Green Thumb Industries Announces First-Of-Its-Kind Partnership with Iconic Chicago Music Venue, The Salt Shed, Introducing Retail Store RISE at Salt Shed and RYTHM Brand Activations
CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Thumb Industries Inc. (“Green Thumb” or the “Company”) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of RISE Dispensaries, today announced an exclusive, two-year partnership with The Salt Shed, the renowned, community-driven music venue in the heart of the Windy City run by hospitality collective 16” on Center. Effective January 1, 2025, the sponsorship deal marks The Salt Shed’s most extensive cannabis collaboration to date. Elements include an on-site retail experience from RISE Dispensaries, RISE at Salt Shed, opening soon and offering hemp-derived THC Delta 9 (HD9) products from Green Thumb brands like incredibles and Beboe, as well as branded merchandise and accessories. In addition, concertgoers and artists alike will enjoy immersive experiences from GTI’s best-selling flower brand, RYTHM Premium Cannabis – all meticulously designed to amplify the powerful connection between cannabis and music.
Scheduled to open in the coming weeks, RISE at Salt Shed will be Green Thumb’s unique on-site retail space dedicated to the discovery and sale of best-in-class HD9 products and merchandise from Green Thumb’s family of brands. The store will be situated in the Fairgrounds, an outdoor festival-style space nestled between The Salt Shed and the Chicago River. With a sleek, industrial design honoring the venue’s historic roots, RISE at Salt Shed will be an inviting experience for venue guests on show days, offering concert essentials such as lighters, water bottles, T-shirts and hoodies, in addition to HD9 THC products including Beboe and incredibles gummies, incredibles chocolate bars, and a variety of other popular HD9 brands including Señorita, the award-winning THC Margarita.
RISE at Salt Shed 2
RISE at Salt Shed
All products available for purchase are Farm Bill compliant, manufactured in certified cGMP facilities, and have transparent labeling including ingredients, potency, and a QR code linking to certificates of analysis from independent testing labs. Customers looking to purchase Green Thumb’s state regulated marijuana products can visit www.risecannabis.com for a list of RISE dispensary locations across Illinois and the country.
The new partnership will also include RYTHM-branded photo opportunities and unique design elements throughout the venue, allowing concertgoers to experience the RYTHM lifestyle. Select shows presented exclusively by RYTHM will offer a further elevated brand experience with on-site activations and additional surprises to Find Your RYTHM.
“Salt Shed and RYTHM are the perfect match. We are excited to bring our premier cannabis brand together with such an esteemed Chicago music venue as we look to the future of on-site experiences,” said Ben Kovler, Green Thumb Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Cannabis and music are inextricably linked, and the ability to purchase these products on site to elevate the concertgoing experience is long overdue. Thank you to our friends at the Salt Shed and 16” on Center for taking this step with us to break the stigma and share the power of the plant at this iconic venue.”
“From music festivals to artist-curated strains and unique experiences, Green Thumb is an expert in merging cannabis, culture, and creativity to fuel unique experiences and quality products,” said Victor David Giron, Chief Financial Officer of 16” on Center. “Our combined expertise will help us bring the Salt Shed live event experience to the next level, making this the perfect collaboration to kick off the new year.”
RYTHM was built on the proven, positive connection between cannabis and music, and the brand has been elevating and innovating in the space ever since. In 2023, RYTHM was a co-creator and presenter of The Miracle in Mundelein, Illinois’ first music festival with on-site cannabis consumption, which celebrated its second year this past September. The brand also introduced Bud Ball, RYTHM's premium music and cannabis event honoring the budtenders and other visionaries who keep the industry thriving with live music and high vibrations. In the fall of 2023, RYTHM brought consumers the beloved RYTHM Artist Series, a collection of strains chosen (and enjoyed) by celebrated artists spanning several genres of music and empowering consumers to align their music and cannabis tastes.
RYTHM’s collection of premium flower, vape and concentrates delivers strain-specific effects and authentic experiences. For more information about RYTHM, please visit RYTHM.com.
