This prospectus relates solely to the resale of up to an aggregate of 94,566,695 shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“common stock”), by the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus. The selling stockholders acquired the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus from us in private placement transactions in reliance on exemptions from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) as more fully described herein. We are registering the resale of these shares of common stock by the selling stockholders to satisfy registration rights we have granted to the selling stockholders.

The selling stockholders may offer to sell the shares of common stock being offered in this prospectus at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at varying prices, at negotiated prices or through other means described in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” We do not know when or in what amount the selling stockholders may offer these shares of common stock for sale. The selling stockholders may sell some, all or none of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus.

The selling stockholders will receive all proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock hereunder, and we will not receive any of the proceeds from their sale of the shares of common stock hereunder. We have agreed to pay all expenses relating to registering the shares of common stock being offered in this prospectus. The selling stockholders will pay any brokerage commissions and/or similar charges incurred by them for the sale of the shares of common stock being offered in this prospectus.

There is currently a limited public trading market for our common stock. Because all of the shares of common stock being offered in this prospectus are being offered by the selling stockholders, we cannot currently determine the price or prices at which these shares may be sold.

Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQX tier of the electronic over-the-counter marketplace operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc. under the symbol “BTTR”, after being upgraded from the OTCQB on December 28, 2020. On January 22, 2021, the last reported sales price for our common stock was $1.51 per share.

We are a “smaller reporting company” under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) rules and will be eligible for reduced public company reporting requirements. See “Summary—We are a Smaller Reporting Company.”

Investing in our common stock involves significant risks. You should read the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 8 for a discussion of certain risk factors that you should consider before investing in our common stock.

We may amend or supplement this prospectus from time to time by filing amendments or supplements as required. You should read the entire prospectus and any amendments or supplements carefully before you make your investment decision.

Neither the SEC nor any other regulatory body has passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is     , 2021

We own or have rights to use the trademarks and trade names that we use in conjunction with the operation of our business. Each trademark or trade name of any other company appearing in this prospectus is, to our knowledge, owned by such other company. Solely for convenience, our trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ® or ™ symbols, but those references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and trade names.

On May 6, 2019, Better Choice Company Inc. (“Better Choice Company” or the “Company”) acquired TruPet LLC (“TruPet”) and Bona Vida, Inc. (“Bona Vida”) in a pair of all-stock transactions (the “May Acquisitions”), discussed in more detail in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on May 1, 2020. The acquisition of TruPet is treated as a reverse merger with TruPet determined to be the accounting acquirer of the Company. As such, the historical financial statements of the registrant prior to the May Acquisitions are those of TruPet and TruPet’s equity has been re-cast to reflect shares of Better Choice Company common stock received in the acquisitions. The acquisition of Better Choice Company and Bona Vida were treated as asset acquisitions. On December 19, 2019, Better Choice Company acquired (the “Halo Acquisition”, and together with the May Acquisitions, the “Acquisitions”) 100% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Halo, Purely for Pets, Inc. (“Halo”). Unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, the historical business information described in this prospectus prior to consummation of the May Acquisitions is that of TruPet and, following consummation of the May Acquisitions through December 19, 2019, reflects business information of the Company, TruPet, and Bona Vida. From December 19, 2019 onward, the results of operations reflects business information of Better Choice Company, and Halo as a combined business.

References to the “Company”, “we”, “us” and “our” in this prospectus, refer to TruPet and its consolidated subsidiaries prior to May 6, 2019, to Better Choice Company, TruPet and Bona Vida and their consolidated subsidiaries after May 6, 2019 but before December 19, 2019 and to Better Choice Company, TruPet, Bona Vida and Halo and their consolidated subsidiaries after December 19, 2019.

We may not be able to successfully implement our growth strategy and may need to change our strategy in order to maintain our growth. If we fail to implement our growth strategy or if we invest resources in a growth strategy that ultimately proves unsuccessful, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

If we succeed in growing our business, such growth could strain our management team and capital resources. Our ability to manage operations and control growth will be dependent on our ability to raise and spend capital to successfully attract, train, motivate, retain and manage new members of senior management and other key personnel and continue to update and improve our management and operational systems, infrastructure and other resources, financial and management controls, and reporting systems and procedures. Failure to manage our growth effectively could cause us to misallocate management or financial resources, and result in additional expenditures and inefficient use of existing human and capital resources or we otherwise may be forced to grow at a slower pace that could impair or eliminate our ability to achieve and sustain profitability. Such slower than expected growth may require us to restrict or cease our operations and go out of business.

Additionally, our anticipated growth will increase the demands placed on our suppliers, resulting in an increased need for us to manage our suppliers and monitor for quality assurance and comply with all applicable laws. Any failure by us to manage our growth effectively could impair our ability to achieve our business objectives.

We have a history of losses. We incurred net losses of $29.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and had $230.9 million in accumulated deficit as of September 30, 2020. We incurred net losses of $184.6 million for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Because we have a short operating history at scale, it is difficult for us to predict our future operating results. As a result, our losses may be larger than anticipated, and we may not achieve profitability when expected, or at all. Also, we expect our operating expenses to increase over the next several years as we further increase marketing spend, hire more employees, continue to develop new products and services, and expand internationally. These efforts may be more costly than we expect and may not result in increased revenue or growth in our business. Any failure to increase our revenue sufficiently to keep pace with our investments and other expenses could prevent us from achieving or maintaining profitability or positive cash flow on a consistent basis. Furthermore, if our future growth and operating performance fail to meet investor or analyst expectations, or if we have future negative cash flow or losses resulting from our investment in acquiring new customers or expanding our business, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected.

During fiscal year 2019, we incurred significant debt under subordinated convertible promissory notes and the short term loan and a revolving line of credit and term loan facility entered into in connection with the Halo Acquisition (the “Facilities Agreement”). On July 16, 2020, we entered into an ABL Facility with Citizens Business Bank (“Citizens ABL Facility”) and used the proceeds to repay all of the outstanding obligations under the revolving line of credit portion of the Facilities Agreement. On January 6, 2021 we entered into a credit facility with Old Plank Trail Community Bank, N.A., an affiliate of Wintrust Bank, N.A. (“Wintrust”), consisting of a $6.0 million term loan (the “Wintrust Term Loan”) and a $6.0 million revolving line of credit (the “Wintrust Revolver” and together with the Wintrust Term Loan, the “Wintrust Credit Facility”), each scheduled to mature on January 6, 2024. The proceeds of the Wintrust Term Loan were used (i) to repay a portion of the outstanding term loan under the Facilities Agreement, the remainder of which was repaid by the Company with existing cash and (ii) for general corporate purposes. A portion of the available borrowing under the Wintrust Revolver was used to repay the total amount outstanding under the Citizens ABL Facility. The remaining available borrowings under the Wintrust Revolver will be used for general corporate purposes. The obligations under the Wintrust Credit Facility are secured by a general security interest on the assets of the Company and a non-recourse pledge of assets from a member of the Company’s board of directors. Our ability to meet our debt service obligations depends upon our operating and financial performance, which is subject to general economic and competitive conditions and to financial, business and other factors affecting our operations, many of which are beyond our control. If we are unable to service our debt, we may need to sell inventory and other material assets, restructure or refinance our debt, or seek additional equity capital. If our inability to meet our debt service obligations results in an event of default as defined under the subordinated convertible promissory notes, the Wintrust Credit Facility, the lenders thereunder may be able to take possession of substantially all of the assets of the Company. Prevailing economic conditions and global credit markets could adversely impact our ability to do so. Our debt agreements contain limits on our ability to, among other things, incur additional debt, grant liens, undergo certain fundamental changes, make investments, and dispose of inventory.

We have experienced recurring operating losses over the last two years and have a significant accumulated deficit. We expect to continue to generate operating losses and consume significant cash resources for the foreseeable future. Without additional financing, these conditions raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, meaning that we may be unable to continue operations for the foreseeable future or realize assets and discharge liabilities in the ordinary course of operations. If we seek additional financing to fund our business activities in the future and there remains doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, investors or other financing sources may be unwilling to provide additional funding on commercially reasonable terms or at all. If we are unable to obtain sufficient funding, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations will be materially and adversely affected and we may be unable to continue as a going concern. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to liquidate our assets and may receive less than the value at which those assets are carried on our consolidated financial statements, and it is likely that investors will lose all or a part of their investment.

The continued development of our business will require additional funding, and there is no assurance that we will generate cash flow from operations in the future sufficient to run our operations, service our debt and make necessary capital expenditures. If we are unable to generate such cash flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as selling assets, restructuring our existing debt or obtaining additional equity capital. The evolving nature of the business in which we operate may also make it more challenging to raise additional capital. We cannot assure you that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations in an amount sufficient to fund our liquidity needs.

Prior to the closing of the May Acquisitions, TruPet, which was determined to be the accounting acquirer (see “Note—Nature of business and summary of significant accounting policies” to our audited consolidated financial statements included in this prospectus), was a private company and had limited accounting and financial

reporting personnel and other resources with which to address its internal control over financial reporting. In connection with the preparation of the financial statements for the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, our management, with the participation of our former Chief Executive Officer, Werner von Pein and our former Chief Financial Officer, Andreas Schulmeyer, evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019 and determined they were not effective. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

The Company has identified the following material weaknesses: (i) the Company has not designed or implemented a system of internal controls and, as result, the Company does not have (x) segregation of duties and evidence of fiduciary oversight related to the financial statement close process, cash disbursements process, contract approval process and time and expense reimbursement process; (y) formally documented accounting policies and procedures that are effective and consistently applied in accordance with GAAP; (z) effective controls and resources to address the accounting requirements for new accounting pronouncements; (ii) the Company’s financial statement close process and disclosure controls and procedures, including the secondary review and approval of financial information generated to prepare the consolidated financial statements, and the lack of integration of the underlying IT systems used to consolidate the Company’s subsidiaries, are ineffective and, as a result, the Company has been unable to close its books or fulfill its SEC reporting requirements in a timely manner; and (iii) the Company has ineffective controls for assessing its sales tax obligations, including timely payment and accrual recognition.

The primary cause of the material weaknesses was the small size of our accounting staff, which resulted in a lack of segregation of duties and insufficient review procedures. Although we have begun building our in house finance team by hiring qualified leadership and staff to help review, revise and amend the internal processes to develop effective controls, there can be no assurance that these efforts will remediate the material weaknesses or avoid future weaknesses or deficiencies. Any failure to remediate the material weakness and any future weaknesses or deficiencies or any failure to implement required new or improved controls or difficulties encountered in their implementation could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations or result in material misstatements in our financial statements. If we are unable to remediate the material weaknesses, our management may not be able to conclude that our disclosure controls and procedures or internal control over financial reporting are effective, which could result in investors losing confidence in our reported financial information and may lead to a decline in the stock price.

We have a limited operating history as a consolidated company to date and with the current scale of our business, which makes it difficult to forecast our future results, particularly with respect to sales made via our DTC platform and sales made in the Retail channel to e-commerce brick and mortar partners. You should not rely on our past annual or quarterly results of operations as indicators of future performance. Because we are in the early stages of operating our business, we are subject to many of the same risks inherent in the operation of a business with a limited operating history. You should consider and evaluate our prospects in light of the risks and uncertainty frequently encountered by companies like ours, including the potential inability to continue as a going concern. We will need to raise substantial additional capital, but adequate additional capital may not be available when we need it, on acceptable terms or at all.

We anticipate that we will need to raise additional capital to execute our business plan and maintain and expand our operations. Additional capital may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to raise additional capital, our business may be harmed and we may need to curtail or cease operations. We may sell equity securities or debt securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner as we may determine from time to time. If we sell any such securities in subsequent transactions, our current investors may be materially diluted. Any debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants and could reduce our operational flexibility or profitability. If we cannot raise funds on acceptable terms, we may not be able to grow our business or respond to competitive pressures.

Within the last twenty (20) months, we completed three significant acquisitions that involved the combination of three businesses that historically have operated as independent companies. The success of the acquisitions will

depend in large part on the success of the management of the combined business in integrating the operations, strategies, technologies and personnel of the companies. We may fail to realize some or all of the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions if the integration process takes longer than expected or is more costly than expected.

Our failure to meet the challenges involved in successfully integrating the operations of Bona Vida, Halo or TruPet or to otherwise realize any of the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions could impair our operations. The combined business will be required to devote management attention and resources to integrating Bona Vida's, Halo's and TruPet's business practices and operations.

Potential issues and difficulties the combined business may encounter in the integration process include the following:

From time to time we expect to consider opportunities to acquire or make investments in new or complementary businesses, facilities, technologies or products, or enter into strategic alliances, that may enhance our capabilities, expand our network, complement our current products or expand the breadth of our markets. Potential and completed acquisitions and investments and other strategic alliances involve numerous risks, including:

We do not know if we will be able to identify acquisitions or strategic relationships we deem suitable, whether we will be able to successfully complete any such transactions on favorable terms or at all or whether we will be able to successfully integrate any acquired business, facilities, technologies or products into our business or retain any key personnel, suppliers or customers. Our ability to successfully grow through strategic transactions depends upon our ability to identify, negotiate, complete and integrate suitable target businesses, facilities, technologies and products and to obtain any necessary financing. These efforts could be expensive and time-consuming and may disrupt our ongoing business and prevent management from focusing on our operations. If we are unable to integrate any acquired businesses, facilities, technologies and products effectively, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

We have limited direct operations and significant assets other than ownership of 100% of the capital stock of our subsidiaries. Because we primarily conduct our operations through our subsidiaries, we depend on those entities for payments to generate the funds necessary to meet our financial obligations, and to pay any dividends with respect to our common stock. Legal and contractual restrictions in our subordinated convertible notes, term loan, and revolving line of credit agreement and other agreements that may govern future indebtedness of our subsidiaries, as well as the financial condition and operating requirements of our subsidiaries, may limit our ability to obtain cash from our subsidiaries. The earnings from, or other available assets of, our subsidiaries might not be sufficient to make distributions or loans to enable us to meet certain of our obligations. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. See “Dividend Policy.”

Our future success will depend, in part, on our ability to develop and market new products and improvements to our existing products, including those that we may develop through partnerships, strategic relationships or licensing arrangements. We are always assessing and identifying new opportunities to provide additional products and related services to our customers. The process of identifying and commercializing new products is complex, uncertain and may involve considerable costs, and if we fail to accurately predict customers' changing needs and preferences, our business could be harmed. The success of our innovation and product development efforts is affected by the technical capability of our product development staff, the ability to establish new supplier relationships and third-party consultants in developing and testing new products, including complying with governmental regulations, our attractiveness as a partner for outside research and development scientists and entrepreneurs and the success of our management and sales team in introducing and marketing new products. We have already and may have to continue to commit significant resources to commercializing new products before knowing whether our investments will result in products the market will accept. Implementation of these plans may also divert management's attention from other aspects of our business and place a strain on management, operational and financial resources, as well as our information systems. Launching new products or updating existing products may also leave us with obsolete inventory that we may not be able to sell or we may sell at significantly discounted prices. Furthermore, we may not execute successfully on commercializing those products because of errors in product planning or timing, technical hurdles that we fail to overcome in a timely fashion, or a lack of appropriate resources. This could result in competitors providing those solutions before we do and a reduction in net sales and earnings.

The success of new products will depend on several factors, including proper new product definition, timely completion and introduction of these products, differentiation of new products from those of our competitors, the possibility of increased competition with our current products, unrecovered costs associated with failed product introductions and market acceptance of these products. There can be no assurance that we will successfully identify additional new product opportunities, develop and bring new products to market in a timely manner, or achieve market acceptance of our products or that products and technologies developed by others will not render our products or technologies obsolete or non-competitive. Furthermore, the timing and cost of our research and development initiatives may increase as a result of additional government regulation or otherwise, making it more time-consuming and/or costly to research, test and develop new products. If we are unable to successfully develop or otherwise acquire new products, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

The pet health and wellness industry is highly competitive. We compete on the basis of product and ingredient quality, product availability, palatability, brand awareness, loyalty and trust, product variety and innovation, product packaging and design, reputation, price and convenience and promotional efforts. The pet products and services retail industry has become increasingly competitive due to the expansion of pet-related product offerings by certain supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and other mass and general retail and online merchandisers and the entrance of other specialty retailers into the pet food and pet supply market. For example, General Mills, one of the largest mass market consumer goods companies, acquired Blue Buffalo in April 2018, signaling a shift toward the food, drug, and mass channel and away from specialty pet supply stores. In addition, in May 2018, Amazon launched its own pet products brand and announced its intention to continue to expand its online offering of pet supplies.

We face direct competition from companies that sell various pet health and wellness products at a lower price point and distribute such products to traditional retailers, which are larger than we are and have greater financial resources. Price gaps between products may result in market share erosion and harm our business. Our current and potential competitors may also establish cooperative or strategic relationships amongst themselves or with third parties that may further enhance their resources and offerings. Further, it is possible that domestic or foreign companies, some with greater experience in the pet health and wellness industry or greater financial resources than we possess, will seek to provide products or services that compete directly or indirectly with ours in the future.

Many of our current competitors have, and potential competitors may have, longer operating histories, greater brand recognition, larger fulfillment infrastructures, greater technical capabilities, significantly greater financial, marketing and other resources and larger customer bases than we do. These factors may allow our competitors to derive greater net sales and profits from their existing customer base, acquire customers at lower costs or respond more quickly than we can to new or emerging technologies and changes in consumer preferences or habits. These competitors may engage in more extensive research and development efforts, undertake more far reaching marketing campaigns and adopt more aggressive pricing policies (including but not limited to predatory pricing policies and the provision of substantial discounts), which may allow them to build larger customer bases or generate net sales from their customer bases more effectively than we do.

