B&B Beyond is owned and operated by two experienced executives from the convenience industry, including a former Chairman of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). To further accelerate commercialization of TAAT®, B&B Beyond will leverage its connections to expand the brand’s presence in the United States.
LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT® GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the “Company” or “TAAT®”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a representation agreement with B&B Beyond, LLC (“B&B Beyond”). B&B Beyond is currently leveraging its relationships to present TAAT® to the management teams of national/regional convenience store chains, industry associations, and wholesale buying cooperatives. B&B Beyond is owned and operated by two experienced convenience store executives, Brent Taylor and Brad Call (2014 Chairman of the National Association of Convenience Stores). The combined experience of Mr. Taylor and Mr. Call in convenience is expected to enhance the Company’s ability to further disrupt the USD $812 billion global tobacco industry. Professional profiles of Mr. Taylor and Mr. Call are provided below.
Brent Taylor
On the vendor side of convenience retailing, Mr. Taylor has introduced several brands to the U.S. market. Before entering the convenience brokerage space, Mr. Taylor became the Executive Director of Marketing for Maverik in 1998, a 380-store convenience chain in the western U.S., working alongside Mr. Call, whose family founded Maverik in 1928. Mr. Taylor was then recruited to become the Associate Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing for TETCO, Inc. (300-store convenience chain in Texas and Utah), until it was acquired by 7-Eleven in 20121. Mr. Taylor later became Chief Operating Officer of the South Texas Merchants’ Association, coordinating contracts with national brands for approximately 450 independent stores.
Brad Call
After graduating law school, Mr. Call began his professional career as a lobbyist based in Washington, D.C. for a construction firm. In 1998, Call joined the Maverik convenience chain, as a third-generation member of Maverik’s founding family. While in this capacity, Mr. Call was elected to the board of the National Association of Convenience Stores (“NACS”) and later became the association’s Chairman for 2013-20142. Additionally, Mr. Call served on the NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council. FJ Management (owned by a cousin of Mr. Call) acquired Maverik in 20123. FJ Management is an industry leader in convenience, oil, banking, and insurance, and was ranked by Forbes in 2009 as the 13th largest private U.S. company, with USD $18 billion in revenue4. In addition to his present dealings in convenience brokerage, Mr. Call is working closely with national U.S. convenience chains to place cellular signal antennas on their rooftops.
Brad Call of B&B Beyond stated, “We are fully committed to our mission of driving disruption in the tobacco channel through the introduction of TAAT® to convenience stores, as a nicotine-free and tobacco-free choice for adult smokers. Besides its role in tobacco harm reduction, TAAT® is offered at an attractive price point with significantly higher margin for retailers, which is why we are confident that TAAT® will offer a compelling value proposition for our contacts in convenience. Our initial presentations to decision-makers of retail chains and independent wholesale buying cooperatives have yielded very positive responses, and we are excited to pursue this engagement with TAAT® as we work together to scale the brand’s footprint nationally.”
TAAT® Chief Executive Officer Michael Saxon commented, “The industry acumen and connections that Mr. Taylor and Mr. Call bring to the table will only strengthen the Company’s commercial capabilities and accelerate our national expansion strategy. The fact that TAAT® was able to attract such accomplished C-store executives is a testament to the product and brand’s potential. We are delighted for them to be part of the TAAT® sales team as they are already arranging meetings for us with some of the nation’s largest convenience store chains.”
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About TAAT® Global Alternatives Inc.
TAAT® develops, manufactures, and distributes alternative products in categories such as tobacco, hemp, kratom, and other emerging CPG segments. Its flagship product is a nicotine-free/tobacco-free combustible with a patent-pending base material formulation, sold in several thousand U.S. stores. With over CAD $80 million in overall gross revenue annually, TAAT®’s facilities include an operations centre in Nevada, as well as a distribution centre and multiple convenience stores in Ohio.
This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the anticipated performance of TAAT® in the tobacco industry, in addition to the following: Potential outcomes from the relationship between TAAT® and B&B Beyond, LLC as described in the press release. The forward-looking information reflects management’s current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; (iii) changes to the regulatory landscape applicable to the Company's business; and (iv) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company’s management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Company’s products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Company’s products on an individual’s health and well-being. The Company’s products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees.
Disclosures relating to investor relations firms retained by TAAT® Global Alternatives Inc. can be found under the Company's profile on http://sedar.com.
