Black-tie gala will be held at the historic Fairmont Royal York in downtown Toronto on November 8
The 2019 CCAs feature new budtender and retail awards, consumer’s choice for the top cannabis products, and industry-selected awards in entrepreneurship and cultivation
Entries open at CanadianCannabisAwards.com
TORONTO, Sept. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lift & Co. (the "Company") (TSXV: LIFT) (OTCQB: LFCOF) has opened entries for the sixth annual Canadian Cannabis Awards (the “CCAs”), a celebration of the top people, products and companies in cannabis. Submissions for all categories are open now at CanadianCannabisAwards.com. The winners will be unveiled at the CCAs black-tie gala on Friday, November 8, 2019 at the Fairmont Royal York.
“This is a transformative year for the industry’s leading awards. This year’s winners will be the ones to watch as brands slowly emerge after one full year of legalization,” said Matei Olaru, CEO, Lift & Co. “CCA recipients represent excellence in our industry according to their customers and their peers, which is an invaluable point of differentiation as the sector matures and becomes increasingly competitive. We look forward to celebrating on the heels of legalization 1.0 and heading into legalization 2.0.”
The CCAs cover 32 categories that reflect the evolving cannabis industry in Canada and recognize the voice of the recreational consumer after one full year of legalization.
Consumer's Choice: Top cannabis products—dried flower, oil, capsules, sprays and pre-rolls—will be determined by consumer reviews and purchase receipts submitted on Lift.co between August 23 and October 25, 2019. Consumers indicate their top choice(s) by submitting a review and/or a receipt to the Lift.co platform. Reviews and receipts are used to validate voters as consumers of the products they choose. Winning products will be based on an algorithm that uses the number of reviews and receipts submitted for products as well as how well the product ranked in those reviews.
Judged Categories: The winners in categories for accessories, organizations and people, retail, and cultivation are determined by judging panels comprised of industry and subject-matter experts. Nominations in these categories are collected via submission to CanadianCannabisAwards.com between August 23 and September 20, 2019, and then are deliberated by the judging panels between September 30 to October 25, 2019. New this year is a judging panel comprised of the country’s budtenders who will determine the winners of the accessories category.
“After six years, the CCAs have become the gold-standard for excellence in our industry,” added Olaru. “As the industry evolves, we’re innovating with the Lift.co platform to give consumers a powerful voice to vote for products they’ve tried and loved, and elevate the fairness and objectivity across this year’s voting.”
Notable new categories for 2019 include awards for Top Retail Location, Top Budtender and Top Budtender Reviewer at Lift.co, recognizing those who are the face of the industry and a key customer resource. According to a new cannabis consumer insights white paper released by Lift & Co. and EY Canada, 70% of consumers said they did not know what they were going to buy before going into a store.
For information about media passes and interview availabilities, including the gala red carpet, please contact Nikki Laoutaris, Communications Manager at nlaoutaris@lift.co.
KEY DATES:
September 20, 2019 (11:59 p.m. ET): Submissions close (excluding cannabis product categories)
October 25, 2019 (11:59 p.m. ET): Product submissions and voting closes
November 8, 2019: Awards Gala and Winners Announced
The judging panel period is September 30 to October 25, 2019.
HOW TO SUBMIT AND VOTE:
Submissions for all categories:
Go to CanadianCannabisAwards.com to complete an entry submission for accessories, organizations and people, retail and cultivation. The top five entries with the greatest number of submissions per category will advance to the judging round. Submissions are open until September 20.
For cannabis products:
From CanadianCannabisAwards.com, entries can be submitted by consumers writing a cannabis review and/or by uploading a receipt to Lift.co. Each receipt and review will be part of the calculation in determining the top products for 2019. Entries are open until October 25.
CANADIAN CANNABIS AWARDS 2019 CATEGORIES
Cannabis Products:
Flower:
Top Indica Flower
Top Sativa Flower
Top Hybrid Flower
Oil:
Top High CBD Bottled Oil (min 15 mg/mL CBD)
Top High THC Bottled Oil (min 20 mg/mL THC)
Top Balanced Oil (less than 2:1 ratio or 1:2)
Top Cannabis Spray *NEW*
Top Cannabis Capsules (soft gels, liquid gels) *NEW*
Pre-Roll *NEW*
Top Sativa Dominant Pre-roll
Top Indica Dominant Pre-roll
Top Hybrid Pre-roll
Accessories:
Top Vaporizer
Top Rolling Papers & Cones
Top Pipe/Bong
Top Home Growing Box
Organizations and People:
Entrepreneur of the Year *NEW*
This award recognizes the endeavours of exceptional people who create the products and services that keep our industry moving forward. The winner embodies the spirit of cannabis entrepreneurship: tenacity, creativity and leadership.