Our competitors may be able to identify and adapt to changes in consumer preferences more quickly than us due to their resources and scale. They may also be more successful in marketing and selling their products, better able to increase prices to reflect cost pressures and better able to increase their promotional activity, which may impact us and the entire pet health and wellness industry. Increased competition as to any of our products could result in price reduction, increased costs, reduced margins and loss of market share, which could negatively affect our profitability. While we believe we are better equipped to customize products for the pet health and wellness market generally and CBD products more specifically as compared to other companies in the industry, there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully compete against these other companies. Expansion into markets served by our competitors and entry of new competitors or expansion of existing competitors into our markets could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our success depends, in part, on our ability to attract new, and retain existing, customers in a cost-effective manner. We have made, and we expect that we will continue to make, significant investments in attracting and retaining customers. Marketing campaigns can be expensive and may not result in the cost-effective acquisition, or retention, of customers. Further, as our brand becomes more widely known, future marketing campaigns may not attract new or retain customers at the same rate as past campaigns. If we are unable to attract new customers, and retain existing customers, our business will be harmed.

Data for retail sales of pet products is collected for most, but not all channels, and as a result, it is difficult to estimate the size of the market and predict the rate at which the market for our products will grow, if at all. While our market size estimate was made in good faith and is based on assumptions and estimates we believe to be reasonable, this estimate may not be accurate. If our estimates of the size of our addressable market are not accurate, our potential for future growth may be less than we currently anticipate, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The prices of the ingredients, packaging materials and freight are subject to fluctuations in price attributable to, among other things, changes in supply and demand of raw materials, or other commodities, fuel prices and government-sponsored agricultural programs. The sales prices to our DTC customers are a delivered price. Therefore, changes in our input costs could impact our gross margins. Our ability to pass along higher costs through price increases to our customers is dependent upon competitive conditions and pricing methodologies employed in the various markets in which we compete. To the extent competitors do not also increase their prices, customers and consumers may choose to purchase competing products or may shift purchases to lower-priced private label or other value offerings which may adversely affect our results of operations.

We use significant quantities of food ingredients and other products as well as plastic packaging materials provided by third-party suppliers. We buy from a variety of producers and manufacturers, and alternate sources of supply are generally available. However, the supply and price are subject to market conditions and are influenced by other factors beyond our control, including the continued impact of COVID-19. See “Risk Factors Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—The COVID-19 pandemic could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition”. We do not have long-term contracts with many of our suppliers, and, as a result, they could increase prices or fail to deliver. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could increase our costs and disrupt our operations.

We may be subject to product liability claims, regulatory action and litigation if our products are alleged to have caused loss or injury or failed to include adequate instructions for use or failed to include adequate warnings concerning possible side effects or interactions with other substances. Previously unknown adverse reactions resulting from animal consumption of CBD products alone or in combination with other medications or substances could also occur. In addition, the sale of any ingested product involves a risk of injury due to tampering by unauthorized third parties or product contamination. Our products may also be subject to product recalls, including voluntary recalls or withdrawals, if they are alleged to pose a risk of injury or illness, or if they are alleged to have been mislabeled, misbranded or adulterated or to otherwise be in violation of governmental regulations. We have in the past recalled, and may again in the future have to recall, certain of our products as a result of potential contamination and quality assurance concerns. A product liability claim or regulatory action against us could result in increased costs and could adversely affect our reputation and goodwill with our patients and consumers generally. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain product liability insurance on acceptable terms or with adequate coverage against potential liabilities. Such insurance is expensive and may not be available in the future on acceptable terms, or at all. The inability to obtain sufficient insurance coverage on reasonable terms or to otherwise protect against potential product liability claims could result in us becoming subject to significant liabilities that are uninsured and also could adversely affect our commercial arrangements with third parties.

We plan in the future to expand our operations and business into jurisdictions outside of the jurisdictions where we currently carry on business. There can be no assurance that any market for our products will develop in any such foreign jurisdiction. We may face new or unexpected risks or significantly increase our exposure to one or more existing risk factors, including economic instability, new competition, changes in laws and regulations, including the possibility that we could be in violation of these laws and regulations as a result of such changes, and the effects of competition. These factors may limit our capability to successfully expand our operations in, or export our products to, those other jurisdictions.

We must accurately forecast demand for all of our products in order to ensure that we have enough products available to meet the needs of our customers. Our forecasts are based on multiple assumptions that may cause our estimates to be inaccurate and affect our ability to obtain adequate third-party contract manufacturing capacity in order to meet the demand for our products, which could prevent us from meeting increased customer demand and harm our brand and our business. If we do not accurately align our manufacturing capabilities with demand, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

In the past, we have relied on a single supplier, GenCanna, for all of our supply of CBD. However, in light of GenCanna's filing for bankruptcy in February 2020, we intend to utilize spot purchase contracts with other suppliers of CBD as necessary. We may encounter difficulties in finding substitute suppliers in a timely manner, if at all, given the strict licensing requirements in this industry and there are a limited number of suppliers that currently hold such licenses and comply with the 2014 Farm Bill or 2018 Farm Bill, as applicable in their respective states. If a sole source supplier were to be acquired by a competitor, the competitor may elect not to sell to us at all. If for any reason we were to change any one of our third-party contract manufacturers, we could face difficulties that might adversely

affect our ability to maintain an adequate supply of our products, and we would incur costs and expend resources in the course of making the change. Moreover, we might not be able to obtain terms as favorable as those received from our current third-party contract manufacturers, which in turn would increase our costs.

In addition, we must continuously monitor our inventory and product mix against forecasted demand. If we underestimate demand, we risk having inadequate supplies. We also face the risk of having too much inventory on hand that may reach its expiration date and become unsalable, and we may be forced to rely on markdowns or promotional sales to dispose of excess or slow-moving inventory. If we are unable to manage our supply chain effectively, our operating costs could increase and our profit margins could decrease.

We do not own or operate any manufacturing facilities and therefore depend upon independent third-party contract manufacturers for the manufacture of all of our products. Our products are manufactured to our specifications by factories within the United States and New Zealand. We cannot control all of the various factors, which include inclement weather; natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other adverse weather and climate conditions; political and financial instability; strikes; unforeseen public health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic; acts of war or terrorism and other catastrophic events, whether occurring in the United States or internationally, that might affect a manufacturer's ability to ship orders of our products to customers from or to the impacted region in a timely manner or to meet our quality standards.

We also receive and warehouse a portion of our inventory in Tampa, Florida, a city that is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and sinkholes. If any such disaster were to impact this facility, our operations would be materially disrupted. Inadequate labor conditions, health or safety issues in the factories where goods are produced can negatively impact our brand reputation. Late delivery of products or delivery of products that do not meet our quality standards could cause us to miss the delivery date requirements of our customers or delay timely delivery of merchandise to our stores or our wholesale customers for those items. From time to time, a third-party contract manufacturer may experience financial difficulties, bankruptcy or other business disruptions, which could disrupt our supply of products or require that we incur additional expense by providing financial accommodations to the third-party contract manufacturer or taking other steps to seek to minimize or avoid supply disruption, such as establishing a new third-party contract manufacturing arrangement with another provider. These events could cause us to fail to meet customer expectations, cause our DTC or Retail customers to cancel orders or cause us to be unable to deliver merchandise in sufficient quantities or of sufficient quality to our DTC or Retail customers, which could result in lost sales and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Further, we may be unable to locate an additional or alternate third-party contract manufacturing arrangement in a timely manner or on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. Identifying a suitable manufacturer is an involved process that requires us to become satisfied with the prospective manufacturer's level of expertise, quality control, responsiveness and service, financial stability and labor practices. Any delay, interruption or increased cost in the proprietary value-branded products that might occur for any reason could affect our ability to meet customer demand for our products, adversely affect our net sales, increase our cost of sales and hurt our results of operations. In addition, manufacturing disruption could injure our reputation and customer relationships, thereby harming our business.

Our business is dependent on a number of key inputs and their related costs including raw materials and supplies related to product development and manufacturing operations. Any significant interruption or negative change in the availability or economics of the supply chain for key inputs could materially impact our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. Some of these inputs may only be available from a single supplier or a limited group of suppliers. If a sole source supplier was to go out of business, we might be unable to find a replacement for such source in a timely manner or at all. If a sole source supplier were to be acquired by a competitor, that competitor may elect not to sell to us in the future. Any inability to secure required supplies and services or to do so on appropriate terms could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.

We buy ingredients from a variety of third-party suppliers. If these materials are alleged or prove to include contaminants that affect the safety or quality of our products or are otherwise rumored to have adverse effects, for any reason, we may sustain the costs of and possible litigation resulting from a product recall and need to find alternate ingredients, delay production, or discard or otherwise dispose of products, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, if any of our competitors experience similar events, our reputation could be damaged, including as a result of a loss of consumer confidence in the types of products we sell.

Although we insure on an economically reasonable basis against product recalls and product contamination, our insurance may not be adequate to cover all liabilities that we may incur in connection with product liability claims, including among others, that the products we sell caused injury or illness, include inadequate instructions for use or include inadequate warnings concerning possible side effects or interactions with other substances. For example, punitive damages are generally not covered by insurance. If we are subject to substantial product liability claims in the future, we may not be able to continue to maintain our existing insurance, obtain comparable insurance at a reasonable cost, if at all, or secure additional coverage. This could result in future product liability claims being uninsured. If there is a product liability judgment against us or a settlement agreement related to a product liability claim, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. In addition, even if product liability claims against us are not successful or are not fully pursued, these claims could be costly and time-consuming and may require management to spend time defending claims rather than operating our business.

We currently rely on independent transportation service providers both to ship raw materials and products to our manufacturing and distribution warehouses from our third-party suppliers and third-party contract manufacturers and to ship products from our manufacturing and distribution warehouses to our customers. Our utilization of these delivery services, or those of any other shipping companies that we may elect to use, is subject to risks, including increases in fuel prices, which would increase our shipping costs, employee strikes, organized labor activities and inclement weather, which may impact the shipping company's ability to provide delivery services sufficient to meet our shipping needs. Furthermore, if we are not able to negotiate acceptable terms with these companies or they experience performance problems or other difficulties, it could negatively impact our operating results and customer experience. If any of the foregoing occurs, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

Maintaining, developing and expanding our reputation with our customers and our suppliers is critical to our success. Our brand may suffer if our marketing plans or product initiatives are not successful. The importance of our brand may decrease if competitors offer more products similar to the products that we manufacture. Further, our brands may be negatively impacted due to real or perceived quality issues or if consumers perceive us as being untruthful in our marketing and advertising, even if such perceptions are not accurate. Product contamination, the failure to maintain high standards for product quality, safety and integrity, including raw materials and ingredients obtained from suppliers, or allegations of product quality issues, mislabeling or contamination, even if untrue or caused by our third-party contract manufacturing partners or raw material suppliers, may reduce demand for our products or cause production and delivery disruptions. However, we may be unable to detect or prevent product and/or ingredient quality issues, mislabeling or contamination, particularly in instances of fraud or attempts to cover up or obscure deviations from our guidelines and procedures. If any of our products become unfit for consumption, cause injury or are mislabeled, we may have to engage in a product recall and/or be subject to liability. Damage to our reputation or our brands or loss of consumer confidence in our products for any of these or other reasons could result in decreased demand for our products and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. In addition, if any of our competitors experience similar events, our reputation could be damaged, including as a result of a loss of consumer confidence in the types of products we sell.

Further, our corporate reputation is susceptible to damage by actions or statements made by current or former employees, competitors, vendors, adversaries in legal proceedings and government regulators, as well as members

of the investment community and the media. There is a risk that negative information about our company, even if based on false rumor or misunderstanding, could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. In particular, damage to our reputation could be difficult and time-consuming to repair, could make potential or existing Retail customers reluctant to select us for new engagements, resulting in a loss of business, and could adversely affect our recruitment and retention efforts.

Due to the competitive nature of our industry, we must effectively and efficiently promote and market our products through advertisements as well as through trade promotions and incentives to sustain and improve our competitive position in our market. Marketing investments may be costly. In addition, we may, from time to time, change our marketing strategies and spending, including the timing or nature of our trade promotions and incentives. We may also change our marketing strategies and spending in response to actions by our customers, competitors and other companies that manufacture and/or distribute pet health and wellness products. The sufficiency and effectiveness of our marketing and trade promotions and incentives are important to our ability to retain and improve our market share and margins. If our marketing and trade promotions and incentives are not successful or if we fail to implement sufficient and effective marketing and trade promotions and incentives or adequately respond to changes in industry marketing strategies, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We have entered into multiple advertising and marketing arrangements with certain advertising and marketing providers that are designed to increase traffic to our application on the Facebook platform. Our ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers is based in part on our ability to generate increased traffic or better retention rates through these user acquisition campaigns. In addition, we may lack the ability to control the advertisements and actions that are taken by these providers on the Facebook platform.

If we are unable to enter into such arrangements on favorable terms, are unable to achieve the desired results under these arrangements and programs, are unable to maintain these relationships, fail to generate sufficient traffic or generate sufficient revenue from purchases pursuant to these arrangements and programs, or properly manage the actions of these providers, our ability to generate revenue and our ability to attract and retain our customers may be impacted, negatively affecting our business and results of operations. In addition, if Facebook restricts our ability to use such arrangements and programs or takes limits or restricts access to its platform by us or our applications as a result of advertisements or actions taken by third-party advertising or marketing providers, it could have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations.

We attempt to protect our intellectual property rights, both in the United States and in foreign countries, through a combination of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws, as well as licensing agreements and third-party nondisclosure and assignment agreements. Because of the differences in foreign trademark, patent and other laws concerning proprietary rights, our intellectual property rights may not receive the same degree of protection in foreign countries as they would in the United States. Our failure to obtain or maintain adequate protection of our intellectual property rights for any reason could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We also rely on unpatented proprietary technology. It is possible that others will independently develop the same or similar technology or otherwise obtain access to our unpatented technology. To protect our trade secrets and other proprietary information, we require employees, consultants, advisors and collaborators to enter into confidentiality agreements. We cannot assure you that these agreements will provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets, know-how or other proprietary information in the event of any unauthorized use, misappropriation or disclosure of such trade secrets, know-how or other proprietary information. If we are unable to maintain the proprietary nature of our technologies, we could be materially adversely affected.

We rely on our trademarks, trade names, and brand names to distinguish our products from the products of our competitors, and have registered or applied to register many of these trademarks. We cannot assure you that our

trademark applications will be approved. Third parties may also oppose our trademark applications, or otherwise challenge our use of the trademarks. In the event that our trademarks are successfully challenged, we could be forced to rebrand our products, which could result in loss of brand recognition, and could require us to devote resources advertising and marketing new brands. Further, we cannot assure you that competitors will not infringe our trademarks, or that we will have adequate resources to enforce our trademarks.

We face the risk of claims that we have infringed third parties’ intellectual property rights. Any claims of intellectual property infringement, even those without merit, could be expensive and time consuming to defend; could require us to cease selling the products that incorporate the challenged intellectual property, could require us to redesign, reengineer, or rebrand the product, if feasible, could divert management’s attention and resources, or could require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements in order to obtain the right to use a third party’s intellectual property.

Any royalty or licensing agreements, if required, may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. A successful claim of infringement against us could result in our being required to pay significant damages, enter into costly license or royalty agreements, or stop the sale of certain products, any of which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and our future prospects.

We have benefited substantially from the leadership and performance of our senior management, as well as other key employees. Our success will depend on our ability to retain our current management and key employees, and to attract and retain qualified personnel in the future, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to retain our personnel or attract new, qualified personnel. In addition, we do not maintain any “key person” life insurance policies. The loss of the services of members of our senior management or key employees could prevent or delay the implementation and completion of our strategic objectives, or divert management’s attention to seeking qualified replacements.

We operate our business in part outside of the United States. Our operations are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”), as well as the anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws in the countries where we do business. The FCPA prohibits covered parties from offering, promising, authorizing or giving anything of value, directly or indirectly, to a “foreign government official” with the intent of improperly influencing the official’s act or decision, inducing the official to act or refrain from acting in violation of lawful duty, or obtaining or retaining an improper business advantage. The FCPA also requires publicly traded companies to maintain records that accurately and fairly represent their transactions, and to have an adequate system of internal accounting controls. In addition, other applicable anti-corruption laws prohibit bribery of domestic government officials, and some laws that may apply to our operations prohibit commercial bribery, including giving or receiving improper payments to or from non-government parties, as well as so-called “facilitation” payments. In addition, we are subject to U.S. and other applicable trade control regulations that restrict with whom we may transact business, including the trade sanctions enforced by the U.S. Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). We also plan to expand our operations outside of the United States in the future and our risks related to the FCPA will increase as we grow our international presence.

We are in the process of implementing policies, internal controls and other measures reasonably designed to promote compliance with applicable anticorruption and anti-bribery laws and regulations, and certain safeguards designed to ensure compliance with U.S. trade control laws, our employees or agents may engage in improper conduct for which we might be held responsible. Any violations of these anti-corruption or trade controls laws, or even allegations of such violations, can lead to an investigation and/or enforcement action, which could disrupt our operations, involve significant management distraction, and lead to significant costs and expenses, including legal fees. If we, or our employees or agents acting on our behalf, are found to have engaged in practices that violate these laws and regulations, we could suffer severe fines and penalties, profit disgorgement, injunctions on future conduct, securities litigation, bans on transacting government business, delisting from securities exchanges and other consequences that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, our brand and reputation, our sales activities or our stock price could be adversely affected if we become the subject of

any negative publicity related to actual or potential violations of anti-corruption, anti-bribery or trade control laws and regulations.

