00015203582024FYfalseP3Y0.010.0100015203582023-02-012024-01-3100015203582023-07-31iso4217:USD00015203582024-04-23xbrli:shares00015203582023-11-012024-01-3100015203582024-01-3100015203582023-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesAPreferredStockMember2023-01-31iso4217:USDxbrli:shares0001520358us-gaap:SeriesAPreferredStockMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:PreferredStockMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:PreferredStockMember2023-01-3100015203582022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:PreferredStockMemberus-gaap:SeriesAPreferredStockMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMemberus-gaap:PreferredStockMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:CommonStockMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:TreasuryStockCommonMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RetainedEarningsMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:CommonStockMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMemberus-gaap:PreferredStockMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RetainedEarningsMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:PreferredStockMemberus-gaap:SeriesAPreferredStockMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMemberus-gaap:PreferredStockMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:CommonStockMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:TreasuryStockCommonMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RetainedEarningsMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:PreferredStockMemberus-gaap:SeriesAPreferredStockMember2022-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMemberus-gaap:PreferredStockMember2022-01-310001520358us-gaap:CommonStockMember2022-01-310001520358us-gaap:TreasuryStockCommonMember2022-01-310001520358us-gaap:AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember2022-01-310001520358us-gaap:RetainedEarningsMember2022-01-3100015203582022-01-310001520358us-gaap:AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:CommonStockMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMemberus-gaap:PreferredStockMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RetainedEarningsMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:NonrelatedPartyMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:NonrelatedPartyMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358mmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2022-06-28xbrli:pure0001520358mmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2022-06-282022-06-280001520358mmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2023-06-280001520358mmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2023-06-282023-06-280001520358mmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMembersrt:ScenarioForecastMember2024-06-282024-06-280001520358mmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMembersrt:ScenarioForecastMember2025-06-282025-06-280001520358mmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2023-02-012023-06-280001520358mmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2022-06-282023-01-31mmmb:segment0001520358us-gaap:MachineryAndEquipmentMembersrt:MinimumMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:MachineryAndEquipmentMembersrt:MaximumMember2024-01-310001520358srt:MinimumMemberus-gaap:FurnitureAndFixturesMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:FurnitureAndFixturesMembersrt:MaximumMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember2024-01-310001520358srt:MinimumMemberus-gaap:CustomerRelationshipsMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerRelationshipsMembersrt:MaximumMember2024-01-310001520358mmmb:NortheastMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:NortheastMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358mmmb:SoutheastMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:SoutheastMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358mmmb:MidwestMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:MidwestMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358mmmb:WestMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:WestMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358mmmb:PerformanceStockUnitsMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:PerformanceStockUnitsMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:ShareBasedPaymentArrangementEmployeeMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:EmployeeStockOptionMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:EmployeeStockOptionMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:WarrantMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:WarrantMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:MachineryAndEquipmentMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:MachineryAndEquipmentMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:FurnitureAndFixturesMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:FurnitureAndFixturesMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:LeaseholdImprovementsMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:LeaseholdImprovementsMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerRelationshipsMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerRelationshipsMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:PromissoryNoteMember2021-12-290001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:PromissoryNoteMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:PromissoryNoteMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:PromissoryNoteMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:PromissoryNoteMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:FarmingdaleMember2024-01-31mmmb:extensionOption0001520358mmmb:LesseeOperatingLeaseRenewalOptionTwoMemberus-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:FarmingdaleMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:LesseeOperatingLeaseRenewalOptionOneMembermmmb:FarmingdaleMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:FarmingdaleMembermmmb:DecemberThirtyOneTwoThousandTwentySixMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:FarmingdaleMembermmmb:EndOfInitialLeaseTermMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:FarmingdaleMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:FarmingdaleMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2022-06-280001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2023-02-012023-06-280001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2022-06-282023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RelatedPartyMembermmmb:ChefInspirationalFoodsLLCMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembersrt:MinimumMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentOneMember2023-12-040001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentOneMembermmmb:SecuredOvernightFinancingRateSOFRMember2023-12-042023-12-040001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentTwoMembersrt:MinimumMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMember2023-12-040001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentTwoMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembersrt:MaximumMember2023-12-040001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentTwoMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:SecuredOvernightFinancingRateSOFRMember2023-12-042023-12-040001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentThreeMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembersrt:MaximumMember2023-12-040001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentThreeMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:SecuredOvernightFinancingRateSOFRMember2023-12-042023-12-040001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembersrt:MaximumMember2023-12-040001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:LineOfCreditMembermmmb:TheCreditFacilityMembermmmb:MAndTBankMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358mmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2021-12-290001520358mmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2021-12-292021-12-290001520358srt:MinimumMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentOneMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2023-12-040001520358mmmb:VariableLoanRateMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentOneMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2023-12-042023-12-040001520358mmmb:VariableRateComponentTwoMembersrt:MinimumMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2023-12-040001520358mmmb:VariableRateComponentTwoMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMembersrt:MaximumMember2023-12-040001520358mmmb:VariableRateComponentTwoMembermmmb:VariableLoanRateMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2023-12-042023-12-040001520358mmmb:VariableRateComponentThreeMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMembersrt:MaximumMember2023-12-040001520358mmmb:VariableLoanRateMembermmmb:VariableRateComponentThreeMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2023-12-042023-12-040001520358mmmb:VariableLoanRateMembermmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2023-12-042023-12-040001520358mmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2024-01-310001520358mmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2023-01-310001520358mmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:MAndTBankMembermmmb:MultipleDisbursementTermLoanMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358mmmb:CustomerOneMemberus-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMemberus-gaap:SalesRevenueNetMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMembermmmb:CustomerTwoMemberus-gaap:SalesRevenueNetMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMembermmmb:CustomerThreeMemberus-gaap:SalesRevenueNetMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:CustomerOneMemberus-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMemberus-gaap:SalesRevenueNetMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMembermmmb:CustomerTwoMemberus-gaap:SalesRevenueNetMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358mmmb:CustomerOneMemberus-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMemberus-gaap:AccountsReceivableMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMembermmmb:CustomerTwoMemberus-gaap:AccountsReceivableMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMembermmmb:CustomerThreeMemberus-gaap:AccountsReceivableMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMembermmmb:CustomerFourMemberus-gaap:AccountsReceivableMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:CustomerOneMemberus-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMemberus-gaap:AccountsReceivableMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMembermmmb:CustomerTwoMemberus-gaap:AccountsReceivableMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:CustomerConcentrationRiskMembermmmb:CustomerThreeMemberus-gaap:AccountsReceivableMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMember2023-06-222023-06-220001520358srt:MinimumMemberus-gaap:RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358srt:MaximumMemberus-gaap:RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember2024-01-310001520358srt:DirectorMemberus-gaap:RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:ShareBasedPaymentArrangementEmployeeMemberus-gaap:RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358us-gaap:MeasurementInputRiskFreeInterestRateMember2022-09-130001520358us-gaap:MeasurementInputExpectedTermMember2022-09-130001520358us-gaap:MeasurementInputPriceVolatilityMember2022-09-130001520358us-gaap:MeasurementInputExpectedDividendRateMember2022-09-130001520358us-gaap:WarrantMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:WarrantMember2024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheOneMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheOneMembersrt:MaximumMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheTwoMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheTwoMembersrt:MinimumMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheTwoMembersrt:MaximumMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheThreeMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheThreeMembersrt:MinimumMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheThreeMembersrt:MaximumMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheFourMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:RoyaltyTrancheFourMembersrt:MinimumMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358srt:MinimumMember2023-02-012024-01-310001520358mmmb:SpartanCapitalSecuritiesLLCMember2015-04-012022-10-010001520358mmmb:SpartanCapitalSecuritiesLLCMember2022-02-012023-01-310001520358us-gaap:SeriesBPreferredStockMembermmmb:AGESFinancialServicesLtdMembersrt:MaximumMember2022-07-062022-07-060001520358mmmb:AGESFinancialServicesLtdMember2022-07-062022-07-060001520358us-gaap:MeasurementInputExpectedTermMembermmmb:AGESFinancialServicesLtdMember2022-07-060001520358mmmb:AGESFinancialServicesLtdMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:DomesticCountryMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:DomesticCountryMember2023-01-310001520358us-gaap:StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember2024-01-310001520358us-gaap:StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember2023-01-31
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the year ended January 31, 2024
OR
o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
MAMA'S CREATIONS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Nevada | | 001-40597 | | 27-0607116 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | (Commission File Number) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
25 Branca Road
East Rutherford, NJ 07073
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
(201) 531-1212
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Title of Each Class | | Trading Symbol | | Name of Each Exchange on which registered |
Common Stock, par value $0.00001 | | MAMA | | Nasdaq Capital Market |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes o No x
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No x
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Large accelerated filer | o | Accelerated filer | o | Emerging Growth Company | o |
Non-accelerated filer | x | Smaller reporting company | x | | |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C.7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. o
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. o
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No x
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant on July 31, 2023, based on a closing price of $3.71 was approximately $103,917,549.
As of April 23, 2024, the registrant had 37,263,096 shares of its common stock, 0.00001 par value per share, issued and outstanding.
Documents Incorporated by Reference: The information called for by Part III will be incorporated by reference from the Registrant's definitive Proxy Statement for its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A or will be included in an amendment to this Form 10-K.
Table of Contents
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Included in this Form 10-K are “forward-looking statements,” as well as historical information. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including matters described in the section titled “Risk Factors.” Forward-looking statements include those that use forward-looking terminology, such as the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “project,” “plan,” “will,” “shall,” “should,” and similar expressions, including when used in the negative. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable and achievable, these statements involve risks and uncertainties and we cannot assure you that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect events or circumstances after the date initially filed or published, to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise.
PART I
Item 1. Business.
Our History
Mama's Creations, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”), was originally organized on July 22, 2009 as a Nevada corporation called Mascot Properties, Inc. (“Mascot”).
On February 22, 2010, MamaMancini’s LLC was formed as a limited liability company under the laws of the state of New Jersey in order to commercialize our initial products. On March 5, 2012, the members of MamaMancini’s LLC exchanged their equity for shares in MamaMancini's Inc., a Delaware Corporation ("MamaMancini's").
On January 24, 2013, pursuant to an Acquisition Agreement and Plan of Merger, Mascot Properties Acquisition Corp, a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), merged with and into MamaMancini’s, resulting in MamaMancini's becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger”). On March 8, 2013, Mascot received notice from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) that its application to change its name and symbol had been approved effective Monday, March 11, 2013, Mascot began trading under its new name, “MamaMancini’s Holdings, Inc.” and under the symbol “MMMB.”
On November 1, 2017, the Company acquired Joseph Epstein Food Enterprises, Inc., a New Jersey corporation and manufacturer of food products (“JEFE”), pursuant to a merger with MMMB Acquisition, Inc., a Nevada corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of MamaMancini’s.
On December 29, 2021, the Company completed two additional acquisitions – T&L Creative Salads (“T&L” or “T&L Creative Salads”) and Olive Branch, LLC (“OB” or “Olive Branch”), which are related gourmet food manufacturers based in New York, for a combined purchase price of $14.0 million, including $11.0 million in cash at closing and $3.0 million in a promissory note (the “Note”). The promissory note requires annual principal payments of $750,000 payable on each anniversary of the closing, together with accrued interest at a rate of three and one-half percent (3.5%) per annum. The Note holder is T&L Creative Salads Inc., and it is guaranteed by the Company. The cash payment was funded through cash on hand and a $7.5 million acquisition loan from M&T Bank. Anthony Morello, Jr. remained as President of T&L.
On June 28, 2022, the Company acquired a 24% minority interest in Chef Inspirational Foods, LLC (“CIF”), a leading developer, innovator, marketer and sales company selling prepared foods, for an investment of $1.2 million. On June 28, 2023, the Company completed the acquisition of the remaining 76% of CIF, in accordance with the terms of the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement dated June 28, 2023 by and among the Company, Siegel Suffolk Family, LLC, and R&I Loeb Family, LLC (the “Sellers”) for $3.7 million, including approximately $1.0 million in cash at closing and a $2.7 million promissory note.
Reflecting the evolution of the Company from its origins as a home style, old world Italian food company to a broader provider of products featuring all-natural specialty prepared refrigerated foods for sale in retailers around the country, on July 31, 2023, the Company changed its name from “MamaMancini’s Holdings, Inc.” to “Mama’s Creations, Inc.” and began trading under its new ticker symbol "MAMA" on August 2, 2023.
Our Company
Mama’s Creations is a leading marketer and manufacturer of fresh deli-prepared foods, found in over 8,000 grocery, mass, club and convenience stores nationally. The Company’s broad product portfolio, born from MamaMancini’s rich history in Italian foods, now consists of a variety of high-quality, fresh, clean and easy-to-prepare foods to address the needs of both our consumers and retailers. Our vision is to become a one-stop-shop deli solutions platform, leveraging vertical integration and a diverse family of brands to offer a wide array of prepared foods to meet the changing demands of the modern consumer.
Mama’s Creations’ roots go back to our founder, Dan Dougherty, whose grandmother Anna “Mama” Mancini emigrated from Bari, Italy to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in 1921. Our products were developed using her old-world Italian recipes that were handed down to her grandson, Dan Dougherty. Over time, we have expanded our core product lines through acquisitions and internal development and today our product line includes all-natural specialty prepared refrigerated foods for sale in retailers around the country. Our primary products include beef and turkey meatballs, meat loaf, chicken, sausage-related products and pasta entrees.
Our products include the Mama Mancini's brand featuring many all-natural meals that contain a minimum number of ingredients, many of which are derived from the original recipes of Anna “Mama” Mancini. Our products appeal to health-conscious consumers who seek to avoid artificial flavors, synthetic colors and preservatives that are used in many conventional packaged foods.
The United States Department of Agriculture (the “USDA”) defines “all-natural” as a product that contains no artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients or chemical preservatives and is minimally processed. Many of MamaMancini’s products were submitted to the USDA and approved as all-natural. The Food and Safety and Inspection Service (“FSIS”) Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book (2003) requires meat and poultry labels to include a brief statement directly beneath or beside the “natural” label claim that “explains what is meant by the term natural, i.e., that the product is a natural food because it contains no artificial ingredients and is only minimally processed.” The term “natural” may be used on a meat label or poultry label if the product does not contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, chemical preservative, or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient. Additionally, the term “all-natural” can be used if the FSIS approves your product and label claims. The Company’s all-natural product and label claims have been approved by the FSIS to contain the all-natural label.
Our products are principally sold to supermarkets, club chains, and mass-market retailers. We currently have more than 50 product offerings across our beef, chicken, salad and olive portfolios that are packaged in different sized retail and bulk packages. Our products are principally sold in the deli section of the supermarket, including hot bars, salad bars, prepared foods (meals), sandwich, as well as cold deli and foods-to-go sections. Our products are also sold in the fresh meat section. We sell directly to both food retailers and food distributors.
Finally, we also sell our products on QVC through live on-air offerings, auto ship programs and for everyday purchases on their website. QVC is the world’s largest direct to consumer marketer.
Olive Branch concentrates on selling olives, olive mixes, and savory products to a limited number of large retail customers, primarily in pre-packaged containers. Olive Branch products are manufactured at the same facility as T&L in Farmingdale, NY.
Industry Overview
Our products are considered specialty prepared foods, in that they taste great, are authentic and are made with high-quality ingredients. The market for specialty and prepared foods spans several sections of the supermarket, including deli-prepared foods, and the specialty meat segment of the meat department.
Our Strengths
We believe that the following strengths differentiate our products and our brands:
•Authentic recipes and great taste. Our MamaMancini’s products are founded upon Anna “Mama” Mancini’s old-world Italian recipes. We believe the authenticity of our products has enabled us to build and maintain loyalty and trust
among our current customers and will help us attract new customers. Additionally, we continuously receive positive customer testimonials regarding the great taste and quality of our products.
•Healthy and convenient. Our products are made only from high-quality natural ingredients. Our products are also simple to prepare. Virtually every product we offer is ready-to-serve within 10 minutes, thereby providing quick and easy meal solutions for our customers. By including the sauce and utilizing a tray with our packaging, our products can be prepared quickly and easily.
•Great value. We strive to provide our customers with great tasting products using healthy ingredients at an affordable price, many of which are all-natural. Typical retail prices range from $7.99 to $9.99 per pound for freshly prepared products sold in delis or hot bars. We believe the sizes of our product offerings represent a great value for the price.
