"This is a natural progression of the work we have been doing for years"

Edible Garden has engaged Steadfast City Economic & Community Partners to support the optimization and execution of its Midwest platform initiative in collaboration with Tetra Pak. The engagement is designed to support site planning, development strategy, and long-term scalability for a facility that is expected to play a significant role in Edible Garden's next phase of growth. The Midwest platform will align production, distribution, and product development capabilities as the Company expands its presence in value-added and ready-to-drink (RTD) categories.

A step built on a proven foundation
Edible Garden's expansion into RTD reflects a continuation of the operating model that has defined the Company since its inception. The business was built on sustainably grown herbs and produce cultivated through controlled environment agriculture, with a focus on freshness, traceability, and reduced waste. Those capabilities established a disciplined approach to sourcing, production, infrastructure, distribution, and quality that extends directly into new product formats.

"This is a natural progression of the work we have been doing for years," said Jim Kras, Chief Executive Officer of Edible Garden. "Our native foundation in controlled environment agriculture and clean-label products has consistently created opportunities to expand beyond fresh categories. We are applying those same principles to a broader set of offerings while maintaining the integrity that defines our brand. By building on this foundation, we can enter adjacent categories with credibility and operational alignment, leveraging our early investments in sustainable growing practices and supply chain control to maintain a consistent throughline as we scale and broaden our platform."

Positioned to scale in RTD
The Midwest initiative is closely aligned with Edible Garden's collaboration with Tetra Pak, a global leader in food processing and packaging solutions. This relationship provides the Company with access to advanced capabilities that support efficient production and scalable growth in beverage formats. Tetra Pak's expertise in sustainable packaging complements Edible Garden's emphasis on environmental responsibility and resource efficiency. Together, the companies are positioned to deliver products that meet rising expectations for clean ingredients, reduced waste, and functional benefits, while maintaining operational discipline. The Midwest facility is expected to serve as a hub for the Company's expanding RTD portfolio, enabling it to bring new products to market with greater speed and efficiency.

Extending a vertically intergrated platform
Edible Garden's vertically integrated, Zero-Waste Inspired® approach seamlessly connects cultivation, processing, and product development within a unified platform. This integrated structure enhances supply consistency, strengthens control over inputs, and enables more efficient innovation across its portfolio.

By extending this proven model into RTD and shelf-stable categories, the Company is broadening its reach while remaining firmly aligned with its core capabilities in controlled environment agriculture and clean-label product development. This expansion allows Edible Garden to address a broader range of consumer needs while upholding the same standards of quality, sustainability and transparency that define its fresh product offerings.

Steadfast City Economic & Community Partners will support the execution of this initiative by bringing expertise in economic development and large-scale project planning. Their involvement is intended to help ensure that the Midwest platform is optimized for long-term performance and positioned to support both operational goals and regional economic impact.

"This initiative represents an opportunity to align sustainable food production with regional economic growth," said Margaret Riter, Managing Principal at Steadfast City. "Our focus is on ensuring the platform is positioned for long-term scalability while delivering meaningful impact at the local level."

"Our approach is to build on what we know works and to execute with discipline," Kras added. "We are extending our capabilities in a way that remains true to our foundation while positioning the Company for continued growth. By leveraging our vertically integrated platform and long-standing commitment to clean-label, responsibly produced products, we are able to scale into adjacent categories with consistency and operational alignment, while continuing to meet the evolving needs of both consumers and our retail partners."