The efficient operation of our business depends on our information technology systems. We rely on our information technology systems to effectively manage our sales and marketing, accounting and financial and legal and compliance functions, engineering and product development tasks, research and development data, communications, supply chain, order entry and fulfillment and other business processes. We also rely on third parties and virtualized infrastructure to operate and support our information technology systems. The failure of our information technology systems, or those of our third-party service providers, to perform as we anticipate could disrupt our business and could result in transaction errors, processing inefficiencies and the loss of sales and customers, causing our business and results of operations to suffer.

In addition, our information technology systems may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from circumstances beyond our control, including fire, natural disasters, power outages, systems failures, security breaches, cyber-attacks and computer viruses. The failure of our information technology systems to perform as a result of any of these factors or our failure to effectively restore our systems or implement new systems could disrupt our entire operation and could result in decreased sales, increased overhead costs, excess inventory and product shortages and a loss of important information.

Further, it is critically important for us to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of our information technology systems. To the extent that we have information in our databases that our customers consider confidential or sensitive, any unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, such information due to human error, breach of our systems through cybercrime, a leak of confidential information due to employee misconduct or similar events could result in a violation of applicable data privacy and security, data protection, and consumer protection laws and regulations, legal and financial exposure, damage to our reputation, a loss of confidence of our customers, suppliers and manufacturers and lost sales. Actual or suspected cyber-attacks may cause us to incur substantial costs, including costs to investigate, deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train employees and engage third-party experts and consultants. We have taken steps to protect the security of our systems. Despite the implementation of these security measures, our systems may still be vulnerable to physical break-ins, computer viruses, programming errors, attacks by third parties or similar disruptive problems. If any of these risks materialize, our reputation and our ability to conduct our business may be materially adversely affected.

We currently rely upon third-party commerce platforms, including Shopify. We also rely on e-mail service providers, bandwidth providers, Internet service providers and mobile networks to deliver e-mail and “push” communications to customers and to allow customers to access our website.

Any damage to, or failure of, our systems or the systems of our third-party commerce platform providers could result in interruptions to the availability or functionality of our website and mobile applications. As a result, we could lose customer data and miss order fulfillment deadlines, which could result in decreased sales, increased overhead costs, excess inventory and product shortages. If for any reason our arrangements with our third-party commerce platform providers are terminated or interrupted, such termination or interruption could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We exercise little control over these providers, which increases our vulnerability to problems with the services they provide. We could experience additional expense in arranging for new facilities, technology, services and support. In addition, the failure of our third-party commerce platform providers to meet our capacity requirements could result in interruption in the availability or functionality of our website and mobile applications.

We receive, collect, store, process, transfer, and use personal information and other data relating to our customers, website visitors, employees, vendors’ and contractors’ employees, and other persons, and we rely in part on third

parties that are not directly under our control to manage certain of these operations and to collect, store, process and use payment information. Due to the volume and sensitivity of the personal information and other data that we and these third parties manage and expect to manage in the future, as well as the nature of our customer base, the security features of our information systems are critical. A variety of federal, state and foreign laws and regulations govern the collection, use, retention, sharing and security of this information. Laws and regulations relating to data privacy and security, data protection and consumer protection are evolving and subject to potentially differing interpretations. Given the uncertainty and complexity of the regulatory framework for data privacy and security, data protection and consumer protection worldwide, there is the potential that these or other actual or alleged obligations may not be harmonized, may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another, or may be interpreted and applied in such a way as to conflict with our other legal obligations or practices. In addition, we are also subject to certain contractual obligations to third parties related to data privacy and security and data protection. As a result, while we strive to comply with applicable laws and regulations, our applicable policies and contractual obligations, and all other applicable legal obligations relating to data privacy and security, data protection and consumer protection to the extent possible, our practices may not have complied or may not comply in the future with all such laws, regulations, requirements and obligations.

We expect that new industry standards, laws and regulations will continue to be proposed regarding data privacy and security, data protection and consumer protection in many jurisdictions. The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”), which went into effect in 2020, created new data privacy rights for California residents and new compliance obligations and risks for us. We cannot yet determine the impact such new and future laws, regulations and standards may have on our business. Complying with these evolving obligations is costly. For instance, expanding definitions and interpretations of what constitutes “personal information” (or the equivalent) within the United States and elsewhere may increase our compliance costs and legal liability. A significant data breach or any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with any federal, state or foreign data privacy and security, data protection or consumer protection-related laws, regulations or other principles or orders to which we may be subject or other legal obligations relating to data privacy and security, data protection or consumer protection could adversely affect our reputation, brand and business, and may result in claims, investigations, proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others or other penalties or liabilities, or require us to change our operations and/or cease using certain data sets. Depending on the nature of the information compromised, we may also have obligations to notify users, other individuals, law enforcement, consumer protection agencies, payment companies, or other third party companies about the incident and may need to provide some form of remedy, such as refunds or services like identity theft protection, for the individuals affected by the incident.

We accept payments using a variety of methods, including credit cards and debit cards. As we offer new payment options to customers, we may be subject to additional regulations, compliance requirements and fraud. For certain payment methods, including credit and debit cards, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time and raise our operating costs and lower profitability. We are also subject to payment card association operating rules, certification requirements, and security standards, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and rules governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. As our business changes, we may also be subject to different rules under existing standards, which may require new assessments that involve costs above what we currently pay for compliance. If we or our third-party payment processors or commerce platforms fail to comply with the rules or requirements of any provider of a payment method we accept, if the volume of fraud in our transactions limits or terminates our rights to use payment methods we currently accept, or if a data breach occurs relating to our payment systems, we may, among other things, be subject to fines or higher transaction fees and may lose, or face restrictions placed upon, our ability to accept credit card and debit card payments from customers or facilitate other types of online payments. If any of these events were to occur, our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected. We occasionally receive orders placed with fraudulent credit card data. We may suffer losses as a result of orders placed with fraudulent credit card data even if the associated financial institution approved payment of the orders. Under current credit card practices, we may be liable for fraudulent credit card transactions. If we are unable to detect or control credit card fraud, our liability for these transactions could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We allow our customers to return products or offer refunds, subject to our return and refunds policy. If merchandise returns or refunds are significant or higher than anticipated and forecasted, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected. Further, we modify our policies relating to returns or refunds from time to time, and may do so in the future, which may result in customer dissatisfaction and harm to our reputation or brand, or an increase in the number of product returns or the amount of refunds we make.

We have insurance to protect our assets, operations and employees. While we believe our insurance coverage addresses all material risks to which we are exposed and is adequate and customary in our current state of operations, such insurance is subject to coverage limits and exclusions and may not be available for the risks and hazards to which we are exposed. No assurance can be given that such insurance will be adequate to cover our liabilities or will be generally available in the future or, if available, that premiums will be commercially justifiable. In addition, insurance that is otherwise readily available, such as general liability, and directors and officer’s insurance, may become more difficult for us to find, and more expensive, due to our CBD products. There are no guarantees that we will be able to find such insurances in the future, or that the cost will be affordable to us. If we are unable to obtain such insurances or if we were to incur substantial liability and such damages were not covered by insurance or were in excess of policy limits, we may be prevented from entering into certain business sectors, our growth may be inhibited, and we may be exposed to additional risk and financial liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

From time to time, our wholesale customers may purchase more products than they expect to sell to consumers during a particular time period. Our Retail customers may grow their inventory in anticipation of, or during, our promotional events, which typically provide for reduced prices during a specified time or other incentives. Our Retail customers may also increase inventory in anticipation of a price increase for our products, or otherwise over order our products as a result of overestimating demand for our products. If a Retail customer increases its inventory during a particular reporting period as a result of a promotional event, anticipated price increase or otherwise, then our net sales during the subsequent reporting period may be adversely impacted as our Retail customers seek to reduce their inventory to customary levels. This effect may be particularly pronounced when the promotional event, price increase or other event occurs near the end or beginning of a reporting period or when there are changes in the timing of a promotional event, price increase or similar event, as compared to the prior year. To the extent our Retail customers seek to reduce their usual or customary inventory levels or change their practices regarding purchases in excess of consumer consumption, our net sales and results of operations may be materially adversely affected in that or subsequent periods.

We may also voluntarily recall or withdraw products in order to protect our brand or reputation if we determine that they do not meet our standards, whether for quality, palatability, appearance or otherwise. If there is any future product recall or withdrawal, it could result in substantial and unexpected expenditures, destruction of product inventory, damage to our reputation and lost sales due to the unavailability of the product for a period of time, and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. In addition, a product recall or withdrawal may require significant management attention and could result in enforcement action by regulatory authorities.

From time to time, we are subject to allegations, and may be party to legal claims and regulatory proceedings, relating to our business operations. Such allegations, claims and proceedings may be brought by third parties, including our customers, employees, governmental or regulatory bodies or competitors. Defending against such claims and proceedings, regardless of their merits or outcomes, is costly and time consuming and may divert management’s attention and personnel resources from our normal business operations, and the outcome of many of these claims and proceedings cannot be predicted. If any of these claims or proceedings were to be determined adversely to us, a

judgment, a fine or a settlement involving a payment of a material sum of money were to occur, or injunctive relief were issued against us, our reputation could be affected and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

The United States and other countries have experienced and continue to experience challenging economic conditions. Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected by a challenging economic climate, including adverse changes in interest rates, volatile commodity markets and inflation, contraction in the availability of credit in the market and reductions in consumer spending. In addition, a slow-down in the general economy or a shift in consumer preferences to less expensive products may result in reduced demand for our products which may affect our profitability. The keeping of pets and the purchase of pet-related products may constitute discretionary spending for some of our consumers and any material decline in the amount of consumer discretionary spending may reduce overall levels of pet ownership or spending on pets. As a result, a challenging economic climate may cause a decline in demand for our products which could be disproportionate as compared to competing pet food brands since our products command a price premium. If economic conditions result in decreased spending on pets and have a negative impact on our suppliers or distributors, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

Our ability to utilize our federal net operating loss carryforwards and federal tax credit may be limited under Section 382 of the Code as amended by the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (the “TCJA”) on December 22, 2017. The limitations apply if we experience an “ownership change” (generally defined as a greater than 50 percentage point change (by value) in the ownership of our equity by certain stockholders over a rolling three-year period). Similar provisions of state tax law may also apply. We have not assessed, including with respect to the December 19, 2019 acquisition of Halo, whether such an ownership change has previously occurred. If we have experienced an ownership change at any time since our formation, we may already be subject to limitations on our ability to utilize our existing net operating losses to offset taxable income. In addition, future changes in our stock ownership, which may be outside of our control, may trigger an ownership change and, consequently, the limitations under Section 382. As a result, if or when we earn net taxable income, our ability to use our pre-change net operating loss carryforwards to offset such taxable income may be subject to limitations, which could adversely affect our future cash flows.

We and our third-party contract manufacturers and suppliers are subject to a broad range of federal, state and local laws and regulations governing, among other things, the testing, development, manufacture, distribution, marketing and post-market reporting of animal foods, including those that contain CBD. These include laws administered by the FDA, the FTC, the USDA, and other federal, state and local regulatory authorities.

Because we market food, supplements and other products that are regulated as food and cosmetic care products for animals, we and the companies that manufacture our products are subject to the requirements of the FDCA and regulations promulgated thereunder by the FDA. The statute and regulations govern, among other things, the manufacturing, composition, ingredients, packaging, labeling and safety of food for animals. The FDA requires that facilities that manufacture animal food products comply with a range of requirements, including hazard analysis and preventative controls regulations, cGMPs and supplier verification requirements. Processing facilities, including those of our third-party contract manufacturers and suppliers, are subject to periodic inspection by federal, state and local authorities. If our third-party contract manufacturers cannot successfully manufacture products that conform to our specifications and the strict regulatory requirements of the FDA and applicable state and local laws, they may be subject to adverse inspectional findings or enforcement actions, which could materially impact our ability to market our products, could result in their inability to continue manufacturing for us or could result in a recall of our products that have already been distributed. If the FDA or other regulatory authority determines that we or they have not complied with the applicable regulatory requirements, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely impacted. If we do not comply with labeling requirements, including making unlawful claims about our products, we could be subject to public warning letters and possible further enforcement (which other companies distributing CBD products have faced).

In addition, we currently market and plan to market our products with claims regarding the functional benefits of our products for pets, including that our products are intended to support the immune system, promote healthy skin, support healthy heart function, promote calmness and relaxation, support joint function, promote healthy bones and other similar claims. While we believe that such claims are permissible claims for animal foods and supplements and that our packaging is in compliance with the FDA’s requirements, the FDA and other regulatory authorities may consider such claims to suggest that our products are intended to treat, cure, or prevent a disease, thereby potentially meeting the statutory definition of a “drug,” and the FDA has issued warning letters to companies for improper marketing of CBD products on this basis. In addition, the FTC has issued warning letters to companies for failing to properly substantiate their CBD product claims, which constitutes false advertising. For these and other reasons, the FDA, FTC and other regulatory authorities may consider our products to be new animal drugs without adequate substantiation or approval for our claims, which could lead to statutory and regulatory violations, enforcement actions and product recalls.

Failure by us or our third-party contract manufacturers and suppliers to comply with applicable laws and regulations or to obtain and maintain necessary permits, licenses and registrations relating to our or our partners’ operations could subject us to administrative and civil penalties, including fines, injunctions, recalls or seizures, warning letters, restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of our products, or refusals to permit the import or export of products, as well as potential criminal sanctions, which could result in increased operating costs resulting in a material effect on our operating results and business. See “Business—Government Regulation.”

Although hemp and CBD are no longer controlled substances subject to regulation by the DEA, the FDA has stated publicly that it is nonetheless unlawful under the FDCA to introduce animal food, which includes products intended for animals labeled as food, treats, or supplements, containing CBD into interstate commerce. The FDCA prohibits the introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of any food that contains an approved drug or a drug for which substantial clinical investigations have been instituted and made public, unless a statutory exemption applies. The FDA has publicly stated its conclusion that none of the statutory exceptions has been met for CBD. See “Business-Government Regulation-FDA Regulation of Animal Foods.”

On May 31, 2019, the FDA held a public hearing to obtain scientific data and information about the safety, manufacturing, product quality, marketing, labeling and sale of products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds (such as CBD) to provide the FDA with information as it considers policy options related to the regulation of these products, particularly in light of the changes to the legal status of hemp enacted in the 2018 Farm Bill. The FDA has also formed an internal working group to evaluate the potential pathways to market for CBD products, which could include seeking statutory changes from Congress or promulgating new regulations. If legislative action is necessary, such legislative changes could take years to finalize and may not include provisions that would enable us to produce, market and/or sell our CBD products, and FDA could similarly take years to promulgate new regulations. Additionally, while the agency’s enforcement focus to date has primarily been on CBD products that are associated with therapeutic claims, the agency has recently issued warning letters to companies marketing CBD products without such claims, and there is a risk that FDA could take enforcement action against us, our third-party contract manufacturers or suppliers, or those marketing similar products to us, which could limit or prevent us from marketing our products and have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. While the FDA announced on March 5, 2020 that it is currently evaluating a risk-based enforcement policy for CBD to provide more clarity to industry and the public while the agency takes potential steps to establish a clear regulatory pathway, it remains unclear whether or when FDA will ultimately issue such an enforcement policy.

Moreover, local, state, federal, and international CBD, hemp and cannabis laws and regulations are rapidly changing and subject to evolving interpretations, which could require us to incur substantial costs associated with compliance requirements or alteration of certain aspects of our business plan in the event that our CBD products become subject to new restrictions. In addition, violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our operations. It is also possible that regulations may be enacted in the

future that will be directly applicable to our products. We cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations, or applications, nor can we determine what effect additional governmental regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated, could have on our activities in the hemp and CBD industry. The constant evolution of laws and regulations may require us to incur substantial costs associated with legal and compliance fees and ultimately require us to alter our business plan.

Our products that contain CBD are subject to various state and federal laws regarding the production and sale of hemp-based products. Historically, the DEA has interpreted CBD to be subject to the CSA under the definition for “marihuana,” a Schedule I controlled substance. However, the 2018 Farm Bill removed “hemp,” from the definition of “marihuana.” “Hemp” is defined as the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a THC concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. As a result of the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill, and since we believe that the CBD contained in our products and the hemp from which it is derived meet the definition of “hemp,” we believe that our CBD products and the hemp from which they are derived are not Schedule I controlled substances under the CSA. However, there is a risk that we could be subject to enforcement action, including prosecution, if any of our products are determined to not meet the definition of “hemp” and to constitute “marihuana” under the CSA based on THC levels or other violations, which would have a negative impact on our business and operations.

In addition, the 2018 Farm Bill contained provisions that require the USDA to, among other things, promulgate a new regulatory framework governing the growth and cultivation of hemp, where hemp grown in compliance with the framework would be permitted in interstate commerce throughout the United States. On October 31, 2019, the USDA issued an IFR establishing the regulations necessary for domestic hemp production, including provisions for the USDA to approve plans submitted by states and Indian tribes for the monitoring and regulation of hemp production at the state level. While the 2018 Farm Bill requires state and tribal plans to meet certain basic requirements as outlined in the IFR, nothing preempts or limits state or tribal laws that are more stringent than the 2018 Farm Bill, and the requirements for lawful hemp production will vary from state to state. We and our third-party contract manufacturers and suppliers must expend resources monitoring the evolving federal and state legal landscape for hemp production, and any, violations of these laws, or alleged violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our operations.