•New products and innovation. Since our inception, we have continued to introduce new and innovative products. While we pride ourselves on our traditional beef and turkey meatballs and grilled chicken offerings, we have continuously made efforts to grow and diversify our line of products while maintaining our high standards for healthy ingredients and great taste.
Customers/Management
•Strong consumer loyalty. Many of our consumers are loyal and enthusiastic brand advocates. Our consumers trust us to deliver great-tasting products made with healthy or all-natural ingredients. Consumers have actively communicated with us through our website and/or social media channels. We believe that this consumer interaction has generated interest in our products and has inspired enthusiasm for our brand. We also believe that enthusiasm for our products has led and will continue to lead to repeat purchases and new consumers trying our products.
•Agile customer support: We meet the needs of not just our end consumers but also our customers and retail partners. Having a strong track record of more than 15 years, our retail partners trust our quality and can rely on our service. Through T&L Creative Salads and Olive Branch, we now serve as a “one stop shop” deli solution for them. Tangibly, this means that retail buyers don’t need to manage dozens of specialty suppliers on a daily basis, but rather call Mama’s Creations to deliver all of their proteins, salads, sandwiches and entertaining needs.
•Experienced leadership. We have a proven and experienced senior management team. In September of 2022, Adam L. Michaels was named Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and was subsequently named Chairman of the Board effective February 1, 2023. Adam is an experienced food industry executive and former management consultant with broad experience transforming consumer-focused companies. Previously, Adam served with Mondelez International, a multinational food and beverage company with operations in over 150 countries. In addition, Anthony Gruber was named Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) in September of 2022. Anthony Gruber is a financial executive with significant experience leading and optimizing finance organizations in the consumer products arena. Previously, Anthony served as Chief Financial Officer of De’Longhi America, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the Italian appliance manufacturer De'Longhi S.P.A. known for its espresso machines. Anthony also served as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Richemont North America, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the Swiss-based luxury goods company, where he managed all finance activities for North America and was integral in integrating brands into its shared service platform.
Our Growth Strategy
We are actively executing a strategy to build our brand’s reputation, grow sales and improve our product and operating margins by pursuing the following growth initiatives:
•Build Breadth & Depth of Distribution: We believe our brands MamaMancini’s, T&L Creative Salads & Olive Branch are still under penetrated in existing sales channels, under-SKU’d in existing stores and have the potential to enter new channels. We will leverage our strong brand, superior quality and high-touch service to list more of our items in existing customers as well as enter new customers. In addition, we will be leveraging our existing customer relationships to cross-sell our newly acquired brands, thereby driving larger consumer baskets, expanding promotional opportunities, and driving down freight charges, as we are shipping more Mama’s items to the same locations.
•Launch Consumer-Driven Innovation: As we become even more consumer-focused, we seek to understand consumers’ unmet deli needs. We will passionately understand our consumers and develop incremental sales opportunities. We will seek to develop products that capture incremental occasions, incremental consumer groups and
incremental sales channels. For example, our new Meatballs in a Cup offering (1) provides for a “new for us” snacking occasion incremental to our current meal offerings, (2) provides an attraction to a younger on-the-go consumer audience, and (3) provides for an incremental sales channel with entry into the Convenience Store channel.
•Pursue Accretive, Complementary Acquisitions: We plan to identify and integrate major acquisitions in new deli categories when opportunities arise, capitalizing on the highly fragmented nature of the fresh prepared foods space. Ideal acquisition opportunities might bring incremental/accretive manufacturing capabilities, incremental capabilities within a new deli sub-category, strengthen our distribution capabilities, and/or enhance our management capabilities.
•Become the One Stop Shop Deli Solution: We believe the Company has the potential to achieve $1 billion in sales through a combination of accretive acquisitions of complementary companies and organic growth, spurred by cross-selling and new product innovation. As the Company builds national scale, expands breadth of deli offerings and maintains exceptional quality and service, the Company will realize our vision.
Pricing
Our pricing strategy focuses on being competitively priced with other premium brands. Since our products are positioned in the authentic premium prepared food category, we maintain prices competitive with those of similar products and prices slightly higher than those in the commodity prepared foods section. This pricing strategy also provides greater long-term flexibility as we grow our product line through the growth curve of our products. Current typical retail prices range from $7.99 to $9.99, for prepared food products sold to delis or hot bars. Increases in raw material costs, among other factors, may lead us to consider price increases in the future.
Suppliers/Manufacturers
As of January 31, 2024, approximately 95% of our products are internally produced in our East Rutherford, NJ or Farmingdale, NY facilities. None of our raw materials or ingredients are directly grown or produced by us. From time-to-time we negotiate with other manufacturers to supplement the Company’s manufacturing capability. We currently purchase modest quantities from other manufacturers. All of the raw materials and ingredients in our products are readily available and are readily ascertainable by our suppliers. We have not experienced any material shortages of ingredients or other products necessary to our operations and do not anticipate such shortages in the foreseeable future.
Sales/Brokers
Our products are sold primarily through a commission broker network. We sell to large retail chains who direct our products to their own warehouses or to large food distributors.
The Company increased its sales management efforts with the result that the Company is now actively soliciting business with almost every major retail supermarket chain in the country. The Company’s products are currently sold nationwide.
Marketing
The majority of our marketing activity has been generated through promotional discounts, consumer trials, consumer product tastings and demonstrations, in-store merchandising and signage, couponing, word of mouth, consumer public relations, social media, special merchandising events with retailers and consumer advertising.
Based on the Company’s metrics for determining brand awareness, which include market studies and analysis of consumer recognition of the MamaMancini’s brand, the Company believes that brand awareness for MamaMancini’s has grown in the past 12 months.
Competition
The gourmet and specialty prepared food industry is fragmented and has many private competitors specializing in various types of cuisine from all over the world. While our product lines have historically been concentrated on Italian specialty foods, with our recent acquisitions, we have moved beyond Italian to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for our deli partners. While it is our contention that our competition is much more limited than the prepared food industry based on our products’ niche market, there can be no assurances that we do not compete with the entire pre-packaged food industry. We believe our principal competitors include Quaker Maid, Hormel, Rosina Company, Inc., Casa Di Bertacchi, Inc., Farm Rich, Inc., Mama Lucia, Buona Vita, Inc., Taylor Farms, Kings Command, DeLallo Foods, and Gourmet Boutique.
Intellectual Property
Our current intellectual property consists of trade secret recipes and cooking processes for our products and five trademarks for “MamaMancini’s,” “The Meatball Lovers Meatball,” “The Original Meatball in a Cup,” "The Olive Branch," and “Mama's Creations.” The recipes and use of the trademarks have been assigned in perpetuity to the Company.
We rely on a combination of trademark, copyright and trade secret laws to establish and protect our proprietary rights. We will also use technical measures to protect our proprietary rights.
Human Capital
As of January 31, 2024, we had 197 full-time employees and one part-time employee. Currently, none are covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Our human capital resources objectives include, as applicable, identifying, recruiting, retaining, incentivizing and integrating our existing and additional employees. The principal purposes of our equity incentive plans are to attract, retain and motivate selected employees, consultants and directors through grants of stock-based compensation and cash-based performance bonus awards.
Royalty Agreement
In accordance with a Development and License Agreement (the “Development and License Agreement”) entered into on January 1, 2009 with Dan Dougherty relating to the use of his grandmother’s recipes for the products to be created by Mama’s, Mr. Dougherty granted us a 50-year exclusive license (subject to certain minimum payments being made), with a 25-year extension option, to use and commercialize the licensed items. Under the terms of the Development and License Agreement, Mr. Dougherty shall develop a line of beef meatballs with sauce, turkey meatballs with sauce and other similar meats and sauces for commercial manufacture, distribution and sale (each a “Licensor Product” and collectively the “Licensor Products”). Mr. Dougherty shall work with us to develop Licensor Products that are acceptable to us. Upon acceptance of a Licensor Product by us, Mr. Dougherty’s trade secret recipes, formulas, methods and ingredients for the preparation and production of such Licensor Products shall be subject to the Development and License Agreement. In connection with the Development and License Agreement, we pay Mr. Dougherty a royalty fee on net sales.
USDA Approval/Regulations
Our food products, which are manufactured both in our own manufacturing facilities and in third-party facilities, are subject to various federal, state and local regulations and inspections regarding sanitation, quality, packaging and labeling. In order to distribute and sell our products outside the State of New Jersey and the State of New York, the third-party food processing facilities must meet the standards promulgated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (the “USDA”). Our manufacturing processing facilities and products are subject to periodic inspection by federal, state, and local authorities. The facilities in which our products are manufactured are inspected regularly and comply with all the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") and USDA.
We are subject to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder by the FDA as well as related legislation, including the Food Safety Modernization Act. This comprehensive regulatory program governs, among other things, the manufacturing, composition and ingredients, packaging, and safety of food. Under this program, the FDA regulates manufacturing practices for foods through, among other things, its current “good manufacturing practices” regulations, or GMPs, and specifies the recipes for certain foods. Specifically, the USDA defines “all-natural” as a product that contains no artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients or chemical preservatives and is minimally processed. Many of our Mama Mancini’s products were submitted to the USDA and approved as “all-natural.” However, should the USDA change its definition of “all-natural” at some point in the future, or should Mama’s change these existing recipes to include ingredients that do not meet the USDA’s definition of “all-natural,” we may need to modify our labeling and our results of operations could be adversely affected.
The FTC and other authorities regulate how we market and advertise our products, and we are currently in compliance with all regulations related thereto, although we could be the target of claims relating to alleged false or deceptive advertising under federal and state laws and regulations. Changes in these laws or regulations or the introduction of new laws or regulations could increase the costs of doing business for us or our customers or suppliers or restrict our actions, causing our results of operations to be adversely affected.
Quality Assurance
We take precautions designed to ensure the quality and safety of our products. In addition to routine third-party inspections of our manufacturing facilities, we have instituted regular audits to address topics such as allergen control, ingredient, packaging and product specifications and sanitation. Under the FDA Food Modernization Act, both our own manufacturing facilities and each of our contract manufacturers are required to have a hazard analysis critical control points plan that identifies critical pathways for contaminants and mandates control measures that must be used to prevent, eliminate or reduce relevant food-borne hazards.
Our manufacturing facilities are certified in the Safe Quality Food Program ("SQF") as level II facilities. These standards are integrated food safety and quality management protocols designed specifically for the food sector and offer a comprehensive methodology to manage food safety and quality simultaneously. Certification provides an independent and external validation that a product, process or service complies with applicable regulations and standards.
We work with suppliers who assure the quality and safety of their ingredients. These assurances are supported by our purchasing contracts or quality assurance specification packets, including affidavits, certificates of analysis and analytical testing, where required. The quality assurance staff within our manufacturing facilities and within our contract manufacturers conduct periodic on-site routine audits of critical ingredient suppliers.
Where You Can Find More Information
Our website address is https://mamascreations.com, where we make available free of charge our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, including any amendments to these reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These filings are also available to the public at www.sec.gov.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Risks Related to our Business
We have a limited history of profitability.
Since inception on February 22, 2010 and through January 31, 2024, we have raised approximately $23.3 million in capital. During this same period, we have recorded net accumulated losses totaling approximately $3.5 million. As of January 31, 2024, we had working capital of approximately $6.9 million. Our net income for the two most recent fiscal years ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 has been approximately $6.6 million and $2.3 million, respectively. Our ability to achieve continued profitability depends upon many factors, including our ability to develop and commercialize products. There can be no assurance that we will be able to achieve growth and profitability consistent with historical performance.
We may need additional capital, which may be difficult to raise for a variety of reasons.
While we believe that we have adequate financing to execute our current growth plan, in the case that we exceed our expected growth, we will need to raise additional capital and/or significantly cut expenses and overhead in order to operate the business through such date. Currently, we have no plan to raise additional capital, and our access to funding is always uncertain. There is no assurance that additional equity or debt financing will be available to us when needed, on acceptable terms or even at all. In the event that we are not able to secure financing, we may have to scale back our development plans or operations.
The majority of our business depends on a limited number of principal customers.
Because we depend on a limited number of customers for a significant portion of our sales, a loss of a small number of these customers could materially adversely affect our business and financial condition. During the twelve months ended January 31, 2024, the Company earned revenues from three customers representing approximately 26%, 11%, and 10% of gross sales. As of January 31, 2024, four customers represented approximately 20%, 15%, 13%, and 10% of total gross outstanding receivables, respectively. During the twelve months ended January 31, 2023, the Company earned revenues from two customers representing approximately 25% and 13% of gross sales. As of January 31, 2023, three customers
represented approximately 20%, 15% and 11% of total gross outstanding receivables. If these principal customers cease ordering products from us, our business could be materially adversely affected.
Competitive product and pricing pressures in the food industry and the financial condition of customers and suppliers could adversely affect our ability to gain or maintain market share and/or profitability.
We currently operate in the highly competitive food industry, competing with other companies that have varying abilities to withstand changing market conditions. Any significant change in our relationship with a major customer, including changes in product prices, sales volume, or contractual terms may impact financial results. Such changes may result because our competitors may have substantial financial, marketing, and other resources that may change the competitive environment. If we are unable to establish economies of scale, marketing expertise, product innovation, and category leadership positions to respond to changing market trends, or if we are unable to increase prices while maintaining a customer base, our profitability and volume growth could be impacted in a materially adverse way. The success of our business depends, in part, upon the financial strength and viability of our suppliers and customers. The financial condition of those suppliers and customers is affected in large part by conditions and events that are beyond our control. A significant deterioration of their financial condition would adversely affect our financial results.
We face competition from companies who produce similar products and other prepared foods, many of whom have longer operating histories or who have substantially more financial resources.
Many of our competitors have been in business for a significantly longer period of time than we have and have learned manufacturing techniques which can aid in efficiently producing their products. Additionally, many of these companies have successfully acquired a loyal customer base that would be difficult for us to compete with. Such customers may be unwilling to purchase our products due to brand loyalty or uncertainty in the highly competitive market in which we compete. In addition, if we gain traction in our particular niche of creating gourmet prepared foods, major food companies with substantial marketing and financial resources may attempt to compete more directly with us. In the event that such large companies do directly compete with us, our business may be adversely affected.
Our operations are subject to regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”), Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and other governmental entities and such regulations are subject to change from time to time, which could impact how we manage our production and sale of products. Federal budget cuts could result in furloughs for government employees, including inspectors and reviewers for our suppliers' plants and products, which could materially impact our ability to manufacture regulated products.
Our food products, which are manufactured in facilities that are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA, the USDA and other national, state, and local authorities. For example, we are subject to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder by the FDA. This comprehensive regulatory program governs, among other things, the manufacturing, composition and ingredients, packaging, and safety of food. Under this program, the FDA regulates manufacturing practices for foods through, among other things, its current “good manufacturing practices” regulations, or GMPs, and specifies the recipes for certain foods. Specifically, the USDA defines “all-natural” as a product that contains no artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients or chemical preservatives and is minimally processed. Many of our Mama Mancini's products were submitted to the USDA and approved as “all-natural.” However, should the USDA change its definition of “all-natural” at some point in the future, or should the Company change these existing recipes to include ingredients that do not meet the USDA’s definition of “all-natural,” we may need to change our labeling and our results of operations could be adversely affected.
The FTC and other authorities regulate how we market and advertise our products, and we could be the target of claims relating to alleged false or deceptive advertising under federal and state laws and regulations. Changes in these laws or regulations or the introduction of new laws or regulations could increase the costs of doing business for us or our customers or suppliers or restrict our actions, causing our results of operations to be adversely affected.
The need for and effect of product recalls could have a material adverse impact on our business.
If any of our products become misbranded or adulterated, we may need to conduct a product recall. The scope of such a recall could result in significant costs incurred as a result of the recall, potential destruction of inventory, and lost sales. Should consumption of any product cause injury and/or illness, we also may be liable for monetary damages as a result of one or more product liability judgments against us. A significant product recall or product liability case could cause a loss
of consumer confidence in our food products and could have a material adverse effect on the value of our brand, results of operations and prospects.
We may be subject to significant liability if the consumption of any of our products causes illness or physical harm.
The sale of food products for human consumption involves the risk of injury or illness to consumers. Such injuries or illness may result from inadvertent mislabeling, tampering or product contamination or spoilage. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to recall or withdraw products, which may have a material adverse effect on our business. Even if a situation does not necessitate a recall or market withdrawal, product liability claims may be asserted against us. If the consumption of any of our products causes, or is alleged to have caused, a health-related illness, we may become subject to claims or lawsuits relating to such matters. Even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful, the negative publicity surrounding any assertion that our products caused illness or physical harm could adversely affect our reputation with existing and potential distributors, retailers and consumers and our corporate image and brand equity. Moreover, claims or liabilities of this sort might not be covered by insurance or by any rights of indemnity or contribution that we may have against others. A product liability judgment against us or a product recall or market withdrawal could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation and operating results.
