stamberger, CEO and Co-Founder, Planting Hope. "DOT's reach and reputation in the Foodservice channel is unparalleled, and they're truly a company that their partners enjoy working with, from vendors to end customers. We're thrilled to bring our own Planting Hope innovation to DOT customers at the show and are showcasing a variety of menu solutions across our products that speak to some of the fastest-growing trends in Fast-Casual, Quick Service Restaurant, and Campus Foodservice."

At DOT Innovations, Planting Hope offered samples of a RightRice® Pad Thai- style bowl prepared by Planting Hope's Michelin Star Chef Henry Hill. Menu solutions on display included a RightRice® Vegetarian Burrito and a RightRice® Mediterranean Bowl, similar to the bowls at CAVA Restaurants (NYSE: CAVA), where RightRice® is offered by name as a Grain Bowl base.

The Bowl menu trend now appears on more than 25% of restaurant menus nationwide and is continuing to scale rapidly. As Bleu Zones put it (Super Bowls: Why This Healthier Food Trend is Here to Stay), "the Bowl Boom emerged from fast-casual restaurants almost by accident, an ad hoc solution for meeting off-menu special requests from customers. Seen this way, it's clear that bowls are the food format we'd long wanted, rather than some clever marketing ploy foisted upon us."

Bowls are now a fixture on the menu of Fast-Casual Restaurants, which fill the gap between fast-food and casual table-service restaurants; today there are more than 40,000 Fast-Casual restaurant outlets in the United States, and annual revenues are anticipated to grow by $55.4 billion between 2022-2027, a CAGR of 12%.

To build a Bowl, typically a consumer selects a Base, then a Protein, then a variety of Veggies, wet Toppings (beans, guacamole, hummus), dry Toppings (seeds, croutons, cheese), and Dressing. Popular bowl bases on menus include Salad Greens, Grains (rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, lentils), and Noodles (zucchini noodles, rice noodles, ramen).

"The great thing about RightRice® is that it is far more than a rice alternative," said Planting Hope Product & Culinary Development Chef, Henry Hill. "RightRice® is the only bowl base that is ALSO a complete protein. Now operators can garnish and build up the bowl without having to add additional protein on top. With 11g of compete protein per serving, ounce for ounce RightRice® has comparable complete protein to salmon, 3x the protein in tofu, and 25% more protein than most alternative meats, like Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger."

Ounce-for-ounce, RightRice® Foodservice bulk product is priced comparably to quinoa, and less than animal protein sources, also providing opportunities for operator cost savings across the finished product as additional protein is not required to complete the meal.

For Beverage menu solution ideation, Hope and Sesame® Barista Blend Sesamemilk was featured in a Toasted Black Sesame Nitro Latte and in a Vanilla Matcha Latte.

The Planting Hope 2023 Foodservice Catalog, including DOT Foods item numbers, is available here.

About DOT Foods
Dot Foods, Inc. carries 125,000 products from 1,020 food industry manufacturers, making it the largest food industry redistributor in North America. Through Dot Transportation, Inc., an affiliate of Dot Foods, the company distributes foodservice, convenience, retail, and vending products to distributors in all 50 states and more than 55 countries. Dot Foods operates 12 U. S. distribution centers, which are located in Bullhead City, Arizona; Modesto, California; Bear, Delaware; Vidalia, Georgia; Burley, Idaho; Mt. Sterling, Illinois; University Park, Illinois; Cambridge City, Indiana; Williamsport, Maryland; Liverpool, New York; Ardmore, Oklahoma; and Dyersburg, Tennessee. Dot's 13th U.S. location will be located in Manchester, Tennessee. Dot Foods' Canadian operations are located in Toronto, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta. A new Dot Foods Canada distribution center is currently under construction in Ingersoll, Canada.

In November 2022, Planting Hope announced that the Company had become a vendor to Dot Foods, initiating listings through Dot with Original RightRice® Veggie Rice in bulk 5lb bags and Hope and Sesame® Barista Blend Sesamemilk in 32 oz shelf-stable cartons. An additional three RightRice®️ SKUs and six Hope and Sesame®️ SKUs were added to Dot warehouses in March 2023.

For more information, visit DotFoods.com.

About CAVA
CAVA is the category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, bringing together healthful food and bold, satisfying flavors at scale. Rooted in rich Mediterranean heritage, CAVA bring a timeless approach to modern wellness through authentic cuisine and vibrant brand experience. Guided by its mission, CAVA believes food is a unifier for a more diverse and inclusive world for their guests, team members, and grower and rancher partners, where all are welcome at their table. CAVA believes that consumers should not have to choose between taste and health - their innovative cuisine appeals to a wide variety of preferences, satisfying the modern consumer's desires for flavorful, craveable, and nutritious food without compromise.

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® has received awards and acclaim since its launch in 2019, including People Magazine's Best Plant-Based Food Award, NOSH's Best New Product, and Sunset Magazine's 2021 Pantry Award, in addition to being highlighted as the Best Alt Grain Grocery Store Swap by goop. 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. Planting Hope products are currently found in more than 15,000 retail doors and 70,000 total distribution points across North America. Founded by experienced food industry entrepreneurs, Planting Hope is a women-managed and women-led company focused on nutrition, sustainability, and representation.

For more information about Planting Hope 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, @rightrice, @mozaicschips, @veggicopia.

To find Planting Hope products at a store near you in the United States or Canada, please visit the store locator. Planting Hope products are also available at plantinghopebrands.com and ecommerce retailers including Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

The 2023 Planting Hope Product Catalog is available here. The Planting Hope Foodservice Catalog, including item codes to order Planting Hope products through DOT Foods, is available here.

Contacts

Company Contact:
Julia Stamberger
CEO and Co-Founder
(773) 492-2243
julia@plantinghopecompany.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Glen Akselrod, Bristol Capital
(905) 326-1888 ext. 1
glen@bristolir.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 December 31, 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.