Manufacturers and distributors of products are sometimes subject to the recall or return of their products for a variety of reasons, including product defects, such as contamination, adulteration, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety and inadequate or inaccurate labeling disclosure. Although we have detailed procedures in place for testing finished products, there can be no assurance that any quality, potency or contamination problems will be detected in time to avoid unforeseen product recalls, regulatory action or lawsuits, whether frivolous or otherwise. If any of the animal food or care products produced by us are recalled due to an alleged product defect or for any other reason, we could be required to incur the unexpected expense of the recall and any legal proceedings that might arise in connection with the recall. We had to issue a recall in 2018 for one of our products after a single retail sample collected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture tested positive for Salmonella. Although customers reported no incidents of injury or illness in association with this product, the recall negatively affected our results. As a result of any such recall, we may lose a significant amount of sales and may not be able to replace those sales at an acceptable margin or at all. In addition, a product recall may require significant management attention or damage our reputation and goodwill or that of our products or brands.

Additionally, product recalls may lead to increased scrutiny of our operations by the FDA or other state or federal regulatory agencies, requiring further management attention, increased compliance costs and potential legal fees, fines, penalties and other expenses. Any product recall affecting the cannabis industry more broadly, whether or not involving us, could also lead consumers to lose confidence in the safety and security of the products sold by producers generally, including products sold by us.

The growth and cultivation of hemp is subject to a complex regulatory framework that is implemented and affected by multiple federal agencies, as well as state and local authorities. In 2014, Congress enacted the 2014 Farm Bill to allow for the limited growth and cultivation of industrial hemp under federal law. This statute allowed institutions of higher education and state departments of agriculture to grow and cultivate industrial hemp for agricultural or other academic research purposes, or for hemp to be grown under the auspices of a state agricultural pilot program, in states where such growth and cultivation is legal under state law. While the 2018 Farm Bill created a pathway under which hemp and its derivatives, including CBD, would no longer be a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA and would be protected from interference in interstate commerce, the USDA only recently issued its IFR containing the regulatory framework to govern the growth and cultivation of hemp, and several states continue to operate under the 2014 Farm Bill, which will be repealed after October 31, 2020. Alongside the current federal regulatory developments, state and local authorities have enacted their own restrictions on the cultivation or sale of hemp or hemp-derived CBD, including laws that ban the cultivation or possession of hemp or any other plant of the cannabis genus and derivatives thereof, such as CBD. Currently several states ban the cultivation and possession of hemp or CBD, while others have taken enforcement action against human and pet food products that contain CBD, and states may enact new laws or regulations that prohibit or limit the sale of such products at any time. In the event of a change in federal or state laws and regulations that are adverse to our CBD products, we may be restricted or limited with respect to sale or distribution of those products, which could adversely impact our intended business plan with respect to such products.

The USDA has only recently issued the IFR and started accepting state and tribal hemp production plans for review, and it remains to be seen which additional states will submit their own regulatory plans for the cultivation of hemp and which states become subject to the USDA framework. The timing and content of state regulatory plans may impact our ability to obtain sufficient quantities of CBD at an acceptable price and on a timely basis. If our current supplier were to face increased regulation or be unable to continue to supply our business, we may be unable to fulfill our customer\’s orders or find a suitable replacement supplier in a timely fashion or at comparable prices. If our current supplier or any future suppliers fail to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements, our business may suffer.

In addition to the legal framework applicable to hemp and CBD, the manufacture and marketing of animal food products is highly regulated, and we and our third-party contract manufacturers and suppliers are subject to a variety of federal and state laws and regulations applicable to pet food and treats. These laws and regulations apply to many aspects of our business, including the manufacture, packaging, labeling, distribution, advertising, sale, quality and safety of our products. We could incur costs, including fines, penalties, and third-party claims, in the event of any violations of, or liabilities under, such requirements, including any competitor or consumer challenges relating to compliance with such requirements. For example, in connection with the marketing and advertisement of our products, we could be the target of claims relating to false or deceptive advertising, including under the auspices of the FTC and state consumer protection statutes.

The regulatory environment in which we operate could change significantly and adversely in the future. The laws and regulations that apply to our products and business may change in the future and we may incur (directly, or indirectly through our third-party contract manufacturers or suppliers) material costs to comply with current or future laws and regulations or any required product recalls. Any change in manufacturing, labeling, or marketing requirements for our products may lead to an increase in costs or interruptions in manufacturing or raw material supply, either of which could adversely affect our operations and financial condition. For example, recent federal and state attention to the sale of CBD-containing products, specifically pet products that contain CBD, could result in standards or requirements that mandate changes to our current labeling, product ingredients or marketing. New or revised government laws and regulations could significantly limit our ability to run our business as it is currently conducted, result in additional compliance costs and, in the event of noncompliance, lead to administrative or civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, withdrawals, recalls or seizures and confiscations, as well as potential criminal sanctions.

Any such changes or actions by the FDA or other regulatory agencies could have a material adverse effect on our third-party manufacturers, our suppliers or our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Manufacturing, processing, labeling, packaging, storing and distributing pet products are activities subject to extensive federal, state and local regulation, as well as foreign regulation. In the United States, these operations are regulated by the FDA and various state and local public health and agricultural agencies. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 provides direct recall authority to the FDA for food products and includes a number of other provisions designed to enhance food safety, including increased inspections by the FDA of domestic and foreign food facilities and increased review of food products imported into the United States. In addition, many states have adopted the Association of American Feed Control Officials’ model pet food regulations or variations thereof, which generally regulate the information manufacturers provide about pet food. Compliance with government regulation can be costly or may otherwise adversely affect our business. Moreover, failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could subject us to civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, recalls or seizures, as well as potential criminal sanctions, which could in turn have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We operate in a highly regulated environment with constantly evolving legal and regulatory frameworks. Consequently, we are subject to heightened risk of legal claims, government investigations or regulatory enforcement actions. Although we have implemented policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that our employees, temporary workers, contractors or agents will not violate our policies and procedures. Moreover, a failure to maintain effective regulatory compliance policies and procedures could lead to violations, unintentional or otherwise, of laws and regulations. Legal claims, government investigations or regulatory enforcement actions arising out of our failure or alleged failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could subject us to civil and criminal penalties that could materially and adversely affect our product sales, reputation, financial condition and operating results. In addition, the costs and other effects of defending potential and pending litigation and administrative actions against us may be difficult to determine and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Research in the United States and internationally regarding the benefits, viability, safety and dosing of isolated cannabinoids (such as CBD or THC) remains in relatively early stages. There have been few clinical trials on the benefits of CBD conducted on humans or animals, including studies focused on the consumption of CBD in foods.

Future research and clinical trials may draw opposing conclusions to statements contained in current articles, reports and studies regarding CBD or could reach different or negative conclusions regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, dosing or other facts and perceptions related to CBD, which could adversely affect acceptance of CBD in foods and the demand for such products. Future research may also cause regulatory authorities to change how they enforce regulatory restrictions applicable to hemp and CBD. We cannot predict any negative research and clinical trial findings in the future that may have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operation.

Our success will depend in significant part on customer acceptance, our ability to change with customer tastes and to meet customer needs with new products. If customers do not accept our products, our sales and revenue will either fail to materialize or decline, resulting in a reduction in our operating income or possible increases in losses. Demand for CBD and hemp products is also influenced by the popularity of certain aesthetics, cultural and demographic trends, marketing and advertising expenditures, legality concerns, and general economic conditions. Because these factors can change rapidly, customer demand also can shift quickly. The success of new product introductions depends on various factors, including product selection and quality, sales and marketing efforts and timely

production. We may not always be able to respond quickly and effectively to changes in customer taste and demand due to the amount of time and financial resources that may be required to bring new products to market. The inability to respond quickly to market changes could have an impact on our expected growth potential and the growth potential of the market for raw foods and CBD and hemp products for pets. Even if this market develops, we may not succeed in our plan to become a category leader.

Hemp and marijuana are both varieties of the plant Cannabis sativa L., except that hemp, as defined by federal law for exemption from Schedule I of the CSA, has a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis. The same plant with a higher THC content is considered marijuana, which is legal for medical and recreational use under certain state laws, but which is not legal under federal law. The similarities between these plants can cause confusion, and our activities with hemp may be incorrectly perceived as us being involved in federally illegal marijuana activities.

Also, despite growing support for the cannabis industry and legalization of marijuana in certain U.S. states, many individuals and businesses remain opposed to the cultivation and sale of cannabis and cannabis-derived products. Any negative publicity resulting from an incorrect perception that we operate in the marijuana space could result in a loss of current or future business. It could also adversely affect the public's perception of us or our common stock and lead to reluctance by new parties to do business with or invest in us. We cannot assure you that additional business partners, including but not limited to financial institutions and customers, will not attempt to end or curtail their relationships with us. Any such negative press or impacts to business relationships could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Section 280E of the Code prohibits the deduction of certain otherwise ordinary business expenses from carrying on any trade or business that consists of “trafficking” Schedule I or II controlled substances, as defined by the CSA. Under existing IRS guidance, the bulk of operating costs and general administrative costs of trades or businesses subject to Section 280E of the Code are not permitted to be deducted. Although the 2018 Farm Bill created a pathway under which hemp and its derivatives, including CBD, would no longer be a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, until the USDA implements regulations pursuant to the 2018 Farm Bill, we believe our ability to deduct certain ordinary business expenses requires compliance with the 2014 Farm Bill. We do not believe that Section 280E of the Code currently forbids our deduction of otherwise ordinary business expenses because we believe that we are in compliance with the 2014 Farm Bill and/or the products we sell are from participants that are compliant with the 2014 Farm Bill. However, until the USDA promulgates regulations under the 2018 Farm Bill, non-compliance with the 2014 Farm Bill by us or our suppliers may have a material adverse tax effect on us.

Although our common stock is quoted on OTC Markets, OTCQX tier of OTC Markets Group Inc., an over-the-counter quotation system, under the symbol “BTTR,” there has been no material public market for our common stock. In these marketplaces, our stockholders may find it difficult to obtain accurate quotations as to the market value of their shares of our common stock, and may find few buyers to purchase their stock and few market makers to support its price. As a result of these and other factors, investors may be unable to resell shares of our common stock at or above the price for which they purchased them, at or near quoted bid prices, or at all. Further, an inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling additional equity in the future, and may impair our ability to enter into strategic partnerships or acquire companies or products by using shares of our common stock as consideration.

Moreover, there can be no assurance that any selling stockholders will sell any or all of their shares of common stock and there may initially be a lack of supply of, or demand for, our common stock. In the case of a lack of supply for our common stock, the trading price of our common stock may rise to an unsustainable level, particularly in instances where institutional investors may be discouraged from purchasing our common stock because they are unable to purchase a block of shares in the open market due to a potential unwillingness of our selling stockholders to sell the

amount of shares at the price offered by such investors and the greater influence individual investors have in setting the trading price. In the case of a lack of demand for our common stock, the trading price of our common stock could decline significantly and rapidly at any time.

We intend to list shares of our common stock on a national securities exchange in the future, but we do not now, and may not in the future, meet the initial listing standards of any national securities exchange, which is often a more widely-traded and liquid market. Some, but not all, of the factors which may delay or prevent the listing of our common stock on a more widely-traded and liquid market include the following: our stockholders’ equity may be insufficient; the market value of our outstanding securities may be too low; our net income from operations may be too low; our common stock may not be sufficiently widely held; we may not be able to secure market makers for our common stock; and we may fail to meet the rules and requirements mandated by the several exchanges and markets to have our common stock listed. Should we fail to satisfy the initial listing standards of the national exchanges, or our common stock is otherwise rejected for listing, and remains listed on the OTC Markets or is suspended from the OTC Markets, the trading price of our common stock could suffer and the trading market for our common stock may be less liquid and our common stock price may be subject to increased volatility.

Therefore, an active, liquid, and orderly trading market for our common stock may not initially develop or be sustained, which could significantly depress the public price of our common stock and/or result in significant volatility, which could affect your ability to sell your common stock. Even if an active trading market develops for our common stock, the market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations. Our financial performance, government regulatory action, tax laws, interest rates and market conditions in general could have a significant impact on the future market price of our common stock.

We are quoted on the OTCQX marketplace and are not subject to the rules of a national securities exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market. National securities exchanges generally require more rigorous measures relating to corporate governance designed to enhance the integrity of corporate management. The requirements of the OTCQX afford our stockholders fewer corporate governance protections than those of a national securities exchange. Until we comply with such greater corporate governance measures, regardless of whether such compliance is required, our stockholders will have fewer protections such as those related to director independence, stockholder approval rights and governance measures designed to provide board oversight of management.

The SEC has adopted Rule 3a51-1, which establishes the definition of a “penny stock” as any equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. If the price if our common stock is less than $5.00, our common stock will be deemed a penny stock. As of the date of this prospectus, our common stock is deemed to be a penny stock. For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, Rule 15g-9 requires that a broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive (i) the purchaser’s written acknowledgment of the receipt of a risk disclosure statement; (ii) a written agreement to transactions involving penny stocks; and (iii) a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement.

Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of our common stock and cause a decline in the market value of our stock.

As a result of the May Acquisitions and the Halo Acquisition, the prior business plan and management relating to Better Choice Company was abandoned and replaced with the business and management team of Bona Vida, Halo and TruPet. As a result, we may have material liabilities based on activities before the acquisitions that have not been discovered or asserted. We could experience losses as a result of any such undisclosed liabilities that are discovered in the future, which could materially harm our business and financial condition. Although the agreements entered into in connection with the acquisitions contains customary representations and warranties from Bona Vida, Halo and TruPet concerning their assets, liabilities, financial condition and affairs, there may be limited or no recourse against

the pre-acquisition stockholders or principals in the event those representations prove to be untrue. As a result, our current and future stockholders will bear some, or all, of the risks relating to any such unknown or undisclosed liabilities.

The market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations. Our financial performance, government regulatory action, tax laws, interest rates and market conditions in general could have a significant impact on the future market price of our common stock.

The public price of our common stock following the date of this prospectus also could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to the risk factors described in this prospectus and others beyond our control, including:

In addition, the stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. Securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies following periods of volatility in the overall market and in the market price of a company’s securities. Such litigation, if instituted against us, could result in very substantial costs, divert our management’s attention and resources and harm our business, operating results, and financial condition.

We are a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. As a smaller reporting company we are eligible for exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies that are not smaller reporting companies, including, but not limited to:

We will remain a smaller reporting company until the end of the fiscal year in which (1) we have a public common equity float of more than $250 million, or (2) we have annual revenues for the most recently completed fiscal year of more than $100 million plus we have any public common equity float or public float of more than $700 million. We also would not be eligible for status as smaller reporting company if we become an investment company, an asset-backed issuer or a majority-owned subsidiary of a parent company that is not a smaller reporting company.

We expect to use cash flow from future operations to repay debt and support the growth of our business and do not expect to declare or pay any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Our Wintrust Credit Facility, subordinated convertible notes, term loan and revolving line of credit place certain restrictions on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to pay cash dividends. We may amend our current credit facilities or enter into new debt arrangements that also prohibit or restrict our ability to pay cash dividends on our common stock.

Subject to such restrictions, our board of directors will determine the amount and timing of stockholder dividends, if any, that we may pay in future periods. In making this determination, our directors will consider all relevant factors, including the amount of cash available for dividends, capital expenditures, covenants, prohibitions or limitations with respect to dividends, applicable law, general operational requirements and other variables. We cannot predict the amount or timing of any future dividends you may receive, and if we do commence the payment of dividends, we may be unable to pay, maintain or increase dividends over time. Therefore, you may not be able to realize any return on your investment in our common stock for an extended period of time, if at all.

We may in the future issue our previously authorized and unissued securities. We are authorized to issue 200,000,000 shares of common stock and 4,000,000 shares of preferred stock with such designations, preferences and rights as determined by our board of directors. The potential issuance of such additional shares of common stock will result in the dilution of the ownership interests of the holders of our common stock and may create downward pressure on the trading price, if any, of our common stock. The registration rights of certain of our stockholders and the sales of substantial amounts of our common stock following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or other effective registration statements of the Company, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline and impair our ability to raise capital. These shares also may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, depending on their holding period and subject to restrictions in the case of shares held by persons deemed to be our affiliates. We also may grant additional registration rights in connection with any future issuance of our capital stock.

In October 2018, we issued Series E Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series E Preferred Stock”). On October 1, 2020, as part of the Series F Private Placement all of the outstanding Series E Preferred Stock was exchanged for 3,500 shares of Series F Preferred Stock and warrants to purchase 3,500,000 shares of our common stock.

On May 6, 2019, in connection with the May Acquisitions, the Company acquired 712,823 warrants to purchase common stock with a weighted average exercise price of $3.90. The Company also issued 5,744,991 warrants with an exercise price of $4.25 on May 6, 2019 as part of the PIPE. Additionally, in connection with the PIPE transaction, the Company issued 220,539 warrants to brokers with an exercise price of $3.00. The warrants are exercisable on the date of issuance and expire 24 months from the date of the consummation of a future IPO.

On November 4, 2019, we issued (i) $2.8 million in aggregate principal amount of subordinated convertible notes (the “Convertible Notes”) for total proceeds of $2.8 million to existing shareholders and (ii) 11,000 warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase shares of our common stock. The Convertible Notes are scheduled to mature on June 30, 2023 and are convertible into the Company’s common stock at any time from the date of issuance. The Convertible Notes carried an initial conversion price of $4.00 per share or the price at which the Common Stock was sold in an IPO. Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of our common stock and are exercisable any time from the date of issuance for a period of up to 24 months from the date of the consummation of a future initial public offering (“IPO”) at an initial exercise price equal to the greater of (i) $5.00 per share or (ii) the price at which our common stock was sold in the IPO.