The impact of various food safety issues, environmental, legal, tax, and other regulations and related developments could adversely affect our sales and profitability.
Our products are subject to numerous food safety and other laws and regulations regarding the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of food products, particularly the USDA, and state and local agencies. These regulations govern matters such as ingredients, advertising, taxation, relations with distributors and retailers, health and safety matters, and environmental concerns. The ineffectiveness of our manufacturer’s planning and policies with respect to these matters, and the need to comply with new or revised laws or regulations with regard to licensing requirements, trade and pricing practices, environmental permitting, or other food or safety matters, or new interpretations or enforcement of existing laws and regulations, as well as any related litigation, may have a material adverse effect on our sales and profitability.
Increases in the cost and restrictions on the availability of raw materials could adversely affect our financial results.
Our products include agricultural commodities such as tomatoes, onions, and meats and other items such as spices and flour, as well as packaging materials such as plastic, metal, paper, fiberboard, and other materials and inputs such as water, in order to manufacture products. The availability or cost of such commodities may fluctuate widely due to government policy and regulation, crop failures or shortages due to plant disease or insect and other pest infestation, weather conditions, potential impact of climate change, increased demand for biofuels, or other unforeseen circumstances. To the extent that any of the foregoing or other unknown factors increase the prices of such commodities or materials and we are unable to increase our prices or adequately hedge against such changes in a manner that offsets such changes, the results of our operations could be materially and adversely affected. Similarly, if supplier arrangements and relationships result in increased and unforeseen expenses, our financial results could be materially and adversely impacted.
Disruption of our supply chain could adversely affect our business.
Damage or disruption to our manufacturing or distribution capabilities due to weather, natural disaster, fire, terrorism, pandemic, strikes, the financial and/or operational instability of key suppliers, distributors, warehousing and transportation providers, or brokers, or other reasons could impair our ability to manufacture or sell our products. To the extent that we are unable to, or cannot financially mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or to effectively manage such events if they occur, particularly when a product is sourced from a single location, our business and results of operations may be materially adversely affected, and additional resources could be required to restore our supply chain.
Higher energy costs and other factors affecting the cost of producing, transporting, and distributing our products could adversely affect our financial results.
Rising fuel and energy costs may have a significant impact on our cost of operations, including the manufacture, transportation, and distribution of products. Fuel costs may fluctuate due to a number of factors outside of our control, including government policy and regulation and weather conditions. Additionally, we may be unable to maintain favorable arrangements with respect to the manufacturing costs of our products as a result of the rise in costs of procuring raw materials and transportation by our manufacturers. This may result in increased expenses and negatively affect operations.
If we fail to establish and maintain an effective system of internal control, we may not be able to report our financial results accurately or to prevent fraud. Any inability to report and file our financial results accurately and timely could harm our reputation and adversely impact the trading price of our common stock.
During the course of testing our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, we may identify and disclose material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting that will have to be remedied. Implementing any appropriate changes to our internal control may require specific compliance training of our directors, officers and employees, entail substantial costs to modify our existing accounting systems, and take a significant period of time to complete. Such changes may not, however, be effective in maintaining the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting, and any failure to maintain that adequacy or inability to produce accurate financial statements on a timely basis could result in our financial statements being unreliable, increase our operating costs and materially impair our ability to operate our business.
Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could result in a loss of investor confidence in our financial reports and could have a material adverse effect on our stock price. Additionally, failure to maintain effective internal control over our financial reporting could result in government investigation or sanctions by regulatory authorities.
Global economic uncertainties continue to affect consumers’ purchasing habits and customer financial stability, which may affect sales volume and profitability on some of our products and have other impacts that we cannot fully predict.
As a result of continuing global economic uncertainties, price-conscious consumers may replace their purchases of our premium and value-added products with lower-cost alternatives, which could affect the price and volume of some of these products. The volume or profitability of our products may be adversely affected if consumers are reluctant to pay a premium for higher quality foods or if they replace purchases of our products with cheaper alternatives. Additionally, distributors and retailers may become more conservative in response to these conditions and seek to reduce their inventories. Our results of operations depend upon, among other things, our ability to maintain and increase sales volume with our existing distributors and retailers, to attract new consumers and to provide products that appeal to consumers at prices they are willing and able to pay. Prolonged unfavorable economic conditions may have an adverse effect on our sales and profitability.
We rely on key personnel and, if we are unable to retain or motivate key personnel or hire qualified personnel, we may not be able to grow effectively.
Our success depends in large part upon the abilities and continued service of our executive officers and other key employees, particularly Mr. Adam L. Michaels, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and Anthony Gruber, our Chief Financial Officer. There can be no assurance that we will be able to retain the services of such officers and employees. Our failure to retain the services of our key personnel could have a materially adverse effect on our business. In order to support our projected growth, we will be required to effectively recruit, hire, train and retain additional qualified management personnel. Our inability to attract and retain necessary personnel could have a materially adverse effect on our business.
A large proportion of our revenue is from a few key customers, and the loss of any key customer could cause a significant decline in our revenues.
In fiscal year ended January 31, 2024, we had sales to three customers that comprised approximately 26%, 11%, and 10%, respectively. The loss of any of these customers or any other significant customer, or the renewal of business on less favorable terms, would have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations. Due to our customer concentration, if one or more of our major customers were to experience difficulties in fulfilling their obligations to us, cease doing business with us, significantly reduce the amount of their purchases from us, favor competitors or new entrants or change their purchasing patterns, our business may be harmed.
The failure of new product or packaging introductions to gain trade and consumer acceptance and address changes in consumer preferences could adversely affect our sales.
Our success is dependent upon anticipating and reacting to changes in consumer preferences, including health and wellness. There are inherent marketplace risks associated with new product or packaging introductions, including
uncertainties about trade and consumer acceptance. Moreover, success is dependent upon our ability to identify and respond to consumer trends through innovation. We may be required to increase expenditures for new product development, and there is no guarantee that we will be successful in developing new products or improving upon products already in existence. Additionally, our new products may not achieve consumer acceptance and could materially negatively impact sales.
Changes in our promotional activities may impact, and may have a disproportionate effect on, our overall financial condition and results of operations.
We offer a variety of sales and promotion incentives to our customers and to consumers, such as price discounts, consumer coupons, volume rebates, cooperative marketing programs, slotting fees and in-store displays. Our net sales may periodically be influenced by the introduction and discontinuance of sales and promotion incentives. Reductions in overall sales and promotion incentives could impact our net sales and affect our results of operations in any particular fiscal quarter.
We may not be able to successfully implement our growth strategy on a timely basis or at all.
Our future success depends, in large part, on our ability to implement our growth strategy of expanding distribution and improving placement of our products, attracting new consumers to our brand and introducing new product lines and product extensions. Our ability to implement this growth strategy depends, among other things, on our ability to:
•enter into distribution and other strategic arrangements with third-party retailers and other potential distributors of our products;
•continue to compete in conventional grocery and mass merchandiser retail channels in addition to the natural and organic channel;
•secure shelf space in key supermarket locations;
•increase our brand awareness;
•expand and maintain brand loyalty; and
•develop new product lines and extensions.
We may not be able to successfully implement our growth strategy. Our sales and operating results will be adversely affected if we fail to implement our growth strategy or if we invest resources in a growth strategy that ultimately proves unsuccessful.
We are currently selling products in supermarkets in the United States. If we are unable to expand into mass-market retailers or sell products in a greater number of supermarkets, we will fall short of our projections and our business and financial condition would be adversely affected.
As a smaller supplier, we may not sell in enough bulk in certain stores, and as such our products may not be placed in the most ideal locations to catch the attention of end consumers. If we are unable to gain significant sales growth, our products may never be displayed in the most attractive locations in stores and our sales may suffer.
We may be unable to successfully execute our identified growth strategies or other growth strategies that we determine to pursue.
We currently have a limited corporate infrastructure. In order to pursue growth strategies, we will need to continue to build our infrastructure and operational capabilities. Our ability to do any of these successfully could be affected by any one or more of the following factors:
•our ability to raise substantial amounts of additional capital if needed to fund the implementation of our business plan;
•our ability to execute our business strategy;
•the ability of our products to achieve market acceptance;
•our ability to manage the expansion of our operations and any acquisitions we may make, which could result in increased costs, high employee turnover or damage to customer relationships;
•our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel;
•our ability to manage our third-party relationships effectively; and
•our ability to accurately predict and respond to the rapid market changes in our industry and the evolving demands of the markets we serve.
Our failure to adequately address any one or more of the above factors could have a significant impact on our ability to implement our business plan and our ability to pursue other opportunities that arise.
We may be unable to maintain quality control.
Although we have entered into raw material supply agreements specifying certain minimum acceptable quality standards, there is no assurance that our current quality assurance procedures will be able to effectively monitor compliance. Additionally, in the event that we expand our operations and increase our output volume, including securing third-party manufacturers, there is no assurance that we will be able to adequately maintain quality controls or that our current manufacturing process is scalable.
There may be products liability and other legal claims.
We currently carry product liability insurance. Although we believe that the amount of insurance coverage is sufficient for our operations, there is no assurance that the coverage will be adequate.
Our brand and reputation may suffer from real or perceived issues involving the labeling and marketing of our products as “natural.”
Although the FDA and USDA have each issued statements regarding the appropriate use of the word “natural,” there is no single, U.S. government-regulated definition of the term “natural” for use in the food industry. The resulting uncertainty has led to consumer confusion, distrust and legal challenges. Plaintiffs have commenced legal actions against a number of food companies that market “natural” products, asserting false, misleading and deceptive advertising and labeling claims. Should we become subject to similar claims, consumers may avoid purchasing products from us or seek alternatives, even if the basis for the claim is unfounded. Adverse publicity about these matters may discourage consumers from buying our products. The cost of defending against any such claims could be significant. Any loss of confidence on the part of consumers in the truthfulness of our labeling or ingredient claims would be difficult and costly to overcome and may significantly reduce our brand value. Uncertainty as to the ingredients used in our products, regardless of the cause, may have a substantial and adverse effect on our brand and our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our finished goods inventory is located in a small number of warehouse facilities. Any damage or disruption at a storage facility would have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our finished goods inventory is located in a small number of warehouse facilities. A natural disaster, fire, power interruption, work stoppage or other unanticipated catastrophic event at these facilities would significantly disrupt our ability to deliver our products and operate our business. If any material amount of our inventory were damaged, we would be unable to meet our contractual obligations and, as a result, our business, results of operations and financial condition would suffer.
We may be unable to defend our intellectual property.
Our business could be adversely affected if we are unable to adequately protect our intellectual property. Our current intellectual property consists of trade secret recipes and cooking processes for our products and trademarks. We rely on a combination of trademark, copyright and trade secret laws to establish and protect our proprietary rights. We will also use technical measures to protect our proprietary rights. We may, however, not be able to secure significant protection for service marks or trademarks that we obtain. Our inability to protect our intellectual property from others may impede our brand identity and could lead to consumer confusion.
Our intellectual property rights are valuable, and any inability to protect them could reduce the value of our services and brand.
Our business is largely based upon our recipes, which are trade secrets and are not patentable. We may be unable to keep other companies from copying our recipes, or we may be subject to legal actions alleging intellectual property infringement, unfair competition or similar claims against us. Companies may have intellectual property rights covering aspects of our technologies or businesses. Defending ourselves against intellectual property infringement or similar claims would be expensive and would divert management’s attention. Additionally, there is no assurance that we would be successful in defending ourselves against such claims.
Cyberattacks impacting our computer networks or information technology systems could have an adverse impact on our business.
Cyberattacks, including through the use of ransomware, denial of service attacks, malware, computer viruses, and other means for obtaining unauthorized access to or disrupting the operation of our computer networks or information technology systems and those of our suppliers and/or vendors, could have an adverse impact on our business. Cyberattacks may cause equipment failures, loss of information, as well as disruptions to our or our customers’ operations. Cyberattacks against companies have increased in frequency, scope, and potential harm in recent years. While, to date, we have not been subject to cyberattacks that, individually or in the aggregate, have been material to our operations, the preventive actions we take to reduce the risks associated with cyberattacks, including protection of our systems and networks, may be insufficient in the future. In addition, as our company grows in size, we may become more of a target for these types of attacks. Moreover, the rapid evolution and increased adoption of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, may intensify our cybersecurity risks.
The inability to operate or use our information technology systems or those of our suppliers or vendors, even for a limited period of time, may result in significant expenses and/or a loss of market share.
Risks Related To Our Securities
We currently have a limited trading volume, which can result in higher price volatility for, and reduced liquidity of, our common stock.
Our shares of common stock traded on the OTCQB from 2013 to July 2021 and on the Nasdaq Capital Market from July 2021 to the present date. While we have upgraded our listing, historically there has been limited daily volume of trading in our common stock, which has limited the overall and perceived liquidity of our common stock on that market.
A more active trading market for our shares may never develop or be sustained. Active trading markets generally result in lower price volatility and more efficient execution of buy and sell orders. The absence of an active trading market increases price volatility and reduces the liquidity of our common stock. As long as this condition continues, the sale of a significant number of shares of common stock at any particular time could be difficult to achieve at the market prices prevailing immediately before such shares are offered and, if an active market for our common stock does not develop, it may be difficult to sell shares without depressing the market price for the shares, or at all. In addition, in the event that an active trading market does not develop, the price of our common stock may not be a reliable indicator of the fair value of our common stock.
Furthermore, if our common stock ceases to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market or other national exchange, holders may find it more difficult to dispose of, or to obtain accurate quotations as to the market value of, our common stock, and the market value of our common stock would likely decline.
You may experience dilution of your ownership interest because of the future issuance of additional shares of our common stock and our preferred stock.
In the future, we may issue our authorized but previously unissued equity securities, resulting in the dilution of the ownership interests of our present stockholders. We are currently authorized to issue an aggregate of 270 million shares of capital stock, consisting of 20 million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.00001 per share and 250 million shares of common stock, par value $0.00001 per share.
We may also issue additional shares of our common stock or other securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock in connection with hiring or retaining employees or consultants, future acquisitions, future sales of our securities for capital raising purposes, or for other business purposes. The future issuance of any such additional shares of our common stock or other securities may create downward pressure on the trading price of our common stock. There can be no assurance that we will not be required to issue additional shares, warrants or other convertible securities in the future in conjunction with hiring or retaining employees or consultants, future acquisitions, future sales of our securities for capital raising purposes or for other business purposes, including at a price (or exercise prices) below the price at which shares of our common stock are trading.
If and when a larger trading market for our common stock develops, the market price of our common stock is still likely to be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations, and you may be unable to resell your shares at or above the price at which you acquired them.
The market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to a number of factors that are beyond our control, including, but not limited to:
•variations in our revenue and operating expenses;
•market conditions in our industry and the economy as a whole;
•actual or expected changes in our growth rates or our competitors’ growth rates;
•announcements of innovations or new products or services by us or our competitors;
•announcements by the government relating to regulations that govern our industry;
•sales of our common stock or other securities by us or in the open market; and
•changes in the market valuations of other comparable companies.
In addition, if the market for food industry stocks or the stock market in general experiences loss of investor confidence, the trading price of our common stock could decline for reasons unrelated to our business, financial condition or operating results. The trading price of our shares might also decline in reaction to events that affect other companies in our industry, even if these events do not directly affect us. Each of these factors, among others, could harm the value of your investment in our common stock. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market, securities class-action litigation has often been instituted against companies. Such litigation, if instituted against us, could result in substantial costs and diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could materially and adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
We do not expect to pay dividends.
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends or distributions on our common stock. We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to support operations and to finance expansion, and therefore we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
The declaration, payment and amount of any future dividends will be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors, and will depend upon, among other things, the results of our operations, cash flows and financial condition, operating and capital requirements, and other factors as the Board of Directors considers relevant. There is no assurance that future dividends will be paid, and, if dividends are paid, there is no assurance with respect to the amount of any such dividend. If the Company does not pay dividends, the Company’s common stock may be less valuable because a return on an investor’s investment will only occur if the Company’s stock price appreciates.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about us, our business or our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our stock adversely, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If any of the analysts who may cover us change their recommendation regarding our stock adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, our stock price would likely decline. If any analyst who may cover us were to cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
Failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material impact on our business and stock price.