Startup of the Year
This company exemplifies the qualities that define promising startups: plucky, innovative and creative. Its top-notch team identifies and solves industry problems and contributes beneficially to the cannabis sector. *Entry submissions open to industry professionals only.
Womxn in Weed – Trailblazer
This award recognizes the high achievers, advocates and role models for womxn within the cannabis industry.
Innovation of the Year
This award serves to honour a product, service or idea that adds significant value to people, businesses and society. This idea/product/service is either a significant improvement on an already existing entity within the cannabis space or a new and revolutionary addition. *Entry submissions open to industry professionals only.
Top Non-Profit/Charity/Community Initiative
The winner of this category shines in engagement and the extent to which a positive change was made in the cannabis industry. This non-profit, charity or initiative goes the extra mile in bettering the lives of people who use or are affected by cannabis.*Entry submissions open to industry professionals only.
Brand of the Year
The most powerful brands seem to spring into public consciousness and capture the hearts and minds as if they’ve always existed. This award recognizes brand strategy, culture, image, and impact. *Entry submissions open to industry professionals only.
Employer of the Year
Great ideas can only manifest with a great team and management that helps a team be great. The Employer of the Year Award strives to recognize employers who go above and beyond to build, maintain and reward great teams. This award recipient is voted on by the employees of the entered companies.
Retail:
This category recognizes the beginnings of retail excellence for the industry.
Top Retail Location *NEW*
This retail location and its team delivers unparalleled excellence for its customers. From the look and feel of the store to the buying experience — everything about this location is top notch.
Top Budtender *NEW*
This individual displays a high level of passion and knowledge about the products and industry, shows a commitment to customer service and consistently displays a positive attitude.
*Entries may be submitted by retail owners and managers only.
Cultivation:
*Entries for this section are open to industry professionals only.
Top Testing Lab
Accuracy and reliability are the currency of any testing lab, but the top lab goes above and beyond, pairing smart science with superior service.
Top Trimmer
The winning trimmer is easy to use and maintain and gets the job done right, day-after-day, year-after-year.
Top Extraction Company
One of the largest growth areas in Canadian cannabis, these companies focus on the extracted products that the industry needs as it evolves.
Top Nutrients Company
Great cannabis starts with great nutrients, and this is Canada’s best.
Top Lighting Company
The brightest of the bunch, Canada’s best cannabis lighting company.
Top Master Grower *NEW*
The backbone of the industry, these individuals excel in all phases of the growing process, setting themselves apart by demonstrating superb management characteristics, commitment to quality product and a passion for the industry.
Lift & Co. Special Awards:
These award winners are selected by Lift & Co. staff to recognize contributors who positively impact the quality of the website's information and who help other consumers find the best products.
Top Lift & Co. Reviewer
This reviewer contributes the most consistently excellent reviews to Lift.co, helping others find the products and brands that best suit their needs.
Top Lift & Co. Budtender Reviewer *NEW*
This award recognizes the budtender reviewer who contributes the most consistently excellent reviews to Lift.co, making it easier for others to find the cannabis products and brands to best suit their needs.
Thank you to our CCA Gala Partners: Organigram, Quality Green and Valens
About Lift & Co.
Lift & Co. (TSXV: LIFT) (OTCQB: LFCOF) is a publicly traded technology company modernizing the cannabis industry.
Forward-looking statements
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release and each of the documents referred to herein contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release, and subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and the Company does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.
SOURCE Lift & Co. Corp.
For further information:
Lift & Co.
Sara McMillen, Director Communications and Government Relations, Lift & Co.
smcmillen@lift.co
1-416-220-9536
Nikki Laoutaris, Communications Manager, Lift & Co.
nlaoutaris@lift.co
1-647-464-0148
Investor Relations:
Thesis Capital
Prit Singh, 905-510-7636, psingh@thesiscapital.ca
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/612acde5-2574-4b0f-8844-a2e1bb16ffbd
Canadian Cannabis Awards 2019
Canadian Cannabis Awards 2019