On December 19, 2019, in connection with the Halo Acquisition and as part of the consideration payable under the Halo Agreement, we issued to the Halo sellers and Werner von Pein (i) convertible subordinated notes in a total amount of $15,000,000 (the “Seller Notes”) and (ii) 937,500 stock purchase warrants (the “Seller Warrants”) to purchase shares of our common stock. The Seller Notes are scheduled to mature on June 30, 2023 and may be converted into shares of our common stock at any time prior to the last business day immediately preceding the maturity date and shall be automatically converted into shares of our common stock upon an IPO. The initial

conversion price was equal to the lower of $4.00 per share or the price at which the Common Stock was sold in an IPO. The Seller Warrants are exercisable any time from the date of issuance for up to 24 months from the date of the consummation of an IPO at an initial exercise price equal to the greater of (i) $5.00 per share or (ii) the price at which our common stock was sold in the IPO.

On December 19, 2019, as consideration for the Shareholder Guaranty (as described below), we agreed to issue common stock purchase warrants. The warrants are exercisable any time from the date of issuance for up to 24 months from the date of the consummation of an IPO (as defined therein) at an exercise price $1.82 per share. We issued 4,875,000 Shareholder Guarantor Warrants to John M. Word III, 1,300,000 Shareholder Guarantor Warrants to Lori Taylor and 325,000 Shareholder Guarantor Warrants to Michael Young.

On January 20, 2020, in connection with the early termination of a licensing agreement, we issued Authentic Brands and Elvis Presley Enterprises (“ABG”) $0.6 million aggregate principal amount of subordinated convertible notes (the “ABG Notes”) and a common stock purchase warrant equal to a fair value of $150,000 (the “ABG Warrants”). The ABG Notes are scheduled to mature on June 30, 2023 and are convertible into the Company’s common stock at any time from the date of issuance at an initial conversion price of $5.00 per share or the price at which the common stock was sold in an IPO. The ABG Warrants are exercisable for 24 months from the date of consummation of an IPO and carried an initial exercise price equal to the greater of $5.00 or the price at which the common stock was sold in an IPO.

On March 17, 2020, 1,003,232 warrants were issued to holders of warrants acquired on May 6, 2019 due to dilutive impact of subsequent issuances. The Company issued an additional 2,560,883 warrants to holders of these warrants due to further dilutive impact of subsequent issuances.

On June 24, 2020, the Company issued $1.5 million in subordinated convertible promissory notes (the “June 2020 Notes”). The June 2020 Notes are convertible into the Company’s common stock at the election of the holders thereof at any time from the date of issuance. The June 2020 Notes are also convertible automatically upon the Company’s consummation of an initial public offering or change in control (each as defined in the June 2020 Notes). The June 2020 Notes are convertible at conversion price of $0.75 per share. The June 2020 Notes carry a 10% PIK interest rate which is payable in arrears on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year. PIK interest is payable by increasing the aggregate principal amount of the June 2020 Notes. The June 2020 Notes mature on June 30, 2023. The proceeds of the June 2020 Notes will be used for general working capital needs. The June 2020 Notes rank on par with the Seller Notes and the ABG Notes.

In connection with the issuance of the June 2020 Notes, the Company issued common stock purchase warrants (the “June 2020 Incentive Warrants”) to purchase up to1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price equal to $1.25 per share. Additionally, the Company issued common stock purchase warrants to purchase up to 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to two non-employee directors at a price equal to $1.25 per share (the “June 2020 Director Warrants” and together with the June 2020 Incentive Warrants, the “June 2020 Warrants”). The June 2020 Warrants are exercisable on the date of issuance and expire on the earlier of (i) 84 months from the date of the consummation of an underwritten public offering or other uplist transaction or (ii) June 30, 2030.

In addition, on June 24, 2020, in connection with the issuance of the June 2020 Notes, (i) the November 2019 Notes, the Seller Notes and the ABG Notes were amended to lower the maximum conversion price applicable to the conversion of these notes from $4.00 per share to $3.75 per share, (ii) the maturity date of the November 2019 Notes was extended from November 4, 2021 to June 30, 2023, and (iii) the common stock purchase warrants to purchase 1,009,724 shares of the Company’s common stock that were issued in connection with the November 2019 Notes, the Seller Notes and the ABG Notes were amended to lower the maximum exercise price applicable to these warrants from $5.00 per share to $4.25 per share.

On July 20, 2020, in consideration of the personal guaranty, the Company issued common stock purchase warrants to purchase up to 300,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price equal to $1.05 per share (the “July 2020 Guarantor Warrants”). Additionally, the Company issued common stock purchase warrants to purchase up to 200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to two nonemployee directors at a price equal to $1.05 per share (the “July 2020 Director Warrants,” and together with the July 2020 Guarantor Warrants, the “July 2020 Warrants”). The July 2020 Warrants are exercisable on the date of issuance and expire on the earlier of (i) 84 months from the date of the consummation of an underwritten public offering or other uplist transaction or (ii) June 30, 2030. The exercise, conversion or exchange of convertible securities, including for other securities, will dilute the percentage ownership of our stockholders. The dilutive effect of the exercise or conversion of these securities may adversely

affect our ability to obtain additional capital. The holders of these securities may be expected to exercise or convert such securities at a time when we would be able to obtain additional equity capital on terms more favorable than such securities or when our common stock is trading at a price higher than the exercise or conversion price of the securities. The exercise or conversion of outstanding securities will have a dilutive effect on the securities held by our shareholders. We have in the past, and may in the future, exchange outstanding securities for other securities on terms that are dilutive to the securities held by other shareholders not participating in such exchange.

In October 2020, we consummated the Series F Private Placement in which we raised approximately $21.7 million, including an investment by certain of our officers and directors of approximately $6.5 million and an exchange of all of our outstanding Series E preferred stock of approximately $3.5 million. Each Series F Unit was sold in the Series F Private Placement at a per unit price of $1,000 and consisted of (i) one share of Series F Preferred Stock, which is convertible into shares of our common stock, at a value per share of common stock of $0.50 (subject to adjustment); and (ii) a warrant to purchase for a six year period such number of shares of common stock into which such share of Series F Preferred Stock is convertible at an exercise price per share of $0.75 (subject to adjustment). In the Series F Private Placement, we issued 21,792 shares of Series F Preferred Stock and 43,583,130 warrants to purchase common stock (subject to adjustment).

In January 2021, we consummated the January 2021 Private Placement in which we raised approximately $4.1 million, including an investment by certain of our officers and directors of approximately $1.6 million. The Company will receive $1.0 million of these cash proceeds upon the declaration of effectiveness of this registration statement. Each Unit was sold in the January 2021 Private Placement at a per unit price of $1.25 and consisted of (i) one share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share; and (ii) a warrant to purchase for a six year period one share of common stock at an exercise price per share of $1.45 (subject to beneficial ownership limitations).

As of January 22, 2021, (i) 62,913,452 warrants to purchase our common stock at a weighted average price of $1.94 per share that we issued in, the Acquisitions, the private placement offerings in December 2018 and May 2019, the Series F Private Placement, the January 2021 Private Placement as well as other compensation and financing transactions disclosed elsewhere herein are outstanding, (ii) 38,462 share of common stock are issuable pursuant to outstanding options granted in 2018, (iii) 9,767,036 shares of common stock (of which 5,802,617 are vested) are issuable pursuant to outstanding options granted under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan” and the “2019 Amended Plan”) to our executive officers and directors, key employees and third-party contractors, (iv) 7,530,232 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of convertible notes that we issued in connection with the December Private Placement, the Halo Acquisition and certain other financing transactions described herein, and (v) 43,507,130 shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of our Series F Preferred Stock issued in the Series F Private Placement. The issuance of any such shares would ultimately be dilutive to the holders of shares of common stock acquired.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue, without the approval of our stockholders, one or more classes or series of preferred stock having such designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights, including preferences over our common stock with respect to dividends and distributions, as our board of directors may determine. The terms of one or more classes or series of preferred stock could adversely impact the voting power or value of our common stock. For example, we might grant holders of preferred stock the right to elect some number of our directors in all events or on the happening of specified events, or the right to veto specified transactions. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences we might grant to holders of preferred stock could affect the value of the common stock.

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and rules subsequently implemented by the SEC, impose various requirements on public companies, including establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly, particularly after we are no longer a smaller reporting company. For example, we expect that these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance.

Pursuant to Section 404, we will be required to furnish a report by our management on our internal control over financial reporting, including an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. To achieve compliance with Section 404 within the prescribed period, we will be engaged in a process to document and evaluate our internal control over financial reporting, which is both costly and challenging. In this regard, we will need to continue to dedicate internal resources, potentially engage outside consultants and adopt a detailed work plan to assess and document the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. Despite our efforts, there is a risk that neither we nor our independent registered public accounting firm will be able to conclude within the prescribed timeframe that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as required by Section 404. This could result in an adverse reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of confidence in the reliability of our financial statements.

Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to compliance initiatives to maintain reporting status. Moreover, these rules and regulations, which are necessary to remain as a public reporting company, will be costly because external third party consultant(s), attorneys, or other firms may have to assist us in following the applicable rules and regulations for each filing on behalf of the company.

We currently do not have an internal audit group, and we may eventually need to hire additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge to have effective internal controls for financial reporting. Additionally, due to the fact that our officers and directors have limited experience as an officer or director of a reporting company, such lack of experience may impair our ability to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, which may result in material misstatements to our financial statements and an inability to provide accurate financial information to our stockholders.

Moreover, if we are not able to comply with the requirements or regulations as a public reporting company in any regard, we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources.

Many of our officers and directors lack significant experience in, and with the reporting and disclosure obligations of publicly-traded companies, and with serving as an officer and or director of a publicly-traded company. This lack of experience may impair our ability to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, which may result in material misstatements to our financial statements and an inability to provide accurate financial information to our stockholders. Consequently, our operations, future earnings and ultimate financial success could suffer irreparable harm due to our officer’s and director’s ultimate lack of experience in our industry and with publicly-traded companies and their reporting requirements in general.

Provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us after we have become a publicly traded company. Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws impose various procedural and other requirements, which could make it more difficult for stockholders to effect certain corporate actions. For example, our certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of unissued series of preferred stock without any vote or action by our stockholders. Thus, our board of directors can authorize and issue shares of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could dilute the voting power of holders of our other series of capital stock. These rights may have the effect of delaying or deterring a change of control of our company. Additionally, our certificate of incorporation and/or bylaws establish limitations on the removal of directors and on the ability of our stockholders to call special meetings and include advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors and for proposing matters that can be acted upon at stockholder meetings.

Moreover, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), which prohibits an “interested stockholder” owning in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock from merging or combining with us for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which such stockholder acquired in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock, unless the merger or combination is approved in a prescribed manner.

See “Description of Capital Stock—Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation, Our Bylaws and Delaware Law.” These provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.

Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer (or affiliate of any of the foregoing) of us to us or the our shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or (iv) any other action asserting a claim arising under, in connection with, and governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided that these exclusive forum provisions will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, or to any claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and consented to, the provisions of our bylaws described in the preceding sentence. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our bylaws inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that we will indemnify our directors and officers, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. In addition, as permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation and our indemnification agreements that we have entered into with our directors and officers provide that:

Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward looking statements. These forward looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this prospectus and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this prospectus. We qualify all of our forward looking statements by these cautionary statements.

The selling stockholders will determine at what price they may sell the Securities offered by this prospectus, and such sales may be made at fixed prices, prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, varying prices determined at the time of sale, or negotiated prices.

As of December 28, 2020, our common stock is listed on the OTCQX under the symbol “BTTR” after being upgraded from the OTCQB where it had traded since June 2010. No established public trading market existed for our common stock prior to June 2010. The closing price of our common stock on the OTCQX on January 22, 2021 was $1.51 per share. As of January 22, 2021, we had 54,396,798 shares of our common stock outstanding. As of January 22, 2021, we had 179 record holders of our common stock.

The following unaudited pro forma combined financial information of the Company has been prepared to give effect to the Halo Acquisition and the accompanying financing transactions more specifically described herein (the “Transactions”).

On December 19, 2019, (“the Acquisition Date”) the Company completed the acquisition of Halo for approximately $38.2 million pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2019 (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”), by and among the Company, Halo, Thriving Paws, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Thriving Paws”), HH-Halo LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“HH-Halo” and, together with Thriving Paws, the “Sellers”) and HH-Halo, in the capacity of the representatives of the Sellers. The Company paid (i) cash consideration of $20.5 million, (ii) 2,134,390 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), (iii) Seller Notes totaling $15.0 million (“the Seller Notes”), and (iv) 937,500 Seller Warrants in exchange for 100% of the outstanding common stock of Halo. The Company also incurred $0.9 million in transaction costs.

The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations and comprehensive loss give effect to the Transactions as if they had occurred on January 1, 2019. The historical financial information is adjusted to give pro forma effect to events that are (1) directly attributable to the Transactions, (2) factually supportable and (3) expected to have a continuing impact on the results of the combined entity. The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations and comprehensive loss presented below is based on, and should be read together with, the historical financial statements and accompanying notes of Halo and the historical consolidated financial statements of the Company included in this prospectus.

The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations and comprehensive loss do not reflect the realization of potential cost savings, or any related restructuring or integration costs that may result from the integration of the companies. Although the Company believes that certain cost savings may result from the Halo Acquisition, there can be no assurance that these cost savings will be achieved.

The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations and comprehensive loss is based on estimates and assumptions, is presented for illustrative purposes only and is not necessarily indicative of results of operations in future periods or the results that actually would have been realized if the Transactions had been completed as of January 1, 2019.

The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations and comprehensive loss has been compiled from the underlying financial statements of the Company and Halo, each prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and reflects the pro forma effects of the Halo Acquisition using the acquisition method of accounting.

The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations and comprehensive loss reflect the impact of the purchase price of $38.2 million for the outstanding shares of Halo. The purchase price for Halo has been allocated based on a preliminary estimate of the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed and those values have been used to calculate certain of the pro forma adjustments. The final purchase price allocation will be determined when the Company has completed the necessary calculations. The final allocation is not expected to differ materially from the preliminary purchase price allocation.

The unaudited pro forma combined statement of operations and comprehensive loss for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2019 include the adjustments summarized below:

our Halo brand to offer vegan alternatives for our customers. In addition to our domestic capabilities, we have partnered with a leading Israeli research and development center, Cannasoul, to create a portfolio of indication- specific intellectual property focused on hemp-derived CBD formulations.

Our experienced management and board members have an established track record across the retail, consumer packaged goods, pet health and wellness industries, and they share a common vision to build the premier provider of health and wellness pet products.

The impact that COVID-19 will have on our results of operations is uncertain. As of October 2020, we have not seen a material decline in sales. We will continue to evaluate the nature and extent of COVID-19’s impact to our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. Our results presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for future periods in 2020 or the full fiscal year.

Management cannot predict the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our sourcing, manufacturing and distribution of our products or to economic conditions generally, including the effects on consumer spending. The ultimate extent of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on us is highly uncertain and will depend on future developments, and such effects could exist for an extended period of time even after the pandemic might end.

On May 21, 2019, our board of directors approved a change in fiscal year end from August 31 to December 31 to align with the TruPet fiscal year end. The fiscal year change became effective with our 2019 fiscal year, which begins January 1, 2019 and ends December 31, 2019. Following its acquisition by us, Halo has adopted the same fiscal year end.

We sell pet food and related items, including private branded freeze dried and dehydrated raw foods, supplements, dental care products for dogs, and treats and accessories for dogs, cats, and pet parents. We sell our products through pet specialty retailers, online retailers, our online portal directly to our consumers and internationally through domestic distributors. We have a deep portfolio of premium animal health and wellness products for dogs and cats sold under the Halo, TruDog, TruGold, Rawgo! and Orapup brand names across multiple forms and classes, including foods, treats, toppers, dental products, chews, tinctures, grooming products and supplements.

Key factors that affect our future sales growth include: our continued expansion in Retail and other specialty channels, international expansion and our new product introduction. We recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods to the customer in an amount that reflects the consideration to which we expect to be entitled in exchange for those goods. We have two categories of revenue channels: Retail, which includes the sale of product to e-commerce retailers, pet specialty chains, grocery, mass and distributors, and DTC, which is focused on driving consumers to directly purchase product through our online web platform.

A significant portion of our revenue is derived from the DTC channel which represents 25% of consolidated revenue; the Retail channel represents 75% of consolidated revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. The majority of these sales transactions are single performance obligations that are recorded when control is transferred to the customer. DTC revenue is recognized at the time the order is shipped to the DTC customers. For the majority of Retail customers, we recognize revenue when the product is shipped from our distribution centers, when control transfers. For the remaining customers, we defer revenue based on average shipping times to those customers. We record a revenue reserve based on past return rates to account for customer returns.

For our DTC loyalty program, a portion of revenue is deferred at the time of the sale as points are earned based on the relative stand-alone selling price, and not recognized until the redemption of the loyalty points, which do not expire. We have applied a redemption rate based on historical experience.

Our products are manufactured to our specifications by contracted manufacturing plants using raw materials sourced by our contracted manufacturers. We design our packaging in-house for manufacture by third parties, and packaging is shipped directly to contracted manufacturing plants. We work with our co-manufacturers to secure a supply of raw materials that meet our specifications, such as USA farm-raised beef, GAP 2 certified cage-free whole chicken and

associated broths, GAP 2 certified cage-free whole turkey and associated broths, MSC certified wild-caught salmon and MSC certified wild-caught whitefish and associated broths, and select non-GMO fruits and vegetables, such as peas, sweet potatoes and lentils. In addition to procuring raw materials that meet our formulation requirements, our contract manufacturers manufacture, test and package our products. In addition, we intend to directly source the hemp derived CBD oils used in our products from select suppliers to ensure product quality and traceability of the ingredient. CBD oils are shipped to our warehouse and forwarded to our contracted manufacturing partners as needed for production.