We may identify material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting that will have to be remedied. Implementing any changes to our internal control may require specific compliance training of our employees and officers, involve significant costs, and/or take significant time to complete. Such changes may not, however, be effective in maintaining the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting, and any failure to maintain that adequacy or inability to produce accurate financial statements on a timely basis could result in our financial statements being unreliable and increase our operating costs.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not applicable.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is an important part of our risk management program for our Board of Directors and management. Our Board of Directors, through the Audit Committee, oversees management's approach to managing cybersecurity risks. The Audit Committee, comprised solely of independent directors, is charged with overseeing the Company’s risk management program, including cybersecurity matters.
The Company also maintains a robust cybersecurity infrastructure to safeguard our operations, networks and data through internal management and external service providers. Our cybersecurity risk management and strategy processes are led by our Chief Administrative Officer. This individual has over 30 years of prior work experience in various roles involving managing information systems and security, developing information security strategy, implementing effective information and cybersecurity programs, as well as a degree focusing on computer science. The Chief Administrative Officer is informed about and monitors the prevention, mitigation, detection, and remediation of cybersecurity incidents through their management and participation in the Company’s cyber security risk management and strategy processes including the operation of our incident response plan. This management team member routinely discusses trends in cyber risks and our strategy with management and reports to the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors about cybersecurity threat risks, among other cybersecurity related matters, on a quarterly basis.
We use a risk-based approach to identify, assess, protect, detect, respond to and recover from cybersecurity threats. Our information security program includes, among other aspects, antivirus and malware protection, encryption and access control, and employee training. Risks identified by the Chief Administrative Officer and other cybersecurity personnel are analyzed to determine the potential impact on us and the likelihood of occurrence. Such risks are continuously monitored to ensure that the circumstances and severity of such risks have not changed. The Chief Administrative Officer also periodically discusses trends in cyber risks and our strategy with our Audit Committee and management.
In addition, we engage independent third-party cybersecurity providers for testing and vulnerability detection. We regularly engage with these providers to aid in the identification and remediation of potential threats. We also endeavor to apprise employees of emerging risks and provide security awareness trainings and supplemental trainings as needed.
Material cybersecurity incidents are required to be reported to the Board of Directors. As of the date of this report, we are not aware of any risks from cybersecurity threats that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition.
Item 2. Properties.
Our principal executive office is located at 25 Branca Road East Rutherford, NJ 07073. We currently lease 24,213 square feet of space located in East Rutherford, NJ from Joseph Branca Partnership, Ltd for a current rent of $17,655 per month. The lease term runs through August 31, 2024. In addition, we lease an additional 6,072 square feet of space at 355 Murray Hill Parkway, NJ from CLN Associates, LLC for a current rent of $9,361 per month. We currently lease 20,188 square feet in a fully contained facility at 148 Allen Boulevard, Farmingdale, NY from 148 Allen Blvd LLC for production and distribution of T&L Creative Salads and Olive Branch products. This property is owned by Anthony Morello, Jr., President of T&L, as well as individuals related to Mr. Morello. This lease term is through November 30, 2031 with the option to extend the lease for two additional ten-year terms with current rent of $20,200 per month. In addition, we lease an additional 10,000 square feet of space at 155-B Allen Blvd, NY from 1320 Entertainment Inc. for a current rate of $16,667 per month. The lease term runs through April 30, 2029.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
We are not currently involved in any material litigation. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the executive officers of our Company or any of our subsidiaries, threatened against or affecting our Company, our common stock, any of our subsidiaries or of our Company’s or our Company’s subsidiaries’ officers or directors in their capacities as such, in which an adverse decision could have a material adverse effect.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
(a)Market Information
Our shares of common stock are currently quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “MAMA.” From July 2022 to July 2023 shares of our common stock were quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "MMMB."
(b)Holders
As of April 24, 2024, there were approximately 44 record holders of our common stock and there were 37,263,096 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding. This figure does not take into account those shareholders whose certificates are held in the name of broker-dealers or other nominees.
(c)Dividends
Series B Preferred Stock. The holders of Series B Preferred Stock, while outstanding were entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for such purpose, an accruing cumulative dividend, in preference to any dividend on the Common Stock, at an annual rate of eight percent (8%) of the Original Purchase Price, payable monthly. During the year ended January 31, 2024, $49 thousand of dividends were declared and paid for Series B Preferred stock. As of January 31, 2024 there are no shares of Series B Preferred stock issued and outstanding.
Common Stock. The declaration of any future cash dividends is at the discretion of our Board of Directors and depends upon our earnings, if any, our capital requirements and financial position, general economic conditions, and other pertinent conditions. We have not paid any cash dividends to the holders of our Common Stock and it is not our present intention to pay any cash dividends on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future, but rather to reinvest earnings, if any, in our business operations.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
For the period from February 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024 there were no sales of unregistered securities.
Repurchases of Securities
During the year ended January 31, 2024, the Company did not repurchase any Company securities.
Item 6. [Reserved]
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION OF OUR PLAN OF OPERATION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND RELATED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDED ELSEWHERE IN THIS REPORT. THIS DISCUSSION CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT RELATE TO FUTURE EVENTS OR OUR FUTURE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE. THESE STATEMENTS INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER FACTORS THAT MAY CAUSE OUR ACTUAL RESULTS, LEVELS OF ACTIVITY, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, LEVELS OF ACTIVITY, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE RISKS AND OTHER FACTORS INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS, THOSE LISTED UNDER “FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS” AND “RISK FACTORS” AND THOSE INCLUDED ELSEWHERE IN THIS REPORT.
Overview
Mama’s Creations, Inc. (“Mama’s,” “Mama’s Creations” or the “Company”) is a leading marketer and manufacturer of fresh deli prepared foods, found in over 8,000 grocery, mass, club and convenience stores nationally. The Company’s broad product portfolio, born from MamaMancini’s rich history in Italian foods, now consists of a variety of high-quality, fresh, clean and easy to prepare foods to address the needs of both our consumers and retailers. Our vision is to become a one-stop-shop deli solutions platform, leveraging vertical integration and a diverse family of brands to offer a wide array of prepared foods to meet the changing demands of the modern consumer.
Recent Developments
On June 28, 2023, the Company completed the acquisition of the remaining 76% of Chef Inspirational Foods, LLC (“CIF”), a leading developer, innovator, marketer and sales company selling prepared foods for approximately $3.7 million, including approximately $1.0 million in cash at closing and $2.7 million in a promissory note (the "CIF Acquisition"). The promissory note requires a principal payment of $1.2 million in cash on the first anniversary of the closing date, and a payment of $1.5 million in common stock of the Company on the second anniversary of the closing date. The CIF Acquisition was accounted for as an asset acquisition as substantially all of the fair value was concentrated in customer relationships. The Company had previously acquired a 24% minority interest in CIF in June 2022.
Results of Operations for the Years Ended January 31, 2024 and 2023
The following table sets forth the summary of the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
| | | |
Sales - Net of Slotting Fees and Discounts | $ | 103,284 | | | $ | 93,188 | |
Gross Profit | $ | 30,333 | | | $ | 19,418 | |
Operating Expenses | $ | 21,443 | | | $ | 16,595 | |
Other Income (Expenses) | $ | (544) | | | $ | (653) | |
Income Tax Provision | $ | (2,008) | | | $ | (9) | |
Income from equity method investment in Chef Inspirational Foods, LLC | $ | 223 | | | $ | 143 | |
Net Income | $ | 6,561 | | | $ | 2,304 | |
For the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company reported net income of approximately $6.6 million and $2.3 million, respectively. The change in net income between the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 reflects strong revenue growth, normalization of costs for commodities and other materials, freight optimization, improvements in manufacturing efficiencies, as well as the CIF Acquisition, which allowed the Company to sell its products to the end retailer, wholesaler, and/or distributor.
Sales - Net of Slotting Fees and Discounts: Sales, net of slotting fees and discounts increased by approximately 11% to $103.3 million for the year ended January 31, 2024, from $93.2 million for the year ended January 31, 2023. The increase is due to higher volume of sales and introduction of new products at existing customers, successful pricing actions, and the acquisition of Chef Inspirational Foods, LLC, which allowed the Company to sell its products to the end retailer, wholesaler, and/or distributor.
Gross Profit: The gross profit margin was 29% and 21% for the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase in gross profit margin is due to normalization of commodity costs, successful pricing actions, higher utilization and investments in the Company's manufacturing facilities, as well as the CIF Acquisition.
Operating Expenses: Operating expenses increased by 29% during the year ended January 31, 2024, as compared to the year ended January 31, 2023. Operating expenses increased as a percentage of sales to 21% in 2024 compared to 18% in 2023. The approximate $4.8 million increase in total operating expenses is primarily attributable to the following:
•Payroll and Related Expenses inclusive of stock-based compensation rose by approximately $3.3 million related to executive and SG&A hires;
•Amortization of intangible assets increased by approximately $598 thousand due to the CIF Acquisition;
•Insurance expenses rose by approximately $581 thousand due to the growth of the Company and increases in coverage levels;
•Advertising expenses increased by approximately $550 thousand due to new strategies and an enhanced focus on marketing to help drive increased velocities of our existing products
•Commission Expenses rose by approximately $251 thousand due to increased sales;
•Freight-related expenses decreased by approximately $885 thousand due to the addition of dedicated logistics employees and capabilities, increased sales to major retailers, wholesalers and distributors, as well as load-sharing between the Company's two manufacturing facilities;
•Allowance for credit losses decreased by approximately $373 thousand due to our establishment of a reserve in the prior year.
Other Income (Expenses): Other expenses decreased by approximately $109 thousand to approximately $544 thousand for the year ended January 31, 2024, as compared to approximately $653 thousand for the year ended January 31, 2023. The decrease is mainly due to a decrease in interest expense of approximately $85 thousand, which was a result of lower debt balances outstanding as well as higher interest earned on Company cash balances.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We finance our operations with internally generated funds, supplemented by credit arrangements with third parties and, potentially, capital market financing.
Working Capital:
The following table summarizes total current assets, liabilities and working capital at January 31, 2024 compared to January 31, 2023 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 | | Change |
Current Assets | $ | 23,566 | | | $ | 15,674 | | | $ | 7,892 | |
Current Liabilities | 16,690 | | | 11,879 | | | 4,811 | |
Working Capital | $ | 6,876 | | | $ | 3,795 | | | $ | 3,081 | |
As of January 31, 2024, we had working capital of approximately $6.9 million as compared to working capital of approximately $3.8 million as of January 31, 2023, an increase of approximately $3.1 million. The increase in working capital is primarily attributable to an increase in cash of approximately $6.6 million, an increase in accounts receivable of approximately $1.0 million due to increased sales, and an increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets of approximately $547 thousand, due to deposits placed for machinery and equipment, partially offset by better cash management, which resulted in an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of approximately $3.4 million, and an increase in Promissory notes - related parties of $1.2 million due to the CIF Acquisition.
Long term Requirements:
As of January 31, 2024, we have $0 outstanding under our Line of Credit Agreement and approximately $4.5 million outstanding under our Term Loan Agreement with M&T Bank (the "Term Loan Agreement"). The Term Loan Agreement
has a maturity date of January 17, 2027. In addition we have payments of $750 thousand (plus accrued interest) due on December 29, 2024, and December 29, 2025 pursuant to promissory notes issued to the sellers of T&L Creative Salads ("T&L") and Olive Branch LLC ("Olive Branch"), as discussed in Item 8, Note 5. In addition we have a promissory note of $2.7 million with the sellers of CIF as discussed in Item 8, Note 5. Of the $2.7 million, a payment of $1.2 million is due on June 28, 2024, and $1.5 million is payable in common stock on June 28, 2025. We also have operating leases for offices and other facilities used for our operations, and finance leases comprised primarily of machinery and equipment, as discussed in Item 8, Note 10.
Cash Flows:
The following table summarizes the key components of our cash flows for the years ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 (in thousands).
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended January 31, |
| 2024 | | 2023 |
| USD | | USD |
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities | $ | 11,621 | | | $ | 5,509 | |
Net Cash (Used in) Investing Activities | (1,432) | | | (1,093) | |
Net Cash (Used in) Financing Activities | (3,545) | | | (889) | |
Net changes in cash | 6,644 | | | 3,527 | |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 4,378 | | | 851 | |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | $ | 11,022 | | | $ | 4,378 | |
Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended January 31, 2024 was approximately $11.6 million compared to net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended January 31, 2023 of approximately $5.5 million. Net income for the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 was approximately $6.6 million and $2.3 million, respectively. During the year ended January 31, 2024, net income was affected by non-cash adjustments of approximately $2.8 million and by changes in operating activities which provided cash of approximately $2.2 million. During the year ended January 31, 2023, net income was affected by non-cash adjustments of approximately $1.7 million and changes in operating activities which used cash of approximately $1.5 million.
Net cash used in investing activities for the years ended January 31, 2024 was approximately $1.4 million as compared to approximately $1.1 million for the year ended January 31, 2023, respectively. For the year ended January 31, 2024, the Company used cash of approximately $786 thousand to purchase new machinery and equipment. In addition, the Company paid net cash of approximately $646 thousand for the CIF Acquisition. For the year ended January 31, 2023, the cash used in investing activities of approximately $593 thousand was to purchase new machinery and equipment and $500 thousand for the acquisition of the minority interest in CIF in 2022.
Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended January 31, 2024 was $3.5 million as compared to $0.9 million for the year January 31, 2023. During the year ended January 31, 2024, the Company had payments of the term loan, line of credit, related party loan, and finance lease liabilities of approximately $1.7 million, $890 thousand, $750 thousand, and $272 thousand, respectively. During the year ended January 31, 2023, the Company had net borrowings from the line of credit of approximately $125 thousand and received proceeds of approximately $1.4 million from the sale of Series B Preferred Stock. This was offset by payments of the term loan, related party loan, and finance lease liabilities of approximately $1.3 million, $750 thousand, and $235 thousand, respectively.
Although the expected revenue growth and control of expenses lead management to believe that it is probable that the Company’s cash resources will be sufficient to meet its cash requirements through April 26, 2025, based on current and projected levels of operations, the Company may require additional funding to finance growth and achieve its strategic objectives. If such financing is required, there can be no assurance that financing will be available in amounts or terms acceptable to the Company, if at all. In the event funding is not available on reasonable terms, the Company might be required to change its growth strategy and/or seek funding on an alternative basis, but there is no guarantee it will be able to do so.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for information regarding recently issued accounting pronouncements.
Critical Accounting Policies
Our consolidated financial statements and related public financial information are based on the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“US GAAP”). US GAAP requires the use of estimates; assumptions, judgments and subjective interpretations of accounting principles that have an impact on the assets, liabilities, revenues and expense amounts reported. These estimates can also affect supplemental information contained in our external disclosures including information regarding contingencies, risk and financial condition. We believe our use of estimates and underlying accounting assumptions adhere to US GAAP and are consistently applied. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We continue to monitor significant estimates made during the preparation of our financial statements.
Our significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 2 of our consolidated financial statements. While all these significant accounting policies impact our financial condition and results of operations, we view certain of these policies as critical. Policies determined to be critical are those policies that have the most significant impact on our financial statements and require management to use a greater degree of judgment and estimates. Actual results may differ from those estimates. Our management believes that given current facts and circumstances, it is unlikely that applying any other reasonable judgments or estimate methodologies would cause effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or liquidity for the periods presented in this report.
We believe the following critical accounting policies and procedures, among others, affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements:
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Such estimates and assumptions impact, among others, the following: allowance for doubtful accounts, valuation of the CIF Acquisition (which was accounted for as an asset acquisition as substantially all of the fair value is concentrated in customer relationships), the fair value of stock-based compensation, inventory reserves, impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, and estimates for unrealized returns, discounts, and other allowances that are netted against revenue.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the consolidated financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from our estimates.
Goodwill
Goodwill is the excess of the consideration paid for a business over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired. Goodwill and other indefinite lived intangible assets are not amortized. Instead, these assets are reviewed at least annually for impairment. The Company has the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. However, the Company may elect to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test even if no indications of a potential impairment exist.