About Green Thumb Industries Green Thumb Industries Inc. (“Green Thumb”), a national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and retailer, promotes well-being through the power of cannabis while giving back to the communities in which it serves. Green Thumb manufactures and distributes a portfolio of branded cannabis products including &Shine, Beboe, Dogwalkers, Doctor Solomon’s, Good Green, incredibles and RYTHM. The company also owns and operates rapidly growing national retail cannabis stores called RISE. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Green Thumb has 20 manufacturing facilities, 101 open retail locations and operations across 14 U.S. markets. Established in 2014, Green Thumb employs approximately 4,800 people and serves millions of patients and customers each year. More information is available at www.gtigrows.com.
About The Salt Shed Located within the historic Morton Salt complex in the heart of Chicago, The Salt Shed has been transformed into a state-of-the-art music venue and entertainment complex, featuring both indoor and outdoor stages. Adjacent to The Salt Shed is the Fairgrounds, a festival-style space along the Chicago River that offers an immersive outdoor concert experience with a panoramic view of the Chicago skyline, complete with a custom grandstand, premium balcony and rooftop ticketing, and a vibrant mix of local food and retail. Since its opening in 2022, The Salt Shed has been recognized as the Best New Venue by Pollstar and Billboard and is operated by 16 On Center, one of the country's largest independent promoters and hospitality collective with over 30 years of experience in revitalizing iconic Chicago properties. Hosting an array of world-class performances and over 600,000 guests annually, The Salt Shed has quickly become a pivotal cultural hub in Chicago's vibrant entertainment landscape.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains statements that we believe are, or may be considered to be, “forward-looking statements.” All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this document regarding the partnership deal with the Salt Shed as well as future events and experiences may constitute forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “foresee,” “opportunity,” “project,” “potential,” “risk,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “forecast,” “continue,” “suggests” or “could” or the negative of these terms or variations of them or similar terms or expressions of similar meaning. Furthermore, forward-looking statements may be included in various filings that we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), or oral statements made by or with the approval of one of our authorized executive officers. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that these expectations will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. These known and unknown risks include, without limitation: cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law, and enforcement of cannabis laws could change; the Company may be subject to action by the U.S. federal government; state regulation of cannabis is uncertain; the Company may not be able to obtain or maintain necessary permits and authorizations; the Company may be subject to heightened scrutiny by Canadian regulatory authorities; the Company may face limitations on ownership of cannabis licenses; the Company may become subject to U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives regulation; cannabis businesses are subject to applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations and have restricted access to banking and other financial services; the Company may face difficulties acquiring additional financing; the Company faces intense competition; the Company faces competition from unregulated products; the Company is dependent upon the popularity and consumer acceptance of its brand portfolio; the Company lacks access to U.S. bankruptcy protections; the Company operates in a highly regulated sector and may not always succeed in complying fully with applicable regulatory requirements in all jurisdictions where it carries on business; the Company has limited trademark protections; the Company may face difficulties in enforcing its contracts; cannabis businesses are subject to unfavorable tax treatment; cannabis businesses may be subject to civil asset forfeiture; the Company is subject to proceeds of crime statutes; the Company faces exposure to fraudulent or illegal activity; the Company’s use of joint ventures may expose it to risks associated with jointly owned investments; the Company faces risks due to industry immaturity or limited comparable, competitive or established industry best practices; the Company faces risks related to its products; the Company’s business is subject to the risks inherent in agricultural operations; the Company faces risks related to its information technology systems and potential cyber-attacks and security breaches; the Company relies on third-party software providers for numerous capabilities we depend upon to operate, and a disruption of one or more of these systems could adversely affect our business; the Company faces an inherent risk of product liability or similar claims; the Company’s products may be subject to product recalls; the Company may face unfavorable publicity or consumer perception; the Company’s voting control is concentrated; the Company’s capital structure and voting control may cause unpredictability; and issuances of substantial amounts of the Super Voting Shares, Multiple Voting Shares, Subordinate Voting Shares may result in dilution. Further information on these and other potential factors that could affect the Company’s business and financial condition and the results of operations are included in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and elsewhere in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website or at https://investors.gtigrows.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained in this document, which reflect management’s opinions only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to any forward-looking statements. You are advised, however, to consult any additional disclosures we make in our reports to the SEC. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained in this document.
Green Thumb Investor Contact: Andy Grossman EVP, Capital Markets & Investor Relations InvestorRelations@gtigrows.com 310-622-8257