Cost of goods sold consists primarily of the cost of product obtained from third-party contract manufacturing plants, packaging materials, CBD oils directly sourced by us, inventory freight for shipping product from third-party contract manufacturing plants to our warehouse and third party fulfillment and royalties. We review inventory on hand periodically to identify damages, slow moving inventory, and/or aged inventory. Based on the analysis, we record inventories at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with any reduction in value expensed as cost of goods sold.

We calculate gross profit as net sales, including any shipping revenue collected from our customers, less cost of goods sold. Our gross profit has been and will continue to be affected by a variety of factors, primarily product sales mix including the addition of Halo branded products, volumes sold, discounts offered to Retail customers and our TLC club members, discounts offered to newly acquired and recurring customers, the cost of our manufactured products, and the cost of freight from the manufacturer to our warehouse. Changes in cost of goods sold and gross profit may be driven by the volume and price of our sales, including the extent of discounts offered, variations in the cost of raw materials and the price we pay for our manufactured products and variations in our freight costs.

General and administrative expenses include management and office personnel compensation and bonuses, warrant expense, corporate level information technology related costs, rent, travel, professional service fees, costs related to merchant credit card fees, insurance, product development costs, shipping DTC orders to customers and general corporate expenses.

Share-based compensation includes expenses related to stock options and warrants issued to non-employee directors.

Sales and marketing expenses include costs related to compensation for sales personnel, other costs related to the selling platform, as well as marketing, including paid media and content creation expenses. Marketing expenses consist primarily of Facebook and other media ads, and other advertising and marketing costs, all geared towards acquiring new customers and building brand awareness.

Customer service and warehousing costs include the cost of our customer service department, including our in-house call center, and costs associated with warehouse operations, including but not limited to payroll, rent, and warehouse management systems.

On November 4, 2019 and December 19, 2019, we issued $2.8 million and $15.0 million, respectively, in aggregate principal amount of subordinated convertible notes. These notes accrue interest payable in kind until maturity or conversion to equity.

On December 19, 2019, we entered into a loan facilities agreement with a private debt lender (the “Facilities Agreement”) that provided for a short term loan facility of $20.5 million and a revolving line of credit not to exceed $7.5 million. The short term loan is scheduled to mature on December 19, 2019 or such earlier date on which a demand is made by the agent or any lender. The revolving line of credit was paid in full with a portion of the proceeds of the ABL facility, discussed below.

On January 13, 2020, we issued $0.6 million in senior subordinated convertible notes to ABG. These notes accrue interest payable in kind until maturity or conversion to equity.

On June 24, 2020, we issued $1.5 million in subordinated convertible promissory notes. These notes accrue interest payable in kind until maturity or conversion to equity.

On July 16, 2020, we received a revolving line of credit in the aggregate amount of $7.5 million from Citizens Business Bank. The proceeds of this ABL Facility were used (i) to repay all principal, interest and fees outstanding under our existing revolving credit facility and (ii) for general corporate purposes. The ABL Facility matures on

July 5, 2022 and bears interest at a variable rate of LIBOR plus 0.025 basis points, with an interest rate floor of 3.25% per annum. Accrued interest on the ABL Facility is payable monthly commencing on August 5, 2020.

Our income tax provision consists of an estimate of federal and state income taxes based on enacted federal and state tax rates, as adjusted for any allowable credits, deductions and uncertain tax positions as they arise. We did not record income tax expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 due to the continued losses incurred by us. Prior to the May Acquisitions, TruPet was a limited liability company.

Net sales increased $21.7 million, or 188%, to $33.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $11.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Net sales include $23.9 million from Halo for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 following the closing of the Halo Acquisition in December 2019. This was partially offset by a $2.2 million decrease for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 in net sales related to TruPet as compared to the comparable prior year period.

Cost of goods sold increased $13.4 million, or 187%, to $20.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $7.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. As a percentage of revenue, cost of goods sold remained consistent at 62% during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively. Cost of goods sold includes $16.3 million of Halo product costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 following the closing of the Halo Acquisition in December 2019. In addition, cost of goods sold during the first three quarters of 2020 included $0.9 million of non-cash expense related to the amortization of a purchase accounting adjustment to inventory recorded in connection with the Halo Acquisition. These increases were offset by a comparable decrease in cost of goods sold related to the decrease in TruPet sales.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, gross profit increased $8.3 million, or 190%, to $12.7 million compared to $4.4 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Gross profit margin remained flat at 38% for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively. Gross profit includes $7.6 million from Halo for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, following the closing of the Halo Acquisition. The Halo line of products for the current period carried a gross profit margin of 32% compared to TruPet’s gross margin of 55%. TruPet products have higher margins as compared to the Halo product line as Halo’s food and pet food topper products have higher costs than the TruPet products. During the first three quarters of 2020, Halo also incurred storage and fulfillment center costs of $0.6 million, an inventory reserve of $0.2 million and product obsolescence costs of $0.2 million due to the nature of Halo’s products.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, general and administrative expenses increased $11.3 million, or 94%, to $23.3 million compared to $12.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. This increase includes expenses of $3.8 million incurred by Halo for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, following the

closing of the Halo Acquisition. Halo general and administrative expenses include non-cash amortization of $1.2 million related to the trade name and customer relationship intangible assets acquired as part of the Halo acquisition, salaries and wages and related costs of $1.6 million, as well as other costs such as professional and consulting fees, charitable contributions, and other miscellaneous costs. Better Choice general and administrative expenses accounted for the remaining increase, primarily driven by higher warrant expense of $9.6 million, an increase in consulting and other professional fees of $0.5 million, and higher salaries and wages and related costs of $0.9 million as we continued building the infrastructure to support our status as a public company and the expansion of our corporate staff. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in TruPet general and administrative expenses of $3.5 million as compared to the prior year period driven by reductions in compensation costs, professional fees, and outbound shipping costs.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, share-based compensation increased $0.3 million, or 5%, to $7.0 million, as compared to share-based compensation of $6.7 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2019. The increase was driven by $1.0 million related to a catch up of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense, $1.0 million of add-on warrant expense issued to two non-employee directors, and $0.5 million related to restricted shares issued to three non-employee directors, mostly offset by the acceleration of vesting of option awards in connection with the May Acquisitions in the prior year period.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, sales and marketing expenses, including paid media, decreased $2.3 million, or 27%, to $6.2 million from $8.5 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Marketing expenses include $3.1 million incurred by Halo for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, following the closing of the Halo Acquisition in December 2019 and $0.4 million incurred by Bona Vida for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 related to the write off of a prepaid expense associated with a marketing contract that was terminated. TruPet’s sales and marketing expenses decreased from $8.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 to $2.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, customer service and warehousing decreased $0.4 million, or 41%, to $0.5 million, as compared to $0.9 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2019 due to a reduction in staff and related operating costs.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, interest expense increased $7.1 million to $7.3 million from $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Interest expense relates primarily to existing and prior indebtedness including short term loans, lines of credit and subordinated convertible notes.

No provision has been made for federal and state income taxes prior to the date of the May Acquisitions as the proportionate share of TruPet’s income or loss was included in the personal tax returns of its members as TruPet was a limited liability company. Subsequent to the Acquisitions, we, as a corporation are required to provide for income taxes.

The effective tax rate subsequent to the Acquisitions is 0%. The effective tax rate differs from the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 21% as our reported losses are offset by a valuation allowance due to uncertainty as to the realization of those losses.

Net sales increased $7.2 million, or 183%, to $11.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $3.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. Net sales include $8.0 million from Halo for the three months ended September 30, 2020 following the closing of the Halo Acquisition in December 2019. This was partially offset by a $0.8 million decrease for the three months ended September 30, 2020 in net sales related to TruPet as compared to the comparable prior year period.

Cost of goods sold increased $3.6 million, or 116%, to $6.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $3.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. As a percentage of revenue, cost of goods sold was 60% during the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to 79% for the three months ended September 30, 2019. Cost of goods sold includes $5.3 million of Halo product costs for the three months ended September 30, 2020 following the closing of the Halo Acquisition in December 2019. These increases were offset by a comparable decrease in cost of goods sold related to the decrease in TruPet sales, a reduction in product costs, and lower inventory reserve charges.

During the three months ended September 30, 2020, gross profit increased $3.6 million, or 433%, to $4.5 million compared to $0.8 million during the three months ended September 30, 2019. Gross profit margin increased to 40% for the three months ended September 30, 2020 from 21% for the three months ended September 30, 2019. Gross profit includes $2.7 million from Halo for the three months ended September 30, 2020, following the closing of the Halo Acquisition. The Halo line of products for the current period carried a gross profit margin of 34% compared to TruPet’s margin of 54%. TruPet products have higher margins as compared to the Halo product line as Halo’s food and pet food topper products have higher costs than the TruPet products. Halo also incurred storage and fulfillment center costs of $0.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 due to the nature of Halo’s products.

During the three months ended September 30, 2020, general and administrative expenses decreased $1.3 million, or 25%, to $3.6 million compared to $4.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. The decrease is primarily driven by a reduction in TruPet general and administrative expenses of $1.1 million consisting primarily of decreases in sales tax expense, partially offset by an increase in professional fees. Better Choice general and administrative expenses accounted for the remaining decrease, driven by lower consulting and professional fees of $1.0 million and lower warrant compensation of $0.4 million. The decrease is offset by $1.2 million of general and administrative expenses incurred by Halo for the three months ended September 30, 2020, following the closing of the Halo Acquisition. Halo general and administrative expenses include non-cash amortization of $0.4 million related to the trade name and customer relationship intangible assets acquired as part of the Halo acquisition, salaries and wages and related costs of $0.5 million, as well as other costs such as professional and consulting fees, charitable contributions, and other miscellaneous costs.

During the three months ended September 30, 2020, share-based compensation decreased $1.0 million, or 38%, to $1.5 million, as compared to share-based compensation of $2.5 million during the three months ended September 30, 2019. The decrease was driven by the acceleration of vesting of option awards in connection with an executive termination in the prior year period.

During the three months ended September 30, 2020, sales and marketing expenses, including paid media, decreased $0.5 million, or 16%, to $2.4 million from $2.9 million during the three months ended September 30, 2019. Sales and marketing expenses include $1.1 million incurred by Halo for the three months ended September 30, 2020, following the closing of the Halo Acquisition in December 2019 and $0.4 million incurred by Bona Vida for the three months ended September 30, 2020 related to the write off of a prepaid expense associated with a marketing contract that was terminated. TruPet’s sales and marketing expenses decreased from $2.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019 to $0.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020.

During the three months ended September 30, 2020, customer service and warehousing decreased $0.2 million, or 51%, to $0.1 million, as compared to $0.3 million during the three months ended September 30, 2019 due to a reduction in staff and related operating costs.

During the three months ended September 30, 2020, interest expense increased $2.5 million to $2.5 million from less than $0.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. Interest expense relates primarily to existing and prior indebtedness including short term loans, lines of credit and subordinated convertible notes.

No provision has been made for federal and state income taxes prior to the date of the May Acquisitions as the proportionate share of TruPet’s income or loss was included in the personal tax returns of its members as TruPet was a limited liability company. Subsequent to the Acquisitions, we, as a corporation are required to provide for income taxes.

The effective tax rate subsequent to the Acquisitions is 0%. The effective tax rate differs from the U.S. Federal statutory rate of 21% as our reported losses are offset by a valuation allowance due to uncertainty as to the realization of those losses.

Since our founding, we have financed our operations primarily through sales of member units while a limited liability company, and since becoming a corporation, through the sales of shares of our common stock, warrants, preferred stock, and loans. On September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, we had cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash of $2.1 million and $2.5 million, respectively.

We are subject to risks common in the pet wellness consumer market including, but not limited to, dependence on key personnel, competitive forces, successful marketing and sale of its products, the successful protection of its proprietary technologies, ability to grow into new markets, and compliance with government regulations. In late 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus (“COVID-19”) began to spread globally. As of November 2020, we have not experienced a significant adverse impact to our business, financial condition or cash flows resulting from the pandemic. However, uncertainties regarding the continued economic impact of COVID-19 are likely to result in sustained market turmoil, which could negatively impact our business, financial condition, and cash flows in the future.

We have incurred losses over the last three years and have an accumulated deficit. We expect to continue to generate operating losses and consume significant cash resources for the foreseeable future. These conditions raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, meaning that we may be unable to continue operations for the foreseeable future or realize assets and discharge liabilities in the ordinary course of operations. We have implemented and continue to implement plans to achieve cost savings and other strategic objectives to address these conditions. We expect cost savings from consolidation of third-party manufacturers, optimizing shipping and warehousing as well as overhead cost reductions. The business is focused on growing the most profitable channels while reducing investments in areas that are expected to have lower long-term benefits.

If we seek additional financing to fund our business activities in the future and there remains doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, investors or other financing sources may be unwilling to provide additional funding on commercially reasonable terms or at all. If we are unable to raise the necessary funds when needed or achieve planned cost savings, or other strategic objectives are not achieved, we may not be able to continue our operations, or we could be required to modify our operations that could slow future growth. The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming we will continue as a going concern,

which contemplates the realization of assets and payments of liabilities in the ordinary course of business. Accordingly, the interim condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of asset carrying amounts or the amount of and classification of liabilities that may result should we be unable to continue as a going concern.

A summary of our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 is as follows:

Cash used in operating activities consisted of net loss from operations adjusted for non-cash items such as warrant issuances, share-based compensation expense and depreciation and amortization as well as changes in working capital and other activities.

Cash used in operating activities decreased $8.7 million, or 66%, during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Net loss from operations adjusted for non-cash expenses was $7.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $17.5 million for the comparable prior year period. The improvement was driven by an increase in revenue from the Halo Acquisition and a reduction in sales and marketing and customer services and warehouse expenses. While general and administrative costs increased $11.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 compared to the comparable prior year period, a majority of the increase was related to non-cash expenses. As a percentage of revenue, cash expenses from general and administrative activity decreased year over year, reflecting continued optimization and leverage of operating costs as a combined company.

Cash used in investing activities was less than $0.1 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020. Cash provided by investing activities was $0.4 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2019.The cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 is related to the purchase of property and equipment. The cash flow from investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 is primarily due to cash acquired in the merger, partially offset by cash used to purchase property and equipment.

Cash provided by financing activities was $4.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 compared to cash provided by financing activities of $17.9 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2019. The cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was related to proceeds from the revolving line of credit of $0.3 million, proceeds from the PPP loans of $0.9 million, proceeds of $1.5 million from the June 2020 Notes and $1.5 million related to investor prepayments associated with the issuance of preferred stock, slightly offset by less than $0.1 million in debt issuance costs. Net cash provided by financing activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was related to net proceeds from a private placement of $15.8 million and a PIPE warrant exercise of $4.0 million, offset by payments to eliminate the balance due under a cash advance agreement of $1.9 million. We refinanced debt acquired in the merger of $1.6 million with the proceeds from the issuance of new debt of $6.2 million. For details about the terms, covenants and restrictions contained in the Facilities Agreement and the subordinated convertible notes, see "Note 10—Debt" to our interim condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined by applicable regulations of the SEC, that are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.

We have identified significant accounting policies that, as a result of the judgments, uncertainties, uniqueness and complexities of the underlying accounting standards and operations involved could result in material changes to its financial condition or results of operations under different conditions or using different assumptions. Our most critical accounting policies are related to revenue recognition, valuation of long-lived and intangible assets, share-based compensation, and the accounting for convertible notes, warrants and business combinations. Details regarding our use of these policies and the related estimates are described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 4, 2020.

for artificial preservatives and added chemicals. Our treats and chews are oven-baked, using natural ingredients for maximum nutrition. TruDog raw dog foods meet The Association of American Feed Control Officials (“AAFCO”) guidelines and are small-batch tested for common contaminants prior to leaving the manufacturer. The proprietary blends of our TruDog line of supplements for dogs are formulated with a focus on using natural ingredients that meet a dog’s unique biological needs.

Our products sold under the Halo brand are made strictly from naturally raised animals on sustainable farms, and are manufactured in the United States. By sourcing cage-free poultry, pasture-raised beef, and wild-caught fish from certified sustainable fisheries and not including meat meals or other animal byproducts in its formulations, Halo is able to provide pets and pet parents with a nutritious and highly digestible suite of food and treats. Halo partners with a number of co-manufacturing partners to produce its products. Like TruDog, Halo’s dog and cat foods meet AAFCO guidelines and are small-batch tested for common contaminants prior to leaving the manufacturer.

We utilize logistics service providers as a part of our supply chain, primarily for shipping and logistics support. Fulfillment of orders for our DTC customers is managed by a third-party logistics partner, and shipped from our warehouse location in Tampa, Florida. The fulfillment of orders from our Retail customers is managed by a third-party warehousing and logistics partner based in Lebanon, Tennessee. Our DTC ecosystem allows us to efficiently manage and customize the online shopping experience for customers, including a customer dashboard where shoppers can manage and track orders and order history. Our products are shipped by trusted carriers for expeditious and reliable delivery. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—The COVID-19 pandemic could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.”

Approximately 58% and 90%, respectively, of total net sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 were generated from e-commerce and direct to consumer sales with roughly 22% and 45%, respectively, of the e-commerce and direct to consumer sales coming from recurring orders. Approximately 89% and 94%, respectively, of total net sales during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were generated from e-commerce and direct to consumer sales with roughly 46% and 49%, respectively, of the e-commerce and direct to consumer sales for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 coming from recurring orders. We currently sell our direct-to-consumer, or DTC, products on our own website and the e-commerce websites of Amazon, Chewy and Healthy Pets. In addition to our direct-to-consumer customers, we partner with a number of Retail customers, most notably Amazon, Chewy, PetSmart and Petco that purchase our products and sell them to the consumer. In addition, we maintain a number of distribution partners who sell our products internationally, with a current focus on the Asian market.