When performing its quantitative annual goodwill impairment test the Company is comparing the fair value with its carrying amounts. The Company would recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value; however, the loss recognized would not exceed the total amount of goodwill. Additionally, the Company considers income tax effects from any tax-deductible goodwill on the carrying amount when measuring the goodwill impairment loss, if applicable. The fair value is estimated using discounted cash flow methodologies, as well as considering third party market value indicators. The Company’s use of a discounted cash flow methodology includes estimates of future revenue based upon budgets and projections. The Company also develops estimates for future levels of gross and operating profits and projected capital expenditures. The Company’s methodology also includes the use of
estimated discount rates based upon industry and competitor analysis as well as other factors. Calculating the fair value requires significant estimates and assumptions by management. Should the estimates and assumptions regarding the fair value of the reporting units prove to be incorrect, the Company may be required to record impairments to its goodwill in future periods and such impairments could be material.
As of January 31, 2024, there were no impairment losses recognized for goodwill.
Other Intangibles
Amortizable intangible assets, including tradenames and trademarks, are amortized on a straight-line basis over 3 years. Customer relationships are amortized on a straight-line basis over 4 to 5 years.
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with FASB Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).
The Company’s sales are primarily generated from the sale of finished products to customers. Revenue is recognized when the performance obligation is satisfied, and the promised goods have been transferred. Control transfers when the product is shipped or delivered based upon applicable shipping terms. For each contract, the Company considers the transfer of product to be the performance obligation. Although some payment terms may be extended, generally the Company’s payment terms are approximately 15- 30 days. Accordingly, there is no significant financing components to consider when determining the transaction price. The Company elected to treat shipping and handling activities as fulfillment activities, and the related costs are recorded as selling expenses in selling, general and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The Company promotes its products with trade incentives and promotions. These programs include discounts, slotting fees, coupons, rebates, in-store display incentives and volume-based incentives. The trade incentives and promotions are recorded as a reduction to the transaction price based on amounts estimated as being due to customers at the end of the period. The Company derives these estimates based on historical experience. The Company does not receive a distinct service in relation to the trade incentives and promotions. The Company’s contracts are all short term in nature, therefore there are no unsatisfied performance obligations requiring disclosure as of January 31, 2024.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model or Monte Carlo simulation to determine the fair value of equity-based grants, excluding restricted stock. In estimating fair value, management is required to make certain assumptions and estimates such as the expected life of units, volatility of the Company’s future share price, risk-free rates, future dividend yields and estimated forfeitures at the initial grant date. Changes in assumptions used to estimate fair value could result in materially different results.
Item 7A. Qualitative And Quantitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We are a smaller reporting company as defined in Regulation S-K of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are not required to provide the information under this item.
Item 8. Financial Statements.
Our consolidated financial statements appear at the end of this Annual Report.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
There are no reportable events under this item for the year ended January 31, 2024.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
(a)EVALUATION OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Disclosure controls and procedures are the Company’s controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (as
defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), as amended (the “Exchange Act”) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. Due to the inherent limitations of control systems, not all misstatements may be detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of a simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the control. Controls and procedures can only provide reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the above objectives have been met.
On April 12, 2024, the Company evaluated, with the participation of its management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective, at the reasonable assurance level, in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(b)MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and includes those policies and procedures that:
•Pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company;
•Provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and the Board of Directors of the Company; and
•Provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or because of declines in the degree of compliance with policies or procedures.
Management assessed the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2024. In making this assessment, they used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013).
Based on our evaluation under such framework, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of January 31, 2024.
(c)CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended January 31, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information.
During the three months ended January 31, 2024, no director or officer of the Company adopted, modified or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions That Prevent Inspections.
Not applicable.
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Directors and Executive Officers
The following table discloses our directors and executive officers as of April 23, 2024.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Name | | Age | | Position |
| | | | |
Adam L. Michaels | | 47 | | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors |
| | | | |
Anthony J. Gruber | | 55 | | Chief Financial Officer |
| | | | |
Steven Burns | | 63 | | Chief Administrative Officer and Director |
| | | | |
Alfred D’Agostino | | 69 | | Director |
| | | | |
Thomas Toto | | 68 | | Director |
| | | | |
Dean Janeway | | 80 | | Director |
| | | | |
Meghan Henson | | 54 | | Director |
| | | | |
Shirley Romig | | 46 | | Director |
| | | | |
Lynn Blake | | 57 | | Director |
Adam Michaels was appointed Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of the Company effective September 6, 2022 and was appointed Chairman of the Board effective February 1, 2023.
Mr. Michaels is an experienced food industry executive and former management consultant. Prior to joining the Company, Adam worked at Mondelez International, a multinational food and beverage company. Over nine years, he held numerous roles with increasing responsibility at Mondelez across Supply Chain, Commercial Sales & Marketing, and Strategy. Adam was most recently responsible for M&A and Commercial activities within North American Ventures – a business unit comprised of smaller, high-growth brands. Before joining Mondelez, Adam was a Principal at Booz & Company, a management consulting firm, for seven years, where he specialized in the Food & Beverage sector.
Adam holds an MBA in Marketing & Management from Columbia Business School and a BSE in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
The Board determined that Mr. Michaels is qualified to serve as a director given his extensive Food & Beverage experience, corporate strategy background, understanding of consumer insights & analytics, and prior work accelerating brands across their growth lifecycles.
Anthony J. Gruber was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Company in September 2022. Mr. Gruber served as Chief Financial Officer from 2019 to 2021 of De’Longhi America, Inc., an appliance manufacturer known for its espresso machines, which is the North American subsidiary of the Italian parent, De’Longhi S.p.A. He successfully restructured the Finance function for the 120-employee company with annual revenues of approximately $400 million.
From 2018-2019, he served as Chief Financial Officer of LBM Advantage, Inc., a member-owned lumber and building materials buying cooperative with 500+ members and revenues of approximately $2.2 billion.
From 2014-2017, he served as Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Richemont North America, Inc., which is the North American subsidiary of the Swiss-based luxury goods company, with 2017 revenues of approximately
$2.0 billion and 2000 employees. Richemont’s Brands include Cartier, Chloe, Dunhill, MontBlanc and Piaget, among others.
From 2005-2014, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of Montblanc North America, LLC, prior to its integration into Richemont North America Inc. He previously served as a Senior Accountant with Ernst & Young LLP.
Mr. Gruber earned a BS, Accounting from the University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT.
Steven Burns has been Executive Vice President of the Company since February 1, 2020. He was appointed the Company's Chief Administrative Officer of the Company on October 9, 2023. He has over 30 years of experience in the investment, management and operations transformation across industries including high quality and healthy food services, real estate, clean and efficient energy sources and healthcare technology. Mr. Burns has served as a director of the Company from February 2010 through the present. Prior to that, for a period of 24 years he worked at and was senior executive at Accenture where he led the U.S. Health Insurance Industry Program comprised of approximately 600 professionals. He also has sat on various financial committees and boards of directors throughout his career.
Mr. Burns received his B.S. in Business Management from Boston College in 1982.
In evaluating Mr. Burns’ specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills in connection with his appointment to our board, we took into account his numerous years of experience in serving on board of directors, his knowledge of running and managing companies, and his proven track record of success in such endeavors.
Alfred D’Agostino has over 35 years of experience in the management and ownership of food brokerage and food distribution companies. Mr. D’Agostino has served as a director of the Company from February 2010 through the Present. Beginning in March 2001 and still presently, he serves as the President for WorldWide Sales Inc., a perishable food broker that services the New York / New Jersey Metropolitan and Philadelphia marketplace. Prior to this he worked from September 1995 until February 2001 as Vice-President of the perishable business unit at Marketing Specialists, a nationwide food brokerage. Previously, from February 1987 until August 1995 he worked as a Partner for the perishable division of Food Associates until its merger with Merket Enterprises.
In evaluating Mr. D’Agostino’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills in connection with his appointment to our board, we took into account his numerous years of experience in the food brokerage and other food related industries, his knowledge of running and managing companies, and his proven track record of success in such endeavors.
Mr. D’Agostino received his B.S. in Business Management from the City College of New York in 1974.
Dean Janeway has served as a director of the Company since 2012. Mr. Janeway is an executive with more than 40 years of broad leadership skills and extensive experience in the areas of corporate strategy, business development, operational oversight and financial management. From 1966 through 2011, Mr. Janeway served in various positions at Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer- owned cooperative in the United States. From 1966 through 1990, Mr. Janeway advanced through various positions of increasing responsibility including positions in Wakefern’s accounting, merchandising, dairy-deli, and frozen foods divisions. From 1990 through 1995 Mr. Janeway provided oversight for all of Wakefern’s procurement, marketing, merchandising, advertising and logistics divisions. From 1995 until his retirement in 2011, Mr. Janeway served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Wakefern providing primary oversight for the company’s financial and treasury functions, human resources, labor relations, new business development, strategic acquisitions, government relations, corporate social responsibility, sustainability initiatives and member relations. Mr. Janeway previously served as the chairman for the National Grocers Association from 1993 through 2001. From 2009 through the present, Mr. Janeway has served as the Chairman of the Foundation for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
The Board of Directors determined that Mr. Janeway’s qualifications to serve as a director include his notable business and leadership experience in all areas of management, particularly in the food industry. He also has experience in the area of wholesale distribution, due to his past position at Wakefern and his knowledge of running and managing companies and his proven track record of success in such endeavors will be invaluable to the Company going forward.
Mr. Janeway received his B.A. in Marketing from Rutgers University.
Thomas Toto has over 40 years of experience in the management and ownership of food brokerage and food distribution companies. Mr. Toto has served as a director of the Company from February 2010 through the Present. From June 2009 to May 2022, he served as the Senior Business manager for World Wide Sales Inc., a perishable food broker that services the New York / New Jersey Metropolitan and Philadelphia marketplace. Prior to this he worked from September 2007 until May 2009 as a Division President for DCI Cheese Co., a private equity owned company that imported and distributed various kinds of cheeses and dairy products. Previously from March 1993 until September 2007 he was the President and owner of Advantage International Foods Corporation, where he ran the day-to-day operations of marketing, and distributing cheese, dairy and related products from around the world to various major retailers, independents, club stores, and food service operators.
Mr. Toto received his B.A. from Seton Hall University in 1976 and his M.B.A. from Seton Hall University in 1979.
In evaluating Mr. Toto’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills in connection with his appointment to our board, we took into account his numerous years of experience in the food importing, marketing and distribution as well as other food related industries, his knowledge of running and managing companies as a professional manager and as an entrepreneur; and his proven track record of success in such endeavors.
Meghan Henson is an experienced senior human resources executive with experience across several industries. She has served since 2023 as Senior Vice President, Chief People Officer of Aetna, a CVS Health Company, of Hartford, CT. Prior to this role, she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer of Avantor, Radnor, PA from 2020 to 2023. Previously, she served as Chief Human Resources Officer of XPO Logistics, Greenwich, CT from 2016-2020. She served as Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, Chubb Insurance, Warren, NJ from 2013-2016 after serving in various Human Resources leadership roles with PepsiCo from 2004-2013. Prior to PepsiCo, she served as Senior Manager, Human Capital for Deloitte Consulting from 2001-2004 and Manager, HR and Change Management for Towers Perrin (now Willis Towers Watson) from 1997-2001. She holds an MBA with emphasis in Organizational Behavior from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and East Asian Studies at University of Wisconsin – Madison. During her tenure at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, she was elected Student Body President.
The board determined that Ms. Henson’s breadth of executive experience and expertise in leading human resources functions for large companies would provide valuable insight to the board.
Shirley Romig has two decades of experience in operationalizing growth strategies and leading transformational initiatives in complex consumer and technology organizations. Most recently, Ms. Romig was the CEO and Co-Founder of Mixo Group, Inc., a digital creator platform for the $1.7T food market. Previously, she was Vice President with Lyft, leading Global Operations, East and Canada from 2019 to 2022. From 2017-2019, Ms. Romig led six lines of businesses at Equinox Fitness Clubs as Group Vice President. From 2016-2017, Ms. Romig was the Head of Retail Strategy for SapientRazorfish, a global digital agency. From 2013 to 2015, Ms. Romig was the Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy with HBC responsible for implementation of growth initiatives across Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks OFF 5th, Lord & Taylor and Hudson’s Bay in Canada. Ms. Romig also served as a Vice President for Saks Incorporated where she led the company’s omnichannel transformation work and launched Saksoff5th.com as well as numerous growth initiatives for Saks.com. Earlier in her career, Ms. Romig worked in equity research and digital and strategy consulting. Ms. Romig also serves on the Board of Directors for Lovesac (Nasdaq: LOVE), a publicly traded home furnishings company, and is the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Ms. Romig holds an M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business and a Bachelor of Science from the McIntire School of Commerce, both at the University of Virginia.
In nominating Ms. Romig as a director, the board considered her expertise in leading transformational initiatives across a number of industries, background in growth strategy implementation and public company experience.
Lynn Blake has over 30 years of financial leadership experience, including Chief Financial Officer experience at multiple publicly traded companies, a private equity-owned portfolio company, and a venture-backed startup. Most recently, Ms. Blake was Chief Financial Officer of Nuwellis, Inc., a medical device company, from October 2022 to September 2023. Prior to this, she was Managing Director at Growth Operators, a business consulting firm, from January 2020 to October 2022. Before this, Ms. Blake was Chief Financial Officer at Tactile Systems Technology, Inc., a medical device development company, from April 2016 to September 2018. Her career began in the management development track at Honeywell International, and subsequent key highlights include successful public markets execution and transaction experience as a C-suite executive at several publicly traded companies. Currently, Ms. Blake serves on various private and non-profit boards, including iterro, Inc., Elire, Inc., Volunteers of America and the CFO Leadership Council. Ms. Blake
holds a BBA in Accounting & Finance from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, as well as an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
Other Information
Other information required by Item 10 relating to the Company’s directors is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services.
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statements Schedules
| | | | | | | | |
Exhibit No. | | Description |
| | |
3.1 | | |
3.2 | | |
3.3 | |
|
3.4 | | |
3.5 | | |
3.6 | | |
4.1 | | |
10.1+ | | |
10.2+ | | |
10.3+ | | |
10.4+ | | |
10.5+ | | |
10.6+ | | |
10.7+ | | |
10.8+ | | |
10.9+ | | |
10.10 | | |
10.11 | | |
10.12 | | |
10.13 | | |
| | | | | | | | |
10.14 | | |
21.1* | | |
23.1* | | |
24.1* | | |
31.1* | | |
31.2* | | |
32.1* | | |
32.2* | | |
97.1* | | |
101.INS | | Inline XBRL Instance Document |
101.SCH | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document |
101.CAL | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document |
101.DEF | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document |
101.LAB | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document |
101.PRE | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |
104 | | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
*Filed herewith
+Denotes management contract or compensatory arrangement
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| | | | | | | | |
| MAMA'S CREATIONS, INC. |
| | |
Date: April 24, 2024 | By: | /s/ Adam L. Michaels |
| Name: | Adam L. Michaels |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
| | |
| By: | /s/ Anthony Gruber |
| Name: | Anthony Gruber |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) |
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints each of Adam Michaels and Anthony Gruber as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Report on Form 10-K and to file same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Signature | | Title | | Date |
| | | | |
/s/ Adam L. Michaels | | Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the | | April 24, 2024 |
Adam L. Michaels | | Board of Directors | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Anthony Gruber | | Chief Financial Officer | | April 24, 2024 |
Anthony Gruber | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Steven Burns | | Director | | April 24, 2024 |
Steven Burns | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Alfred D’Agostino | | Director | | April 24, 2024 |
Alfred D’Agostino | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Tom Toto | | Director | | April 24, 2024 |
Tom Toto | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Dean Janeway | | Director | | April 24, 2024 |
Dean Janeway | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Meghan Henson | | Director | | April 24, 2024 |
Meghan Henson | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Shirley Romig | | Director | | April 24, 2024 |
Shirley Romig | | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Lynn Blake | | Director | | April 24, 2024 |
Lynn Blake | | | | |
MAMA'S CREATIONS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
January 31, 2024
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and
Stockholders of Mama's Creations, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Mama's Creations, Inc. (the Company) as of January 31, 2024 and 2023, and the related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended January 31, 2024, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of January 31, 2024 and 2023, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended January 31, 2024, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate. We determined that there are no critical audit matters.
/s/ Rosenberg Rich Baker Berman, P.A.
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2011.
