Verano Expands Connecticut Footprint with Opening of Zen Leaf Ashford, Company’s Sixth Retail Location and Closest Cannabis Dispensary1 to University of Connecticut

Rhea-AI Summary

Verano Holdings Corp. (OTCQX: VRNOF) announced the opening of Zen Leaf Ashford, its sixth Connecticut location, on April 4th, 2025. The new dispensary, located at 55 Nott Hwy, is strategically positioned as the closest cannabis outlet to the University of Connecticut's main campus in Storrs.

The location will offer a special 20% 'Higher Education' discount for UConn students and celebrate Husky sports victories with special promotions. The grand opening weekend will feature deals, food trucks, DJs, giveaways, and an onsite job fair. The store will operate Monday-Saturday (9am-9pm) and Sunday (10am-6pm).

This expansion brings Verano's total operations to 154 dispensaries across 13 states, supported by 15 cultivation facilities with over 1.1 million square feet of cultivation capacity. The company is also demonstrating community engagement through support of local organizations including the Windham Covenant Soup Kitchen and Windham Area Interfaith Ministry.

Positive

• Strategic location near UConn's 33,500-student campus provides access to large customer base
• Expansion to 6th Connecticut location strengthens regional market presence
• Significant cultivation capacity with 1.1 million square feet across 15 facilities
• Competitive student discount program to drive customer acquisition

Negative

• None.

Zen Leaf Ashford will feature exclusive 20% everyday “Higher Education” UConn student discount and celebrate Husky wins with special deals for victories in multiple sports

• Zen Leaf Ashford, located at 55 Nott Hwy, is the closest dispensary to the University of Connecticut’s main campus in Storrs, situated less than a 10-minute drive from the legendary institution’s 33,500 students²
• Verano’s active operations span 13 states, comprised of 154 dispensaries and 15 cultivation and processing facilities with more than 1.1 million square feet of cultivation capacity

CHICAGO, April 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verano Holdings Corp. (Cboe CA: VRNO) (OTCQX: VRNOF) (“Verano” or the “Company”), a leading multi-state cannabis company, today announced the grand opening of Zen Leaf Ashford on Friday, April 4^th, elevating the Company’s retail footprint to six Connecticut locations and 154 dispensaries nationwide. Zen Leaf Ashford, located at 55 Nott Hwy, will be open from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Zen Leaf Ashford will kick off the weekend-long celebration with a Friday morning ribbon cutting with the local Chamber of Commerce, and Friday through Sunday, will feature grand opening doorbuster deals and discounts, food trucks, DJs spinning tunes, giveaways from CTPharma, and other popups. Additionally, the Company will host an onsite job fair with the opportunity for on-the-spot interviews throughout the weekend.

Situated in Windham County, Zen Leaf is Ashford’s first cannabis outlet and closest dispensary to the iconic University of Connecticut in Storrs, providing Husky faithful with a convenient location just minutes away from campus. Although Verano has a standing 10% off student deal nationally, Zen Leaf Ashford is upping the ante with a UConn-exclusive 20% “Higher Education” student promotion, and as a nod to the Huskies’ legendary sports prowess, Zen Leaf will celebrate men’s/women’s Husky Soccer, Football, Basketball, Softball and Baseball victories throughout each season with “UConn Wins, You Win” specials for all customers. Additionally, Zen Leaf Ashford will also offer everyday specials available at all Connecticut Zen Leaf locations, including the state’s leading 22% off discount for Veterans, 20% off “Medical Monday” deals for medical patients, and up to 20% off the first three orders after downloading the Zen Leaf mobile app.

Along with grand opening celebrations, as part of the Company’s ongoing commitment to support local communities across Connecticut, Verano is proud to dedicate funds benefitting the following local area organizations:

• Windham Covenant Soup Kitchen, a local non-profit dedicated to assisting Windham residents experiencing food insecurity and limited access to essential services, which will provide over 6,700 meals for those in need.
• Windham Area Interfaith Ministry, an organization that provides various supportive services for area residents, including emergency assistance.

“We’re thrilled to welcome new patients, guests and team members to Zen Leaf as we plant our roots in Ashford, and look forward to cheering on the Huskies with exclusive UConn student deals and special discounts that celebrate team wins while continuing our legacy of support for local community organizations across Connecticut,” said George Archos, Verano founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Zen Leaf Ashford adds another convenient outlet for Connecticut cannabis consumers that complements existing Zen Leaf locations in Meriden, Naugatuck, Newington, Norwich and Waterbury. Verano’s operations in Connecticut also include the 217,000 square foot state-of-the-art CTPharma cultivation and processing facility in Rocky Hill, where the Company produces a variety of CTPharma^™ branded products, including flower, vapes, concentrates and topicals; Savvy^™ flower and vapes; On the Rocks^™ Live Rosin edibles; and Encore^™ Edibles gummies and chocolates.

For additional convenience and accessibility, patients can choose to order ahead at ZenLeafDispensaries.com for express in-store pickup. More information is available on the Company’s Investor website, and product images, logos and b-roll footage are available for download in Verano’s Media Kit (credit “courtesy of Verano”).

About Verano

Verano Holdings Corp. (Cboe CA: VRNO) (OTCQX: VRNOF), one of the U.S. cannabis industry’s leading companies based on historical revenue, geographic scope and brand performance, is a vertically integrated, multi-state operator embracing a mission of saying Yes to plant progress and the bold exploration of cannabis. Verano provides a superior cannabis shopping experience in medical and adult use markets under the Zen Leaf^™ and MÜV^™ dispensary banners, including Cabbage Club^™, an innovative annual membership program offering exclusive benefits for cannabis consumers. Verano produces a comprehensive suite of high-quality, regulated cannabis products sold under its diverse portfolio of trusted consumer brands including Verano^™, (the) Essence^™, MÜV^™, Savvy^™, BITS^™, Encore^™, and Avexia^™. Verano’s active operations span 13 U.S. states, comprised of 15 production facilities with over 1.1 million square feet of cultivation capacity. Learn more at Verano.com.

Media
Verano
Grace Bondy
Director, Communications
Grace.Bondy@verano.com

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company’s beliefs regarding future events, plans, strategies, or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control. Generally, such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “future”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “projects,” “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases, or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “will continue”, “will occur” or “will be achieved”. Forward-looking statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements herein, including, without limitation, the risk factors described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except as may be required in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice regarding forward-looking information and statements.

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¹ Source: Department of Consumer Protection
² Source: University of Connecticut

FAQ

When is Zen Leaf Ashford (VRNOF) opening and what are its operating hours?

Zen Leaf Ashford opens April 4th, 2025, operating Monday-Saturday 9am-9pm and Sunday 10am-6pm.

What special discounts does VRNOF offer at Zen Leaf Ashford for UConn students?

UConn students receive a 20% 'Higher Education' discount, plus special deals when Husky sports teams win.

How many dispensaries does Verano (VRNOF) now operate in Connecticut and nationwide?

Verano operates 6 dispensaries in Connecticut and 154 dispensaries nationwide.

What is Verano's (VRNOF) total cultivation capacity across all facilities?

Verano operates 15 cultivation facilities with over 1.1 million square feet of cultivation capacity.