We also have a loyalty program called the TruDog Love Club (“TLC”). TLC is a membership club where members enjoy certain benefits including auto-shipments, free shipping, VIP access to TruDog’s Happiness Concierge and invitations to secret sales only for TLC members. TLC members also earn reward points with every TLC order, which can be used to purchase TruDog products. Our TLC program generated revenue of $0.4 million and $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and approximately $0.5 million and less than $0.1 million for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Recurring revenue related to subscriptions generated approximately $4.2 million and $4.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Recurring revenue related to subscriptions generated approximately $7.0 million and $6.3 million for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Our marketing strategy is designed to educate consumers about the benefits of our portfolio and build awareness of our products. We deploy a broad set of marketing tools across media, mail and public relations to reach consumers through multiple touch points. Our marketing initiatives include the use of social marketing, social influence marketing, direct response marketing, inbound marketing, email marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, radio, paid media (Facebook, Instagram & YouTube), affiliate marketing, and content marketing, among other proven strategies to generate and convert sales prospects into loyal, satisfied customers. In addition to directly targeting and educating consumers of our products, we partner with a number of e-commerce retail partners such as Amazon, Chewy, PetSmart and Petco to develop joint sales and marketing initiatives to increase sales and acquire new customers. Over the last two years, Halo has continued to grow with e-commerce retail partners such as Chewy and Amazon, and has been able to achieve significant online sales growth with a focus on increasing monthly recurring consumer revenue. In early 2018, and concurrent with a refresh of the Halo brand, Halo also launched its products nationally with PetSmart.

Although our products are currently sold in retail locations in the United States, Canada and Asia, we believe that the traditional retail environment is currently undergoing notable economic change due largely to the global shift in consumer purchasing behaviors—with online shopping/e-commerce sites experiencing rapid growth relative to brick and mortar stores. Given this trend in brick and mortar retail, we have partnered with key e-commerce retailers in our Retail channel and adopted a robust DTC sales model that is anchored by an e-commerce website whereby we educate, sell and ship our various products directly to consumers. Our DTC model has allowed us to drive new consumers directly to our brands and develop a recurring revenue model. In addition, our e-commerce retail partners offer incentives to drive monthly subscriptions, further building on the recurring revenue that we generate from the DTC business.

The pet health and wellness industry is highly competitive. Competitive factors include product quality, ingredients, brand awareness and loyalty, product variety, product packaging and design, reputation, price, advertising, promotion, and nutritional claims. We believe that we compete effectively with respect to each of these factors.

We compete with manufacturers of conventional pet food such as Mars, Nestlé and Big Heart Pet Brands (part of the J.M. Smucker Company), and manufacturers of specialty and natural pet food such as Blue Buffalo (part of General Mills), Wellness, Fromm, Orijen, Merrick, Stella and Chewy, I and Love and You, and Freshpet. In addition, we compete with many regional niche brands in individual geographic markets.

Within our hemp-derived CBD business, we face fragmented competition due to the infancy of the pet-related CBD market. Given the rapid growth of the U.S. CBD industry, hundreds of companies have entered the market; however, most CBD companies focus on the human CBD market. Our competitors within the pet CBD market include: Therabis, Honest Paws, Charlotte’s Web, Pet Releaf, and Canna-Pet. We anticipate the pet CBD market to continue growing at a rapid rate and believe retaining market share will require increased marketing in addition to maintaining a high level of quality and integrity of product offerings.

We rely upon the supply of raw materials that meet our specifications, such as USA farm-raised beef, GAP 2 certified cage-free whole chicken and associated broths, GAP 2 certified cage-free whole turkey and associated broths, MSC certified wild-caught salmon and MSC certified wild-caught whitefish and associated broths, and select non-GMO fruits and vegetables, such as peas, sweet potatoes and lentils. If any raw material is adulterated and does not meet our specifications, it could significantly impact our ability to source manufactured products and could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations

In addition, if we are no longer able to obtain the resources, raw materials or components we need from one or more of our suppliers on terms reasonable to us or at all, including as a result of the increased demand that may be placed on our suppliers as a result of public health epidemics such as COVID-19, our customer relationships could be materially and adversely affected. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—The COVID-19 pandemic could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.”

We rely on C.J. Foods, Inc. (“CJ Foods”) for the supply and co-manufacturing of dry kibble sold under the Halo brand, Simmons Pet Food, Inc. (“Simmons”) for the supply and co-manufacturing of the majority of canned wet food sold under the Halo brand, and Carnivore Meat Company, LLC (“Carnivore”) for the supply and co-manufacturing of freeze-dried food and treats sold under the TruDog brand. Together, CJ Foods, Simmons, and Carnivore represent more than 75% of product volume sold across the Better Choice platform. In the past, we have relied on a single supplier, GenCanna Global USA Inc. (“GenCanna”), for all of our supply of CBD. However, in light of GenCanna’s filing for bankruptcy in February 2020, we intend to utilize spot purchase contracts with other suppliers of CBD as necessary. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—We may not be able to manage our manufacturing and supply chain effectively, which may adversely affect our results of operations.” In addition, we sourced approximately 74% and 70% of our inventory purchases from one vendor for the years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.

As of January 22, 2021, we had 45 employees, all of which are full-time employees and in the United States. Our employees are not represented by any labor union or any collective bargaining arrangement with respect to their employment with us. We have never experienced any work stoppages or strikes as a result of labor disputes. We believe that our employee relations are good.

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 the granting of stock-based compensation awards.

Many of our employees, including members of our management team, have been reporting to work remotely due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which has resulted in the closure of our offices in Florida, Ohio and New York. Our operations or productivity may continue to be impacted throughout the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and government-mandated closures.

Our principal place of business is located at 12400 Race Track Road, Tampa, FL 33626, which consists of approximately 5,000 square feet of office space which the Company leases. The relevant lease is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2023. We have a lease at 4025 Tampa Road, Oldsmar, FL 34677, which consists of approximately 9,200 square feet and houses our customer care center. The relevant lease is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2022.

We do not own any properties or land.

We believe our facilities are adequate and suitable for our current needs and that, should it be needed, suitable additional or alternative space will be available.

The regulation of animal food products in the United States, including animal foods, chews, oils, and other products containing CBD, is complex, multi-faceted, and currently undergoing significant change. The FDA, the FTC, the USDA and other regulatory authorities at the federal, state and local levels, as well as authorities in foreign countries, extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, composition, manufacture, import, export, labeling, storage, distribution, promotion, marketing, and post-market reporting of animal foods, including those that contain CBD. We, along with our third-party contractors, are required to navigate a complex regulatory framework in the countries in which we wish to manufacture, test, import, export, or sell our products.

The various federal, state and local regulations regarding animal foods containing CBD are evolving, and we continue to monitor those developments. However, we cannot predict the timing, scope or terms of any new or revised state, federal or local regulations relating to animal foods containing CBD.

Historically, the DEA regulated CBD pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), which establishes a framework of controls over certain substances depending on whether they are classified in one of five risk-based schedules. Schedule I substances are the most stringently controlled, as they have been determined to have a high potential for abuse, there are no currently accepted medical uses in the U.S., and there is a lack of accepted safety for use of the substance under medical supervision. The CSA classifies “marihuana” as a Schedule I controlled substance and previously defined “marihuana” to include all parts of the cannabis plant, whether growing or not; the seeds of the plant; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound mixture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds, or its resin (with a few exceptions, such as mature stalks of the plant and seeds incapable of germination). Pursuant to this definition, the DEA interpreted CBD to fall within the statutory definition of “marihuana” as a compound or derivative of the cannabis plant.

In February 2014, Congress enacted the Agricultural Act of 2014 (“2014 Farm Bill”) to allow for the limited growth and cultivation of industrial hemp, which was defined as including all parts of the cannabis plant, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. This statute also allowed, as permitted by state law, growing and cultivating industrial hemp under the auspices of a state agricultural pilot program and by institutions of higher education and state departments of agriculture.

In December 2018, Congress enacted the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”) to more broadly allow for the production of hemp pursuant to state and tribal plans overseen by the USDA. The 2018 Farm Bill amended the statutory definition of “marihuana” under the CSA to specifically exclude “hemp,” which is defined as any part of the cannabis plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than

0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. Under this definition, as long as CBD meets the statutory definition of “hemp,” then it is no longer a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA. However, the 2018 Farm Bill did not modify the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) and specifically preserved the FDA’s authority to regulate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds, such as CBD, pursuant to the FDCA.

Under the 2018 Farm Bill framework, states and Indian tribes may submit to the USDA through the state department of agriculture a plan under which the state or Indian tribe will monitor and regulate the production of industrial hemp. For those states that do not have an approved state plan, the production of hemp will be subject to a USDA-established plan, although states retain the ability to prohibit hemp production within their borders. On October 31, 2019, the USDA issued an interim final rule (the “IFR”) to implement the 2018 Farm Bill, which established the required regulatory framework governing commercial hemp production in the United States. The USDA has begun reviewing hemp production plans submitted by state and tribal governments, although several states have informed the USDA that they will continue to operate under their 2014 Farm Bill pilot programs for the time being. Pursuant to the 2018 Farm Bill, the 2014 Farm Bill was to remain effective until one year after the date of publication of the IFR, or October 31, 2020. In October 2020, the USDA extended the 2014 Farm Bill industrial hemp pilot program until September 30, 2021. In addition, no state or Indian tribe may prohibit the transportation or shipment of hemp or hemp products produced in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill through the state or territory, as applicable. The USDA has interpreted this provision to also apply to interstate transportation of hemp that complies with the 2014 Farm Bill until its repeal.

The FDA regulates foods, including foods intended for animals, under the FDCA and its implementing regulations. The FDCA defines “food” as articles used for food or drink for man or other animals, which includes products that are intended primarily for nutritional use, taste, or aroma and the components of such products. For animal foods in particular, this definition applies based on their intended use regardless of labelling as animal food, treats, or supplements. The FDA also imposes certain requirements on animal foods relating to their composition, manufacturing, labeling, and marketing. Among other things, the facilities in which our products and ingredients are manufactured must register with the FDA, comply with current good manufacturing practices (“cGMPs”) and comply with a range of food safety requirements.

Although pet foods are not required to obtain premarket approval from the FDA, any substance that is added to or is expected to become a component of a pet food must be used in accordance with a food additive regulation, unless it is generally recognized as safe (“GRAS”) under the conditions of its intended use or if it appears on an FDA-recognized list of acceptable animal food ingredients in the Official Publication of AAFCO. A food may be adulterated if it uses an ingredient that is neither GRAS nor an approved food additive, and that food may not be legally marketed in the United States. FDA has confirmed that the use of cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds in animal food products is subject to these food additive requirements. At this time, there are no approved food additive petitions or regulations for any cannabis-derived food additive, and while the FDA has issued a “no questions” response to certain GRAS notifications for hemp seed products, these GRAS determinations do not encompass hemp and CBD products more generally.

Additionally, the FDCA prohibits the introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of any food that contains an approved drug for which substantial clinical investigations have been instituted and made public (unless certain exceptions apply). Under this prohibition, the FDA has stated that animal foods containing CBD are adulterated because CBD is an active ingredient in an FDA-approved drug that was the subject of substantial clinical investigations before it was marketed as a food, and that none of the exceptions apply.

Although the FDA has stated that it interprets the FDCA to prohibit the introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of any animal food to which CBD has been added and has taken enforcement action against marketers of certain CBD products (some in collaboration with the FTC), the FDA is in the process of evaluating its regulatory approach to products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds. The FDA has formed an internal working group to evaluate the issue and on May 31, 2019 held a public hearing to obtain scientific data and information about the safety, manufacturing, product quality, marketing, labeling, and sale of products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds. The hearing featured extensive discussion from a variety of stakeholders regarding the use of hemp and CBD in FDA-regulated products, including pet foods. At the hearing, FDA stated that while it does not have a policy of enforcement discretion with respect to any CBD products, the agency’s biggest concern is the marketing of products that put the health and safety of consumers at risk, such as those claiming to prevent, diagnose, mitigate, treat, or cure serious diseases in the absence of requisite drug approvals.

Further, on March 5, 2020, the FDA issued a report to Congress required under the 2018 Farm Bill in which the agency announced that it is currently evaluating a risk-based enforcement policy for CBD to provide more clarity to industry and the public while the agency takes potential steps to establish a clear regulatory pathway. Although it is unclear whether or when the FDA will ultimately issue such an enforcement policy, the agency reemphasized that it will continue to take action against unlawful CBD products that pose a risk of harm to the public, including products with therapeutic claims; products that include contaminants such as heavy metals, THC, and other harmful substances; products associated with false statements, such as omitted ingredients and incorrect statements about the about of CBD; and products marketed to vulnerable populations, such as infants and children.

The labeling of pet foods is regulated by both the FDA and state regulatory authorities. FDA regulations require proper identification of the product, a net quantity statement, a statement of the name and place of business of the manufacturer or distributor and proper listing of all the ingredients in order of predominance by weight. The FDA also considers certain specific claims on pet food labels to be medical claims and therefore subject to prior review and approval by the FDA. For example, pet food products that are labeled or marketed with claims that may suggest that they are intended to treat or prevent a specific disease in pets would potentially meet the statutory definitions of both a food and a drug. The FDA recently issued guidance containing a list of specific factors it will consider in determining whether to initiate enforcement action against such products if they do not comply with the regulatory requirements applicable to drugs, including, among other things, whether the product is only made available through or under the direction of a veterinarian and does not present a known safety risk when used as labeled. The FDA may classify some of our products differently than we do and may impose more stringent regulations which could lead to possible enforcement action.

Under the FDCA, the FDA may require the recall of an animal food product if there is a reasonable probability that the product is adulterated or misbranded, and the use of or exposure to the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. In addition, pet food manufacturers may voluntarily recall or withdraw their products from the market. If the FDA believes that our products are adulterated, misbranded or otherwise marketed in violation of the FDCA, the agency make take further enforcement action, including:

We believe that our intellectual property has substantial value and has contributed significantly to the success of our business. Our trademarks are valuable assets that reinforce our brand, our sub-brands and our consumers’ perception of our products. The current registrations of these trademarks in the U.S. and foreign countries are effective for varying periods of time and may be renewed periodically, provided that we, as the registered owner, or our licensees where applicable, comply with all applicable renewal requirements including, where necessary, the continued use of the trademarks in connection with the goods or services identified in the applicable registrations. In addition to trademark protection, we have registered more than 100 domain names, including www.trupet.com, www.trudog.com, www.rawgo.com, www.halopets.com, www.orapup.com and www.bonavida.com, that are important to the successful implementation of our marketing and advertising strategy. We rely on and carefully protect unpatented proprietary expertise, recipes and formulations, continuing innovation and other trade secrets to develop and maintain our competitive position.

In April 2019, we entered into an intellectual property license with Elvis Presley Enterprises, LLC, pursuant to which we licensed the image, likeness, and persona of Elvis Presley and an associated trademark (“Houndog”) for use in the United States and Canada (subject to a territorial restriction in the geographical area surrounding Memphis,

Tennessee) in connection with the advertisement, promotion and sale, via approved distribution channels, of certain of our CBD-infused animal health and wellness products. In January 2020, we terminated the agreement with no further obligations under the agreement.

From time to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings, which arise in the ordinary course of business. However, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm our business. We are currently not aware of any such legal proceedings or claims that we believe will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results.

animal health and wellness focused investments. Mr. Sauermann previously served on the boards of Organix Recycling, National Strategies, and currently serves on the board of SGV International. Mr. Sauermann began his career at Credit Suisse in New York. Mr. Sauermann is a graduate of Harvard College and holds a degree in Economics and Earth and Planetary Science.

Michael Young. Mr. Young has served as our Chairman since December 2019. Mr. Young is a founding partner of Cottingham Capital, an investment company focused on real estate and technology investment, where he has served as Managing Partner since its inception in January 2017. Prior to January 2017, Mr. Young served as the Managing Director and Co-Head of Trading of GMP Securities, L.P., a Canadian investment bank. Mr. Young currently serves on the boards of Aerues Inc., an anti-microbial copper coating technology company, and XIB I Capital Corp., a capital pool company, and was previously on the boards of Nuuvera Corp. and ICC Labs. Mr. Young holds a diploma in Finance from George Brown College. We believe Mr. Young’s qualifications to serve as a director of our Company include his extensive senior level executive management and trading experience in the Canadian and U.S. capital markets and his experience on other public company boards of directors.

Michael Close. Mr. Close has served as a director of the Company since January 2020. Mr. Close is the Chief Executive Officer of CHOICE Administrators where he is responsible for two health insurance programs: A multi-carrier private health insurance exchange, CaliforniaChoice, and the nation’s first ancillary benefits exchange, ChoiceBuilder. Mr. Close previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for The Word & Brown Companies where he oversaw information technology, marketing, and strategic business development. He worked closely with the business units to ensure strategic alignment between corporate short-term and long-term strategic goals. Mr. Close was previously President of Quotit Corp and HealthCompare, two national health insurance distribution platforms, before their acquisition by National General Holdings Corp. in early 2017. He was also President of CONEXIS, a leading benefits administration company, before its acquisition by WageWorks in 2014. Mr. Close joined The Word & Brown Companies in 2003. His professional background makes him uniquely suited to lead CHOICE Administrators. He has an impressive career spanning more than 35 years in employee benefits and health care. Prior to joining The Word & Brown Companies, he held senior executive positions with Health Net of California and American Specialty Health. Mr. Close earned his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Ohio State University. We believe Mr. Close’s qualifications to serve as a director of our Company include a strong background in strategic planning, operational effectiveness, sales, distribution and organizational development.