Somerset, New Jersey
April 24, 2024
Mama's Creations, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
| | | |
Assets: | | | |
| | | |
Current Assets: | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 11,022 | | | $ | 4,378 | |
Accounts receivable, net | 7,859 | | | 6,832 | |
Inventories, net | 3,310 | | | 3,636 | |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 1,375 | | | 828 | |
Total current assets | 23,566 | | | 15,674 | |
| | | |
Property, plant, and equipment, net | 4,436 | | | 3,423 | |
Intangibles, net | 4,979 | | | 1,503 | |
Goodwill | 8,633 | | | 8,633 | |
Operating lease right of use assets, net | 2,889 | | | 3,237 | |
Deferred tax asset | 503 | | | 718 | |
Equity method investment | — | | | 1,343 | |
Security Deposits | 95 | | | 54 | |
Total Assets | $ | 45,101 | | | $ | 34,585 | |
| | | |
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity: | | | |
| | | |
Liabilities: | | | |
Current Liabilities: | | | |
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 12,425 | | | $ | 9,063 | |
Term loan, net of debt discount of $38 and $60, respectively | 1,514 | | | 1,492 | |
Operating leases liability | 434 | | | 392 | |
Finance leases payable | 367 | | | 182 | |
Promissory notes – related parties | 1,950 | | | 750 | |
Total current liabilities | 16,690 | | | $ | 11,879 | |
| | | |
Line of credit | — | | | $ | 890 | |
Operating leases liability – net of current | 2,515 | | | 2,897 | |
Finance leases payable – net of current | 1,062 | | | 249 | |
Promissory notes – related parties, net of current | 2,250 | | | 1,500 | |
Term loan – net of current | 3,003 | | | 4,655 | |
Total long-term liabilities | 8,830 | | | 10,191 | |
| | | |
Total Liabilities | 25,520 | | | 22,070 | |
| | | |
Commitments and contingencies (Note 9) | | | |
| | | |
Stockholders’ Equity: | | | |
Series A Preferred stock, $0.00001 par value; 120,000 shares authorized; 23,400 issued as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, 0 shares outstanding as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 | — | | | — | |
Series B Preferred stock, $0.00001 par value; 200,000 shares authorized; 0 and 54,600 issued and outstanding as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 | — | | | — | |
Preferred stock, $0.00001 par value; 19,680,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding | — | | | — | |
Common stock, $0.00001 par value; 250,000,000 shares authorized; 37,488,239 and 36,317,857 shares issued as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, respectively, 37,258,239 and 36,087,857 shares outstanding as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, respectively | — | | | — | |
Additional paid in capital | 23,278 | | | 22,724 | |
Accumulated deficit | (3,547) | | | (10,059) | |
Less: Treasury stock, 230,000 shares at cost | (150) | | | (150) | |
Total Stockholders’ Equity | 19,581 | | | 12,515 | |
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | $ | 45,101 | | | $ | 34,585 | |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
Mama's Creations, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share data)
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended January 31, |
| 2024 | | 2023 |
| | | |
Sales-net of slotting fees and discounts | $ | 103,284 | | | $ | 93,188 | |
| | | |
Costs of sales | 72,951 | | | 73,770 | |
| | | |
Gross profit | 30,333 | | | 19,418 | |
| | | |
Operating expenses: | | | |
Research and development | 414 | | | 135 | |
Selling, general and administrative | 21,029 | | | 16,460 | |
Total operating expenses | 21,443 | | | 16,595 | |
| | | |
Income from operations | 8,890 | | | 2,823 | |
| | | |
Other income (expenses) | | | |
Interest, net | (549) | | | (634) | |
Amortization of debt discount | (22) | | | (22) | |
Other income | 27 | | | 3 | |
Total other expenses | (544) | | | (653) | |
| | | |
Net income before income tax provision and income from equity method investment | 8,346 | | | 2,170 | |
| | | |
Income from equity method investment | 223 | | | 143 | |
Income tax provision | (2,008) | | | (9) | |
| | | |
Net income | 6,561 | | | 2,304 | |
| | | |
Less: series B preferred dividends | (49) | | | (34) | |
| | | |
Net income available to common stockholders | 6,512 | | | 2,270 | |
| | | |
Net income per common share | | | |
– basic | $ | 0.18 | | | $ | 0.06 | |
– diluted | $ | 0.17 | | | $ | 0.06 | |
| | | |
Weighted average common shares outstanding | | | |
– basic | 36,814,162 | | 36,093,858 |
– diluted | 38,381,407 | | 37,313,178 |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
Mama's Creations, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity
(in thousands)
For the Period from February 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Series A Preferred Stock | | Series B Preferred Stock | | Common Stock | | Treasury Stock | | Additional Paid-in Capital | | Accumulated Deficit | | Stockholders’ Equity |
| Shares | | Amount | | Shares | | Amount | | Shares | | Amount | | Shares | | Amount | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance, February 1, 2023 | - | | $ | - | | | 55 | | $ | - | | | 36,318 | | $ | - | | | (230) | | $ | (150) | | | $ | 22,724 | | | $ | (10,059) | | | $ | 12,515 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Stock-based compensation | - | | - | | - | | - | | 138 | | - | | - | | - | | 486 | | - | | 486 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Stock issued for the exercise of options and warrants | - | | - | | - | | - | | 213 | | - | | - | | - | | 68 | | - | | 68 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Conversion of Series B preferred stock | - | | - | | (55) | | - | | 819 | | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series B Preferred dividend | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | (49) | | (49) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income | - | | - | | | - | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 6,561 | | | 6,561 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance, January 31, 2024 | - | | $ | - | | | — | | $ | - | | | 37,488 | | $ | — | | | (230) | | $ | (150) | | | $ | 23,278 | | | $ | (3,547) | | | $ | 19,581 | |
For the Period from February 1, 2022 through January 31, 2023
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Series A Preferred Stock | | Series B Preferred Stock | | Common Stock | | Treasury Stock | | Additional Paid-in Capital | | Accumulated Deficit | | Stockholders’ Equity |
| Shares | | Amount | | Shares | | Amount | | Shares | | Amount | | Shares | | Amount | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance, February 1, 2022 | - | | $ | - | | | - | | $ | - | | | 35,759 | | $ | - | | | (230) | | $ | (150) | | | $ | 20,588 | | | $ | (12,329) | | | $ | 8,109 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Stock-based compensation | - | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 110 | | | - | | | 110 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Stock issued for the exercise of options | - | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 57 | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 26 | | | - | | | 26 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Stock issued for the acquisition of equity investment | - | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 502 | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 700 | | | - | | | 700 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Issuance of Preferred B Shares, net of issuance costs | - | | - | | | 55 | | | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 1,300 | | | - | | | 1,300 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Series B Preferred dividend | - | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | (34) | | | (34) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income | - | | - | | | - | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 2,304 | | | 2,304 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance, January 31, 2023 | - | | $ | - | | | 55 | | $ | - | | | 36,318 | | $ | - | | | (230) | | $ | (150) | | | $ | 22,724 | | | $ | (10,059) | | | $ | 12,515 | |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
Mama's Creations, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended January 31, |
| 2024 | | 2023 |
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | | | |
Net income | $ | 6,561 | | | $ | 2,304 | |
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: | | | |
Depreciation | 1,043 | | | 920 | |
Provision for credit losses | (140) | | | 233 | |
Amortization of debt discount | 22 | | | 22 | |
Amortization of right of use assets | 348 | | | 360 | |
Amortization of intangibles | 1,080 | | | 482 | |
Stock-based compensation | 436 | | | 110 | |
Allowance for obsolete inventory | 63 | | | — | |
Change in deferred tax asset | 215 | | | (269) | |
Income from equity method investment | (223) | | | (143) | |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | | | |
Accounts receivable | 2,392 | | | 563 | |
Inventories | 263 | | | (745) | |
Prepaid expenses | (540) | | | (174) | |
Security deposits | (35) | | | (2) | |
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 476 | | | 2,191 | |
Operating lease liability | (340) | | | (343) | |
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities | 11,621 | | | 5,509 | |
| | | |
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | | | |
Cash paid for fixed assets | (786) | | | (593) | |
Cash paid for acquisition/investment in Chef Inspirational Foods, LLC, net | (646) | | | (500) | |
| | | |
Net Cash (Used in) Investing Activities | (1,432) | | | (1,093) | |
| | | |
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | | | |
Proceeds from series b preferred stock offering | — | | | 1,365 | |
Payment of stock offering costs | — | | | (66) | |
Cash paid for financing fees | — | | | (27) | |
Repayment of term loan | (1,652) | | | (1,293) | |
(Repayment) borrowings of line of credit, net | (890) | | | 125 | |
Repayment of term loan - related party | (750) | | | (750) | |
Repayment of finance lease obligations | (272) | | | (235) | |
Payment of Series B Preferred dividends | (49) | | | (34) | |
Proceeds from exercise of options | 68 | | | 26 | |
Net Cash (Used in) Financing Activities | (3,545) | | | (889) | |
| | | |
Net Increase in Cash | 6,644 | | | 3,527 | |
| | | |
Cash and cash equivalents - Beginning of Period | 4,378 | | | 851 | |
| | | |
Cash and cash equivalents - End of Period | $ | 11,022 | | | $ | 4,378 | |
| | | |
SUPPLEMENTARY CASH FLOW INFORMATION: | | | |
Cash Paid During the Period for: | | | |
Income taxes | $ | 1,620 | | | $ | 32 | |
Interest | $ | 654 | | | $ | 634 | |
| | | |
SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | | | |
Finance lease asset additions | $ | 1,270 | | | $ | 72 | |
Related party loan to finance acquisition | $ | 2,700 | | | $ | — | |
Non-cash consideration paid in common stock for equity method investment | $ | — | | | $ | 700 | |
Non-cash deposits on prepaid additions | $ | — | | | $ | 385 | |
Settlement of liability in common stock | $ | 50 | | | $ | — | |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
Mama's Creations, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
January 31, 2024
Note 1 - Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation
Nature of Operations
Mama's Creations, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”), (formerly known as MamaMancini's Holdings, Inc. and Mascot Properties, Inc.) was organized on July 22, 2009 as a Nevada corporation. The Company has a year-end of January 31.
Our subsidiary MamaMancini’s Inc. (“MamaMancinis”) is a marketer, manufacturer and distributor of beef and turkey meatballs with sauce, grilled, roasted and breaded chicken, sausage & peppers, and other similar meats and sauces. In addition, the Company continues to diversify its product line by introducing new products such as ready to serve meals, single-size pasta bowls, bulk deli, and packaged refrigerated protein products. MamaMancini's products were submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture (the “USDA”) and approved as all natural. The USDA defines all natural as a product that contains no artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients or chemical preservatives and is minimally processed.
Our Subsidiary T&L Acquisition Corp. is a premier gourmet food manufacturer based in New York. T&L Acquisition Corp. DBA T&L Creative Salads (“T&L”) and Olive Branch (“OB”), offer a full line of foods for retail food chains and club stores, delis, bagel stores, caterers and provision distributors. T&L uses high-quality meats, seafood and vegetables, prepared to meet the standards set forth by the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"). Olive Branch concentrates on selling olives, olive mixes, and savory products to a limited number of large retail customers, primarily in pre-packaged containers.
On June 28, 2022, the Company acquired a 24% minority interest in Chef Inspirational Foods, LLC (“CIF”), a leading developer, innovator, marketer and sales company selling prepared foods, for an investment of $1.2 million. The investment consists of $500 thousand in cash and $700 thousand in the Company’s common stock. The acquisition of the interest in CIF was accounted for under the equity method of accounting for investments up until the Company acquired the remaining interest of CIF. On June 28, 2023, the Company completed the acquisition of the remaining 76% of CIF, in accordance with the terms of the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement dated June 28, 2023 by and among the Company, Siegel Suffolk Family, LLC, and R&I Loeb Family, LLC (the “Sellers”) for approximately $3.7 million, including approximately $1.0 million in cash at closing and a $2.7 million promissory note (the "CIF Acquisition"). The promissory note requires a principal payment of $1.2 million in cash on the first anniversary of the closing date, and a payment of $1.5 million in common stock of the Company on the second anniversary of the closing date.
The following presents the unaudited results of operations for the period June 28, 2022 (minority interest acquisition date) through January 31, 2023 and from February 1, 2023 through June 28, 2023 (CIF Acquisition date) of CIF (in thousands).
| | | | | | | | |
| For the Period February 1, 2023 through June 28, 2023 | For the Period June 28, 2022 through January 31, 2023 |
Revenues | $ | 13,721 | | $ | 18,238 | |
Net income | $ | 931 | | $ | 598 | |
Name Change
On July 31, 2023, the Company filed an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada to change the Company’s name from “MamaMancini’s Holdings, Inc.” to “Mama’s Creations, Inc.” (the “Name Change”). The Name Change, which was approved by the Company’s stockholders at its annual meeting on July 31, 2023, did not alter the voting powers or relative rights of the Company Common Stock, reflects the evolution of the Company
from its origins as a home style, old world Italian food company to a "one stop shop" including all-natural specialty prepared refrigerated foods for sale in retailers around the country. On July 31, 2023, the Company also amended and restated its Amended and Restated Bylaws, solely to reflect the name change (as amended, the “Second Amended and Restated Bylaws”).
Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries as of the reporting period ending dates and for the reporting periods. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts in the prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Such estimates and assumptions impact, among others, the following: allowance for credit losses, valuation of the acquisition of the remaining interest of CIF (which was accounted for as an asset acquisition as substantially all of the fair value is concentrated in customer relationships), the fair value of stock based compensation, inventory reserves, impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, and estimates for unrealized returns, discounts, and other allowances that are netted against revenue.
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the consolidated financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from our estimates.
Risks and Uncertainties
The Company operates in an industry that is subject to intense competition and changes in consumer demand. The Company’s operations are subject to significant risk and uncertainties including financial and operational risks including the potential risk of business failure.
The Company has experienced, and in the future expects to continue to experience, variability in sales and earnings. The factors expected to contribute to this variability include, among others, (i) the cyclical nature of the grocery industry, (ii) general economic conditions in the various local markets in which the Company competes, including a potential general downturn in the economy, and (iii) the volatility of prices pertaining to food and beverages in connection with the Company’s distribution of the product. These factors, among others, make it difficult to project the Company’s operating results on a consistent basis.
Segment Reporting
For the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company was managed as a single operating segment. The Chief Executive Officer, who is the Company’s Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), reviews financial information on an aggregate basis for purposes of allocating resources and assessing financial performance, as well as for making strategic operational decisions and managing the organization. As such, the Company has one reportable segment. Additionally, all of the Company’s assets are maintained in the United States.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid instruments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The majority of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held at one financial institution, which at
January 31, 2024, exceeds insured amounts. The Company believes it mitigates such risk by having this cash held by a major financial institution.
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses
Accounts receivable are stated at the amount management expects to collect from outstanding balances. The Company generally does not require collateral to support customer receivables. Estimated product returns are immaterial. Management assesses the collectability of outstanding customer invoices, and maintains an allowance resulting from the expected non-collection of customer receivables. In estimating this reserve, management considers factors such as historical collection experience, customer creditworthiness, specific customer risk, and current and expected general economic conditions. Customer balances are written off after all collection efforts are exhausted. As of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, the reserve for uncollectible accounts was approximately $93 thousand and $233 thousand, respectively. For the years ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 the Company wrote off approximately $140 thousand and $0 respectively, against the allowance for credit losses established.
Inventories
The Company values its inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value (“NRV”). NRV is defined as estimated selling prices less costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The cost of inventory is determined on the first-in, first-out basis. The cost of finished goods inventories includes ingredients, direct labor, freight-in for ingredients, and indirect production and overhead costs. The Company monitors its inventory to identify excess or obsolete items on hand. The Company reviews inventory quantities on-hand and records a provision for excess and obsolete inventory based primarily on selling prices, indications from customers based upon current price negotiations and purchase orders. In addition, and as necessary, specific reserves for future known or anticipated events may be established. As of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, the reserve for obsolete inventory was approximately $95 thousand and $32 thousand, respectively.
Inventories by major category are as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Raw materials and packaging | $ | 1,159 | | | $ | 1,883 | |
Work in process | 237 | | | 99 | |
Finished goods | 1,914 | | | 1,654 | |
Total | $ | 3,310 | | | 3,636 | |
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost net of depreciation. Depreciation expense is computed using straight-line methods over the estimated useful lives.
Asset lives for financial statement reporting of depreciation are:
| | | | | |
Machinery and equipment | 2-7 years |
Furniture and fixtures | 3 - 5 years |
Leasehold improvements | * |
(*)Amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease or the estimated useful lives, whichever period is shorter.
Upon sale or retirement of property and equipment, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is reflected in the consolidated statements of operations.
The Company reviews the recoverability of property and equipment when circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset or asset class may not be recoverable. Indicators of impairment could include, among other factors, significant changes in the business environment, the planned closure of a facility, or deterioration in operating cash flows.
Considerable management judgment is necessary to evaluate the impact of operating changes and to estimate future cash flows. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance which do not substantially improve or extend the useful life of an asset are expensed as incurred.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
Goodwill
Goodwill is the excess of the consideration paid for a business over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired. Goodwill and other indefinite lived intangible assets are not amortized. Instead, these assets are reviewed at least annually for impairment. The Company has the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. However, the Company may elect to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test even if no indications of a potential impairment exist.
When performing its quantitative annual goodwill impairment test the Company is comparing the fair value with its carrying amounts. The Company would recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value; however, the loss recognized would not exceed the total amount of goodwill. Additionally, the Company considers income tax effects from any tax-deductible goodwill on the carrying amount when measuring the goodwill impairment loss, if applicable. The fair value is estimated using discounted cash flow methodologies, as well as considering third party market value indicators. The Company’s use of a discounted cash flow methodology includes estimates of future revenue based upon budgets and projections. The Company also develops estimates for future levels of gross and operating profits and projected capital expenditures. The Company’s methodology also includes the use of estimated discount rates based upon industry and competitor analysis as well as other factors. Calculating the fair value requires significant estimates and assumptions by management. Should the estimates and assumptions regarding the fair value of the reporting units prove to be incorrect, the Company may be required to record impairments to its goodwill in future periods and such impairments could be material.
As of January 31, 2024, there were no impairment losses recognized for goodwill.
Other Intangibles
Other intangibles consist of trademarks, trade names and customer relationships. Intangible asset lives for financial statement reporting of amortization are:
| | | | | |
Tradenames and trademarks | 3 years |
Customer relationships | 4 - 5 years |
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair value is an exit price, representing the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.
The carrying value of the Company’s short-term financial instruments, such as cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and accounts payable, approximate fair value due to the immediate or short-term maturity of these instruments.
The interest rate on the Company’s line of credit and notes payable has a variable component, which is reflective of the market for such instruments at any given date, and as such the carrying value this debt value approximates its fair value.
Research and Development
Research and development is expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses for the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 were approximately $414 thousand and $135 thousand, respectively.
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with FASB Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).
The Company’s sales are primarily generated from the sale of finished products to customers. Revenue is recognized when the performance obligation is satisfied, and the promised goods have been transferred. Control transfers when the product is shipped or delivered based upon applicable shipping terms. For each contract, the Company considers the transfer of product to be the performance obligation. Although some payment terms may be extended, generally the Company’s payment terms are approximately 15- 30 days. Accordingly, there are no significant financing components to consider when determining the transaction price. The Company elected to treat shipping and handling activities as fulfillment activities, and the related costs are recorded as selling expenses in selling, general and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The Company promotes its products with trade incentives and promotions. These programs include discounts, slotting fees, coupons, rebates, in-store display incentives and volume-based incentives. The trade incentives and promotions are recorded as a reduction to the transaction price based on amounts estimated as being due to customers at the end of the period. The Company derives these estimates based on historical experience. The Company does not receive a distinct service in relation to the trade incentives and promotions. The Company’s contracts are all short term in nature, therefore there are no unsatisfied performance obligations requiring disclosure as of January 31, 2024.
Expenses such as slotting fees, sales discounts, and allowances are accounted for as a direct reduction of revenues as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Gross Sales | $ | 106,104 | | | $ | 95,420 | |
Less: Slotting, Discounts, and Allowances | 2,820 | | | 2,232 | |
Net Sales | $ | 103,284 | | | $ | 93,188 | |
Disaggregation of Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The following table disaggregates gross revenue by significant geographic area for the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Northeast | $ | 37,189 | | | $ | 36,846 | |
Southeast | 30,183 | | | 28,306 | |
Midwest | 18,609 | | | 15,243 | |
West | 20,123 | | | 15,025 | |
Total gross revenue | $ | 106,104 | | | $ | 95,420 | |
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales represents costs related to the production and manufacturing of the Company’s products.
Advertising
Costs incurred for producing and communicating advertising for the Company are charged to operations as incurred. Producing and communicating advertising expenses for the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 were approximately $1.2 million and $693 thousand, respectively.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company provides compensation benefits in the form of performance stock awards, restricted stock units, stock options, and warrants. The cost of the stock-based compensation is recorded at fair value on the date of grant and expensed in our consolidated statement of operations over the requisite service period.
Performance stock awards are granted to certain executive officers. Each performance stock award entitles the participant to earn shares of common stock upon the attainment of certain market conditions and certain performance goals over the applicable performance period. The recognition of the compensation expense for the performance stock awards is based upon the probable outcome of the market condition and performance conditions based on the fair value of the award on the date of grant. To determine the value of PSUs with market conditions for stock-based compensation purposes, the Company used the Monte Carlo simulation valuation model. For each path, the PSUs payoff is calculated based on the contractual terms, whereas the fair value of the PSUs is calculated as the average present value of all modeled payoffs. The determination of the grant date fair value of PSUs issued is affected by a number of variables and subjective assumptions, including (i) the fair value of the Company’s common stock of $1.17 and $1.40, (ii) the expected common stock price volatility over the expected life of the award of 85.7% and 87.0%, (iii) the term of the award of 5 years and 5 years, (iv) risk-free interest rate of 3.7% and 3.4%, (v) the expected dividend yield of 0% and 0%. Forfeitures are recognized when they occur. There were no performance stock units that vested in the year ended January 31, 2024. The Company's performance against the defined goals are re-evaluated on a quarterly basis throughout the performance period and the recognition of the compensation expense is adjusted for subsequent changes in the estimated or actual outcome.
The Company values stock options and warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Grants of share-based payment awards issued to non-employees for services rendered have been recorded at the fair value of the share-based payment, which is the more readily determinable value. The grants are amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service periods, which is generally the vesting period. If an award is granted, but vesting does not occur, any previously recognized compensation cost is reversed in the period related to the termination of service.
For the year ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, when computing fair value of stock options issued, the Company has considered the following variables:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Risk-free interest rate | N/A | | 2.8 | % |
Expected life of grants | N/A | | 6.5 years |
Expected volatility of underlying stock | N/A | | 85.7 | % |
Dividends | N/A | | 0 |
The expected option term is computed using the “simplified method” for “plain vanilla” options as permitted under the provisions of ASC 718-10-S99. The Company uses the simplified method to calculate expected term of share options and similar instruments as the Company does not have sufficient historical exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate expected term.
The expected stock price volatility for the Company’s stock options was estimated using the historical volatilities of the Company’s common stock. Risk free interest rates were obtained from U.S. Treasury rates for the applicable periods.
The Company values Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") based on the closing price of the Company's common stock on the date the grant is issued and recognizes the expense related to this value on a straight line basis over the vesting term.
For the year ended January 31, 2024, the Company issued 19,960 shares valued at approximately $50 thousand to certain employees as compensation.
Earnings Per Share
Basic net income or loss per share attributable to common stockholders excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net income attributable to common stockholders during the period by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income or loss per share reflects potential dilution and is computed by dividing net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period, which is increased by the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued. However, if the effect of any additional securities are anti-dilutive (i.e., resulting in a higher net income per share or lower net loss per share), they are excluded from the dilutive net income computation. The
dilutive effect of stock options, warrants, and restricted stock is calculated using the treasury-stock method and the dilutive effect of the Series B Preferred stock is calculated using the if-converted method.
The following table provides a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used in computing basic and diluted net income attributable to common stockholders per common share (in thousands).
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Numerator: | | | |
Net income attributable to common stockholders | $ | 6,512 | | | 2,270 | |
Effect of dilutive securities: | 49 | | | 34 | |
| | | |
Diluted net income | $ | 6,561 | | | $ | 2,304 | |
| | | |
Denominator: | | | |
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic | 36,814 | | 36,094 |
Dilutive securities (a): | | | |
Series B Preferred | — | | 819 |
Options | 64 | | 355 |
Performance Stock Units | 1,195 | | — |
Restricted Stock | 308 | | 45 |
| | | |
Weighted average common shares outstanding and assumed conversion – diluted | 38,381 | | 37,313 |
| | | |
Basic net income per common share | $ | 0.18 | | | $ | 0.06 | |
| | | |
Diluted net income per common share | $ | 0.17 | | | $ | 0.06 | |
| | | |
(a) - Anti-dilutive securities excluded: | | | |
Options | — | | 150 |
Warrants | — | | 14 |
Income Taxes
Income taxes are provided in accordance with ASC 740, “Accounting for Income Taxes”. A deferred tax asset or liability is recorded for all temporary differences between financial and tax reporting and net operating loss carryforwards. Deferred tax expense (benefit) results from the net change during the period of deferred tax assets and liabilities.
Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment. As of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, the Company recognized a deferred tax asset of approximately $503 thousand and $718 thousand, respectively, which is included in other long-term liabilities or other long-term assets on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company regularly evaluates the need for a valuation allowance related to the deferred tax asset.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies an issuer’s accounting for convertible instruments by reducing the number of accounting models that require separate accounting for embedded conversion features. ASU 2020-06 also simplifies the
settlement assessment that entities are required to perform to determine whether a contract qualifies for equity classification and makes targeted improvements to the disclosures for convertible instruments and earnings-per-share (EPS) guidance. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Entities can elect to adopt the new guidance through either a modified retrospective method of transition or a fully retrospective method of transition. This guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We do not expect the adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350)—Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (“ASU 2017-04”). ASU 2017-04 simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairments by eliminating the requirement to compare the implied fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount as part of step two of the goodwill impairment test referenced in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (“ASC 350”). As a result, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An impairment charge should be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. However, the impairment loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022, including any interim impairment tests within those annual periods, with early application permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. In February 2022, we elected to early adopt ASU 2017-04, and the adoption had no impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In March 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-02, "Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investment Tax Credit Structures Using the Proportional Amortization Method." The amendments in this update permit reporting entities to elect to account for their tax equity investments, regardless of the tax credit program from which the income tax credits are received, using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met. This guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We do not expect the adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In October 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2023-06, Disclosure Improvements: Amendments - Codification Amendments in Response to the SEC's Disclosure Update and Simplification Initiative. The FASB issued the standard to introduce changes to US GAAP that originate in either SEC Regulation S-X or S-K, which are rules about the form and content of financial reports. The provisions of the standard are contingent when the SEC removes the related disclosure provisions from Regulation S-X and S-K. The company does not expect the provisions of the standard to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements and related disclosures.
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, "Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures." The new guidance is intended to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. The amendment is effective retrospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption ASU No. 2023-07 will have to the financial statements and related disclosures.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures." The new guidance is intended to enhance the transparency and decision usefulness of income tax disclosures. The amendments in the ASU address investor requests for enhanced income tax information primarily through changes to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information. The amendment is effective retrospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, on a prospective basis, with early adoption permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption ASU No. 2023-09 will have to the financial statements and related disclosures.
Note 3 - Property, Plant, and Equipment:
Property and equipment on January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 are as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Machinery and Equipment | $ | 4,437 | | | $ | 5,387 | |
Furniture and Fixtures | 252 | | | $ | 285 | |
Leasehold Improvements | 2,956 | | | $ | 3,480 | |
| 7,645 | | | $ | 9,152 | |
Less: Accumulated Depreciation | 3,209 | | | $ | 5,729 | |
Total | $ | 4,436 | | | $ | 3,423 | |
Depreciation expense charged to income for the year ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 amounted to approximately $1.0 million and $920 thousand, respectively.
Note 4 – Intangibles, net
Intangibles, net consisted of the following at January 31, 2024 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross Carrying Amount | | Accumulated Amortization | | Net Carrying Amount | | Weighted Average Remaining Life (years) |
Customer relationships | $ | 6,418 | | | $ | (1,463) | | | $ | 4,955 | | | 3.29 |
Tradename and trademarks | $ | 79 | | | $ | (55) | | | $ | 24 | | | 0.91 |
| $ | 6,497 | | | $ | (1,518) | | | $ | 4,979 | | | |
Intangibles, net consisted of the following at January 31, 2023 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross Carrying Amount | | Accumulated Amortization | | Net Carrying Amount | | Weighted Average Remaining Life |
Customer relationships | $ | 1,862 | | | $ | (409) | | | $ | 1,453 | | | 3.41 |
Tradename and trademarks | $ | 79 | | | $ | (29) | | | $ | 50 | | | 1.91 |
| $ | 1,941 | | | $ | (438) | | | $ | 1,503 | | | |
Amortization expense for the years ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 was approximately $1.1 million and $482 thousand, respectively.
We expect the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years to be as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | |
2025 | | $ | 1,539 | |
2026 | | $ | 1,513 | |
2027 | | $ | 1,465 | |
2028 | | $ | 462 | |
Total | | $ | 4,979 | |
Note 5 - Related Party Transactions
Promissory Note – Related Party
Upon consummation of the acquisition of T&L in December 2021, the Company executed a $3 million promissory note with the sellers. The promissory note requires annual principal payments of $750 thousand payable on each anniversary of the closing, together with accrued interest at a rate of three and one-half (3.5%) per annum. As of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, the outstanding balance under the note was $1.5 million and $2.25 million, respectively. For the year ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 interest expense for this note was approximately $77 thousand and $102 thousand respectively. As of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, accrued interest was approximately $5 thousand and $7 thousand, respectively.
Lease – Related Party
The Company leases a facility in Farmingdale, NY from 148 Allen Blvd LLC for production and distribution of T&L and Olive Branch products. 148 Allen Blvd LLC is owned by Anthony Morello, Jr., President of T&L and various individuals related to Mr. Morello. This lease term is through November 30, 2031 with the option to extend the lease for two additional 10 year terms with base rent of approximately $20 thousand per month through December 31, 2026, increasing after that date to approximately $24 thousand through the end of the initial lease term. The exercise of optional renewal is uncertain and therefore excluded from the calculation of the right of use asset. Rent expense and other ancillary charges pursuant to the lease for the year ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 was $343 thousand and $262 thousand, respectively.
Chef Inspirational Foods, LLC
As noted above in Note 1, the Company acquired a 24% minority interest in Chef Inspirational Foods, LLC (“CIF”) on June 28, 2022 and acquired the remaining interest on June 28, 2023. For the period from February 1, 2023 to June 28, 2023 the Company recorded sales to CIF of approximately $10.9 million. For the period from June 28, 2022 to January 31, 2023 the Company recorded sales to CIF of approximately $14.7 million. During the years ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, the Company recorded commission expenses and consulting services expenses of approximately $267 thousand and $424 thousand. As of January 31, 2023, the Company had receivables of approximately $1 million.
Note 6 - Loan and Security Agreement
M&T Bank
The Company has a working capital line of credit with M&T Bank for a maximum principal amount of $5.5 million. On July 18, 2023, the Company extended the maturity of the working capital line from June 30, 2024 to October 31, 2025. In addition, effective December 4, 2023, the Company amended the line of credit to change the rate at which interest accrues on the outstanding balance. Effective December 4, 2023 the principal outstanding bears interest at a variable rate per annum based on the Company’s Senior Funded Debt/EBITDA Ratio (as defined in the Agreement) established with respect to the Borrower as of the date of any advance under the Loan as follows: if the Senior Funded Debt/EBITDA ratio is: (i) greater than 2.25, 3.25 percentage point(s) above the applicable one-day (i.e. overnight) SOFR (as defined); (ii) greater than 1.50 but less than 2.25, 2.75 percentage points above the one-day SOFR; (iii) less than or equal to 1.50, 2.25 percentage points above the one-day SOFR. The facility is supported by a first priority security interest in all of the Company’s business assets and is further subject to various affirmative and negative financial covenants. The Company was in compliance with the covenants as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023. Advances under the line of credit are limited to eighty percent (80%) of eligible accounts receivable (which is subject to an agreed limitation and is further subject to certain asset concentration provisions) and fifty percent (50%) of eligible inventory (which is subject to an agreed dollar limitation). All advances under the line of credit are due upon maturity. The outstanding balance on the line of credit was $0 and $890 thousand as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, respectively. During the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred interest of approximately $47 thousand and $132 thousand to M&T Bank for the line of credit agreement, respectively.