Damian M. Dalla-Longa. Mr. Dalla-Longa joined Better Choice Company in May 2019, concurrent with the acquisition of Bona Vida, and currently serves as our Executive Vice President of Capital Markets & Corporate Development. Previously, Mr. Dalla-Longa served as our Chief Executive Officer and served as the Chief Executive Officer of Bona Vida, Inc. from October 2018 until its acquisition by the Company. Mr. Dalla-Longa is a Partner at Albaron Partners, a private equity fund focused on acquiring and operating medical practices and other healthcare businesses, where he has served since August 2017. Prior to August 2017, Mr. Dalla-Longa served as a Sector Head at Magnetar Capital, a privately owned hedge fund sponsor, and an Investment Analyst at King Street Capital Management, a global investment management company. Mr. Dalla-Longa holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. We believe Mr. Dalla-Longa’s qualifications to serve as a director of our Company include his experience investing in, and operating, commodity-related and consumer-facing business and his institutional knowledge of the animal health and wellness space within the hemp-derived CBD industry.

Jeff D. Davis. Mr. Davis has served as a director of the Company since March 2019. Mr. Davis founded Molio Inc., a venture-backed, creative and media analytics agency, where he has served as Chief Executive Officer since February 2015. Prior to founding Molio Inc., Mr. Davis served as director and Chief Executive Officer of Orabrush Inc., a recognized Google e-commerce startup business focused on YouTube advertising for oral care products. Mr. Davis has also served in a variety of leadership positions at Procter & Gamble in 5 different countries over 20 years, where he spent time in numerous product sectors including consumer-packaged goods, pharmaceuticals and beauty. Mr. Davis holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a Bachelor of Arts in German from the University of Utah. We believe Mr. Davis’s qualifications to serve as a director of our Company include skills and expertise in sales, marketing and general management, innovation and brand-building, strategic planning, digital DTC and e-commerce advertising, organizational effectiveness, global “big company” and entrepreneurial “startup” businesses, as well as a global network of business relationships.

Clinton Gee. Mr. Gee has served as a director of the Company since January 2020. Mr. Gee has been the Chief Financial Officer for all of The Word and Brown Companies (the Word & Brown General Agency, CHOICE

Administrators, and California Rx Card Program) since June of 2006. In addition, Mr. Gee oversees Information Technology, Human Resources, Security & Compliance, Legal, Marketing, and Strategic Business Development. Mr. Gee also is a Certified Public Accountant and a Licensed Life and Health Agent in California. Before joining The Word and Brown Companies, he worked as Vice President of Finance and Vice President of Sales for Nationwide Insurance Companies; Vice President of Finance, Vice President of Operations, and Vice President and Controller at CalFarm Insurance Company; Vice President of Finance for Foundation Health Plans. In addition, he worked as an Audit Manager for KPMG where he managed audits of various manufacturing, retail and distribution customers. Mr. Gee holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Computer Science from California State University, Chico. We believe Mr. Gee’s qualifications to serve as a director of our Company include his financial and operational acumen and his relationships with financial institutions.

Lori R. Taylor. Ms. Taylor founded TruPet, LLC, a direct to consumer dog food and supplement company, where she served as its Chief Executive Officer from August 2013 to April 2019. Ms. Taylor also founded RevMedia Marketing LLC, a full-service marketing consultation and product innovation firm, and has served as its Chief Executive Officer since April 2009. From February 1992 to March 2009, Ms. Taylor served as Senior Account Director at RR Donnelley, the largest direct marketer in the United States, during which time she managed direct marketing activity for Fortune 50 accounts, including Proctor and Gamble and was instrumental in the launch of national brands including Tide, Crest White Strips, Charmin, Puffs, and IAMS. Ms. Taylor’s accolades include being named a Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencer in 2012 and a Forbes Top 20 Female Social Media Influencer in 2013. During her time at RR Donnelley, Ms. Taylor also won the Direct Marketing Association’s prestigious Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards. Ms. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and a Bachelor of Science in Business Logistics from the University of Missouri. We believe Ms. Taylor’s qualifications to serve as a director of our Company include her marketing expertise, direct response acumen entrepreneurial experience. Ms. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and a Bachelor of Science in Business Logistics from the University of Missouri.

John M. Word III. Mr. Word has served as a director of the Company since January 2020. Mr. Word founded the Word & Brown General Agency in 1984 to market and distribute health plans through California’s huge brokerage community; by 1986, the company was recognized as the largest independent small group health distributor in the nation. That same year, the company launched the nation’s first COBRA administration operation, sensing that employers needed assistance and qualified support with federal COBRA laws. CaliforniaChoice®, a groundbreaking enterprise empowering small business employees to select from multiple health plans within one program, was launched in 1996. Mr. Word’s professional credentials include Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Registered Health Underwriter (RHU), and Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC). He has served as President of the California Association of Health Underwriters (CAHU), President of the Orange County Association of Health Underwriters (OCAHU), and Chairman of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) Leading Producers Roundtable program. Mr. Word holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance from William Jewell College in Liberty, MO. We believe Mr. Word’s qualifications to serve as a director of our Company include his background in running successful organizations, understanding of consumer needs and marketing to those needs. Mr. Word holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance from William Jewel College in Liberty, MO.

The number of members of our board of directors will be determined from time to time by resolution of the board of directors. Currently, our board of directors consists of seven persons. Our directors hold office until the earlier of their death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.

We have an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and governance committee. Each such committee of the board of directors has or will have the composition and responsibilities described below.

The audit committee assists the board in overseeing our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of our financial statements. The audit committee’s responsibilities include, among other matters: appointing, approving the compensation of, and assessing the independence of our registered public accounting firm; overseeing the work of our registered public accounting firm, including through the receipt and consideration of reports from

such firm; reviewing and discussing with management and the registered public accounting firm our annual and quarterly financial statements and related disclosures; coordinating our board of directors’ oversight of our internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures; discussing our risk management policies; meeting independently with our internal auditing staff, if any, registered public accounting firm and management; reviewing and approving or ratifying any related person transactions; and preparing the audit committee report required by the SEC.

We have a separately-standing audit committee, whose members are Messrs. Young, Gee and Davis, with Mr. Young serving as chairperson of this committee. Our Board has determined that each of Messrs. Young, Gee and Davis is independent under the applicable independence standards of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act applicable to audit committee members. In addition, our Board has determined that Clinton Gee, who was appointed to the Board in January 2020, qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K.

The compensation committee’s responsibilities include, among other matters: reviewing and approving, or recommending for approval by the board of directors, the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and our other executive officers; overseeing and administering our cash and equity incentive plans; reviewing and making recommendations to our board of directors with respect to director compensation; reviewing and discussing annually with management our “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” to the extent required; reviewing and discussing the voting recommendations of our stockholders on matters involving executive compensation, to the extent required; and preparing the annual compensation committee report required by SEC rules, to the extent required.

The members of our compensation committee are Messrs. Close, Young and Davis, and Mr. Close serves as chairman of this committee.

The nominating and corporate governance committee’s responsibilities include, among other matters: identifying individuals qualified to become board of directors members; recommending to our board of directors the persons to be nominated for election as directors and to each board committee; developing and recommending to our board of directors corporate governance guidelines, and reviewing and recommending to our board of directors proposed changes to our corporate governance guidelines from time to time; and overseeing a periodic evaluation of our board of directors.

The members of our nominating and corporate governance committee are Messrs. Gee, Young and Davis, and Mr. Davis serves as chairperson of this committee.

There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers or directors.

Our audit committee is responsible for overseeing our risk management process. Our audit committee focuses on our general risk management policies and strategy, the most significant risks facing us, and oversees the implementation of risk mitigation strategies by management. Our board of directors is also apprised of particular risk management matters in connection with its general oversight and approval of corporate matters and significant transactions.

None of our executive officers serves as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee (or other committee performing equivalent functions) of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors or compensation committee.

Our securities are not listed on a national securities exchange, and we are, therefore, not required and do not have a written code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions. Our management promotes honest and ethical conduct, full and fair disclosure in our reports to the SEC, and compliance with applicable governmental laws and regulations.

We entered into employment agreements with Mr. Dalla-Longa and Mr. Santarsiero effective as of May 6, 2019 (each such employment agreements, the “May 2019 NEO Employment Agreements”). We entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Schulmeyer effective as of July 29, 2019 (the “Schulmeyer Employment Agreement”). We entered into employment agreements with Mr. von Pein and Mr. Sauermann effective as of December 19, 2019 (the “December 2019 NEO Employment Agreements” and together with the May 2019 NEO Employment Agreements and the Schulmeyer Employment agreement, the “2019 NEO Employment Agreements”). The 2019 NEO Employment Agreements had an initial two-year term commencing on the applicable effective date and, unless earlier terminated by us or the executive, automatically renewed for successive two-year terms. Pursuant to each NEO Employment Agreement, the executive’s base salary was subject to review each year at the sole discretion of the compensation committee. Each executive was also eligible to earn an annual cash performance bonus as determined by the board, but in an amount no less than 25% of such executive’s base salary, prorated for any partial year of service.

We entered into new employment agreements with Mr. von Pein and Mr. Sauermann effective as of September 27, 2020 which terminated the December 2019 NEO Employment Agreements. We entered into new employment agreements with Mr. Santarsiero and Mr. Dalla-Longa effective as of October 7, 2020 and November 1, 2020, respectively, which terminated the May 2019 NEO Agreements. We entered into an employment agreement with Ms. Cook effective as of October 8, 2020. The NEO employment agreements entered into during 2020 are collectively referred to as the 2020 NEO Employment Agreements.

Pursuant to the 2020 Employment Agreements, each NEO is employed on an at-will basis. The executive’s base salary is subject to review each year at the sole discretion of the compensation committee. Each executive is also eligible to earn an annual cash performance bonus in an amount of at least 16%, but not greater than 40%, of such executive’s annual base salary, as determined by the board based on the achievement of performance goals and objectives established by the Company and such executive.

Pursuant to the 2020 NEO Employment Agreement, in the event the executive’s employment is terminated due to death, disability (as defined in the 2020 NEO Employment Agreement), for any reason by the executive provided three months’ advance written notice is given by the executive to the Company, or for any reason by the Company provided at least thirty days advance written notice is given from the Company to the executive, the executive will be eligible to receive: (i) any accrued but unpaid base salary for services rendered to the date of termination and any accrued but unpaid expenses required to be reimbursed under such employment agreement, (ii) for all NEO’s excluding Mr. Dalla-Longa, severance equal to six months of executive’s base salary paid in the form of continuing installments on the Company’s ordinary payroll schedule and for Mr. Dalla-Longa severance equal to 12 months of executive’s base salary paid in the form of continuing installments on the Company’s ordinary payroll schedule; and (iii) a lump sum payment equal to the executive’s target bonus that remains unpaid for the previous completed year. In addition, pursuant to the terms of Mr. Dalla-Longa’s employment agreement, his unvested equity awards shall become fully vested on the date of termination and any exercise of options may, at his election, be exercised with a cashless exercise. The receipt of the foregoing described severance payment and benefits is subject to the executive’s continued compliance with all of his obligations to the Company, including under the executive’s confidential information and non-compete agreements with the Company, and the executive’s execution and delivery of a release of claims against the Company.

Pursuant to the 2020 NEO Employment Agreement, in the event of a “merger” (as defined in the 2020 NEO Employment Agreement), (i) if the executive’s employment is terminated for “cause” within twelve months following a merger (as defined in the 2020 NEO Employment Agreement), executive will be entitled to the severance the payments described above, or (ii) if the executive’s employment is terminated for “good reason” or “without cause” within twelve months following a merger, the executive will be entitled to the severance payments described above, plus a lump sum payment equal to one-half of such executive’s annual base salary. In addition, immediately preceding a merger, all of the executive’s unvested stock options shall vest and become exercisable in their entirety and may be exercised with a cashless exercise.

For purposes of the NEO Employment Agreement:

The NEO Employment Agreements also contain standard confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation covenants.

On May 8, 2020, we entered into a separation and release agreement with Mr. Schulmeyer effective as of May 22, 2020 (the “Termination Date”). The agreement provided for the accelerated vesting of 50% of unvested stock options held by Mr. Schulmeyer as of the Termination Date, as well as continuation of his salary through the Termination Date. Mr. Schulmeyer’s remaining unvested stock options were forfeited on the Termination Date.

The Company and Mr. von Pein entered into a separation and retirement agreement effective as of December 31, 2020 (“the Separation Date”). The agreement provides for continuation of payment by the Company of Mr. von Pein’s salary for a period of six months; the payment of Mr. von Pein’s 2020 annual bonus in accordance with the Company’s Management Incentive Plan; the accelerated vesting of 75% of unvested stock options held by Mr. von Pein as of the Separation Date and the payment of unused paid time off as of the Separation Date. In addition, the Separation Agreement includes a general release by Mr. von Pein related to Mr. von Pein’s employment with the Company.

The named executive officers receive a base salary to provide a fixed component of compensation reflecting the executive’s skill set, experience, role and responsibilities. For 2020, our board of directors established an annual base salary for each of our NEOs as follows:

The goals of our long-term, equity-based incentive awards are to align the interests of our named executive officers and other employees, nonemployee directors and consultants with the interests of our stockholders. Because vesting is based on continued employment, our equity-based incentives also encourage the retention of our named executive officers through the vesting period of the awards.

Prior to the completion of the May Acquisitions, execution of employment agreements and granting of awards under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”), we engaged Willis Towers Watson (“WTW”) to evaluate executive compensation packages for all of our senior employees. This included an evaluation of salary and equity award levels, among other items. The analysis completed by WTW was performed to benchmark our company alongside public-market industry peers in order to design an appropriate market-standard compensation plan for our use.

To reward and retain our named executive officers in a manner that best aligns employees’ interests with stockholders’ interests, we use stock options as the primary incentive vehicles for long-term compensation. We believe that stock options are an effective tool for meeting our compensation goal of increasing long-term stockholder value by tying the value of the stock options to our future performance. The exercise price of each stock option grant is the fair market value of our common stock on the grant date, as determined by our board of directors from time to time.

On April 13, 2020, Ms. Cook was granted 200,000 stock options. On October 8, 2020, Mr. Sauermann and Mr. von Pein were each granted 100,000 options. On November 1, 2020, Mr. Dalla-Longa was granted 50,000 stock options. In each case, the options vest over a period of three years subject to continued employment with the Company as follows: one-third of the options will vest on the first anniversary of the grant date and the remaining options will vest monthly in equal amounts over the remaining 24-month period. In the event of a change in control the options shall immediately vest and become exercisable in their entirety.

On May 2, 2019, Mr. Dalla-Longa and Mr. Santarsiero were granted 1,200,000 and 1,000,000 stock options, respectively. Mr. Santarsiero was granted an additional 100,000 options on December 19, 2019. Mr. Schulmeyer was granted 500,000 options on June 29, 2019, 100,000 options of August 30, 2019, 250,000 options on December 11, 2019 and 20,371 options on December 31, 2019. In each case, the stock options vest and become exercisable monthly over 2 years in equal installments of 1/24 each month, subject to the executive’s continuous service with the Company through the vesting date(s). The stock options will be accelerated upon a termination without cause or for good reason within two years following a change in control (as defined under our 2019 Incentive Award Plan).

On May 6, 2019 Mr. Dalla-Longa waived the change of control payment provided for in his employment agreement with Bona Vida of $500,000 and received a grant of 100,000 shares of common stock.

Retirement Plans. We currently maintain a 401(k) retirement savings plan that allows eligible employees to contribute a portion of their compensation, within limits prescribed by the Internal Revenue Code, on a pre-tax basis through contributions to the plan. Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan. We believe that providing a vehicle for tax-deferred retirement savings through our 401(k) plan adds to the overall desirability of our executive compensation package and further incentivizes our named executive officers in accordance with our compensation policies. During 2020, the Company provided an employer matching contribution of 100% up to 3% of compensation and 50% matching of contributions above that level to a maximum of 5% of compensation under our 401(k) plan. Beginning in 2021, the Company provides an employer matching contribution of 50% up to 5% of compensation under our 401(k) plan.

Employee Benefits and Perquisites. All of our full-time employees, including our named executive officers, are eligible to participate in our employee benefit plans and programs, including medical, dental, and vision benefits, health spending accounts, short and long-term disability and life insurance, to the same extent as our other full-time employees, subject to the terms and eligibility requirements of those plans. During 2020, the Company paid certain auto and housing costs on Mr. von Pein’s behalf.

Termination and Change in Control Benefits. Our named executive officers may become entitled to certain benefits or enhanced benefits in connection with certain qualifying terminations of employment and/or a change in control of our Company. Each of our named executive officers’ employment agreements entitles them to severance in the event of their termination without cause or their resignation for good reason and upon termination by reason of death or disability.

Effective as of December 19, 2019, the board of directors repriced all outstanding options to purchase common stock issued pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2019 Incentive Award Plan (the “2019 Amended Plan”) including options held by our named executive officers. As a result, the exercise price of all 2019 Amended Plan options outstanding as of December 19, 2019 was lowered to $1.82 per share, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on December 19, 2019. No other terms of the stock options were changed.

Effective October 1, 2020, all outstanding stock option awards under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan held by current employees as of October 1, 2020 were repriced concurrent with the closing of the Company’s Series F Private Placement. In total, 6,077,731 stock options were repriced. The exercise price was set at a 20% premium to the Series F conversion price, or $0.60 per share. No other terms of the stock options were changed.

The board of directors effectuated the repricing, in each case, to realign the value of the stock options with their intended purpose, which is to retain and motivate the holders of the stock options to continue to work in the best interests of the Company. Prior to the repricing, many of the stock options had exercise prices well above the then recent market prices of our common stock. The stock options were repriced unilaterally and the consent of holders was neither necessary nor obtained.

The following table sets forth outstanding stock option awards held by our named executive officers at December 31, 2020. None of our named executive officers hold stock awards.