On December 29, 2021, the Company entered into a loan with M&T Bank for the original principal amount of $7.5 million payable in equal monthly principal installments over a 60-month amortization period (the “Acquisition Note”). The Maturity Date of the Acquisition Note is January 17, 2027. The Acquisition Note was amended effective December 4, 2023 to change the rate at which interest accrues. Effective December 4, 2023 the interest rate was amended to be based on the Senior Funded Debt/EBITDA Ratio (as defined in the Acquisition Note. If the Senior Funded Debt/EBITDA ratio is:
(i) greater than 2.25, 3.50 percentage point(s) above the applicable Variable Loan Rate; (ii) greater than 1.50 but less than or equal to 2.25, 3.0 percentage points of the applicable Variable Loan Rate; or (iii) less than or equal to 1.50, 2.5 percentage points above the applicable Variable Loan Rate; provided that in all events the rate shall not be less than the recited percentage point margin over 0%. As of January 31, 2024, the outstanding balance and unamortized discount of the Acquisition Note was approximately $4.6 million and $38 thousand, respectively. As of January 31, 2023, the outstanding balance and unamortized discount of the Acquisition Note was approximately $6.2 million and $60 thousand, respectively. During the years ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, the Company incurred interest of approximately $450 thousand and $413 thousand for the Acquisition Note, respectively.
Note 7 - Concentrations
Revenues and Accounts Receivable
For the year ended January 31, 2024, the Company’s gross revenue was concentrated in three customers that accounted for approximately 26%, 11%, and 10% respectively. For the year ended January 31, 2023, the Company’s gross revenue was concentrated in two customers that accounted for approximately 25% and 13%, respectively.
As of January 31, 2024, four customers represented approximately 20%, 15%, 13%, and 10% of total gross outstanding receivables, respectively. As of January 31, 2023, three customers represented approximately 20%, 15% and 11% of total gross outstanding receivables, respectively.
Note 8 - Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred Stock and Series A Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue 20 million shares of preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share. The Company has designated 120 thousand shares of preferred stock as Series A Convertible Preferred stock. As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, no shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock are outstanding.
Series B Preferred
The Company has designated 200 thousand shares of preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share, for each of the Series B Preferred. The holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the amount of cash, securities or other property to which such holder would be entitled to receive with respect to such shares of Series B Preferred Stock if such shares had been converted to common stock immediately prior to such liquidation.
Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock were entitled to receive cumulative cash dividends at an annual rate of eight percent (8%). Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights. Each share of Series B Preferred stock shall be convertible, at the option of the holder, into shares of common stock at a rate of 1 share of Series B Preferred Stock into 15 shares of common stock.
For the year ended January 31, 2023, the Company sold approximately 55 thousand shares, raising gross proceeds of approximately $1.3 million.
On June 22, 2023, all the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock converted the shares of Series B Preferred Stock into 819 thousand shares of Common Stock of the Company.
As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, 0 and 55 thousand shares of Series B Preferred Stock were outstanding, respectively.
During the year ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company paid dividends of approximately $49 thousand and $34 thousand, respectively.
Restricted Stock Units
The fair value of restricted stock units is determined based on the closing price of the Company's Common Stock on the grant date. Restricted Stock Units generally vest on a graded basis over three to four years of service.
A summary of the status of the Company's Restricted Stock Units is presented below.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Restricted Stock Units | | Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value |
Non-vested Restricted Stock Units – February 1, 2023 | 367,647 | | $ | 1.36 | |
Granted | 283,414 | | $ | 2.65 | |
Vested | (118,210) | | $ | 1.14 | |
Forfeited | (39,773) | | $ | 1.76 | |
Non-vested Restricted Stock Units – January 31, 2024 | 493,078 | | $ | 1.91 | |
At January 31, 2024 there was approximately $748 thousand of total unrecognized compensation expense related to Restricted Stock Units, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.84 years. During the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 the Company recognized stock-based compensation related to RSUs of an aggregate of approximately $279 thousand and $50 thousand respectively, which was recorded to selling, general and administrative expenses or cost of goods sold depending on the nature of the employee on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Of the total 283,414 RSUs issued during the year ended January 31, 2024, 64,590 were issued to the Board of Directors and 218,824 were issued to employees of the Company.
Options
The following is a summary of the Company’s option activity:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Options | | Weighted Average Exercise Price | | Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years) | | Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in thousands) |
Outstanding – February 1, 2023 | 689,000 | | $ | 0.77 | | | 2.95 | | 545 |
Granted | — | | | — | | | | | |
Exercised | (232,500) | | $ | 0.54 | | | | | |
Expired/forfeited | (339,000) | | $ | 0.67 | | | | | |
Outstanding – January 31, 2024 | 117,500 | | $ | 1.48 | | | 8.36 | | 333 |
Exercisable – January 31, 2024 | 5,000 | | $ | 1.48 | | | 8.36 | | 14 |
During the year ended January 31, 2024, 232,500 options at a weighted average exercise price of 0.54 per share were exchanged for 199,420 shares of common stock. The Company received approximately $68 thousand for the exercise of these options, as a portion of the options were cashless exercised.
During the year ended January 31, 2023, 130,000 options at a weighted average exercise price of $1.00 per share were exchanged for 57,093 shares of common stock. The Company received approximately $26 thousand for the exercise of these options, as a portion of the options were cashless exercised.
For the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized share-based compensation related to options of an aggregate of approximately $65 thousand and $60 thousand, respectively, which is included in selling, general and administrative expenses on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. At January 31, 2024, there was unrecognized share-based compensation of approximately $55 thousand.
Warrants
In conjunction with the Series B Preferred offering during the year ended January 31, 2023, the placement agent received one warrant for every $100 invested. The fair value of the warrants as of grant date was approximately $17 thousand and was valued using a Black-Scholes option pricing model using the following assumptions:
| | | | | |
| September 13, 2022 |
Risk-free interest rate | 3.58 | % |
Expected life | 5 years |
Expected volatility of underlying stock | 82.52 | % |
Dividends | 0 | % |
The following is a summary of the Company’s warrant activity:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Warrants | | Weighted Average Exercise Price |
Outstanding – February 1, 2023 | 13,650 | | $ | 2.25 | |
Exercisable – February 1, 2023 | 13,650 | | $ | 2.25 | |
Granted | 0 | | |
Exercised | (13,650) | | $ | — | |
Outstanding – January 31, 2024 | — | | $ | — | |
Exercisable – January 31, 2024 | — | | $ | — | |
During the year ended January 31, 2024, the Company issued 13,650 shares of common stock upon the cashless exercise of the warrants.
Note 9 - Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation, Claims and Assessments
From time to time, the Company may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings, which arise in the ordinary course of business. Litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm its business. The Company is currently not aware of any such legal proceedings or claims that they believe will have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or operating results.
Licensing and Royalty Agreements
On March 1, 2010, the Company was assigned a Development and License agreement (the “Agreement”). Under the terms of the Agreement the Licensor shall develop for the Company a line of beef meatballs with sauce, turkey meatballs with sauce and other similar meats and sauces for commercial manufacture, distribution and sale (each a “Licensor Product” and collectively the “Licensor Products”). Licensor shall work with Licensee to develop Licensor Products that are acceptable to Licensee. Upon acceptance of a Licensor Product by Licensee, Licensor’s trade secret recipes, formulas methods and ingredients for the preparation and production of such Licensor Products (the “Recipes”) shall be subject to this Development and License Agreement.
The Exclusive Term began on January 1, 2009 (the “Effective Date”) and ends on the 50th anniversary of the Effective Date.
The Royalty Rate shall be: 6% of net sales up to $500 thousand of net sales for each Agreement year; 4% of Net Sales from $500 thousand up to $2.5 million of Net Sales for each Agreement year; 2% of Net Sales from $2.5 million up to $20 million of Net Sales for each Agreement year; and 1% of Net Sales in excess of $20 million of Net Sales for each Agreement year.
In order to continue the Exclusive term, the Company shall pay a minimum royalty of $125 thousand each year.
The Company incurred approximately $637 thousand and $584 thousand of royalty expenses for the year ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Royalty expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of operations.
Agreements with Placement Agents and Finders
Spartan Capital, LLC
The Company entered into a fourth Financial Advisory and Investment Banking Agreement with Spartan Capital Securities, LLC (“Spartan”) effective April 1, 2015 (the “Spartan Advisory Agreement”). Pursuant to the Spartan Advisory Agreement, if the Company enters into a change of control transaction during the term of the agreement through October 1, 2022, the Company shall pay to Spartan a fee equal to 3% of the consideration paid or received by the Company and/or its stockholders in such transaction. Based on this agreement with Spartan, during the year ended January 31, 2023, the Company paid Spartan approximately $36 thousand upon the consummation of the 24% minority interest in CIF.
AGES Financial Services. Ltd.
On July 6, 2022, the Company executed a Proposed Offering Engagement Letter with AGES Financial Services. Ltd. (“AGES”) to act as a non-exclusive (i) dealer-manager, (ii) placement agent and/or (iii) financial advisor for a proposed issuance, or series of issuances, for up to $5 million of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (“Proposed Offering”) in a private placement to be conducted by the Company pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The period of the Engagement was from July 5, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
In consideration for its services in the offering, AGES was entitled to a cash fee equal to 4% of the net dollar amount received by the Company from investors sourced by AGES plus 5 year warrants to buy Common Stock of the Company at the rate of 1 warrant for every $100 of such net dollar amount. The Company was responsible for payment of all expenses relating to the offering, including, but not limited to costs associated with the registration of any Common Stock which may be issued upon conversion of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. For the year ending January 31, 2023 the Company paid AGES approximately $65 thousand.
Note 10 –Leases
The Company determines if an arrangement contains a lease at inception. Right of Use ("ROU") assets represent the right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the estimated present value of lease payments over the lease term.
The Company’s leases consist of office space, manufacturing space and machinery and equipment. The Company utilized a portfolio approach in determining the discount rate. The portfolio approach takes into consideration the range of the term, the range of the lease payments, the category of the underlying asset and the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate, which is derived from information available at the lease commencement date, in determining the present value of lease payments. The Company also considered its recent debt issuances as well as publicly available data for instruments with similar characteristics when calculating the incremental borrowing rates.
The lease term includes options to extend the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Future obligations relating to the exercise of renewal options is included in the measurement if, based on the judgment of management, the renewal option is reasonably certain to be exercised. Factors in determining whether an option is reasonably certain of exercise include, but are not limited to, the value of leasehold improvements, the value of the renewal rate compared to market rates, and the presence of factors that would cause a significant economic penalty to the Company if the option is not exercised.
Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet, per the election of the practical expedient.
The Company recognizes lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company recognizes variable lease payments in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred. Variable lease payments that depend on an index or a rate are initially measured using the index or rate at the commencement date, otherwise variable lease payments are recognized in the period incurred.
The components of lease expense were as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Finance Leases | | | |
Depreciation of Assets | 257 | | | 128 | |
Interest on lease liabilities | 62 | | | 38 | |
Operating Leases | 572 | | | 545 | |
| | | |
Total net lease cost | 891 | | | 711 | |
Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Operating Leases | | | |
Operating lease ROU assets | $ | 2,889 | | | $ | 3,237 | |
| | | |
Current operating lease liabilities, included in current liabilities | $ | 434 | | | $ | 392 | |
Noncurrent operating lease liabilities, included in long-term liabilities | 2,515 | | | 2,897 | |
Total operating lease liabilities | $ | 2,949 | | | $ | 3,289 | |
| | | |
Finance Leases | | | |
Property and equipment at cost | $ | 2,187 | | | $ | 917 | |
Accumulated depreciation | (610) | | | (353) | |
Property and equipment, net | $ | 1,577 | | | $ | 564 | |
| | | |
Current obligations of finance lease liabilities, included in current liabilities | $ | 367 | | | $ | 182 | |
Finance leases, net of current obligations, included in long-term liabilities | 1,062 | | | 249 | |
Total finance lease liabilities | $ | 1,429 | | | $ | 431 | |
Supplemental cash flow and other information related to leases was as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities (in thousands) | | | |
Operating cash flows from operating leases | $ | 340 | | | $ | 343 | |
Financing cash flows from finance leases | 272 | | | 235 | |
| | | |
ROU assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities (in thousands) | | | |
Operating leases | $ | - | | | $ | - | |
Finance leases | 1,270 | | | 72 | |
| | | |
Weighted average remaining lease term (in years) | | | |
Operating leases | 6.57 | | 7.50 |
Finance leases | 4.49 | | 2.60 |
| | | |
Weighted average discount rate: | | | |
Operating leases | 4.85 | % | | 4.85 | % |
Finance Leases | 6.74 | % | | 3.41 | % |
Maturities of lease liabilities for each of the succeeding fiscal years are as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
For the fiscal years ended | | Finance Leases | Operating Leases | Total Maturities of Lease Liabilities |
2025 | | $ | 454 | | $ | 572 | | $ | 1,026 | |
2026 | | 349 | | 573 | | 922 | |
2027 | | 302 | | 467 | | 769 | |
2028 | | 293 | | 495 | | 788 | |
2029 | | 197 | | 495 | | 692 | |
Thereafter | | 90 | | 836 | | 926 | |
Total undiscounted future lease payments | | 1,685 | | 3,438 | | 5,123 | |
Less: imputed interest | | (256) | | (489) | | (745) | |
Total present value of future lease liabilities | | $ | 1,429 | | $ | 2,949 | | $ | 4,378 | |
Note 11 - Income Tax Provision
The income tax provision consists of the following:
Income tax provision / (benefit) consists of the following (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| January 31, 2024 | | January 31, 2023 |
Federal | | | |
Current | $ | 1,451 | | | $ | 113 | |
Deferred | 251 | | | (184) | |
State and Local | | | |
Current | 342 | | | 165 | |
Deferred | (36) | | | (85) | |
Income tax provision | $ | 2,008 | | | $ | 9 | |
The Company had U.S. federal net operating loss carryovers (NOLs) of approximately $0.0 million and $2.7 million at January 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, available to offset taxable income through 2034. The Company also has State NOLs of approximately $8.8 million and $8.8 million at January 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, available to offset future taxable income through 2036.
In assessing the realization of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon future generation of taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences representing net future deductible amounts become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. There was no valuation allowance as of January 31, 2024 and 2023.
The Company evaluated the provisions of ASC 740 related to the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements. ASC 740 prescribes a comprehensive model for how a company should recognize, present, and disclose uncertain positions that the Company has taken or expects to take in its tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. Differences between tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and the net benefit recognized and measured pursuant to the interpretation are referred to as “unrecognized benefits.” A liability is recognized (or amount of net operating loss carry forward or amount of tax refundable is reduced) for unrecognized tax benefit because it represents an enterprise’s potential future obligation to the taxing authority for a tax position that was not recognized as a result of applying the provisions of ASC 740.
If applicable, interest costs related to the unrecognized tax benefits are required to be calculated and would be classified as “Other expenses – Interest” in the consolidated statements of operations. Penalties would be recognized as a component of “Selling, general and administrative expenses.”
No interest or penalties on unpaid tax were recorded during the years ended January 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, no liability for unrecognized tax benefits was required to be reported. The Company does not expect any significant changes in its unrecognized tax benefits in the next year.
The Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities consisted of the effects of temporary differences attributable to the following:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Deferred Tax Assets | | Year Ended January 31, 2024 | | Year Ended January 31, 2023 |
Net operating loss carryovers | | $ | 24 | | | $ | 607 | |
Share-based compensation | | 52 | | | 32 | |
Acquisition costs | | 98 | | | 108 | |
Capitalized start-up and organization costs | | 16 | | | 24 | |
Right of use liability | | 722 | | | 820 | |
Inventory | | 47 | | | 27 | |
Bad debt | | 23 | | | 49 | |
Capitalized R&D Costs | | 114 | | | - | |
Accrued payroll | | 387 | | | — | |
Total deferred tax assets | | 1,483 | | | 1,667 | |
| | | | |
Deferred Tax Liabilities | | | | |
Fixed assets | | 225 | | | 65 | |
Intangibles | | 46 | | | 77 | |
Right of use asset | | 709 | | | 807 | |
Total deferred tax liabilities | | 980 | | | 949 | |
Net deferred tax asset | | $ | 503 | | | $ | 718 | |
The expected tax provision (benefit) based on the statutory rate is reconciled with actual tax provision (benefit) as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended January 31, 2024 | | Year Ended January 31, 2023 |
US Federal statutory rate | 21.0 | % | | 21.0 | % |
State income tax, net of federal benefit | 3.3 | | | 3.4 | |
Adjustments to deferred tax assets | (0.8) | | | (24.0) | |
Income tax provision (benefit) | 23.4 | % | | 0.4 | % |